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A developer published a GitHub Gist containing code that decodes kernel panic information embedded in a QR code image, allowing the crash data to be read back from a photo of the code. The gist, posted by user skorotkiewicz, is shareable and embeddable for others to use or adapt.
Code found in Google Wallet version 26.42.1003171897 points to a new 'Overseas QR payments' feature called Traveler QR. A linked Google support page describes automatic activation when a phone detects it's in a supported region, currently naming only Alipay Plus partner networks in Singapore.
Spotify is enforcing its longstanding rule that Family and Duo plan members share the same address by prompting users to scan a QR code on the plan manager's device. Users who don't scan within seven days are demoted to the free tier and barred from joining another Duo or Family plan for 12 months. Spotify's support documentation confirms the policy after users reported the prompts on Reddit.
Spotify is using QR codes that refresh every few seconds to confirm that Family Plan subscribers live together, blocking screenshot workarounds some users relied on. Reddit users say they've still managed to scan the codes remotely via video calls. Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström said on a Thursday earnings call that this is a routine update to verification methods, not a new crackdown.
Spotify confirmed on its Q3 earnings call that it is rolling out QR code verification for Family Plan members, requiring them to scan a code from the plan manager's phone to prove they live together. Members who miss the seven-day verification window lose access and must wait 12 months before joining another Family or Duo plan, or switch to an individually paid plan. Co-CEO Alex Norström described the change as a routine update to existing verification tools rather than a crackdown.
A blogger reverse engineered the Android app for the music guessing board game Hitster, decompiling its APK with jadx to inspect its code. They found a JSON file containing an encrypted card-to-song database and located the AES decryption routine directly in the app's source, allowing them to decode the mapping between card IDs and Spotify tracks without needing a paid Spotify or Apple Music subscription.
Netflix has launched Codenames Party, a new addition to its mobile party game collection that lets people join via QR code scan and play using their phones without extra hardware. The release includes the classic team-based Codenames mode, a Case Studies variant using pre-made word and clue sets, and a new team-free Party Mode where each player creates a clue for their own set of eight words.
SmartLabels is a QR-code labeling system for bins, boxes, and drawers that pairs printed codes with a companion iOS/Android app to log and photograph each container's contents. Each package includes 48 unique QR stickers, and users scan a code to view or update an inventory tied to that specific storage spot.
A TechCrunch reviewer spent two weeks using Tovala's connected oven and pre-portioned meal deliveries to see if the system could rival the ease of ordering takeout. The oven, priced at $299 or $349 for the Pro model with steam capability, automatically adjusts cooking modes when users scan a QR code tied to each meal. Results were mixed: some dishes impressed while others fell short of a traditional home-cooked meal.
Starting Tuesday, pubs and shops in England and Wales can accept digital identity apps from government-approved providers like the Post Office, Yoti and Luciditi as proof of age, alongside traditional physical ID. The scheme is voluntary and technology-agnostic, letting businesses choose whether to adopt it, though officials say most venues will still accept physical documents too.
Writer Ploum recounts telling businesses he has no smartphone to avoid being pressured into installing apps or scanning QR codes for basic services. He says he had to push back against 18 separate app installation demands in the past year, including for kitchen appliances, a car, and even a toilet with separate apps for its seat, flush, and ventilation.
Life360 is rolling out a new line of scannable pet tags priced at $7.99, expanding beyond its GPS-based pet trackers introduced last year. Scanning the tag's QR code sends contact details to whoever finds the pet and simultaneously notifies the owning family through the Life360 app, without requiring the finder to have the app installed. The company is also adding pet care tools, including scheduled care logs, to its platform.