Playdate: update to version 3.0.5 before Oct. 15
Panic says the security certificate for older system versions expires Thursday, Oct. 15. The console will keep turning on, but connecting to Panic will get harder.
Panic, the company that makes the Playdate handheld console, says the security certificates for older versions of its system expire on Oct. 15. The recommendation is to have at least version 3.0.5 installed before that date, according to Siliconera, which reported the notice on Oct. 7 based on an email sent to owners.
The console does not shut down that day. Units on an older system will keep powering on and running games. According to Siliconera, the hard part will be reconnecting the console to Panic's servers to update it. Repairing a console that has fallen behind will still be possible, but it could require the Playdate SDK on a Windows or Linux computer.
To update from the console itself:
- Charge the battery fully. The Playdate help page recommends keeping it plugged in over USB.
- Connect it to a WiFi network.
- Open Settings, go to System and tap "System Update".
- If a new version is available, the console will offer to install it; accept, and do not turn it off or lock it until it finishes.
According to that page, the over-the-air install takes no more than a minute or two. The help page only covers the WiFi route. A notice at the top of the home screen can also signal that an update is waiting.
Owners who have gone a long time without updating may end up directly on version 3.1.2, according to Siliconera.
The notice has a single source: the Panic email could not be consulted or found on the company's news site, and the help page does not mention the certificate. The date that counts is Thursday, Oct. 15.
