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The Morning After: Google and Samsonite team up on a smart backpack

This morning we have a new $6,000 compact camera from Zeiss and a trailer for 'Free Guy.'

Engadget

It seems increasingly doubtful that we’ll spend much time inside movie theaters this year, but Free Guy remains scheduled for release on December 11th. Yesterday, a full trailer for the Ryan Reynolds flick appeared, filling out more details on what a movie about an NPC is actually like.

'Free Guy'

After checking out the two-minute trailer, I don’t see a best picture award in store for this flick, but the special effects are solid, and it looks just interesting enough for me to hope it’s released soon in some form.

— Richard Lawler

Google and Samsonite made a smart backpack

But are you really going places at the moment?

Google x Samsonite

The latest home for Google’s smart wear Jacquard platform is a backpack. It comes in two sizes and has pretty much the same tricks you might remember from the Levis jacket that came before it. This time, connective panels are baked into the bag’s straps, where you can swipe and tap to choose music or activate Google Assistant. The Konnect-i starts at $200, but hey, it’s cheaper than the YSL backpack we saw last year.
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Zeiss' full-frame compact camera finally available to pre-order for $6,000

Who’s ready to bite?

ZEISS ZX1

We’ve been waiting since 2018 to hear more about this exotic-looking connected full-frame compact camera, and now it’s available for pre-order. The ZX1 has high-end specs for a compact, including a 37.4-megapixel sensor, 35mm fixed Zeiss Distagon F/2 lens, 255 area autofocus (B&H Photo doesn’t specify which type) and a 4.3-inch 1,280 x 720 pixel display.
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John McAfee arrested in Spain for tax evasion

No whales were harmed during the arrest.

The ridiculous saga of John McAfee, founder and namesake of the antivirus software, continues. Just four years ago, he was running for president as an independent, but now he’s been arrested, as the Justice Department unsealed a June indictment accusing him of tax evasion between 2014 and 2018.

While those charges alone could put McAfee in jail for up to 30 years, his legal problems don’t end there. The US Securities and Exchange Commission also announced charges over his behavior in promoting various forms of cryptocurrency. They claim he was paid to promote initial coin offerings (ICOs) without revealing the financial arrangements until years later. The SEC frowns on that sort of thing.
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An Excel error may have led England to under-report COVID-19 cases

A technical issue delayed the contact tracing of over 15,000 infections.

The UK government announced its highest number of new coronavirus cases in England over the weekend, and the reason behind the drastic rise is reportedly spreadsheet woes. According to multiple reports in the UK, the Microsoft Excel file containing laboratory results reached its maximum size. This meant that as many as 15,841 cases between September 25th and October 2nd were not uploaded to the UK government’s COVID-19 dashboard.
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Even Venmo has a credit card now

It already launched a debit card.

The QR code on the front of the card can be scanned via a mobile phone camera to activate the card, or in the Venmo app by friends to send a payment or split purchases.

After an almost year-long wait, Venmo’s first credit card is ready for customers in the US, issued by Synchrony and backed by Visa.

The most unique part might be the adaptive cashback rewards program that changes alongside your spending habits. You'll earn three percent cash back on your single highest spending category, two percent on your second highest and one percent on all other purchases. Naturally, you can manage the card through Venmo, using the app to keep track of your purchases as well to pay off your balance.
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But wait, there’s more...

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The Studio home workout display works with your existing gym equipment

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What's on TV: 'FIFA 21,' 'The Haunting of Bly Manor' and 'The Boys' finale

Bloomberg: Apple Stores drop most third-party headphones and speakers

Warner pushes 'Dune' theatrical release back a year to October 2021

Regal will close theaters again on October 8th amid movie delays

Apple's movie store now has Disney movies in 4K

Spotify now lets you search for songs by lyrics

'Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered' arrives on November 6th