​Microsoft and Japan took down a cybercrime network behind over a billion scam messages 

​ We’ve all gotten a scam text about a nonexistent parking ticket or a fake package delivery, but hopefully you’ll start seeing fewer of them. Microsoft says it helped dismantle a marketplace for scammers sending phishing messages like those around the world. Through an investigation with Japan’s National Police Agency, it tracked scam activity back […]

​Sprout Pi adds Bluetooth, streaming, and USB-C to your aging iPod 

​ There’s an entire cottage industry of iPod mods out there, but Sprout Pi and Sprout Pico are two of the few full motherboard replacements that combine many of the most popular mods into a single upgrade. Both versions add Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, a microSD card slot, FLAC playback, and more. And while cracking open […]

​Apple’s new HomeView smart display is $10 cheaper at Amazon 

​ It’s like a big Apple Watch for the home. | Image: Apple Apple only just announced on Tuesday that its first smart display, the HomeView, will arrive on November 13th, but you can already save a couple bucks on it. Right now, you can buy the display for $289.99 ($10 off) in gray and […]

​Save up to 20 percent on gift cards for REI, Barnes & Noble, and more 

​ While we cover a lot of deals on specific products, it’s rare that we find worthwhile savings on gift cards that let you save on essentially anything the store sells. However, until October 19th, you can save up to twenty percent on gift cards when you buy them through the Google Play store. There […]

​YouTube sticks new labels on AI-generated songs 

​ YouTube is adding a “Made with AI” label to tracks that were “altered or fully generated” using AI, with a similar approach to its existing process for applying AI labels to videos. It doesn’t sound like this will apply to any and all use of AI tools in making music, but according to YouTube, […]

​OpenAI claims an ex-employee took its product plans and presented them to Apple 

​ OpenAI claims a former employee took more than 100 files related to its product plans before joining Apple. In a document filed on Wednesday, OpenAI accuses the unnamed employee of sending this information to a personal account and then presenting it to Apple leadership, including the vice president of the company’s operations in Asia. […]