9 great reads from CNET this week
How to sell a $1,000 phone during a pandemic, what Trump's TikTok ban is really about, and why skateboarding can provide some sanity during quarantine.
The coronavirus recession is raging on, but that didn't stop two smartphone makers from launching new devices this week -- albeit on opposite sides of the market spectrum. Google unveiled the Pixel 4A, a $349 budget phone that's less than half the cost of last year's Pixel 4 flagship. Samsung unveiled the $999 Galaxy Note 20 and the $1,299 Note 20 Ultra. Those handsets might serve as barometers of just how much we're willing to spend as the pandemic hammers economies and wipes out jobs.
Meanwhile, the future of TikTok in the US remains in limbo as President Donald Trump signed an executive order that effectively bans the app. He called widespread use of Chinese apps, including the WeChat messaging app, "a national emergency." That came on the heels of earlier news that Microsoft has been in talks about buying some or all of TikTok.
Here are the week's stories you don't want to miss.
How do you sell a $1,000 phone during a pandemic? With Note 20, Samsung has a plan
The company is rethinking the online and in-store buying experience.
Trump's TikTok ban isn't actually about TikTok
Commentary: The White House is right to fret about TikTok's data collection, but spiraling relations with China are the bigger worry.
Beirut explosion: How ammonium nitrate caused deadly blast in Lebanon
A large stockpile of ammonium nitrate is believed to have caused the explosion in the Port of Beirut.
Google unveils the $349 Pixel 4A, a budget phone amid a recession
The launch was delayed for months and comes as the search giant faces shake-ups in its smartphone division.
I'm a dad who skateboards to find some sanity under quarantine
Commentary: I'm old, but now I skate to try to stay calm during this coronavirus crisis.
Protect yourself from phishing scams so you don't fall prey to the next Twitter hacker
Humans are still our biggest cybersecurity weakness. Here's how to be smarter when it comes to avoiding scams through email and on your phone.
TikTok stars hoping to take their audience to Instagram face an uphill battle
Getting your fans to follow you to another social media app isn't easy.
I walked Spot, the Boston Dynamics robot dog, remotely -- and only crashed once
You, too, can take Spot for a walk, thanks to Formant, a company that lets humans manage robots from afar.
Mulan for $30 on Disney Plus? Count me in
I want to watch more new movie releases in the comfort of my own home. Way more.
