Technologies

Panic Playdate Has a New Wave of Games, and a Price Bump

The still-hard-to-get indie handheld gets an app store with separately sold games, and the price goes up to $199.

My favorite little gaming handheld last year was the Panic Playdate, a tiny yellow crank-enabled pocket console with its own included library of weird indie games. Even though the Playdate launched last year, shipping delays and shortages have meant many people still haven’t been able to get one. But the handheld just added its own on-console game app catalog with a bunch of new games… and along with it, a price increase for anyone who still hasn’t preordered.

The Playdate cost $179 before, but the price is going up to $199 starting April 7. Preorders before then will get locked in at the $179 price. Price increases for products are becoming common right now (it happened to the Quest 2 last year). The Playdate’s unique games (it comes with 24 of them) and tiny design still make it worth the price for a curious indie handheld fan, but it also pushes this experimental device to the same cost of more versatile handhelds like the Nintendo Switch Lite.

See at Panic

The season-based game library approach for the Playdate, which launched with its own catalog of included games that auto-download to the device two at a time, once a week, is being shifted up with the handheld’s new Catalog. The games in the Catalog are sold separately, although two are free to download. The games are welcome additions: There are 16 to start, 10 of which are new. The other six are familiar hits that have already been available to sideload from itch.io, an indie gaming hub that’s been a great source of other experimental Playdate games.

The game prices vary from $1 to $15. I’m just playing through them now, but I wish some of these games also had free demos to understand how they work. Taking a plunge on a $1 game is fine, but $15 isn’t quite an impulse purchase.

Using the Catalog feels like an on-Playdate extension of the games I can already get through itch.io in many ways, but with a more curated focus. Itch.io is fun to browse, and has many games that are totally free, but is a more unpredictable mix of experiments and more polished products. Those games also need to be downloaded and then reuploaded through Panic’s own website, which sideloads the games to the Playdate, while the on-Playdate catalog just adds them instantly. (The 4GB of onboard storage may seem small, but I’ve stored dozens of games already and still haven’t used up half of it.)

Panic Playdate game handheld in yellow, with a black and white screen showing games for sale — Scott Stein/CNET

What I was really hoping for was a true season 2 of Playdate games, but that’s either not here yet, or the planned rollout for future games is changing. Either way, it’s still a promising sign that future indie games will be easier to find on the Playdate, and that hopefully a steady flow continues. Also, hopefully, the Playdate will finally be easy to order. According to Panic, Wave 4 preorders are now shipping, but eventually the hope is that the handhelds aren’t backordered at all. Valve fixed its Steam Deck supply issues; hopefully Panic will do the same.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube

Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im

Technologies

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im