Claude gets tidier, Alexa+’s free period date passes, and fake iPhone shops to avoid: This Week, Plainly #7

Hello, and welcome to this week’s This Week, Plainly. A quieter week for the big chatbots, a date worth knowing if you have an Echo speaker, and one scam to watch for. Here’s what happened and whether you need to do anything.

1. Claude puts everything in one window

What happened: On 16 September Anthropic, the company behind Claude, merged ordinary Claude chats with Cowork, its tool for longer jobs like sorting files or building documents. Instead of choosing which part of Claude to use, you just ask, and Claude works out what the job needs. It also added Claude Docs and Claude Slides, for writing documents and making presentations you can save as PowerPoint or PDF.

Should you care? 🟠 Only if you pay for Claude. It’s rolling out to Pro and Max subscribers first, over the coming weeks, on the website, the desktop app and phones. Free and Team plans get it later. There’s nothing to switch on, and your old chats and projects stay where they are.

Our take: Fewer buttons to choose between is good news for beginners. By default Claude checks with you before it takes an action, and we’d leave it that way.

2. Alexa+: the “free until at least” date has passed

What happened: Amazon’s smarter, AI-powered Alexa, called Alexa+, has been free in the UK as “Early Access” since March. Amazon promised Early Access would last until at least 15 September. That date has now passed, and Amazon hasn’t yet said when Early Access will end.

Should you care? 🟠 Only if you use Alexa+ and don’t have Amazon Prime. When Early Access ends, Alexa+ stays free for Prime members. Everyone else can pay £19.99 a month to keep it. The reassuring part: Amazon says you won’t be charged automatically, and you’ll get at least 30 days’ notice before Early Access ends. So no surprise bills. If a message about Alexa+ arrives, read it calmly before agreeing to anything.

3. Meta launches paid extras, including more AI

What happened: On 15 September Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, launched Meta One, a set of monthly subscriptions. The personal plans give you extra features and more use of Meta AI, such as creating and editing pictures and videos. Prices were announced in US dollars, starting at $2.99 a month.

Should you care? ⚪ No action needed. Meta says the basic apps and Meta AI stay free. Its UK help pages say Meta One is still being tested and isn’t available everywhere yet. If an offer pops up, there’s no need to sign up just to keep using Facebook or WhatsApp as you do now.

4. Google’s study helper learns some new tricks

What happened: From 15 September Google began adding new features to Gemini Notebook (the tool that used to be called NotebookLM, where you give Gemini your own documents and ask questions about them). You can now record audio on the phone app, have a spoken conversation about your notes (if you’re 18 or over), and get short video summaries and quizzes.

Should you care? ⚪ Only if you like learning new things. It works with an ordinary Google account and appears gradually over a few weeks. Great for getting to grips with a long letter, a manual or a subject you’re studying. As always, check anything important against the original.

5. 🔴 Scam watch: fake iPhone 18 shops

What happened: Which? has warned about copycat websites using “Apple” and “iPhone 18” in their web addresses, timed for the new iPhone’s release on 18 September. They use countdown clocks and prices that look too good to be true to rush you into paying.

Should you care? 🔴 Yes, if you or anyone in the family is after a new phone.

Buy only from Apple itself (apple.com/uk/store), your mobile network or a big shop you already know
Be wary of countdown timers and “only a few left” messages. They’re there to hurry you
If a price looks too good to be true, it is
Pay by credit card where you can, for extra protection

Report suspicious websites to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.gov.uk. If you’ve lost money, tell your bank straight away and report it at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

💡 Tip of the week

Talk instead of typing. If typing on your phone is fiddly, tap the microphone in the message box and just say what you want. Both ChatGPT and Claude will turn your words into text. It’s especially handy for longer requests.

That’s all for this week. Know someone who’d find this useful? Forward it on. It’s free, and they can sign up at deadeasyai.com/news.