If you’re anything like me, you’ll come back to a book or TV show after pausing it for a few days or weeks, only to have to spend hours on a wiki reminding yourself of where you left off, while also trying to dodge spoilers. Spotify is doing its best to fix at least one of those problems, by testing AI recaps for some of its audiobooks.

It’s the first new AI-powered feature in a while that I would actually use. In fact, I’ve played a few video games with similar features (not powered by AI, admittedly), and it’s always such a value-add that it makes me pine for it in pretty much every other piece of media I engage with.

Here’s how Spotify’s new feature works: First, you unfortunately do need to be using the Spotify app for iOS, so Android, web, or desktop listeners are out of luck, at least during this beta test. Then, you’ll need to have listened to a supported English language audiobook for at least 15-20 minutes. After that, you’ll see a Recap button at the top of the page that will quickly generate a one- to two-minute-long summary of what’s happened in the book so far, which Spotify promises will be spoiler-free for future plot events.

Credit: Spotify

Previously on [your book]

Spotify’s likening it to a “previously on” segment on a TV show, although it also says that, “Recaps do not replicate narration or replace the original audiobook in any way,” so don’t expect to hear actual clips from the book, nor an AI voice trying to mimic the narrator. However, just as TV’s “previously on” segments will change with new episodes, your AI Recap will be “regularly updated to match your progress.”

As for any potential issues with the feature, the company says it is “not using audiobook content for LLM training purposes or voice generation” and that authors can opt out of having Recaps on their books. Still, there are a few caveats, including the fact that the Recap feature isn’t free.

On the plus side, it is included alongside the free audiobook hours you get with Spotify Premium, as well as any add-on hours you might buy. But otherwise, audiobooks on Spotify need to be bought on a per-book basis, so for users without Spotify Premium and with no audiobooks in their libraries (that’s me), there’s no way to try AI Recaps before you buy, which means it’s maybe not a convincing reason to swap audiobook platforms just yet.

Not all books will get Recaps

Spotify’s also not being upfront about which books have Recaps, so it could be a bit before you see the button pop up for you. So while I like the idea in theory, I’m probably not going to get to test it anytime soon. (I’ve reached out to Spotify to ask for a current list of books with Recaps enabled, and will update this article when I hear back.)

Could Recaps include hallucinations?

Another potential issue with these Recaps: hallucinations. Spotify didn’t address accuracy at all in its announcement, which I’d like to think implies the company is feeling pretty confident it won’t be an issue. But there is still a potential for an AI to misreport specific details of your story, or accidentally slip a spoiler in regardless of what Spotify claims. One would hope your memory would be jogged enough by a general outline to catch inconsistencies, but still, it might be worth keeping a few notes while you read, just in case.

How to get AI summaries for any book (without using Spotify)

If you aren’t a Spotify audiobook listener or just haven’t gotten to try the beta, I’ll give you a cheat: You can already ask other AI chatbots for book summaries for free. So long as you remember where you left off, just head over to your AI of choice and ask for a summary up to that point. Here’s one for the opening chapters of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt (via ChatGPT)

I won’t deny that there’s real convenience in having a summary feature baked directly into your app, especially one that doesn’t require you to cross reference where you left off lest you, I don’t know, spoil the Red Wedding for yourself or something. But if you’re like me (not a Spotify audiobook customer), at least you’re not out of options.

In a strange reversal of the usual seller/customer dynamic, Google is now giving buyers the power to send out their own robocalls. It’s not the first time the company has experimented with giving the average Joe the ability to send AI robocalls, but it is much more robust than previous outings.

Rolling out today, the feature will show up while you’re browsing for certain products on Search, so long as you add a “near me” to the end of your query. If the product is supported, you’ll see a “Let Google Call” button, which is where the fun begins.

Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Tap “Get started,” and the AI will ask you a few clarifying questions and have you fill in your email (or phone number) and address information. After that, it’ll call local businesses on your behalf and ask for product availability and pricing before sending you an email or text with information broken down by store.

At a press event, I got to experience a live demo of what these robocalls sound like from the seller’s perspective. If you’re worried about getting blacklisted for pestering your local stores with too many calls, don’t be. The robocall does not link itself to you at all, and instead says it’s an AI calling on behalf of Google and that it won’t use the information on the call for training purposes (phew). It’ll then ask a few questions before hanging up and moving on. In the demo, the Google employee acting the part of store clerk was also able to interrupt the call and refer to previous statements for context without issue, although she also spoke clearly and slowly—this might not pan out as well in the real world.

For what it’s worth, I did think the call sounded a little disconcertingly close to a human voice for me, so I could see some employees getting confused if they miss the first line clarifying it’s coming from an AI. A Google spokesperson at the press event also addressed what might happen if your robocall gets picked up by an automatic answering system, saying “they’ll figure it out” before suggesting that, in a worst case scenario, the answering system would probably forward the call to a human.

Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Unfortunately, Google didn’t give any indication of how long it might take for you to get your text or email with results from your calls. Examples that Google demonstrated showed that the robot can do more than simply report inventory and price; it can also make notes about special deals or bundles an employee might mention.

This feature is currently limited to “categories like toys, health and beauty, and electronics” for now, so don’t expect to be able to use it for everything yet. It also seems to have a somewhat slow rollout—either I didn’t know what to search, or I don’t have the feature yet, because I couldn’t get it to pop up for me while I was writing this article.

If you’re anything like me, your biggest concern about this feature is that you might annoy the workers at whatever stores you’re calling. Google says it will try to limit multiple calls asking for the same info (such as from multiple customers who want to know the same thing) and that it will avoid calling late at night or early in the morning. Businesses are also able to opt out of getting AI calls by saying something like “please stop calling my business” during the call, or by updating their business profile under More > Business Profile settings > Advanced settings > Google automated calls and text messages.

Google’s AI robocalls also are only available in the U.S. and only in English, so business owners abroad can breathe a sigh of relief. Because of state laws, AI robocalls also can’t be placed in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, and Nebraska.

I’ll admit that I have opted not to call a business because of social anxiety before, although I’m not sure having a robot bother someone for me would make me feel any better.

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Summer might have passed, but if you’re looking for a year-round portable speaker that’s durable and rugged enough to survive the outdoors (and multiple drops), the JBL Charge 6 is down to $129.95 (originally $199.95) on Amazon, marking its lowest price. If you don’t need one for yourself, this speaker would also make a great gift.

JBL Charge 6

$129.95
at Amazon

$199.95
Save $70.00

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Get Deal

$129.95
at Amazon

$199.95
Save $70.00

While the price bump from the Charge 5 is modest, the number of upgrades is impressive. This model is fully waterproof, has an extended battery life, and an even bigger woofer. While the Charge 6 is slightly larger than its predecessor, it comes with a new ergonomic carry handle that keeps it ultra-portable. 

It can survive drops up to three feet and has an IP68 rating (an upgrade from its previous IP67 rating), which means it can be submerged under five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Its single USB-C connection on the back handles charging, lossless wired audio connections, and power output to charge other devices. The 34-watt-hour battery runs up to 24 hours and doubles as a power bank for devices like phones or tablets in need of charging. It can charge up in just three hours, but it’s worth noting that you’ll need your own charging brick and USB cable as they’re not included in the package.  

App customization is limited to simple controls, but it does feature a customizable seven-band EQ, and this PCMag review calls the sound “surprisingly punchy” with a more robust audio response than similarly compact speakers. It provides loud, clear, and balanced sound (even outdoors). While the PlayTime Boost setting increases volume while conserving battery, it comes at the cost of bass, meaning it may be worthwhile for podcasts or audiobooks, but it could impact how your music sounds.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a small but powerful speaker that performs well and is built to last, the JBL Charge 6 is a great, feature-packed choice, and at $129.95, it’s an absolute steal for a new model. However, if you’re an audiophile looking for stereo speaker quality or bass on par with a subwoofer, this might not be the right fit. 

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If you’re looking for a new QD-OLED TV with fantastic picture quality from a reputable brand, the Sony QD-OLED 77″ Bravia XR A95L Series is currently $3,798 (originally 4,999.99), bringing this popular TV down to its lowest price ever, according to price-trackers. 

Sony QD-OLED 77 inch Bravia XR A95L Series 4K Ultra HD TV

$3,798.00
at Amazon

$4,999.99
Save $1,201.99

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$3,798.00
at Amazon

$4,999.99
Save $1,201.99

This TV offers a wide color gamut and exceptional, lifelike color thanks to the QD-OLED panel, which also delivers perfect OLED blacks without any blooming. For shoppers with a large room or those who view the TV off-center, the ultra-wide viewing angle is a major plus. 

A step up from the A95L (reviewed in PCMag), the Dolby Vision HDR on this smart TV performs well and handles reflections and glare with ease. Compared to the A95L, it manages bright scenes better, offers more refined visuals, and delivers a better gaming experience, supporting 4K at 120Hz, VRR, Auto Low Latency Mode, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It also includes a Game Menu that keeps your gaming picture settings and assist settings in an easily accessible interface. For PlayStation 5 owners, it unlocks Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode for optimized picture quality.

That said, the A95L only has two HDMI ports, so if you need to connect multiple high-bandwidth devices, it may not be ideal. However, reviewers note that compared to similar televisions, its out-of-the-box calibration accuracy is impressive. 

If you’re looking for one of the most immersive TV picture experiences on the market with premium image fidelity, depth, and color richness (and don’t mind limited HDMI 2.1 ports), the Sony QD-OLED 77″ Bravia XR A95L Series is a solid large-screen option with standout value, especially at a $1,200 discount.

Back in 2021, Apple announced a new feature for the Wallet app, that allowed users to add their driver’s licenses or state IDs to their iPhones. To me, it sounded like the beginning of the end for physical wallets. In reality, it was anything but: Not only are the applications limited, but even after all this time, only 12 states and Puerto Rico actually support the feature.

While the rest of us wait for our respective states to get on board, many might have another option for these virtual documents. On Wednesday, Apple announced “Digital ID,” a new initiative that lets you create an ID in the Wallet app using your passport. This bypasses the waiting period for the 38 states that don’t yet support these ID features: If you have a passport, you can try this feature out today. Even if your state supports driver’s license and state ID uploads to the Wallet app, you’ll miss out on features if you don’t have a REAL ID. If you have a passport, however, you can use it instead, which opens up the wallet ID feature to even more users than before.

Like previous attempts at virtual IDs, however, don’t expect to be able to use this Digital ID just anywhere you’d normally show documentation. Right now, the main use for Digital ID is for flying: According to Apple, Digital ID is launching in beta at over 250 airports to be used at TSA checkpoints. Importantly, this feature only supports domestic flights, even though it uses your passport. As such, do not rely on your Digital ID when flying outside of the U.S. You’ll still need your physical passport in order to validate your identity. In the future, however, Apple says you’ll be able to use this Digital ID for other purposes, such as booking flights and hotels, as well as opening new accounts.

How to add your passport to your iPhone

To start, you’ll need a valid U.S. passport, an iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later with WatchOS 26.1. First, open the Wallet app on your iPhone, then tap the (+) at the top of the screen. Here, tap “Digital ID” under “United States.” Here, you’ll see a pop-up which informs you about Digital ID. Tap “Continue,” then follow the on-screen instructions to scan different parts of your passport using your iPhone’s camera. You’ll next need to authenticate yourself by taking a Live Photo of your face. Once confirmed, you’ll need to capture more angles of your face and head, which the Wallet app directs you through.

Once validated, the ID will live in your Wallet app. You can open the Wallet app, or double-click the Side or Home button, then choose the ID whenever you need to present it. When in line at the TSA, for example, you can hold your iPhone with your ID activated near the reader: Once the two connect, the reader will take your photo, while your iPhone will show you all the information you’ll be providing to TSA, which can include things like your legal name, date of birth, sex, nationality, ID number, ID photo, expiration date, the date the ID was added, and who verified the ID. You’ll need to double-click the Side or Home button to confirm you want to share this data.

Credit: Apple

Is Digital ID secure?

Yes, at least according to Apple. The company says that any ID data you add to the Wallet app, be it a passport, driver’s license, or state ID, is encrypted and stored on-device. That means that only you have access to this data—not even Apple can see it. In addition, Apple cannot see when you use your ID, nor can they see what data you shared at the time of identification. You also need to use Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate yourself through this process, so even if someone steals your iPhone, they won’t be able to obtain that ID data.

As stated above, you will see a list of data that will be shared when authenticating with Digital ID. If you aren’t comfortable sharing this data with, say, TSA, you don’t have to double-click the Side or Home button, and can instead choose another form of authentication. Plus, the way this feature is set up, you don’t need to unlock your iPhone or physically hand it over to confirm your iPhone. By double-clicking the Side button or Home button, you can access the ID data without compromising your iPhone.

I’m pretty privacy conscious, but this is a feature I’d be willing to try—assuming I fly out of an airport that supports it. I could see how this might be a bridge too far for some people, especially considering the amount of face scanning you need to do to validate the ID. But Apple says in its Wallet app that this data is used to validate your identity and prevent fraud, and is retained only until the issuing authority approves or denies your ID. In other words, whether or not setup is successful, Apple will delete your face scans once the process is over. Seeing as the rest of the data is encrypted, that might just be enough for me to be comfortable testing this out.