GoKawiil
Tech News
Walmart sells used iPhones under distinct quality labels—Restored Premium, Restored, and Marketplace Pre-Owned—each with different testing standards, battery capacity guarantees, and cosmetic grading. The condition and grade (Like New, Good, or Fair) appear near the product image and Add to Cart button, and directly affect the device's return policy.
TiVo will discontinue its free one-button SkipMode feature on November 2, 2026, replacing it with a paid add-on called Premium Auto Commercial Skip. Customers will get a 30-day free trial starting in November before being charged an as-yet-undisclosed monthly fee to keep automatic or one-tap ad-skipping. Manual options like the 30-second skip and fast-forward will remain free.
A tech writer subscribed to YouTube Premium Lite hoping for an ad-free experience without bundled services like YouTube Music, but found sponsored videos still appearing throughout the app on both TV and mobile after activation. Despite accepting that ads would remain on Shorts and music videos, they discovered sponsored placements interspersed regularly in their regular viewing feed as well, prompting them to cancel the subscription after just one month.
Code strings found in Spotify Android version 9.1.82.19 suggest Free-tier users could soon be allowed to host Jam sessions, a feature currently restricted to Premium subscribers. Jams hosted by Free users would reportedly force shuffle play, cap skips, and limit queue size for all participants, even Premium ones. Spotify has not confirmed the rollout, and the evidence comes solely from unreleased app strings.
Google is letting eligible college students claim a full year of its $19.99-per-month AI Pro plan at no cost, provided they verify enrollment through SheerID. Buyers of certain hardware, including Chromebook Plus, standard Chromebooks, and the Pixel 11, also qualify for several months of free access, and some plans can be shared with others.
A new analysis argues that hiring technology has borrowed the mechanics of dating apps, complete with ghosting after initial contact, paid premium tiers for better visibility, and a culture of settling until something better appears. The result, according to the report, is that both job seekers and employers increasingly treat each other as disposable rather than building genuine matches.
Amazon is selling the Sonos Arc Ultra Dolby Atmos soundbar for $899, a $200 cut from its $1,099 list price. The 18% discount ties the lowest price seen this year and matches the post-Prime Day low, with the product maintaining a 4.6-star rating.
An analysis argues that premium brands undermine their own positioning on Amazon when they rely on constant, deep discounting rather than pricing strategies that reinforce perceived value. It points to persistent markdown badges as a key culprit, suggesting there are more profitable alternatives to chasing sales through discounts.