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After Nintendo revealed the full details around the Switch 2 this week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford got some hands-on time with the new console. In this episode, he talks about the major improvements in the new hardware (especially that 1080p, 120 fps screen) and why he doesn't really miss the older Switch OLED. Also, Sam discusses his time with Mario Kart World, the new semi-open world version of Nintendo's classic racer. In other news, we dive into the latest updates around the TIkTok ban, and we discuss how the Trump administration's tariff push will affect everything in the technology world and beyond. Stay tuned to the end of the show for our chat with Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop, about his new anime series Lazarus. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Switch 2 details are finally here, Sam Rutherford got hands-on time with it 1:47 U.S.s broad new tariffs on China and beyond could make everything from keyboards to cars more expensive 49:32 TikToks divest-or-ban deadline is April 5, here are the possible buyers 54:57 xAI buys X, but how much does that matter? 58:24 Working on 1:00:59 Pop culture picks 1:02:31 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Sam RutherfordProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'BrienThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-nintendo-switch-2-hands-on-and-the-cowboy-bebop-creator-chats-about-lazarus-113005280.html?src=rss
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Nintendos new console has finally been revealed in full, with magnetically attaching Joy-Cons, a new chat function and a bigger higher-res 7.9-inch screen that supports 120Hz and HDR. Then there are the new Joy-Cons. Alongside larger SL and SR buttons made of metal, the controllers can be disconnected by pressing a more pronounced release button on the back. The big upgrade, though, is using either Joy-Con like a mouse. (And even use them on your pants, if you want to.) The Switch 2 also uses DLSS, so its easier for developers to port games across to the hybrid console. In a very Nintendo way, it didnt actually talk up the hardware specifics, so NVIDIA had to fill in the gaps. Engadget According to NVIDIA, responsible for the chip inside, the Switch 2 has ten times the graphical performance of the original. DLSS tech means games can be rendered at a lower resolution, and trained AI models and dedicated Tensor Cores can be used to fill in extra details. With that extra power, the Switch 2 supports up to 60 fps at 4K resolution and 120 fps at 1440p or 1080p resolutions, docked. The 1080p screen can handle variable refresh rates up to 120Hz in handheld mode, too. Yes, catching up with the last two decades, the Switch 2 can also do video chat (and voice chat, but yawn). However, it demands a sold-separately camera, costing $50. Boo. I think that strikes at the issue of price. The original Switch was $300 at launch, the PS5 starts at $399 now. The Switch 2 is $450. Sure, that includes the screen and (technically) two controllers, but its a bit of a jump. Is Nintendo factoring in tariffs? Possibly. While some of us think $450 is an appropriate price for the console itself, the costs are creeping up in every direction. Want the new must-have Mario Kart World? Thats $80 now. Meanwhile, older games re-released on the Switch 2 also won't be cheap. Cyberpunk 2077 rings in at $70. Oof. If you want to expand storage, well, youd need a microSD express card, the faster, pricier version of the tiny storage card. Need another pair of Joy-Cons? That will be $90, please. Want to pre-order a Switch 2 ahead of the June 5 launch? Weve got all the details, but its worth noting Nintendo is trying to get ahead of scalpers by offering a dedicated pre-order system for existing heavy Switch users with a Switch Online subscription. In Nintendos words: Invitation emails will be prioritized on a first-come, first-served basis to registrants who have purchased a Nintendo Switch Online membership with a minimum of 12 months of paid membership and a minimum of 50 total gameplay hours, as of April 2, 2025. Read on for our hands-on impressions of the Switch 2. Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Even more Switch 2 stuff Nintendo Switch 2: Everything you need to know The Switch 2s Joy-Cons can double as mouse-like controllers Mario Kart World hands-on: The perfect launch game for the Switch 2 The Nintendo Switch 2 has built-in voice chat and screensharing GameChat will be free until March 31, 2026. Nintendo While we didnt get to try it at the early hands-on event, voice chat is an integral part of the new Nintendo console. By pressing the new C button on the right Joy-Con, players can jump into a GameChat with friends and family. Nintendo demoed the feature during its recent Switch 2 Direct, alongside a new Switch 2 Camera, enabling video chat too, with a cut-out profile. It looks a lot like a stream on Discord, with windows along the bottom of the screen for every chat participant. Up to four friends can share their screen and join with video chat if they own the Switch 2 Camera. Continue reading. Want a less ugly Switch 2 camera? National Security Council adds Gmail to its list of bad decisions Signalgate was just the start. Its not long since that Signal messaging app disaster, but US politicians continue showing off their minimal national security expertise. The Washington Post reports that members of the White Houses National Security Council have used personal Gmail accounts for official government business. National security advisor Michael Waltz and a senior aide of his both used their own accounts to discuss sensitive information with colleagues. Government departments typically use business-grade email services, while the federal government also has its own internal communications systems with additional layers of security. Continue reading. How to add someone to a Signal group chat Googles Pixel Buds Pro 2 are back on sale You can pick up a pair for $179. Googles latest wireless earbuds are on sale via Amazon for just $179. This is a record-low price, down from $229. As per our review, they sound great. They provide a good low end, which is tough to do with earbuds, and crunchy highs. Google says it redesigned the entire audio system, and it shows. We called out the noticeable improvement over the original Pixel Buds Pro earbuds. Continue reading. 'Careless People' author will testify on Meta at Senate hearing This will be Wynn-Williams first remarks since Meta took legal action against her. Sarah Wynn-Williams, the former Facebook policy director who wrote a best-selling memoir about her time at the company, will testify at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing next week. In her book, Careless People, Wynn-Williams recounts Meta executives interactions with world leaders and government officials as Facebooks influence expanded globally in the early 2010s. Her account has resurfaced information about Facebooks attempts to operate in China and revealed new details about its overtures to Chinese government officials. Prior to her books publication, Wynn-Williams also filed whistleblower complaints about alleged misconduct at the company. Metas attempts to curtail sales of the memoir spectacularly backfired, with the book seeing explosive sales after reports suggested Meta took legal action against the author. Now theres a senate hearing too. Continue reading. The worlds smallest pacemaker is injectable and powered by light And it dissolves when no longer needed. Northwestern University Engineers at Northwestern University have developed the worlds smallest pacemaker. Its so small that it fits in the tip of a syringe. It safely dissolves into the bloodstream after a time, so its a temporary solution. Its designed for folks who need heart help short-term, like newborn babies with congenital defects. The pacemaker pairs with a wireless device mounted to a patients chest. When it detects an irregular heartbeat, it shines a light that activates the pacemaker. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111500071.html?src=rss
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After a January announcement that it would spend $80 billion on data center construction, Microsoft may already be adjusting its future plans. Sources told Bloomberg that Microsoft has delayed or slowed data center efforts in Indonesia, the UK, Australia, Illinois, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Some of the cases meant withdrawing from negotiations, while others have involved delays on planned construction projects, according to these insiders. These data centers would be central to Microsoft's efforts to develop more capabilities around artificial intelligence. Despite the apparent shift in its approach, a Microsoft rep told Bloomberg that the company still plans to hold to its $80 billion spending budget on data centers during its 2025 fiscal year. Engadget has reached out for confirmation and will update if we receive comment from Microsoft. That was the figure laid out in a blog post attributed to Vice-Chair and President Brad Smith. The post, published days before President Trump's inauguration, included some ingratiating language for the new administration. "The country has a unique opportunity to pursue this vision and build on the foundational ideas set for AI policy during President Trumps first term," it reads. "At Microsoft, we are excited to take part in this journey." Microsoft's plans could have been influenced by looming tariffs, which had been threatened and were finally introduced this week by President Trump. The trade policy is likely to make large infrastructure plans more expensive and has already caused uncertainties on Wall Street. It could be that the company will still spend in the ballpark of $80 billion but will not be able to complete as many locations as it had previously calculated. Or it could be that in the months since presenting its forecast, Microsoft has already seen a reduction in expected demand. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-is-reportedly-walking-back-some-data-center-plans-210406748.html?src=rss
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