Nintendo’s new, long-rumored Switch is here – and that’s not what many of us have been hoping for. Nevertheless, the OLED switch is the most grown-up looking switch to date with smaller bezels, a new cream-colored dock and matching Joy-Cons. The core upgrade is – shockingly – the screen: a new seven-inch OLED panel that should offer sharper graphics when gaming as a handheld. However, the resolution hasn’t changed, so it’s stretched a little wider than the original 6.2-inch LCD switch.
Nintendo
I can go through the rest of the changes as there aren’t that many. There’s now 64GB of internal storage – another adult upgrade – while a wider, sturdier-looking stand replaces the thin plastic tab on the original Switch. You can adjust this to multiple angles for more comfortable table / airplane tablet gaming. The new cream-colored dock also has a built-in Ethernet port, while the core OLED switch has upgraded speakers. Otherwise there is no newer processor and apparently no battery life improvements. (The company has not yet offered battery estimates on its official website.)
The OLED switch isn’t for current switch owners looking to upgrade – though I don’t doubt some of us will buy one. It’s a refined version of the original (or maybe I’m easily fooled by monochrome color schemes) but seems specifically aimed at handheld gamers who will benefit from the larger OLED screen. That’s strange when the cheaper, non-hybrid Switch Lite was aimed at the same audience.
Nintendo could have crushed the more aggressive rumors of a high-performance version capable of 4K and upscaled gaming, but it didn’t. Because it’s Nintendo, which means it has an incredible vision for hybrid consoles, iconic games, detachable controls while ignoring bluetooth audio support and in-game chat. And no changes to fix the Joy-Con drift were mentioned.
If you’re looking for a comparison from console history, consider this a gameboy pocket-style twist on the Gameboy rather than a more powerful PS4 Pro to replace the PS4.
And will we ever see the 4K-capable Switch Pro? Does it even exist? Only Nintendo knows that.
– Mat Smith
Policy is likely to target farmers rather than telephone companies.
The right to repair movement in the United States could soon see a major breakthrough. According to Bloomberg, President Joe Biden will “in the coming days” direct the Federal Trade Commission to draft new regulations that will allow consumers to repair their devices.
While there are not many details on the implementing regulation yet, phone companies are allegedly mentioned as a possible regulatory target. However, farmers are expected to be the main beneficiaries. During Tuesday’s White House briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki said the order would give them “the right to repair their own equipment as they see fit.” Continue reading.
This could help Roblox fend off a copyright lawsuit.
SOPA Images via Getty Images
Roblox is rushing to sign official music deals following a $ 200 million lawsuit for alleged copyright infringement. Roblox has announced a collaboration with Sony Music, which will bring more artists from the label to the gaming platform. The company reached a similar agreement with BMG in June, Warner prior to that. However, it represents Roblox’s largest musical pact to date. The only music giant left is Universal.
The music industry sued Roblox for allegedly not doing enough to discourage gamers from building virtual boomboxes that stream copyrighted music. Continue reading.
Panning!
Sony
Building on Sony’s past neck-top speakers like the SRS-WS1, the company announced a new $ 150 model, the SRS-NB10. It’s a neckband speaker that Sony says was designed for remote workers, “optimized for your ears only” with upward angled drivers.
This should mean that you are the main target of your podcasts and awkward playlists, but others in the same room can still record whatever you hear. You can use them to take calls, and the device can switch between two Bluetooth connections, so it can do double duty with your phone and your PC. The band lands in September. Continue reading.
Say hello to THOR.
Verizon
Verizon (currently Engadget’s parent company) has unveiled Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response, THOR – a modified Ford F650 truck. The front of the vehicle offers space for a driver and five passengers, while the “Command Center” at the rear offers space for three people. THOR can bring 5G and satellite connectivity to an area where a natural disaster may have disrupted network access or where there was no connectivity at all.
When Texas was hit by an extreme cold snap earlier this year and the state’s independent power grid went down, many people were unable to use their phones to access the internet and keep up with how the situation was evolving. Verizon envisions THOR assisting first responders and the military “in almost any condition,” be it the severe cold that Texas recently experienced or the California wildfire. Continue reading.
Once again, it shows concepts for new tools.
Yesterday, Twitter shared four concept features that could give users more control over who can see, read, and find their accounts, and wants feedback from the public.
“If you have a protected account and you reply to someone who is not following you, you may not know that they cannot see your reply,” Lena Emara, Twitter People Experience Designer, wrote in a thread. These features can help optimize your interactions and clarify exactly who can see your interactions. Regardless of feedback, these concepts may never mature into functions that Twitter performs. Continue reading.
But wait, there’s more …
Engadget Deals: Google’s Nest Thermostat drops to $ 88 on a one-day Amazon sale
The owner of Audacity is revising its privacy policy due to spyware concerns
DOD Announces $ 10 Billion JEDI Contract at the Center of Microsoft-Amazon Feud
Nothing’s wireless earbuds offer ANC for $ 99
Animal Crossing, Mario, and Pokémon Switch games are falling to all-time lows
Netflix Acquires Rights to Documentary About “Tinder Swindler”
Atari is stepping down from mobile games to focus on “premium” PC and console titles
Animal Crossing Edition Monopoly is out in August
‘Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’ is out on September 22, 2022
Traeger buys the Meater company for wireless thermometers
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