9 great reads from CNET this week

Just when we thought Google was going to get all the attention this week with its virtual product event — where it unveiled the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4A 5G phones, as well as a new Chromecast and the Nest Audio smart speaker — the headlines quickly turned to the coronavirus. Late Thursday (or very early Friday on the East Coast), President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he and the first lady tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the US response to the disease and the timing of a vaccine were key topics at a debate Tuesday between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, which was marred by frequent interruptions by the president and mudslinging. As a result, the commission that oversees presidential debates is reportedly considering format changes such as cutting off microphones if candidates break rules. 

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

Despite an uncertain future in the US, the social video app could have lasting implications for what we want from social media.

A member of an elite firefighting team answers our questions about California’s inferno.

CNET interviews Janey Whiteside, Walmart’s chief customer officer, about the origins and future of the new subscription service.

She was part of NASA’s first group of female astronauts and the first US woman to conduct a space walk. But in 2020, she set an entirely new world record.

You’ll soon be able to plug more monitors, external drives and other devices into your laptop.

This phone could actually attract more buyers than the $699 Pixel 5 flagship.

Commentary: November will be exciting for gamers, but that doesn’t mean you should drop hundreds on a new console just yet.

Commentary: Ring’s Always Home Cam doesn’t offer nearly enough convenience to justify its risks to privacy.

The British actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer has spent decades figuring out what makes creative people so good at it.