Technologies

I Left My Heart Container in Nintendo’s San Francisco Store

Nintendo’s First West Coast Store is a Warp Pipe to Whimsy and Delightful Gamer Decor.

I’m in a group of adults slowly descending a staircase in a brightly lit white store, small gasps of joy escaping our mouths as walls of smiling squid toys come into view. Our tour guide is wrapping up his tour, and as he rattles off his last fact, he eyes the crowd. «Think you guys are ready to shop?» My reply echoes the words of former Nintendo Chief Operating Officer Reggie Fils-Aimé when he tested the Wii Board at E3 2007: My body is ready.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo opened its first-ever West Coast store in San Francisco on Thursday — the second in the US after its New York City storefront. While it stocks lots of company merch featuring the company’s most iconic characters like Mario, Peach, Link, Zelda and way too many Pokemon, its website alludes to future events like those held at its other stores.

A few days earlier, CNET was treated to a first-hand look at all the new goodies and gadgets awaiting fans in San Francisco.

Inside the store

Set at the intersection of Geary and Powell in San Francisco’s Union Square neighborhood, the first thing you notice is the parade of Nintendo characters lining the store’s windows, with Mario leading the congregation to the main doors. Upon entering the store, you’re greeted by the clean, white aesthetic that the Nintendo brand is known for.

«We want [Nintendo San Francisco] to be much more than just a store,» said Nintendo Senior Regional General Manager PJ Sadler, a manager of the NYC Nintendo store who led the tour of the new location. «We want it to be an immersive experience, we want to immerse you in our characters, with our world.»

In that spirit, a Nintendo store associate told me several Pikmin figurines were hidden throughout the store for guests to find. (I counted five; they told me there were still a few more.)

There are the requisite store exclusives, the items you can find only at the San Francisco location that set it apart from its NYC counterpart — namely, the SF-branded water bottles, T-shirts, and hoodies that say «Nintendo San Francisco.» I found those designs a little lackluster and rather sterile; I was hoping to see a little more San Francisco flair. New York City once had a collection in kanji, for example. But at least you can also find the Nintendo character parade motif adorning other San Francisco souvenirs, including exclusive minifigures and bags. Sadler noted that any products with a red Nintendo square logo indicate they can be bought only in the Nintendo US locations, either in San Francisco or New York (there were no unique marks for SF exclusives).

Also on the ground floor was a section dedicated to actual gaming equipment, including an area where customers can put together their own Nintendo Switch OLED with their choice of colored Joy-Cons and docks. (Nintendo representatives were very coy about what, if anything, would be happening at the store for the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5.) Among the other controllers and accessories was a shelf of Nintendo Alarmo clocks, the company’s big surprise hardware launch of 2024, waiting to be taken home.

Downstairs is where they had the «big guns,» so to speak, or at least the Master Swords. Similar to Nintendo’s New York store, there are dedicated areas for Splatoon and Legend of Zelda, as well as Pikmin, Kirby, and Pokemon. There was also a giant projector screen for watching shoppers play games, alongside a giant wall of Amiibo with harder-to-find figures such as Sora from Super Smash Bros and Kingdom Hearts.

A sales associate kindly walked me through a kiosk where visitors can check in daily for Nintendo Platinum Points, which can be used for My Nintendo Rewards in the Nintendo eShop. «I just moved into a new place, so I’ve been stocking up on Animal Crossing coasters,» the associate confided.

Cozy merch forever

Though it’s been a while since I’ve been to the New York store, reconnaissance from friends and TikTok confirmed that a big theme for NY is Pokemon, featuring an almost life-size Pokemon Center where herds of Pikachu frolic on the shelves.

While Pokemon has a presence in the San Francisco counterpart (I almost walked away with a Psyduck backpack), there seems to be a greater dedication to more twee, cozy series such as Animal Crossing and Pikmin, as well as adorably subtle game decor in general.

The Animal Crossing corner featured a slew of home goods, such as an adorable cottage-core coffee grinder branded with «The Roost,» the in-game cafe headed by character Brewster the Pigeon, with a matching cup and saucer set. Other kitchen goods like an apron, glass jar set and oven mitt elicited a few squeals from me and another sales associate, who kindly pointed out the equally kawaii Animal Crossing stationery with stickers, sticky notes, notepads and character-themed pens.

Downstairs in the Legend of Zelda section, I was taken with the Zelda Fairy collection, particularly a large faux leather tote purse and fairy-themed wallets with iridescent flourishes. Lovely golden Heart Container-shaped accessories, of which not nearly enough found their way into my shopping bag, framed the scene.

Down the line, rows of enamel Kirby keychains and plush Waddle-Dees eyed me hopefully from their perches while a tower of Pikmin blind boxes and flower bud vases (successfully) tempted me from over my shoulder.

Price-wise, I was pleasantly surprised that most items weren’t egregiously expensive and more similar to pricing you’d find at a theme park. I’d expected the aforementioned coffee grinder to be somewhere around $70, but it was priced at $40. Similarly, many of the more intricately designed wallets and bags were at the $35 price or under. Pikmin blind boxes were $10. But there were still outliers — a sleek Team Rocket anorak was marked at $120, for example.

Why San Francisco? Why now?

Before 2025, Nintendo had four official stores around the world: three in Japan (Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka) and one in the US (New York). Now, San Francisco marks its fifth retail location selling merch directly to fans.

The San Francisco store’s opening comes at a pivotal time for the city’s downtown economy. Retail vacancies in San Francisco have hit record highs since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a number of flagship stores shutting down, including the Westfield San Francisco Centre and Macy’s, the former epicenter of the city’s Union Square shopping area.

When Nintendo announced the official opening plans for the store in May 2024, then-Mayor London Breed posted on X, «We’re excited for San Francisco’s future and look forward to welcoming this iconic brand to our City.»

Supervisor Danny Sauter, who represents San Francisco’s District 3, which includes Union Square, told KQED in March, «The narrative on San Francisco is starting to shift…[p]eople are willing to take a chance on San Francisco again, and it’s remarkable how that was not the case six months ago.»

Whatever the city’s reputation, fan response has been immense, with «Warp Pipe Pass» shopping visit reservations for opening week sold out in minutes, continuing on into the Memorial Day weekend. Locals have been peeking into the windows and taking pictures as soon as the signage went up. Reddit user CaterpillarFederal43 posted a picture in the San Francisco subreddit in April 2025 with his dogs in costume, noting he visits every day for a chance to use StreetPass (a peer-to-peer feature on the Nintendo 3DS) with fellow fans.

End credits

San Francisco has a legacy of gaming culture, from the former Walk of Game to the annual Game Developers Conference held in Moscone Center. Now it has a retail location and event space for one of the biggest gaming companies in the world to welcome fans.

Whether you’re a Nintendo superfan with an Isabelle-patterned sweater vest or a tourist looking for a «gamer-y» souvenir for a relative, the San Francisco Nintendo store looks like a perfect place to spend all your rupees and bells. Just watch out for mischievous Pikmin along the way.

Nintendo Store Levels Up in San Francisco: A First Look Inside the Ultimate Fan Experience

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Technologies

Kohler Wants to Put a Tiny Camera in Your Toilet and Analyze the Contents

The company’s new Dekoda toilet accessory is like a little bathroom detective.

Some smart litter boxes can monitor our pets’ habits and health, so having a camera in our human toilet bowls seems inevitable. That’s just what kitchen and bathroom fixture company Kohler has done for its new health and wellness brand, Kohler Health.

The $599 Dekoda clamps over the rim like a toilet bowl cleaner, pointing an optical sensor at your excretions and secretions. It then analyzes the images to detect any blood and reviews your gut health and hydration status. Depending on the plan you choose, the subscription fee is between $70 and $156 per year.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

At toilet time, you sign in via a fingerprint sensor so that the device knows who’s using the facilities. (Please wash your hands before signing out or tracking your progress.) Then, check in with the app for the day’s analysis and trends over time.

Wait until you’re off the pot, though, before you start doomscrolling your health. The device has a removable, rechargeable battery and uses a USB connection.

Kohler says it secures your data via the aforementioned fingerprint scanner and end-to-end encryption, and notes that the camera uses «discreet optics,» looking only at the results, not your body parts.

«Dekoda’s sensors see down into your toilet and nowhere else,» the company says.

Kohler warns that the technology doesn’t work very well with dark toilet colors, which makes sense. I’m sure there could be an upsell model with a light on it. Maybe the company could add an olfactory sensor, since smell reveals a lot about your gut health too. It could track «session» length or buildup under the rim to alert whoever has responsibility to clean it.

Kohler must have been straining to find appropriate lifestyle photos to include with the publicity materials. Many of the images are hilarious, featuring fit-looking men and women drinking water and staring off into space contemplatively — probably thinking about gas.

Technologies

Who’s Up to Fight Mega-Corporations in the Outer Worlds 2 on Xbox Game Pass?

Save the universe by fighting one CEO at a time in The Outer Worlds 2, plus play other great games coming to Xbox Game Pass in October.

Space is the final frontier, and it’s packed with some devious mega-corporations who are out to make a buck in The Outer Worlds 2. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can fight them in the highly anticipated sequel starting on Oct. 29.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, like Hollow Knight: Silksong, added monthly.

Here are all the games subscribers can play on Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in October, including Ninja Gaiden 4.

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PowerWash Simulator 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

If you’ve ever spent hours watching people on YouTube clean dirty rugs, cars and other grimy objects, you should check out PowerWash Simulator 2. As the name suggests, this sequel is all about blasting away dirt and filth from pools, homes and other objects around town. You have a furry kitty companion, and yes, you can pet them when you’ve finished cleaning.

Bounty Star

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 23.

The American Southwest has devolved into a lawless, post-apocalyptic desert called the Red Expanse in this game. You’re out to clean the place up in this game by taking down major bounties issued by the government, and the best way to do that is by piloting and customizing a giant mech, of course. When you want to nurse your wounds, head back to your run-down garage to rest, grow and cook food and raise animals. It’s like a cozy Armored Core game.

Super Fantasy Kingdom (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 24.

After returning from a hunting trip, you find your 8-bit kingdom wrecked in this game. You must rebuild your domain in this roguelite, city builder. But as night falls, hordes of monsters emerge to tear everything back down. Build, mine, cook and grow your home, and prepare to defend it from all dangers.

Halls of Torment

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 28.

Get ready to descend into the deadly Halls of Torment in this retro, horde survival game. You can choose between 11 playable characters, each with their own playstyle, and equip various items and abilities to survive waves of enemies. This game is like Vampire Survivors, so if you like that game give this one a shot.

The Outer Worlds 2

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Clear your calendar for this sequel to the award-winning sci-fi adventure, The Outer Worlds. This time, you’re an Earth Directorate agent investigating the cause of devastating rifts that could destroy humanity. You have a new ship, new crew, new enemies and mega-corporation goons standing between you and the answers.

1000xResist

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 4.

One thousand years in the future, humanity is hanging on by a thread after a disease spread by alien occupation forces people to live underground in this sci-fi adventure game. You play as Watcher, and you fulfill your duties well, until one day you make a shocking discovery. This game won a Peabody Award in 2024, and it was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing that same year, so get ready for a story like no other.

Football Manager 26

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Oct. 29.

Get ready for a more immersive matchday experience in the latest installment of the Football Manager franchise. You can build a star-studded squad with new transfer tools, and this entry features official Premier League licenses and women’s football for the first time in the series’ history.

Game Pass subscribers can play the standard or Console edition of this game.

Games leaving Game Pass on Oct. 31

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass, it’s also removing three others from the service on Oct. 31. So you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Jusant
Metal Slug Tactics
Return to Monkey Island

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to the Game Pass service.

Technologies

Does Charging Your Phone Overnight Damage the Battery? We Asked the Experts

Modern smartphones are protected against overcharging, but heat and use habits can still degrade your battery over time.

Plugging your phone in before you head to bed might seem like second nature. That way by the time your alarms go off in the morning, your phone has a full charge and is ready to help you conquer your day. However, over time, your battery will start to degrade. So is keeping your phone plugged in overnight doing damage to the battery?

The short answer is no. Keeping your phone plugged in all the time won’t ruin your battery. Modern smartphones are built with smart charging systems that cut off or taper power once they’re full, preventing the kind of «overcharging damage» that was common in older devices. So if you’re leaving your iPhone or Android on the charger overnight, you can relax.

That said, «won’t ruin your battery» doesn’t mean it has no effect. Batteries naturally degrade with age and use, and how you charge plays a role in how fast that happens. Keeping a phone perpetually at 100% can add extra stress on the battery, especially when paired with heat, which is the real enemy of longevity.

Understanding when this matters (and when it doesn’t) can help you make small changes to extend your phone’s lifespan.

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The science behind battery wear

Battery health isn’t just about how many times you charge your phone. It’s about how it manages voltage, temperature and maintenance. Lithium-ion batteries age fastest when they’re exposed to extreme levels: 0% and 100%.

Keeping them near full charge for long stretches puts additional voltage stress on the cathode and electrolyte. That’s why many devices use «trickle charging» or temporarily pause at 100%, topping up only when needed.

Still, the biggest threat isn’t overcharging — it’s heat. When your phone is plugged in and running demanding apps, it produces heat that accelerates chemical wear inside the battery. If you’re gaming, streaming or charging on a hot day, that extra warmth does far more harm than leaving the cable plugged in overnight.

Apple’s take

Apple’s battery guide describes lithium-ion batteries as «consumable components» that naturally lose capacity over time. To slow that decline, iPhones use Optimized Battery Charging, which learns your daily routine and pauses charging at about 80% until just before you typically unplug, reducing time spent at high voltage.

Apple also advises keeping devices between 0 to 35 degrees Celsius (32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) and removing certain cases while charging to improve heat dissipation. You can read more on Apple’s official battery support page.

What Samsung (and other Android makers) do

Samsung offers a similar feature called Battery Protect, found in One UI’s battery and device care settings. When enabled, it caps charging at 85%, which helps reduce stress during long charging sessions.

Other Android makers like Google, OnePlus and Xiaomi include comparable options — often called Adaptive Charging, Optimized Charging or Battery Care — that dynamically slow power delivery or limit charge based on your habits. These systems make it safe to leave your phone plugged in for extended periods without fear of overcharging.

When constant charging can hurt

Even with these safeguards, some conditions can accelerate battery wear. As mentioned before, the most common culprit is high temperature. Even for a short period of time, leaving your phone charging in direct sunlight, in a car or under a pillow can push temperatures into unsafe zones.

Heavy use while charging, like gaming or 4K video editing, can also cause temperature spikes that degrade the battery faster. And cheap, uncertified cables or adapters may deliver unstable current that stresses cells. If your battery is already several years old, it’s naturally more sensitive to this kind of strain.

How to charge smarter

You don’t need to overhaul your habits but a few tweaks can help your battery age gracefully.

Start by turning on your phone’s built-in optimization tools: Optimized Battery Charging on iPhones, Battery Protect on Samsung devices and Adaptive Charging on Google Pixels. These systems learn your routine and adjust charging speed so your phone isn’t sitting at 100% all night.

Keep your phone cool while charging. According to Apple, phone batteries perform best between 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 22 degrees Celsius). If your phone feels hot, remove its case or move it to a better-ventilated or shaded spot. Avoid tossing it under a pillow or too close to other electronics, like your laptop, and skip wireless chargers that trap heat overnight.

Use quality chargers and cables from your phone’s manufacturer or trusted brands. Those cheap «fast-charge» kits you find online often deliver inconsistent current, which can cause long-term issues.

Finally, don’t obsess over topping off. It’s perfectly fine to plug in your phone during the day for short bursts. Lithium-ion batteries actually prefer frequent, shallow charges rather than deep, full cycles. You don’t need to keep it between 20% and 80% all the time, but just avoid extremes when possible.

The bottom line

Keeping your phone plugged in overnight or on your desk all day won’t destroy its battery. That’s a leftover myth from a different era of tech. Modern phones are smart enough to protect themselves, and features like Optimized Battery Charging or Battery Protect do most of the heavy lifting for you.

Still, no battery lasts forever. The best way to slow the inevitable is to manage heat, use quality chargers and let your phone’s software do its job. Think of it less as «babying» your battery and more as charging with intention. A few mindful habits today can keep your phone running strong for years.