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9 great reads from CNET this week

Why the $399 iPhone SE comes at just the right time, how COVID-19 is forcing us to get comfortable with touch-free shopping and what tech is doing to help animals that have lost a limb.

CNET News staff
2 min read

These are unprecedented times, but this week offered a glimpse of normalcy by way of a few key gadget reveals. Remember those? Apple , for example, distracted us from the coronavirus pandemic by announcing a new version of the iPhone SE , which had been rumored for months under different names. The iPhone SE starts at $399 and essentially crams an iPhone 11 into an iPhone 8 body.

Also this week, China's OnePlus announced its flashy new 8 and 8 Pro phones, which have already received positive reviews as premium devices that aren't as expensive as their rivals. Meanwhile, US taxpayers started receiving stimulus checks and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases raced past 2 million worldwide.

Here are the week's stories you don't want to miss:

Why the $399 iPhone SE is the perfect phone in the age of coronavirus

Apple's $399 phone comes as millions are out of a job -- and when access to a working device is essential.

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Apple

Your Zoom videos could live on in the cloud even after you delete them

Yet another Zoom issue found.

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Coronavirus is making touch-free shopping a necessity

Amazon Go stores, delivery drones and contactless terminals will play a big role for consumers.

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James Martin/CNET

Uber and Lyft drivers: Give us safety gear to protect us from COVID-19

Drivers demand the ride-hail companies follow the Los Angeles mayor's protection order and supply them with face masks and sanitizing equipment.

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

OnePlus 8 Pro marks the improbable rise of the Chinese phone maker

The upstart is succeeding where giants like Microsoft , Facebook and Amazon have failed.

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Angela Lang/CNET

Coronavirus has turned parenting into nonstop, all-consuming guilt

Commentary: The coronavirus and quarantine have everything dialed to 11.

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Janine Schmitz / Getty

Jobless after coronavirus layoffs, then struck by identity theft

This crime is always painful, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has extra sting.

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Getty Images

Tech helps animals with limb loss get back on their feet. And tails

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CORE Institute

Custom prosthetics can help animals with limb loss swim or run again.

Why it's OK to say no to Zoom parties during the coronavirus quarantine

Commentary: Nonstop requests to participate in recipe swaps and video socials have me stressed out. But as an introvert, I'm learning to say I need alone time.

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Bonnie Burton/CNET