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Vivo is replacing its old press-a-number phone menu with an artificial-intelligence voice concierge. The concierge routes callers to three AI agents for service, billing, and technical support, with the company aiming to resolve about 60% of calls using this system in coming quarters.

A person was hired for a remote job at NJ Horizon Health with BCBS after a chat interview, received a $2490 check, and was asked to send $1000 via Zelle to a vendor. The company later requested the remaining amount via CashApp, causing confusion and concern. The bank confirmed the check cleared, and the individual provided their SSN via a W-4 form.

PayPal is a digital payment system with 439 million users, allowing users to send and receive payments, make online or in-store purchases, and access services like PayPal Debit Cards and payment plans. It operates by linking bank accounts or credit cards, enabling instant or delayed transfers, and offers tools for small businesses.

Anthony Caccese developed an open-source Raspberry Pi project called 240-MP that replicates an old-school VCR interface for playing media files and Plex libraries on CRT TVs or modern screens. The project uses MPV as a command-line media player and supports local storage and network shares, with future plans to add Jellyfin and RetroArch compatibility.

The Cricut Joy 2 Rainbow Essential Bundle, priced at $119.99 (a $50 discount), allows users to personalize gifts like water bottles and T-shirts with included materials for up to 75 projects. It features the Print Then Cut function and a 30-day Cricut Access trial, though it excludes a heat press. The compact machine is praised for ease of use and practical applications.

Microsoft addressed a global Outlook.com outage and requested iPhone users to re-enter credentials via the default Mail app to access Outlook and Hotmail accounts. The issue affected users worldwide, prompting a security measure to restore access.

A user acquired a Blockstream Jade Plus hardware wallet and seeks feedback on its usability. They are also inquiring about the safety of using the Blockstream Green app for managing Bitcoin holdings and understanding watch-only wallets.

Microsoft is responding to Apple's $599 MacBook Neo (discounted to $499 for students) with a new 'Microsoft College Offer' bundling 12 months of free Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with discounted Windows 11 PCs. Partners include Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Best Buy, with some Surface devices also discounted despite recent price hikes.

The article reports on an ongoing daily outage affecting Claude, with users waiting for status updates. It references the official status page and a Hacker News discussion about the issue.

Kontext CLI is a credential broker for AI coding agents that addresses security and audit challenges by using short-lived tokens and OIDC authentication. It replaces manual API key management with scoped, session-based credentials to enhance security and policy enforcement.

A security warning alerts 1.8 billion iPhone users about an iCloud storage scam that is leaking bank details. Users are urged to delete suspicious emails immediately to prevent financial data exposure.

Costco is expanding travel perks in 2026, offering members bundled hotel pricing, waived rental car fees, and Digital Costco Shop Cards to reduce trip costs. These features aim to provide savings on accommodations, car rentals, and other travel expenses while requiring a membership for access.

Eve is an AI agent platform that runs in a Linux sandbox, offering task automation with integrations to 1000+ services and a web interface for real-time monitoring. It uses Claude Opus 4.6 as an orchestrator and includes features like iMessage integration and pre-installed skills for various job roles.

Google is integrating Polymarket data into its News results to provide users with diverse perspectives. This move aims to enhance information diversity by incorporating data from decentralized prediction markets.

OpenAI introduced a $100/month Pro plan for ChatGPT, replacing previous subscription tiers that ranged from $20 to $200 per month. The new plan addresses demand from power users seeking more advanced features.

CSS Studio is a browser-based design tool that allows users to edit websites and stream changes to an AI agent for codebase updates. It leverages Claude Channels and an MCP server to synchronize edits in real-time, with features like text editing and animation timeline tools available directly in the browser.

PlayStation 5 and Pro console prices have risen significantly over five years, with Sony increasing prices again. The article attributes rising costs to AI's demand for computing resources, alongside global conflicts and inflation.