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This year, both Sony and Microsoft are actually selling two versions of each of their consoles.In the case of Microsoft, there are two entirely separate Xboxes. One is named the Xbox Series X, which costs $499, and is bigger, more powerful and more expensive than the Xbox Series S, which is just $299.But the differences between the two PlayStations are more subtle. As well as confirming the important details about the consoles – including price, release date and pre-orders – the event also saw Sony finally detail the differences between the two.And the answer comes down to: very little. As the names indicate, the only thing that distinguishes the “digital edition” from the other – which Sony is referring to only as the PlayStation 5 – is the disc drive and the price.The lack of disc drive in the digital edition does also mean that the console is slightly smaller and more symmetrical. On the other, there is a noticeable bulge in the console’s already large design, though it does not increase the footprint or height.

The company revealed the timing and specific retailers that the consoles will be available on 22 September, when pre-orders for the console opened.For the most part, pre-orders will start at 8am local time on the morning of 22 September.In the UK, that means they will start at 8am and be available on “Microsoft Store, GAME, Amazon, Dixons, Currys PC World, Argos, John Lewis, Smyths Toys, VERY, AO, Tesco, Simply Game, Shopto and other participating retailers”.Read moreIn the US it will be at 8am pacific time, and they will be available at “Microsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Newegg, and other participating retailers”.Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, orders will start at 9am Central European Summer Time, at “Microsoft Store, Amazon, MediaMarkt, GameStop, FNAC, Elkjøp/Elgiganten, and other participating retailers”, Microsoft said.They will finally go on sale on 10 November, the company said.Microsoft also noted that both versions of the console will be available through its Xbox All Access scheme. Pre-orders will open under that scheme at the same time, though in a more limited run of retailers.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has said that Donald Trump’s ban of TikTok and WeChat violates the First Amendment.In a series of tweets, the organisation said that the ban would not protect Americans’ personal data, the ostensible reason for the president’s actions against the Chinese viral video app and the messaging and payment platform.“Selectively banning entire platforms like TikTok and WeChat violates the First Amendment and does little to protect our personal data from abuse,” the union tweeted. “If protecting our data were a true motivating factor, the Trump administration could support comprehensive surveillance reform and consumer privacy legislation.Watch more“In implementing President Trump’s abuse of emergency powers, Secretary Ross is undermining our rights and our security.“This order issued today violates the First Amendment rights of people in the United States by restricting their ability to communicate and conduct important transactions on TikTok and WeChat.“The order also harms the privacy and security of millions of existing TikTok and WeChat users in the United States by blocking software updates, which can fix vulnerabilities and make the apps more secure”, the thread concludes.The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.”The reason is that they discriminate based on the identity of the speaker (Bytedance, Tencent), and also, arguably, based on the ‘content’ of their speech,“ he added.TikTok had argued previously that the executive order signed by Donald Trump is illegal, as it showed “no due process or adherence to the law”.It also said it would sue the Trump administration over the ban.In a statement, a Tencent spokesperson told The Independent it was “reviewing the executive order to get a full understanding.”The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.TikTok is predicted to come to an agreement with Oracle so that it can continue to operate in the United States.Whether TikTok is, in fact, a national security concern remains unclear. 

After a showcase event held this week, Sony finally announced when the console would go on sale and how much it would cost. Then it announced that pre-orders would open very soon after, with many starting on Wednesday morning.Ever since then, gamers have been locked in a frustrating process of hearing about a retailer that is offering the new console, heading there, and finding out that it has actually sold out in the meantime.A variety of tools exist to make that easier. They will not guarantee that you will get a console – there appear to be far more people attempting to do so than there are PS5s available – but they will help, or at least make it less frustrating.For the most part, the console is sold out in the US, UK and elsewhere. That means that trawling through the various websites is going to be a frustrating process.Read moreBut it may be worth doing so. Many retailers are offering the option to “register interest”, which will mean that you’ll be informed as soon as more stock is available.Beyond that, it is just a matter of hoping that stock appears and that you are as quick to it as possible.That’s made easier by using a tracking website. The Stock Informer website – which runs both a UK and US version – is helpful for tracking which sites may still have stock.Such sites also allow users to sign up for push notifications and alerts, which should allow you to see when they become available as soon as possible.The @Wario64 account on Twitter, particularly, has proven especially good at finding the consoles when they go on sale. That is particularly limited to the US, though it may be worth following from elsewhere, and it tweets about a variety of gaming deals in addition to the PlayStation 5.Those accounts can be tracked by following them in the traditional way, but it might also be useful to set up a devoted list of any other useful accounts. Twitter also allows users to switch on push notifications, to receive an alert as soon as a new post appears.Even if you are unsuccessful despite all these tips and your best efforts, it is not time to give up hope. Most likely, the consoles will keep becoming available up until release day – and, after that, supply is likely to be more forthcoming, and so it may be possible to buy a console soon after it comes out even if not straight away.It’s also important not to resort to resellers on eBay or other websites where people are already attempting to sell their successfully pre-ordered PlayStations. It may be possible to get a PS5 this way – thought there will be no way to know for sure until it actually arrives – but even if it is, it encourages the behaviour, and means that it will be more difficult for other people to buy them, as well as increasing prices.This will apply too when the console actually arrives. There will almost certainly be people who have successfully ordered the console attempting to offload them on release date – but buying them will mean paying high prices, as well as encouraging behaviour that limits supply.In a similar spirit, it is worth being careful and sceptical about any offers you see online. As with any highly desired product, criminals are likely to use the PlayStation 5 as a way of luring in people to various scams – and so it is good to be critical of any offers, and ensure that the consoles are only bought through legitimate websites and stores.