Playdate, the tiny handheld with a crank, is delayed to early 2021

You’ll have to wait a bit longer for Panic’s odd little handheld: In an update published today, the company announced that Playdate will slip from its original 2020 window and now ship in early 2021.

The device is the software developer’s first piece of physical hardware, a handheld with a unique crank alongside traditional buttons for controlling the device. Teenage Engineering co-designed the Playdate and it bears many of the company’s minimalistic touches in a bright, playful yellow.

Image: Panic

Playdate with final packaging.

Panic announced in March that its staff was moving to work from home and that the Malaysian factory producing the Playdate had temporarily shut down. The company says adapting to...

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The best beer subscription boxes - CNET

Monthly deliveries of rare beers, hoppy beers, brewery merch and more.

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Twitter is no longer restricting the New York Post's account - CNET

The social media platform says it will retroactively apply its changed policy on hacked materials.

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The best gifts to get healthy in 2021 - CNET

These gifts are sure to please your fitness-minded friends and family.

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Best gaming chair to seat yourself in for 2020 - CNET

We tried gaming chairs from DXRacer, Secretlab and more to help you find the size and style that's right for you.

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Stimulus negotiations face a new war of wills: A relief package 'immediately' or in early 2021? - CNET

Will the next COVID-19 relief bill pass before the presidential inauguration in January, or after? The tug of war continues.

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Gifts that give back - CNET

This year -- especially this year -- consider buying presents that help support charitable causes.

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Apple ordered to pay VirnetX $503 million for patent infringement

Apple says that it will be appealing the decision.

What you need to know

• VirtnetX has won another case against Apple for patent infringement.
• The company argued that its FaceTime feature infringed on its technology.
• Apple has been ordered to pay $502.8 million to the company.

Reported by Bloomberg, Apple has been ordered to pay VirnetX another $502.8 million for infringing on its patents. In a ruling by a jury in Tyler, Texas today, Apple was found guilty of infringing on VirnetX's technology that it developed for the United States Central Intelligence Agency with its FaceTime feature.

VirnetX had argued that it was entitled to more than $700 million, while Apple argued it should only pay about $113 million. The jury was tasked with deciding on how much VirnetX should receive, and it landed on $502.8 million.

In a statement, an Apple spokesperson said that the company would appeal the decision, pointing to the fact that the patents the case is based on were determined to be invalid by the patent office.

"We thank the jury for their time and appreciate their consideration but are disappointed with the verdict and plan to appeal. This case has been going on for over a decade, with patents that are unrelated to the core operations of our products and have been found to be invalid by the patent office. Cases like this only serve to stifle innovation and harm consumers."

Bloomberg reached out to VirnetX for a comment, but the company has not responded at the time of this article's publishing. This is not the first time that Apple has lost a case against the company. It has already paid out $454 million to VirnetX in the past after losing to them in court.

Apple previously paid VirnetX $454 million because of a verdict over earlier versions of the features. Apple has launched an aggressive campaign to invalidate VirnetX patents, but its victories at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office hadn't come in time to avoid its losses in district court.

You can read the full report about the case at Bloomberg.

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Apple rejects app that uses contact info and Facebook to verify ballots

The app developer calls into question Apple's ability to determine if an app violates privacy.

What you need to know

• Apple has rejected an app that would verify ballots in Pennsylvania.
• The app uses contact info and Facebook paired with publicly available ballot information.
• Apple says that the app violates the App Store privacy rules.

Reported by The Information (via AppleInsider), Apple has rejected an app that was built to verify ballots in Pennsylvania. While the app was approved is available for download through the Google Play Store, Apple says that the app violates its App Store privacy guidelines.

The app, called Drive Turnout, was reportedly held up in Apple's App Store review process for two weeks before finally being rejected completely.

After almost two weeks of holding up the release of the app, called Drive Turnout, Apple on Thursday told the developer behind it, Ari Steinberg, that the app violates the company's privacy rules and that Apple won't release it. It was a curious decision. Steinberg's app relies on information that is publicly available on a Pennsylvania state website, which allows anyone with a voter's name, date of birth and county of residence to verify that that voter's ballot has been counted.

The app asked users to share access to their contacts and Facebook friends to find out who may have not yet had their ballot counted.

Drive Turnout, which was approved by Google for distribution on Android, allows users to identify Pennsylvania residents in their iPhone Contacts and Facebook accounts by syncing those databases with the app. The software then conducts a ballot status check using publicly available information from the Pennsylvania state website. The site allows anyone to search for ballot status if they have a voter's name, date of birth and county of residence. Users are able to reach out to contacts whose votes are in jeopardy of not being counted.

According to the app's description, it uses the information you share as well as publicly available voter information to identify the people that you may want to reach out to vote.

"The Drive Turnout app helps you manage all this. We can help you keep track of which of your contacts are in PA, which ones have already voted successfully vs which ones you need to check up on, etc. You're in full control of any communication you want to do with those people."

Apple rejected the app, saying that developers are not allowed to collect personal information from "any source that is not directly from the user or without the user's explicit consent, even public databases." Ari Steinberg, the developer behind the app, questioned Apple's authority to determine if the app violated privacy.

"If there's a story here to tell, the story is asking the question, Should it be Apple making these decisions? Why does it fall to them to make a call on whether it's creepy or not?"

The rejection of the app comes less than a week before the United States presidential election which is set to occur on Tuesday, November 3.

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In its latest confusing decision, Twitter reinstates The New York Post

Rupert Murdoch’s tabloid The New York Post is back on Twitter, after Twitter updated its policy on policy changes. This story is going to be confusing, but not as confusing as Twitter’s attempts at moderation.

To recap: On October 14th, The New York Post published a (contested and possibly part of a disinformation campaign, though this is absolutely not the point I am here to tell you about) story about Hunter Biden, the son of presidential candidate Joe Biden. Very little of the contents of the Post story are pertinent to the discussion we are about to have, except this: some of the materials in it, Twitter alleges, seem to be the result of hacking.

Got all that so far? Great, there’s more

Twitter suspended The New York Post’s account...

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Trump's Ban On TikTok Suffers Another Legal Setback

A federal judge put the brakes on yet another aspect of Trump's push to ban the app TikTok, but the future of the viral video app in the U.S. remains clouded by uncertainty.

(Image credit: Kiichiro Sato/AP)

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Best prepared-meal delivery services for 2020: Home Chef, Daily Harvest, Veestro and more - CNET

No-fuss prepared meals and oven-ready meal kits to save you time and stress.

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Apple is replacing faulty AirPods Pro earbuds for free - CNET

Issues in the earbuds include crackling, static and noise cancellation failure.

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Trump, Biden campaigns slam Facebook after 'technical issues' impact political ads - CNET

The social network stopped accepting new US political ads on Oct. 27, a week before Election Day.

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How do I track my ballot if I voted by mail? Here's how for every state - CNET

Depending on where you live, you may be able to track your ballot with BallotTrax, or your state's designated service.

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The best Wi-Fi routers of 2020: Nest, Asus, TP-Link and more - CNET

Your Wi-Fi router is the unsung hero holding your smart home together. From mesh to gaming to Wi-Fi 6, these are the best we've tested.

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The Queen's Gambit: That ending explained and all your questions answered - CNET

Is the Netflix show based on a true story? Let's go through all those key details and more.

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The best Wi-Fi routers of 2020: Nest, Asus, TP-Link and more - CNET

Your Wi-Fi router is the unsung hero holding your smart home together. From mesh to gaming to Wi-Fi 6, these are the best we've tested.

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Best office chairs to buy in 2020 - CNET

If your office chair is causing you pain, it might be time for an upgrade.

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Apple warns lower App Store fee will 'materially' impact financial results

Apple admits that the App Store does in fact make it a lot of money.

What you need to know

• Apple warned investors about the impact of App Store fee changes.
• The company mentioned the impact in an SEC filing Friday.
• Lowering or eliminating App Store fees would cause results to be "materially adversely affected."

Reported by Bloomberg, Apple has warned investors that, if the company's fee for app and in-app purchases in the App Store was reduced, that it would hurt its overall financial performance.

The warning in a regulatory filing Friday came amid criticism from lawmakers and others about the cut of as much as 30% that Apple takes from third-party developers selling software through the App Store across the iPhone maker's devices.

In a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple said that a change in its current fee schedule for operating the App Store cause its financial results to be "materially adversely affected."

"If the rate of the commission that the company retains on such sales is reduced, or if it is otherwise narrowed in scope or eliminated, the company's financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected."

Apple has charged its 30% fee for purchases in the App Store since its inception in 2008, a year after the introduction of the iPhone. When the company began to support in-app purchases, it extended the 30% to those as well. The company eventually decided to only charge 15% for app subscriptions that last longer than a year.

The company has come under scrutiny for its App Store fees but has maintained that its fees are in line with the rest of the industry. Google, Microsoft, and Sony all charge the same fees for their respective app stores.

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The final Ash hat Pikachu code is now available

What's cuter than Pikachu? Pikachu in a hat, of course.

Ash and Pikachu go way back, so far back in fact that Ash's Pikachu has been a trusty companion through every Pokémon region. To show off Ash and Pikachu's special bond, you can get a Pikachu wearing Ash's hat from every region in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

To get all eight of Ash's Pikachu, just enter codes that will be released over time. Note: Codes for all eight versions of Ash's Pikachu are only good until Nov. 30, 2020. You have to use the codes before that date, or you'll miss out.

Ash's Pikachu

• All Ash's Pikachu codes
• How to redeem Mystery Gifts

Codes for all Ash's Pikachu variants

Here are the Mystery Gift Pikachu codes currently available. We'll update this list as more Pikachu become available:

• P1KACHUGET (Original Cap) — This code unlocks a Pikachu in the original cap from the first season of the Pokémon anime.
• 1CH00SEY0U (Partner Cap) — This unlocks a Pikachu wearing the same hat as the one Ash wears in Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
• P1KAADVANCE (Hoenn Cap) — Unlock a Pikachu wearing the red, black, and green hat Ash wore in the Hoenn region.
• V0LTTACKLEP1KA (Sinnoh Cap) — You'll get a Pikachu wearing the same hat Ash wore in the Sinnoh region.
• P1KABESTW1SH (Unova Cap) — This Pikachu sports a red and white cap with a blue Poké Ball symbol.
• KAL0SP1KA (Kalos Cap) — With this code, you receive a Pikachu with a cap from Kalos, which included one of Ash's most powerful teams.
• ULTRAP1KA (Alola Cap) — You'll receive a Pikachu wearing a hat from the tropical Alola region with this code.
• K1NP1KA1855 (World Cap) — This code will get you the final Ash Cap Pikachu, the one with the World Cap.

How to redeem a Mystery Gift

Here's how to grab a Pikachu through Mystery Gift.

1. Press X in Pokémon Sword or Shield to open the menu.

   

2. Select Mystery Gift.

   

3. Select Get a Mystery Gift.

   

4. Select Get with Code/Password.

   

5. Enter the code for the Pikachu you'd like to receive.
6. Press OK.

If you're on the hunt to collect more than just Pikachu, you can take a look through the best Nintendo Switch games. The Switch has some excellent games to keep you busy while you wait for the Crown Tundra to come out.

A new adventure

Pokémon Sword and Shield Isle of Armor expansion

$30 at Amazon

More Pokémon to play with

The Isle of Armor adds a new area to Pokémon Sword and Shield, a new Pokédex, and brings back many of your favorite Pokémon. It's an excellent way to extend your Pokémon adventure.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

• How to catch and evolve Eevee
• How to catch shiny Pokémon
• Differences between Sword and Shield
• All version exclusive Pokémon
• Can you use Pokémon Bank with Sword and Shield?
• How to evolve Toxel
• How to catch Noibat
• How to catch Galarian Ponyta
• How to evolve Milcery into Alcremie

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Here's how to catch Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion in the Crown Tundra

The Crown Tundra is full of footprints that help you track down Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion.

As you venture around the Crown Tundra of Pokémon Sword and Shield you'll find shiny glowing footprints. These footprints are clues for finding the legendary Pokémon Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion. You need to find enough footprints for each respective Pokémon and report back to Sonia before you can capture the swords of justice (the nicknames for Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion). We've broken down the entire process for you.

• Find the footprints
• Report back to Sonia
• Catch Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion
• Catch Keldeo

Find the footprints in the Crown Tundra

Unlike hunting for Diglett on the Isle of Armor, there are actually more footprints in the Crown Tundra than you need to find. In other words, Gamefreak hid some extra footprints around to make things a bit easier. There are three different sets, and they're primarily in separate areas in the Crown Tundra, although sometimes footprints for different legendaries appear near each other.

YouTuber Daedra has an excellent video (posted above) that shows you where to find all of the footprints. By following the path in this video, you'll have all the footprints in less than 15 minutes.

Report back to Sonia

After you find 100 percent of the footprints needed for either Terrakion, Virizion, or Cobalion, make sure to report back to Sonia. The legendary Pokémon won't appear until you speak with her after finding the footprints. You can find Sonia in her home in Freezington.

Catch Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion

Now it's time to catch Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion! You can find the footprints for one, catch it, then look for more footprints or find all the footprints and then catch them. The order doesn't matter.

Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion appear randomly within their respective areas. There isn't a specific location for them to appear in each area, so you'll have to look around. The images we have below are where they appeared for us, but they aren't the only spots they'll appear in each area.

1. Go to the Frigid Sea to catch Cobalion.

   

2. Go to the Giant's Bed to catch Virizion

   

3. Go to the Lakeside Cave to catch Terrakion.

   

4. Go back to Sonia to complete the quest.

Catch Keldeo

One thing that makes Pokémon one of the best Nintendo Switch games is that the DLC adds more to explore. There are several hidden legendary and mythical Pokémon in the Crown Tundra, one of which requires you to have Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion. To catch Keldeo, you need to have Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion in your party and to fly to a small island near the Dyna Tree. We have a full guide to help you catch Keldeo, Regigigas , and more in the Crown Tundra to help you out.

A new adventure

Pokémon Sword and Shield Isle of Armor expansion

$30 at Amazon

More Pokémon to play with

The Isle of Armor adds a new area to Pokémon Sword and Shield, a new Pokédex, and brings back many of your favorite Pokémon. It's an excellent way to extend your Pokémon.

Pokémon Sword and Shield

• How to catch and evolve Eevee
• How to catch shiny Pokémon
• Differences between Sword and Shield
• All version exclusive Pokémon
• Can you use Pokémon Bank with Sword and Shield?
• How to evolve Toxel
• How to catch Noibat
• How to catch Galarian Ponyta
• How to evolve Milcery into Alcremie

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Apple says the MacBook Pro drove its record Mac sales in 2020

2020 was the year of the Mac.

What you need to know

• Apple has set a new record in Mac sales in 2020.
• According to an SEC filing, the MacBook Pro led the charge in that performance.
• Apple is planning to launch its first Apple Silicon Mac by the end of 2020.

Reported by MacRumors, the MacBook Pro drove Apple's record-breaking year of Mac sales, according to its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company had reported its earnings for its fourth quarter of 2020, with Mac revenue reaching a new record of $28.6 billion.

According to the report, the introduction of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro, in addition to an increase in portable computer purchases in order to support work and learn-from-home efforts, led Mac sales to a new record.

In its annual Form 10-K report, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today, Apple said increased Mac sales in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019 were primarily due to higher sales of the MacBook Pro. Apple introduced a new 16-inch MacBook Pro in the first quarter of the fiscal year, followed by a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro in the third quarter, both with faster Intel processors and a more reliable Magic Keyboard.

As noted in the report, Luca Maestri, Apple's Chief Financial Officer, also said that the company has seen an "amazing customer response" to the new MacBook Air as well. The new MacBook Air brought an enormous display upgrade and was the first Mac to be completely built with recycled aluminum.

Apple's financial chief Luca Maestri said the company also saw "amazing customer response" to the new MacBook Air during the back to school season.

Apple is also expected to launch its first Mac powered by its own Apple Silicon processor by the end of the year. The first Apple Silicon Mac may be announced at a rumored event on November 17.

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Best smart plugs of 2020: Options for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri - CNET

Bringing devices online is easier than ever, and these smart plugs connect everyday items with a voice assistant.

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NASA secures sample of asteroid Bennu to send home to Earth - CNET

The Osiris-Rex spacecraft grabbed so much space gravel its container started overflowing and the sample had to be put away early.

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The Mac has its best quarter ever, and Tim Cook teases the future

It’s tough to keep track of time in the middle of a global pandemic, but apparently three months has passed since Apple’s last quarterly earnings report. So here we are again, with Apple executives reporting record revenues almost sheepishly while going to great lengths to praise their co-workers and customers for their resilience during trying times.

As usual, in Apple’s hourly conference call with financial analysts, there are a few interesting things that stick out of the talk of OpEx and OI&E and other financial industry buzzwords. Here are some of them.

To read this article in full, please click here

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Best smart plugs of 2020: Options for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri - CNET

Bringing devices online is easier than ever, and these smart plugs connect everyday items with a voice assistant.

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The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro begin to launch in fifteen more countries

For some customers, today is iPhone 12 launch day.

What you need to know

• The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are launching in more countries.
• Countries in the October 30 launch include India and South Korea.
• The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will go on preorder on November 6.

It's October 30 in some places in the world already, and that means it's iPhone 12 launch day.

Reported by MacRumors, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are beginning to launch in more countries around the world. Now, customers in countries like India and South Korea can purchase the new iPhones.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are now available in additional countries and regions, including India and South Korea, where the calendar has already turned to October 30 launch day. The devices can be purchased from select retailers, including the Apple Store in South Korea, while online orders are set to begin arriving to customers.

The report notes that the new iPhones will launch in about fifteen more countries on Friday, October 30.

The full list of countries where the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are launching includes Andorra, Armenia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Greenland, Iceland, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Malta, South Korea, and Ukraine. Carrier Ooredoo has also started accepting pre-orders in the Maldives, with shipments to begin in November.

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro launched in the United States, as well as thirty other countries, on October 23. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available to preorder on November 6 with a launch date of November 13.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro | From $699 at Apple

Pre-orders are now open for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro at Apple. Devices will begin shipping on October 23.

From $699 at Apple

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Brydge launches early holiday sale on its full iPad keyboard lineup

Brydge is launching its holiday sale early this year.

What you need to know

• Brydge has launched its holiday sale.
• The sale offers savings of up to $70 off its products.
• Items in the sale include keyboards, docks, and hubs.

Brydge, the company behind a number of popular keyboards for the iPad lineup and other Mac accessories, has launched an early holiday sale on a ton of its products. Customers can save as much as $70 off one of the iPad keyboards and enjoy other savings on their MacBook docks and hubs as well.

The Brydge iPad keyboards are a popular alternative to Apple's own iPad keyboard lineup, offering an almost MacBook-like experience for the iPad. The keyboards can even sport up to three months of battery life and support firmware updates through an app.

You can check out the full list of what is on sale below:

iPad

• Brydge 7.9: $89.99 ($10 off)
  • For iPad mini (4th & 5th Gen)
• Brydge 9.7: $59.99 ($40 off)
  • For iPad (5th Gen), iPad Pro 9.7-inch, iPad Air 2 & iPad
• Brydge 9.7: $59.99 ($40 off)
  • For iPad 6th Gen
• Brydge 10.2: $99.99 ($30 off)
  • For iPad (8th & 7th Gen)
• Brydge 10.5 SII: $59.99 ($70 off)
  • For iPad Air (3rd Gen)
• Brydge 10.5: $59.99 ($70 off)
  • For iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• Brydge 11.0 Pro: $129.99 ($30 off)
  • For iPad Pro (2020 & 2018) and iPad Air 4
• Brydge 12.9 Pro: $129.99 ($40 off)
  • For iPad Pro (2020 & 2018)
• Brydge 11 Pro+: $159.99 ($40 off)
  • For iPad Pro (2020 & 2018) and iPad Air 4
• Brydge 12.9 Pro+: $179.99 ($50 off)
  • For iPad Pro (2020 & 2018)

Vertical docks

• 13-inch MacBook Pro Vertical Dock: $149.99 ($20 off)
  • For 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
• 15-inch MacBook Pro Vertical Dock: $149.99 ($20 off)
  • For 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Multiport desktop hubs

• Stone Pro: $199.99 ($50 off)
  • For all Thunderbolt™ 3 devices

You can check out and purchase any of the items on sale now directly through Brydge.

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YouTube guided meditation video views skyrocket during pandemic

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Amazon warns holiday shoppers to 'order early this year'

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