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The Astell & Kern PS10 is coming in May 2025 for $2,50032-bit PCM, DSD, Roon, aptX HD and LDACComes with desktop dock with XLR balanced and USB outputs

Astell & Kern has unveiled a brand new design direction for its music players, which always rank among the best Hi-Res Audio players. The new PS10 digital audio player, which will officially be unveiled at CanJam Singapore on 5/6 April, comes with a brand new look and a new desktop dock to give your home hi-fi an easy streaming upgrade at the same time as your your mobile music.The Astell & Kern PS10 brings the new AKM AK4498EX chips to the player in what A&K says is a world first, and the docking cradle has XLR balanced outputs plus USB and USB-DAC digital output. It supports native playback of high-res PCM audio up to 32-bit, 768kHz and DSD512.It's also notable that it drops A&K's iconic volume wheel, found on all of its current players. There's an all-button approach here, that's the end of an era. Or, at least, the start of a new era where some players don't get the dial.

(Image credit: Astell & Kern)

Astell & Kern PS10: key features and pricing

The PS10 has four AKM AK4498EX DACs and two separate AK4191EQ chips that handle digital signals. It takes the same HEXA audio circuitry developed for the A&K SP3000, which separates analogue and digital signals for what A&K promises is "astonishing" sound.The PS10 also uses separate audio circuits for its balanced and unbalanced outputs, and it has two amplifiers with different tunings. The Normal Gain AMP "reproduces delicate details and delivers high-purity sound" while the High Gain AMP "excels in handling complex and dynamic sounds, rendering audio signals more vividly and with greater clarity for a more immersive listening experience."The PS10's Smart Gain feature is a clever touch. It instantly detects the impedance of the connected headphones and sets the appropriate AMP – so headphones or earbuds with an impedance of 32 ohms or lower are set to Normal Gain and a maximum output of 5.5Vrms on the balanced output, while headphones with more than 32 ohms get High Gain of up to 8.3Vrms for balanced output.That sound make it a little easier for beginners to the audiophile world to be able to pair some of the best wired headphones or best wired earbuds with the device without discovering they've made a frustrating mistake.The PS10 has 256GB of internal storage and supports microSD cards of up to 2TB. There's dual-band 2.4/5GHz a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, DLNA networking, USB digital audio output, USB-C for data transfer and charging, and the ability to use the PS10 as an external DAC via Bluetooth or a direct USB connection.The Astell & Kern PS10 will be available in May 2025 for $2,500. We'd expect the UK price to be around £2,500 (about AU$5,100) but international pricing hasn't been announced just yet. Hopefully we'll hear more this weeken

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Google Messages could be getting a new snoozing feature that allows you to mute messages for longer periodsIt's the first snoozing function since Google dissolved its text-reminding feature There's been more evidence that group chat joining links are coming to Google Messages, but you'll have to wait a little longer

We’re just over a quarter of the way through the year, and Google has introduced a substantial amount of changes to its Google Messages software – so many that I’m starting to lose count. But despite these constant changes, Google is working towards making your experience more user-friendly and personal when it comes to its messaging service, and two more handy features have cropped up in the pipeline.In its intricate teardown, Android Authority has noticed a new notification snoozing feature, as well as bringing more evidence of its new group chat features to the surface. Out of all its recent upgrades, Google has been paying close attention to its group chat joining-links in Messages, and though we’ve had our eyes peeled ever since rumors arose a few weeks ago, this latest update pretty much confirms that it’s on the way.

Snooze messages for longer, reply at your convenience

However, I’d argue that the most interesting thing here is the addition of the snoozing feature. Unlike the text reminder function that Google used to offer, Android Authority has discovered strings in its teardown that point to specific notification snoozing options including an hour, eight hours, and 24 hours.Additionally, there’s also an ‘always’ option, which we imagine will require you to manually disable when you’re ready to start receiving messages again. While this new found evidence is promising, there’s no clear indication as to whether you can use it to mute individual messages, but it seems as though you’ll still be notified if you’re mentioned in a chat.

As well as a new snoozing feature and group chat joining links, Google has recently added Screen Effects to emoji symbols. (Image credit: Google)

This could be another huge improvement for those who rely on Google Messages for daily contact, especially since the company dissolved its text reminder feature in late 2023, where you could set a date and time for your alert. And although this wasn’t a designated snoozing feature, it could be used as one nonetheless.Some may wonder why Google would introduce this specific function when Android phones have a comprehensive snoozing feature, but Messages’ version would allow you to silence messages for longer periods of time as opposed to Android’s two-hour limit.

It’s official, group chat links are coming to Google Messages

Over the past few weeks more evidence of Google Messages’ new group chat links has been appearing, pointing to a WhatsApp-like function that allows you to join group chats through link sharing. Thanks to another one of Android Authority’s teardowns, a group chat link-sharing interface has been spotted.

(Image credit: Android Authority )

Similarly to other messaging services, Messages will allow you to create invite links that you can share in link form or through a QR code that others can scan. Under the space where the QR code would seemingly appear, there’s a toggle you can enable that can amend the link for singular use only or one that can be reused and distributed. According to Android Authority, links will expire after 30 days.It’s likely that we still have a while before Google will roll out its group chat joining-links, so it’s best to be patient with it, but there’s no denying that this will be a landmark upgrade for the messaging service. For now, at least you can take advantage of its new emoji symbol animations and message details menu.

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The next Samsung Galaxy Ring might have a solid state batterySamsung's reportedly working on solid state battery tech to extend the Ring's time between charges – essential for a sleep tracker It's said to arrive on earbuds in 2026, and Samsung Galaxy Watches in 2027

We’ve known for a while now that Samsung is looking to incorporate a miniaturized, super-powerful battery into its wearables to improve battery life and longevity. However, according to a new leak, the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 might be the first device to include this new battery tech, and it could arrive as early as this year.The Samsung Galaxy Ring is one of the best smart rings on the market, with its innovative clamshell case design and long battery life contributing a lot to this ‘set and forget’ wearable’s appeal. The less you need to charge a device like a smart ring, the better it gets, so any improvement to the battery life is going to make a change.We reported back in January that Samsung is looking for its dream battery. It may well have found it, and it's coming sooner than expected.Leaker Jukanlosreve on X (formerly Twitter) said: “Samsung has set a goal to apply solid-state battery prototypes starting with the Galaxy Ring in Q4 2024.” Given that the tweet was posted yesterday, at the time of writing, we assume that's meant to be 2025.Spotted via Gadgets & Wearables, solid state batteries would boast improved ‘energy density’, but one of the big surprises here is the mention of a Q4 release date for the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2.Typically, its wearables are unveiled in the summer at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, but it could also be the case that Samsung is set to reveal and release the Ring 2 at Unpacked as usual, followed by a version with improved battery life in the winter.

What about other wearables?

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re not a smart ring user and you’re wondering why smartwatches and earbuds are being left out, don’t panic. Jukanlosreve goes on to say the Ring will be “followed by true wireless earbuds (TWS) in Q4 2026, and smartwatches in Q4 2027”.Battery life is one of the bigger sticking points for most leading smartwatches, with the current Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 barely managing 30 hours in most cases. If Samsung could extend that to 60 hours – or three times the life of your average Apple Watch – it would really enable users to make the most of Samsung’s excellent sleep tracking features.

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Thanks to Nintendo's January 16 teaser trailer, we've long known what the Nintendo Switch 2 will look like, and that it will arrive in 2025 — over eight years after its predecessor. Now it's time for the rubber to meet the road: A special Switch 2-focused Nintendo Direct streaming on YouTube today (April 2) at 9AM ET is expected to reveal the all the other key details, including the release date, price and pre-order details. And we might see a few new games, too. (We're parsing it all in real-time in our Switch 2 liveblog, as well.)

The January unveiling already told us quite a bit about the new Nintendo console. The Switch 2 looks very similar to the original system, albeit with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker design. The company also reaffirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.

Looking to catch up on everything we know — or think we know — about the Switch 2? Read on.

What are the key last-minute Switch 2 news and rumors?

The livestream placeholder for today's Switch 2 Nintendo Direct is live on YouTube, counting down to the 9AM ET start time. Nintendo has also confirmed that the presentation will last "approximately 60 minutes," which is more meaty than many of its recent game-only streams.

If that first burst of Switch 2 news isn't enough for you, Nintendo will following up with gameplay video on April 3 and 4 at 10AM ET as well.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Today app in Japan (as spotted by Kotaku) offered up a short teaser on that curious "C" button (see more below). We still don't know what it's for, but clearly Nintendo is about to spill more info.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was announced on January 16

The rumor mill had heavily suggested that Nintendo would pull back the curtain on the Switch 2 on January 16, and that turned out to be the case.

The company hasn't changed the core form factor. It's a portable console with detachable Joy-Cons. The Switch 2 can be placed in a dock for big-screen gaming. There are some significant differences from the original console, however.

The most obvious one is that the next-gen Joy-Cons will no longer slide into place mechanically. Instead, they appear to attach to the main unit magnetically. There is a small connector that's likely used to charge the controllers. It's unclear at this point if Joy-Cons from the original system will be compatible with the Switch 2.

One other big (and very welcome) change is the addition of a second USB-C port on the top of the device. That should make it much easier to plug in accessories while the Switch 2 is docked. FCC filings suggest that you'll be able to charge the console using either USB-C port, which is another nice quality-of-life change.

It's great to see that Nintendo has kept the headphone jack as well. Let's just hope that Bluetooth headphone support is live from the jump this time and Nintendo doesn't leave everyone waiting four years for that feature.

The kickstand is getting an upgrade. As with the Switch OLED, it spans the length of the console this time around. But, according to the reveal trailer, this one looks fully adjustable, so you can tweak the viewing angle to one that works for you.

There are still a great many unknowns regarding the upcoming console. We don't really know the specs yet, or what type of display it uses. We also don't know anything about battery life, the UI or launch games. We assume we'll get full details on all of this at today's Nintendo Direct presenation.

When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?

2025. That's all we know for sure at this point.

Accessory manufacturer Genki, which had been a major source of leaks before Nintendo's January reveal, claimed the console would be released in April. Other reports have pegged June as the release window, as have several analysts.

In any case, we should get a concrete answer today.

When can I pre-order the Nintendo Switch 2?

As with the release date, we expect clarity on this during or after the April 2 presentation. A Best Buy Canada post spotted on Reddit (since deleted, but archived) states that pre-orders will open on that day, but that has yet to confirmed.

When can I try the Nintendo Switch 2?

Nintendo is planning a worldwide roadshow to let gamers go hands-on with the console. These events start in New York and Paris on April 4-6, with others taking place throughout the following two months. That lends credence to some suggestions that Nintendo will release the Switch 2 in June.

Ticket registration for many of the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events has closed, but waitlists are available. However, given that Nintendo is taking a first come, first served approach, your chances of attending the roadshow if you don't already have a ticket (or unless you signed up for the waitlist immediately) seem very small at this point.

The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 Experience dates is as follows:

North America:

New York, April 4-6, 2025

Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025

Dallas, April 25-27, 2025

Toronto, April 25-27, 2025

Europe:

Paris, April 4-6, 2025

London, April 11-13, 2025

Milan, April 25-27, 2025

Berlin, April 25-27, 2025

Madrid, May 9-11, 2025

Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025

Oceania:

Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025

Asia:

Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025

Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025

Hong Kong, To be announced

Taipei, To be announced

Will the Nintendo Switch 2 have some weirdness?

Everything we've seen and so far about this console has been fairly, well, traditional. It looks like the original Switch, but better. That's awesome, but will there be any of that unpredictable Nintendo magic? Maybe! There are two puzzling additions that folks can't make hide nor hair of.

Genki, the accessories manufacturer, just published a landing page for their Nintendo Switch 2 accessories. This landing page features a video that includes a very detailed look at a Switch 2 mockup. pic.twitter.com/Db7RSk4YlQ— Bob Wulff (@BobWulff) January 8, 2025

Keen eyes will have noticed a new button on the bottom of the right Joy-Con. Promotional images for a new app called Nintendo Today!, which the company says will provide users with daily news updates about things like games and the Switch 2, confirmed that it is a C button.

However, it is not yet clear what this button does. Could it initiate voice chat during gameplay? Could it calibrate the controllers? Could it create a room-sized hologram of Bowser in your living room? We'll have to wait and see.

Now onto the updated Joy-Cons. There appears to be a new sensor on the connecting side of each controller. It looks a whole lot like an optical sensor, which is what a computer mouse uses. This has led to speculation that players will be able to flip the Joy-Con over and use it like a mouse. Of note: the trailer shows the Joy-Cons moving along a flat surface, connector side down and looking suspiciously like a mouse.

But why would anyone even want this? We can think of three words. New Mario Paint.

Genki reveal isnt a mockup, its straight up just the Switch 2, optical sensor is literally flashing in this shot @Stealth40k #Switch2 pic.twitter.com/COeLsonqMd— Ash  (@Ashinarii) January 8, 2025

Mouse control isn’t the only “too strange for any company but Nintendo” rumor floating around. A patent filed by the company suggests you can swap the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons, snapping them onto either side of the console. That would align with the magnetic Joy-Con attachment scheme.

But much like the weird mouse rumors, it doesn’t necessarily align with, well, any logical reason for why you’d want to do that. The patent suggests it could allow for more user choice in where the headphone jack is. But since it’s Nintendo, the company that brought us Labo cardboard peripherals and the Game Boy Advance e-reader attachment, we have to wonder if there are… quirkier designs at hand.

Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?

The company confirmed in November 2024 that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backwards compatible. It will also feature access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old retro titles.

In the initial Nintendo Switch 2 press release, Nintendo reiterated that physical and digital Switch games will work on the new system. However, it noted that "certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2." More details about which games those are will be revealed later.

During a Nintendo Direct on March 27, the company revealed a new system for loaning digital Switch games out to friends and family members. Virtual Game Cards are designed to make it easier to start a game on one console and continue on another as well. Although Nintendo's approach to this is not as simple as it perhaps should be, Virtual Game Cards will also be available on the Switch 2.

Will old games be enhanced in any way?

The original Switch has, to put it mildly, struggled to run some of the late-generation software that's come down the pike. Could these games be enhanced to take advantage of the increased horsepower of the Switch 2? We have no idea. We also don't know if any of these releases will receive graphical upgrades, perhaps taking advantage of upscaling tech.

What will the cartridges taste like?

You may remember that the original Switch cartridges taste absolutely awful. This was on purpose, to discourage folks from putting the games in their mouth. Will the successor follow suit and continue to dip cartridges in a foul-tasting bitter coating? Only time will tell.

What about specs?

The rumors regarding specs are all over the place, so it’s tough to pin down. We know one thing for sure: It’ll be more powerful than the ancient Switch hardware, which was already antiquated back in 2017. One analyst allegedly got a hold of a spec sheet from the Korean United Daily News that said the Switch 2 would boast an eight-core Cortex-A78AE processor, 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal eMMC storage. This tracks, as these specs are about as underpowered now as the original Switch was in 2017. However, some reports do indicate that the console will include 12GB of RAM.

Another source suggests that the eight-core CPU will be packaged inside an NVIDIA-produced Tegra239 SoC (system on a chip). Given the current Switch runs on an NVIDIA chip, that makes a lot of sense. The CPU will be more powerful, but it's the Switch 2's new GPU that will be a major differentiator. It's all-but-confirmed that the Switch 2 will support DLSS, NVIDIA's "deep learning supersampling" upscaling tech, which would allow the console to render games at a low resolution internally while outputting a high-resolution image. (Fun fact: We actually wrote about how perfect DLSS was for the Nintendo Switch 2 when the technology was announced alongside the RTX 20 series back in 2018.)

There are still questions about the Switch 2 and DLSS: Will the system support newer DLSS features like frame generation? Will existing games be automatically tidied up by NVIDIA's algorithm? Regardless of the exact implementation, DLSS upscaling will be a huge leap over the rudimentary techniques available to Nintendo Switch developers.

As for the display, there are many conflicting rumors. Early reports from solid sources suggested the Switch 2 would have an 8-inch LCD screen. The Switch 2's display certainly looks larger than that of the original Switch in a side-by-side comparison in the reveal trailer. Some folks have worried that the Switch follow-up may actually be too big, especially for kids.

Certain analysts have suggested this would be an OLED screen, while others have said it would be a Mini-LED display. A Mini-LED display is basically an LCD display that has a backlight made of (surprise!) mini-LEDs rather than edge lighting. This allows for local dimming, making the blacks more black.

We're hedging our bets here. We think it’ll be a standard LCD, to cut costs, with an OLED or Mini-LED model coming later down the line. However, Mini-LED screens are slightly cheaper than OLED displays, so that’s certainly a possibility at launch.

As for resolution, recent reporting suggests that the console will output 1080p in handheld and 4K when docked. That's much better than the OG Switch.

More tenuous “leaks” have intimated that the Switch 2 could also support a faster microSD card standard known as microSD Express. This allows for significantly faster transfer rates than the common UHS-I cards supported by the Switch today. It’s technically been around for several years, but we’ve only recently started to see microSD cards that take advantage of the spec hit the market.

We actually tested one of them from SanDisk for our microSD card buying guide and found it could reach sequential read speeds up to around 900 MB/s. With the current Switch, microSD transfer speeds top out closer to 100 MB/s.

So, in theory, all of this could bring a sizable boost in load times and general storage performance for the Switch 2 (though it’s still not likely to be on par with the SSDs in the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S). But again, these rumors are far from concrete. It’s also worth noting that microSD Express cards cost significantly more than what we usually see today — the SanDisk card we tested, for instance, starts at $45 for just 128GB of storage.

Recently-unearthed FCC filings also indicate that the console will support Wi-Fi 6 and NFC. The latter indicates that the Switch 2 will continue Amiibo integration.

How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?

We don't have too much information regarding price but we do have plenty of history to work with. The original Nintendo Switch launched at $300, which is pretty much the "magic number" when it comes to Nintendo console releases in recent years. The Wii U also came in at $300.

However, there are plenty of rumors circulating that Nintendo could be upping the asking price for the Switch 2. Several analysts are expecting Nintendo to hike the price to at least $400 and possibly even as much as $500. Rising costs of components and development, as well as US tariffs, are likely to mean that the Switch 2 is more expensive than its predecessor.

Dipping back into history, there is some precedence for a price uptick. The GameCube was $200 and the Wii was $250. The Wii U and Switch increased to $300 and, well, numbers like to go up. A $400 price tag would make the Switch 2 nearly as expensive as a PS5 and Xbox Series X. That would also put it at the same price as the 256GB LCD Steam Deck.

Again, we should get confirmation of the price during the April 2 Nintendo Direct.

How well will the Nintendo Switch 2 sell?

Even with an expected price increase, Nintendo is likely to sell boatloads of Switch 2 consoles. The company seems to be positioning itself to shatter sales records. Reports suggest that Nintendo wants to have as many units ready to sell as possible on release day. One analyst told Bloomberg that they expected Nintendo to have an inventory of between 6 million and 8 million units at the outset.

As Bloomberg notes, the company sold 2.7 million Switch units in that console's first month. Sony's PS4 and PS5 each sold 4.5 million units in their first quarter on the market, though it's worth noting the PS5's early momentum was hindered somewhat by shortages.

Nintendo has sold more than 150 million Switch units. Given that many fans are more than ready for an upgrade (and to perhaps give their old Switch to a young relative or sell it on the cheap), the Switch 2 is very likely to go gangbusters right out of the gate.

Do we know about any launch games?

Not so much. The reveal trailer offered a peek at a new Mario Kart game. Nintendo released Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U over a decade ago and it's been milking that cash cow ever since, having sold more than 64 million copies of the game across that console and the Switch. It's definitely time for a new entry!

It's certainly been a long time since we’ve gotten a proper 3D Mario adventure as well, so a new one could be a launch title. That would be one heck of a system seller. Other than that, your guess is as good as ours. Past as prologue, we can expect something from Ubisoft and an off-the-wall title like 1-2-Switch. One report suggested that PowerWash Simulator 2 is bound for the Switch 2, so that's something.

If there’s a gimmick or hook involved with the console, we’ll also get a game that takes advantage of that. A dual release of Metroid Prime 4, just like Breath of the Wild and Twilight Princess before that, is also a possibility.

It's all but nailed on that we'll learn much more about the Switch 2 launch lineup during the April 2 Nintendo Direct, which starts at 9AM ET. You'll definitely want to set your Alarmo for that one.

That's everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2 today. We'll update this article with rumors we trust and with information we gather directly from sources. Any changes made to the article after its initial publishing will be listed below.

Update, January 24, 2025, 12:36 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about price, potential game enhancements and the taste of cartridges.

Update, February 5, 2025, 9:30AM ET: This story has been updated to note the time when the April 2 Nintendo Direct starts.

Update, February 24, 2025, 12:30 PM ET: This story has been updated to include speculation about storage and information about the new microSD Express standard.

Update, March 6, 2025, 2:30PM ET: This story has been updated to note recent FCC filings to indicate the presence of Wi-Fi 6 and NFC support.

Update, March 14, 2025, 12:15PM ET: This story has been updated to include pricing and sales speculation from analysts.

Update, March 20, 2025, 12:45PM ET: Updated to include a note about the Seattle Mariners new jersey patches featuring Nintendo and the Switch 2.

Update, March 27, 2025, 3:50PM ET: Updated to add details about the C button, Nintendo Today! and Virtual Game Cards.

Update, April 1, 2025, 10:16AM ET: Updated to add link to livestream and details on its length.

Update, April 2, 2025, 7:34AM ET: Added final pre-Direct details.

Jeff Dunn contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-direct-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-console-reveal-today-195136387.html?src=rss

Daredevil: Born Again viewers are disappointed about episode 7's big character deathMarvel fans had hoped to see the individual stick around for much longerDisney+ users thought their character arc should've been explained in more detail in previous episodes, too

Daredevil: Born Again hasn't drawn much criticism from Marvel fans since it began in early March.That's changed following the release of its seventh episode, titled 'Art for Art's Sake', though. Indeed, some viewers have reacted negatively to a big character death in the Disney+ show, with some saying they felt there was more to explore with the individual in question at a character level.Full spoilers immediately follow for Daredevil: Born Again episode 7. Turn back now if you haven't watched it yet.

Is Muse really dead in Daredevil: Born Again?

Farewell, Muse (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

It appears so. The serial killer who's stalked the streets of New York throughout Daredevil: Born Again season 1 is no longer of this world. Unless you're a superpowered being, you don't take five bullet wounds to the torso and live to tell the tale in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).To be fair, Muse has had it coming. Not only has he murdered 60 innocent civilians since Wilson Fisk became Mayor of New York City, he was close to increasing that tally to 62 in Daredevil: Born Again episode 5 and the series' most recent chapter.If Daredevil hadn't intervened on both occasions, Muse would've added Angela Torres, aka the niece of deceased vigilante White Tiger, and Heather Glenn, i.e., Matt Murdock/Daredevil's girlfriend, to his victims list. It's a good job, then, that Murdock ended his year-long self-imposed exile as The Man Without Fear, then.It'll be interesting to see how Murdock deals with the fact that Glenn is responsible for Muse's death. Indeed, even though Fisk paints a picture (see what I did there?) that his Anti-Vigilante Task Force took down Muse, Gleen is the one who filled Muse – real name Bastian Cooper and the individual we all suspected to be Muse as early as Born Again episode 2 – with lead. That's because Cooper was one of Glenn's mental health patients and, during their latest session, he tried to kill her.So, while Glenn acted in self-defense, I'm curious to see if Murdock's opinion of her will change because, as Daredevil, he still seems to be abiding by his no-kill rule. Well, as long as Glenn doesn't cotton onto the fact that her boyfriend is not only The Devil of Hell's Kitchen, but has also been lying to her about his injuries and where he's been going at night, and subsequently breaks up with him.

'This episode was like jumping into the finale of a movie I haven't seen'

Fans aren't a-Muse-d at the timing of the serial killer's death (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

But back to the matter at hand. Muse's death means that the final two episodes of Born Again's first season will primarily focus on the next collision of its two main characters. Those being, of course, Murdock and Fisk.Nevertheless, fans of the Marvel Phase 5 TV series have expressed disappointment that Muse is no longer around.Taking to a Marvel Studios Reddit thread post-episode 7, MaruKENTA wrote "I'm a bit disappointed that might be the last of Muse that we see. Hunter Doohan really pulled off the creepy aspect of the character". In another Reddit thread, Joker_CP *ahem* joked that they'd hoped to see Muse feature more heavily in Born Again season 1's final few entries before his demise in 'Art for Art's Sake'.

Comment from r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers

Others were less enthused about Muse's portrayal in the show for different reasons. For one, Redditor CartoonAcademic said they weren't happy that Muse was given a clear identity in the series (NB: he's remained nameless in Marvel Comics since he made his literary debut in September 2016).Elsewhere, MCU fans suggested that Born Again should've spent more time examining Muse's civilian identity. On Reddit, AmarDikli and CrimsonComet1941 said they were disappointed that the show didn't give us more scenes between Glenn and Cooper to really sell how unhinged the latter was, or to see what actually made him tick.Redditor Vadermaulkylo expressed frustration over how little he was utilized on-camera, too. With comments from willys_zuppa, Rain616, and Pax_flash among others stating how terrifying Muse was in episode 7, it's a shame this is the end of the line for Cooper and his masked alias.

Do y’all think we see muse returning season 2 with his more superhuman abilities😣#DaredevilBornAgain #Daredevil pic.twitter.com/W820JSo98YApril 2, 2025

Or is it? Speaking to TVLine, showrunner Dario Scardapane insinuated that Muse – or, at the very least, his shadow – will loom large over Born Again's sophomore outing. "The Muse run, for lack of a better word, in this story has pretty shocking consequences. And those consequences don’t end," Scardapane said. "We’re carrying them into season 2, is the best way I can put it."Does that mean Cooper could somehow return as Muse? Will a fanatic of his adopt the mantle of Muse 2.0? Or was the serial killer's presence in this season just a fulcrum to bring out Murdock and Fisk's dark sides again? We'll have to wait and see what plays out in one of the best Disney+ shows' next two episodes and in season 2 before knowing for sure.

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UNA Watch is a modular smartwatch looking to take the fight to Apple and GarminIt's built to be sustainable, with replaceable parts you can fix and upgrade yourselfIt also features activity tracking, health metrics, and other smartwatch features

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UNA Watch is coming for the smartwatch market

(Image credit: UNA)

As mentioned, the UNA Watch's party piece is its sustainable design. You build the watch yourself, assembling parts like the chip, housing, and the USB-C (yes, USB-C) charging port.That all means that every part can easily be replaced in case you need to repair it, theoretically lengthening the lifespan significantly. In the future, Una envisions even using this process to upgrade parts, just like you would a gaming PC. That means you could theoretically upgrade your display, chip, or even battery in the future.The UNA Watch comes with an accompanying app that presents metrics like your daily steps, heart rate, and workouts.The Kickstarter page is now live and has already garnered a groundswell of support. There's a very limited number of UNA Watches available in the first tier of support, the Una Watch Launch special, which costs just £210 (roughly $270). According to the Kickstarter page, that should include shipping duties and taxes for the US, Canada, UK, and EU.More premium options get you add-ons like a custom strap, and UNA's dev tool, which lets you write your own apps and custom firmware for the watch too.Live now, you can see the full Kickstarter page for Una Watch here. Early Kickstarter shipping estimates are currently listed as August 2025.

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Samsung is releasing two Fan Edition models of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10, and they're both more affordable than their standard counterparts. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ are powered by the Samsung Exynos 1580 chipset instead of MediaTek processors like the standard versions. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ model has a 13.1-inch display, which is bigger than the Tab S10+'s 12.4-inch screen but smaller than the 14.6-inch one on the Tab S10 Ultra. Take note that both models have a refresh rate of up to 90Hz, which is lower than the standard versions' 120 Hz refresh rate.

That means the standard Tab S10 models are still the better options if gaming is your primary use for a tablet. But again, the new Fan Editions cost substantially less than they do. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE's prices start at $500, and it comes with 128GB and 256GB storage options. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ will cost you at least $650 and come with the same storage options. The standard Galaxy Tab S10's prices start $999, while the Tab S10 Ultra will cost you at least $1,200.

Like the the standard models, the Fan Edition versions come with AI capabilities, including Circle to Search with Google that makes it easy to look for information simply by encircling elements on your device. Their Samsung Note app also features Math Solver, which can do calculations based on handwriting and text, as well as Handwriting Assist, which can help you tidy up handwritten notes. Both Fan Edition devices will be available in the US starting on April 10. You'll get a $50 credit if you reserve a unit now, and you can buy a Book Cover Keyboard Slim for 50 percent off if you purchase one by May 11. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/samsungs-galaxy-tab-s10-fe-and-galaxy-tab-s10-fe-will-be-available-on-april-10-120019555.html?src=rss

Roblox is again updating its parental control features in an effort to give parents more visibility into (and control over) their children’s activities on the platform. The company is updating its in-app “Safety Center” to counter concerns that Roblox, which unlike social media apps allows children under 13, puts its youngest users at risk.

The company added the centralized hub for parental controls last year, in an update that also added new restrictions on younger kids’ ability to exchange private messages with other users. But while that update gave parents the ability to control some of their children’s settings from their own devices, it was missing some key features like blocking.

With the latest update, parents can now view their child’s friend list and block users on their behalf. Once another user has been blocked, they’ll no longer be able to exchange direct messages with the child and kids will need to get parental approval to unblock the person.

Similarly, parents will now be able to block specific experiences within Roblox. Parents have already had the ability to limit in-app content based on its age rating, but parents have still at times complained about inappropriate content surfacing in certain games. Now, parents can block their young kids from participating in certain experiences. (Importantly, Roblox notes that kids will be able to remove apps from the blocked experiences list once they turn 13.)

Finally, Roblox is adding more “granular insights” to the in-app screen time metrics that allow parents to see how their kids are spending their time on the platform. The Safety Center will now list “the 20 experiences in which their child has spent the‬ most time over the last week, sorted by total time.” Parents can then opt to block specific games or experiences directly from the screen time menu if something seems off.

Roblox’s recent push to beef up safety features for younger users come amid a broader reckoning about the effect that online platforms can have on teens. Platforms have tried to address these concerns by enhancing parental controls and dedicated safety features for teens. But lawmakers are also pushing for change, with multiple states passing measures requiring some form of age verification (some of which have since been struck down). There’s also a bipartisan bill in the Senate to ban all preteens from social media entirely.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-parental-controls-now-include-a-block-button-120005897.html?src=rss

Epson QS100 is a 4K ultra short-throw projector 160-inch images from just inches away4,500 lumens, but no Dolby Vision HDR support

The best ultra short throw projectors are pretty bright, but they're not usually quite this bright: the new Epson QS100 4K PRO-UHD HDR short throw laser projector puts out a whopping 4,500 lumens.For context, our number one 4K laser UST projector is the Hisense PX3-Pro, and that's 3,000 lumens, so we're talking a 50% boost from the Epson.That brightness gives it great power, enabling it to project images of up to 160 inches in size from just inches away. But there's one key HDR feature missing: it doesn't have Dolby Vision HDR to help make the most of that brightness.

(Image credit: Epson)

Epson QS100 short throw laser projector: what you need to know

This isn't the brightest projector you'll see in 2025 – the Hisense LG9 laser TV is brighter at 5,000 nits, but you can actually buy the Epson; the Hisense doesn't have a release date yet.And it's much brighter than our recommended projector for daytime and sports viewing, the 4,000 lumen Epson EpiQVision Ultra LS800.The HDR here supports HDR10 and HLG standards, and there's dynamic tone mapping for frame by frame optimization – but as I mentioned above, it would be better if it came with Dolby Vision to provide more accurate tone mapping and to ensure that all that brightness is really well-optimized on a scene-by-scene basis.The light source is rated for 20,000 ours of "virtually maintenance-free" operation, and if you're a gamer there's support for auto low latency mode for low-lag gaming. There's no 120Hz support of any kind here, though – it's 60Hz all the way, even at 1080p.The Epson has individually adjustable feet, multi-point picture settings and an optional wall mount bracket, and it's designed to play nice with Crestron, Control4 and PJLink-compatible control systems.As you'd expect, there's a hefty price tag for that super-bright display: the MRSP is $4,999 (about £3,870 / AU$7,920), which is quite a step up from the $3,499 / £3,199 / AU$4,999 of the Ultra LS800. Still, if you want something that's going to dazzle among even the best projectors, you'll have to pay for it.The Epson QS100 4K PRO-UHD laser projector is available now from authorized Epson dealers.

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Wikimedia has seen a 50 percent increase in bandwidth used for downloading multimedia content since January 2024, the foundation said in an update. But it's not because human readers have suddenly developed a voracious appetite for consuming Wikipedia articles and for watching videos or downloading files from Wikimedia Commons. No, the spike in usage came from AI crawlers, or automated programs scraping Wikimedia's openly licensed images, videos, articles and other files to train generative artificial intelligence models.

This sudden increase in traffic from bots could slow down access to Wikimedia's pages and assets, especially during high-interest events. When Jimmy Carter died in December, for instance, people's heightened interest in the video of his presidential debate with Ronald Reagan caused slow page load times for some users. Wikimedia is equipped to sustain traffic spikes from human readers during such events, and users watching Carter's video shouldn't have caused any issues. But "the amount of traffic generated by scraper bots is unprecedented and presents growing risks and costs," Wikimedia said.

The foundation explained that human readers tend to look up specific and often similar topics. For instance, a number of people look up the same thing when it's trending. Wikimedia creates a cache of a piece of content requested multiple times in the data center closest to the user, enabling it to serve up content faster. But articles and content that haven't been accessed in a while have to be served from the core data center, which consumes more resources and, hence, costs more money for Wikimedia. Since AI crawlers tend to bulk read pages, they access obscure pages that have to be served from the core data center.

Wikimedia said that upon a closer look, 65 percent of the resource-consuming traffic it gets is from bots. It's already causing constant disruption for its Site Reliability team, which has to block the crawlers all the time before they they significantly slow down page access to actual readers. Now, the real problem, as Wikimedia states, is that the "expansion happened largely without sufficient attribution, which is key to drive new users to participate in the movement." A foundation that relies on people's donations to continue running needs to attract new users and get them to care for its cause. "Our content is free, our infrastructure is not," the foundation said. Wikimedia is now looking to establish sustainable ways for developers and reusers to access its content in the upcoming fiscal year. It has to, because it sees no sign of AI-related traffic slowing down anytime soon. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-is-struggling-with-voracious-ai-bot-crawlers-121546854.html?src=rss

New Gmail E2EE method uses client-side encryption and customer-controlled keysGmail and non-Gmail users will all be able to open encrypted emailsIt even works with organizations using S/MIME

Gmail enterprise users will be getting a new and improved end-to-end encryption model to keep their data safe in their email client, the company has revealed.With the update, business users will be able to send encrypted emails to recipients using any email services, not just fellow Gmail users.The change welcomes the simplification of the encryption process, eliminating the need to exchange certificates.

Gmail enterprise users are getting better E2EE

Explaining why the updated system is better, a blog post from Google Workspace Senior Product Manager Johney Burke and Product Manager Julien Duplant explained S/MIME requires certificates to be deployed and exchanged between all users before sending encrypted messages.The Google leaders also noted that few organizations actually use S/MIME due to the complexity and cost.Gmail’s new E2EE works by using client-side encryption and customer-controlled keys, which allows it to work regardless of the recipient client’s chosen email platform.If the recipient is using Gmail (either as an enterprise or personal customer), the email will auto-decrypt in the inbox. Non-Gmail users will receive a link to view the message via a restricted version of Gmail. For companies that use S/MIME, Gmail will send an encrypted email via this method for a more seamless experience.“IT teams also have the option to require all external recipients (even if they are Gmail users) to use the restricted version of Gmail,” Burke and Duplant added. “This helps ensure that their organization’s data does not end up stored on third-party servers and devices.”Alongside the new encryption method, Google has also added a client-side encryption default mode so that IT teams can enforce encryption for sensitive teams, classification labels for easy email identification, data loss prevention (DLP) and a new threat protection AI model to improve spam and phishing detection.For now, early access to E2EE emails in Gmail is only available via request.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct is just minutes away Accessory maker Dbrand has opened reservations for the Killswitch, its Nintendo Switch 2 caseThe case offers comprehensive protection and lots of cool features

With the Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct just minutes away, accessory maker Dbrand has opened reservations for its Killswitch Nintendo Switch 2 case.Part of its existing Killswitch line, which includes cases for gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally, the Killswitch Nintendo Switch 2 case looks like a pretty robust and practical way to keep your console protected.Both Joy-Con can be removed with the case attached and benefit from enhanced ergonomic grips for more comfortable play. The case also doesn't inhibit the system's in-built kickstand, which is definitely good news for those intending to play lots of games in tabletop mode.If that wasn't enough, the Killswitch comes with an custom adapter for the Nintendo Switch 2 dock that turns it into a display stand, with the Switch 2 in full view while still maintaining video output functionality.

Image 1 of 6(Image credit: Brand)Image 2 of 6(Image credit: Brand)Image 3 of 6(Image credit: Brand)Image 4 of 6(Image credit: Brand)Image 5 of 6(Image credit: Brand)Image 6 of 6(Image credit: Brand)

There's also a transparent travel cover, which offers crush protection and keeps the screen safe from any scratches when it's in you bag. A removable game card holder can then be slotted inside the cover, with space for ten games.The number of features here is honestly a little absurd, but I mean that in the best possible way. This looks like it could be the ultimate storage solution for the Nintendo Switch 2 and, given Dbrand's track record when it comes to making great accessories, I'm optimistic that it will live up to this lofty expectation.It is set to launch in June and if you want to be among those to get their hands on one first, the product is now up for reservation on the Dbrand website. This isn't your usual pre-order, as it costs just $3 / around £2.30 which is credited towards the final purchase price.If you get cold feet, the reservation can be refunded at any time.

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Whether you attach it to a dog's collar, put in on a set of keys or throw it in your purse, there's no denying that AirTags save you a lot of hassle. They get rid of the mental stress that is, "Where on Earth did I put that?" Thankfully, Apple's AirTags are not only convenient, but they're currently on sale.

Right now, you can get a four-pack of AirTags for just $68, down from $99. For context, a single AirTag normally retails for $29 (currently $24 each), so you're getting four for just over the price of two. This 31 percent discount brings the set to just $3 more than its all-time low.

There's not much to say about AirTags that hasn't already been said. They use the Find My network to locate your missing belongings and can do so with incredible accuracy. Their main fault is the lack of a key hole, but we've rounded up the best Apple AirTag accessories for 2025 to fix that problem.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-is-back-on-sale-for-68-125334495.html?src=rss

The wait is finally over: The appropriately titled "Nintendo Direct: Switch 2" presentation will start today (April 2) at 9AM ET / 6AM PT, and will stream on Nintendo's YouTube channel. Today's presentation follows a shorter Direct video last week, in which the company teased a Tomodachi Life sequel and the last few Switch 1 games (all of which will also run on the new console, thanks to backward compatibility).

Because of the short teaser video Nintendo released in January, we already know the basic details of the Switch 2's look and feel — a larger screen, some sort of mouse functionality for the Joy-Con controllers — and we even got a glimpse at what looks like a new Mario Kart game. But the company's April 2 presentation should answer a litany of remaining questions about the Switch successor, including the price and release date.

You can read our article collecting Switch 2 rumors and reports for a preview of what Nintendo might cover. Particularly pertinent for anyone thinking about buying the new console, recent leaks indicate that Nintendo could open up pre-orders for the Switch 2 as early as April 9, and ship out the device in June.

We'll have to wait for the Nintendo Direct to finalize those details, of course. Nintendo has indicated that the presentation will last about an hour, so that should be enough time to present a longer list of Switch 2 games beyond those initial fleeting seconds of a new Mario Kart. You can watch along on Nintendo's YouTube channel or right in this article once the stream goes live. We've also go a Switch 2 liveblog going for real-time commentary. Stay tuned to Engadget in the hours and days that follow for complete coverage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-watch-todays-switch-2-nintendo-direct-210632768.html?src=rss

Testing has shown that the RTX 5080 is close to the RTX 5090’s performanceThis is despite the RTX 5090 having quite a beefier spec, and laptops with this GPU being much more expensiveThere are reasons for this, though, on the performance front, seemingly wrapped up in power use and thermals

Nvidia’s RTX 5080 laptop GPU is surprisingly close to the performance of the RTX 5090 mobile, going by some recent testing of gaming laptops that use these freshly arrived graphics cards.Although this isn’t as much of a case of glowing praise for the speed of the RTX 5080 as such – though it is very fast – rather it’s more about a relative lack of oomph that the Blackwell flagship GPU seems to be burdened with (for a reason that I’ll come back to later).As you might recall, there have already been mutterings about the performance offered by the laptop version of the RTX 5090 compared to Nvidia’s flagship on the desktop (though some scenarios may suggest otherwise).Now, however, VideoCardz noticed that Notebookcheck.net’s comparative testing of the RTX 5080 laptop GPU has shown how close it is in frame rates to the top dog RTX 5090 mobile – within 10% to 15%, in fact.The report from Notebookcheck.net shows that, for example, in Assassin's Creed Shadows at Full HD (ultra-high details) you’re getting 74 fps with the RTX 5090, and 63 fps with the RTX 5080. Switching to 4K resolution makes the difference 39 fps plays 34 fps, which is only an 11% slowdown.That’s based on testing using Schenker Neo 16 laptops that have the RTX 5080 and 5090 inside, paired with the same processor (the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX).Generally speaking, as you’d expect, the gap is a bit bigger at 4K versus lower resolutions, but it’s never all that huge, and often around, or just over, the 10% mark.

(Image credit: Future)

Analysis: Component claustrophobia

There’s no doubting that the RTX 5090 makes a superb graphics engine for any gaming laptop, the trouble is it also makes said portable exorbitantly expensive. That’s pretty much our review of the new Razer Blade 16 with the RTX 5090 (pictured above) in a nutshell.When you look at the huge price difference of a laptop with an RTX 5090 and one with an RTX 5080, which means that you’re paying around two-thirds more (or thereabouts) for only a difference of 10% (and maybe a bit) – it’s difficult to justify forking out the tons of money necessary to grab a portable with the Blackwell flagship. Really difficult.You may be scratching your head at this point if you’re familiar with the relative specs of these two laptop GPUs. The RTX 5090 boasts 37% more graphics cores, and 50% more (superfast) video memory too, which adds up to considerably more oomph on paper. So why isn’t the RTX 5090 also considerably speedier than the RTX 5080?Well, as VideoCardz points out, the power envelope that limits these two mobile GPUs is the same, namely 150W (or a 175W temporary boost). And that restriction on the wattage being supplied to the GPU is really what’s holding back the RTX 5090 – and the thermal constraints of having such a very powerful graphics card in a relatively small and claustrophobic laptop chassis.While this is only one round of (very limited) testing being presented here, given that factor, the relative results aren’t so surprising. What we must also remember about the RTX 5090, though, is that it’ll be able to do what it does in a more refined manner than the RTX 5080. (I presume, anyway – feedback around the fan noise with the mobile RTX 5090 seems favorable, from the likes of our sister site, PC Gamer).In the overall picture, though, unless you’re really not concerned about the asking price and money is no real object, RTX 5080 laptops look a far, far better option currently than gaming notebooks using the RTX 5090. Although we do also have to consider that those flagship portables may offer other options alongside the RTX 5090 that lesser models from the same laptop range don’t (maybe the fanciest screen going, for example, but that’ll also jack up the price tag).At any rate, right now, trying to see the benefits of the Blackwell flagship in its laptop form factor, compared to the truly formidable RTX 5090 desktop GPU, is an uphill struggle, frankly. Maybe pricing will start to reflect this as a function of demand, mind you – we shall see.

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The 2025 Audi e-tron GT RS Performance has a special way of welcoming you. As you approach, it does the usual show of blinking headlights and tail lights, plus puddle lamps projecting red RS logos on the ground. That's nothing special these days. But when you get to the door and reach for the handle the car literally rises to meet you, springing up two full inches to ease your entry into this ultra-low, extremely long sport tourer.

At least, it will do that if you spend the extra $11,000 for the new active suspension, a very worthy add-on to this $167,000 sports car and just one of the dozens of upgrades Audi made to the big performance machine for 2025. And it's good that those upgrades are so substantial, because from the outside, the car looks barely different than what came before.

Audi slightly massaged the front grille, while the diffuser projecting from beneath the rear bumper looks far cleaner than before. Still, you'd be hard-pressed to tell new from old from a distance — or up close, for that matter. The biggest exterior change is probably the roof of the e-tron GT, which is now available in your choice of shiny or matte carbon fiber. Or, if you're more interested in sunshine than weight savings, you can opt for a new glass roof with nine separate integrated liquid crystal panels that turn opaque at the touch of a button.

That makes for a fun talking point if you feel the need to impress your friends, but the 912 horsepower on tap will surely take care of that. Fire up launch control, and even the most jaded motorheads will be left utterly breathless. The e-tron GT RS Performance rockets from zero to 60 mph in just 2.4 seconds, which is a world-class figure, but what's more impressive is how it just keeps on going. I had a chance to run the car up past 130 mph (on a closed track) and the feeling was right on the border between thrilling and terrifying. The forces squeezing me into the (thankfully quite supportive) sport seat made my animal brain scream for sweet release.

Audi

That wasn't the only mindjob happening here, though. That new active suspension can be set to actually make the car lean into corners while also dipping the nose under acceleration and lowering the tail when you hit the brakes. It's all in an effort to create a more stable, predictable platform, enabling you to drive the car hard without your passengers losing their patience — or their lunches.

The capabilities of the RS e-tron GT Performance are definitely remarkable in any condition. A quick twitch of your right toe is enough to send it leaping forward, and for those special moments, you can get about an extra 94 horsepower by pressing the big red BOOST button on the steering wheel.

Unfortunately, that's about the only thing good about the wheel. For this new e-tron GT, Audi shifted to the type of capacitive touch buttons that everybody hates on the Volkswagen ID.4, which are both challenging to use by touch and yet easy to accidentally trigger. I kept raising the volume on the stereo every time I made a left turn. That's no good.

The rest of the interface is much the same as before, with the 10.1-inch touchscreen angled in the middle of the dashboard. It's running Audi's MMI software though, which is a bit sluggish at times. Still, between the touchscreen, the Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster behind the wheel and the HUD projected on the windscreen, you have no shortage of displays to admire.

The rest of the cabin is largely unchanged as well, which isn't a bad thing. Seats up front are supportive yet comfortable, power-adjustable in all the right ways, heated and ventilated, and sit low enough in the car to offer plenty of headroom. Seating in the back isn't bad either, with a bit of extra legroom provided by a division in the battery pack, creating space for rear passenger feet.

That rear-seat layout is the same as before, but while the battery pack shape is the same, crack it open and you'll find all sorts of newness. Audi changed the chemistry of the cells and that, plus some design revisions, has boosted energy density, which means more capacity in the same space.

The battery now offers 105 kWh of total capacity (95 net), which is up from 93.4 before, while other changes have boosted charging speed. The maximum charging current is up to 320 kW from 270 kW before, and the battery can now maintain that speed at a wider range of temperatures. The result is an 80 percent charge in just 18 minutes. That's about 240 miles worth of range in the time it'll take to make a pit stop yourself.

All those battery upgrades provide up to 300 miles of range on the 670 horsepower S e-tron GT or 278 miles of range on the faster RS e-tron GT Performance. Those figures represent a gain of between 29 and 51 miles over the old car, depending on which spec you choose. That's a major boost in longevity, and since that new suspension is equally good at being soft and cosseting as it is sharp and exciting, the GT makes for a remarkably good touring car. I spent most of a day idling my way in and out of Las Vegas in one, and I would’ve gladly done many more miles without complaint.

But with all that power and handling, the GT is happiest when it’s pushed to its limits. The only challenge is your budget will be pushed, too. The 2025 S e-tron GT costs $125,500, while the faster RS e-tron GT Performance starts at $167,000. That means all the new battery tech and brain-scrambling power have added about $20,000 to the sticker prices of the previous year's car. And you'll spend even more if you want all the toys.

So, the RS e-tron GT Performance is expensive, but impressive too. We're still barely a decade into seeing what high-performance EVs can do, an engineering journey that will surely take us to new heights in the years to come. But what this car can do today is remarkable, with acceleration so strong that it's uncomfortable, suspension so advanced it can dance, and yet all the comfort and poise befitting an Audi.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/audis-refreshed-rs-e-tron-gt-performance-brings-shocking-speed-for-a-premium-price-130154710.html?src=rss

David Fincher, Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino are working on a sequel to Tarantino's Oscar-winning Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, and they're making it for Netflix.That’s according to Variety, which says that the project doesn't yet have an official title.It's "an especially unique production," Variety says: not only is Fincher helming the sequel to another high-profile director's movie, but it's moving from a theatrical studio to a streamer. The first movie was released by Sony Pictures in 2019.

What to expect from the Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood sequel

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing )

Brad Pitt will be returning to the role of Cliff Booth, one of the two main protagonists in the original movie, and with Fincher directing it's a bit of an old pals' act: the two worked together on Fight Club, Se7en and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. However, Variety doesn't expect Leonardo DiCaprio to return, and Margot Robbie is unlikely too.The backstory here is a little complicated. Quentin Tarantino set out to write what he said would be his tenth and final movie, The Movie Critic, but in early 2024 it was reported that that film had evolved into two movies – and that one of them was a spin-off from Once Upon a Time. However, both movies were then reportedly scrapped in April 2024 as The Hollywood Reporter published a fascinating feature, 'How Quentin Tarantino's 'The Movie Critic' Fell Apart'.According to THR: "The project initially focused on a writer working for a fictional porn magazine in the late 1970s and then it quietly evolved, amid a flurry of rewrites, into something resembling a spinoff of his ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (with some potential meta twists, as we’ll explain later)."And now, as The Playlist puts it, "it's all just flipped upside down". "Tarantino must have loved the script and didn’t want it to languish in a drawer because sources close to the filmmakers tell us he approached Fincher, and Netflix has quietly put together the deal, which will probably end up being around a $200 million budget to shoot in California this July – yep, it’s being fast-tracked and happening fast, meaning we’ll get additional casting soon."In the meantime, you can watch Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood on Netflix.

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Nintendo has revealed Mario Kart World as its first Switch 2 launch titleMario Kart World will be exclusive to the Switch 2A special presentation will air on April 17, showcasing a deeper look at the game

Nintendo has unveiled its first major Switch 2 launch title, Mario Kart World.The announcement came from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, where we were finally treated to our first look at the next Mario Kart game and it's releasing exclusively for the Switch 2.Mario Kart World will support 24 racers and, from the gameplay trailer, seems to allow players to drive off a map's racetrack. There also appears to be a ton of cosmetics for characters in the roster, like Mario, Peach, and Yoshi, alongside a variety of vehicles to use.What's more, Nintendo has confirmed that it will be holding a Mario Kart World Direct presentation on April 17 at 6AM PT / 9AM ET / 1PM BST, providing an in-depth look at the upcoming racing game.Nintendo has also announced that it will be airing two Treehouse presentations this week, offering a new look at Switch 2 gameplay.The first broadcast will air on April 3 at 7AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST, and the second will take place at the same time on April 4.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025Mario Kart World will be an exclusive launch titleThe news comes from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase today

Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025.The news comes from the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase today, where it was confirmed that the Switch successor will arrive this summer.Earlier on in the broadcast, Nintendo revealed Mario Kart World alongside a gameplay trailer, confirming that it will be an exclusive Switch 2 launch title.We'll keep you updated on pricing and preorder details once Nintendo announces them.In comparison, the original Switch started at $259.99 / £259.99 / AUD$435, and the Nintendo Switch OLED launched at $349.99 / £309.99 / AU$539.95.Considering the leap in current-gen tech like the PS5 to PS5 Pro, TechRadar Gaming initially predicted the Switch 2 to cost around $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$699.95 or lower.Today's Direct was just the start, as Nintendo has announced that it will be airing two Treehouse presentations this week, offering a new look at Switch 2 gameplay.The first broadcast will air on April 3 at 7AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST, and the second will take place at the same time on April 4.

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If there’s one thing Nintendo has always understood, it’s that everyone may want to play together, but might not all own the same game. With the Switch 2, the company is launching GameShare, enabling local multiplayer on multiple consoles with just one copy of a title. Yes friends, this is the wireless multiplayer feature from the Nintendo DS or, depending on your era, the modern day GameBoy Link Cable.

With the first Switch, multiplayer was limited to sharing JoyCons on the same console hardware. But for the successor, if two people each have a Switch 2 but one copy of a compatible game, then they’ll be able to play wirelessly on their own hardware. But that’s not all, as you’ll also be able to do this with four consoles at a time, including original Switch and Switch Lite models.

Unfortunately for now, the list of games compatible with GameShare is pretty thin, but Nintendo says more will be coming in the future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-lets-switch-2-players-share-their-games-132431186.html?src=rss

After months of anticipation and years of speculation, Nintendo is finally spilling all the beans about the Switch 2. In a Nintendo Direct presentation, the company is filling in questions we've had about the console since it was first officially revealed in a short teaser this past January.

Switch 2 launch date and pricing

We finally know when the console will be available: June 5, 2025 — but we don't yet know the price

Switch 2 hardware

The Switch 2 console has the same thickness but has a much larger display — 7.9 inches at a 1080p resolution, versus the 6.2-inch 720p screen on the old console. And it runs at up to 120fps. It is an LCD display, rather than OLED, but it supports HDR at least.

As expected, the new Joy-Con controllers attach magnetically and have much bigger SL and SR buttons for when you're playing on a single Joy-Con controller. The sticks are also bigger, and each Joy-Con can be used as a mouse on compatible games.

The built-in stand looks much better than the ones on older Switch systems, and there are two USB-C ports on the console as well. Nintendo also highlighted 3D audio when using compatible headphones, and the speakers on the console itself should be a lot better as well. The console has 256GB of storage, far surpassing the 32GB on the original model. The Switch 2 dock outputs at up to 4K with compatible games and the dock has a built-in fan to keep things cool when running at higher resolutions.

Switch 2 is using similar game cards to the original Switch, but Nintendo notes that they're faster; you'll have to use microSD Express cards for extra storage this time though. Standard microSD ones won't be compatible with the new hardware.

A new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller will also be available with the C button to activate GameChat, and it also has GL and GR buttons on the back that you can assign to any specific actions. There's also a headphone jack, too.

Voice and video chat

The first new feature Nintendo highlighted on its updated Joy-Con controllers was the C button. The C button lets you enter the new GameChat features. You can voice chat while playing using a built-in microphone, even when the console is docked. It's the first time that a Nintendo system has had voice chat, and you can also share your game screen with friends as you play as well. For example, in Mario Kart this gives you more of a feel like you're all playing connected to a TV even though you're remote, because you can see everything that your friends are doing as well.

And the chat and screen-share features work even if you're all playing different games, so you can just get a group together to hang out while playing different titles. There's also a Switch 2 camera that enables video chat that'll show you on screen while you're playing. These features will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but Nintendo will offer it for free to everyone until March 31, 2026.

Mario Kart World

As expected, we're finally getting a new entry in the venerable Mario Kart series, Mario Kart World. It looks looks familiar while also showing off some wild new tricks, like skateboard-style grinds on rails and wall jumps. The courses also look much larger and wider than any we've ever seen before. For the first time, it looks like there's an open world connecting all the various courses, and weather and time of day will change.

Nintendo also says that you can go off-course and drive "virtually everywhere." And fitting those huge tracks, the Grand Prix will have 24 competitors in one race. Overall, it's a massive update which feels appropriate — the last Mario Kart game arrived way back in 2014 for the Wii U and was updated for the original Switch. It'll be out the same day as the Switch 2, June 5.

Nintendo Switch 2 edition games

In addition to games expressly designed for the Switch 2, Nintendo will also be releasing "Switch 2 edition" for selected titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Those titles will have improved resolutions and frame rates as well as new features that'll show up in a companion smartphone app. Nintendo didn't say how much these upgrades would cost yet.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is also getting a Switch 2 edition that adds an additional world to explore, while Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will have both a Switch and Switch 2 edition; the Switch 2 edition can run in 4K at 60fps or up to 120fps at a lower resolution.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/everything-revealed-at-the-switch-2-nintendo-direct-133105950.html?src=rss

At last, we have the critical details millions of gamers have awaited for years: the release date and other details about the Nintendo Switch 2. The console will arrive on June 5.

As expected, the Nintendo Switch 2 is larger than its predecessor. It measures 7.9 inches, compared with 6.2 inches for the original system, though it's just as thick. The Switch 2 has around double the pixel density of the original Switch, Nintendo says, as it has a 1080p display. There's some great news for frame rate appreciators, as the system will support up to 120 Hz gameplay on its own display.

C button and GameChat

The much-discussed new C button on the right Joy-Con 2 can do several things, including switching on voice chat. The microphone is built into the main Switch 2 unit, and Nintendo says it can pick up your voice from across a room when the console is in docked mode. Through the GameChat feature, the option to share your gameplay with your friends, so you can all see what each other is doing (though these friend streams seemed to be running at a low frame rate in Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct).

A camera accessory will allow you to jump into video chat with your buds. You can choose to superimpose your camera feed over your gameplay. The camera will be available on the Switch 2 launch day.

GameChat will require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in the long run, but access will be free until March 31, 2026. Parents and guardians can set GameChat restrictions through the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app.

This story is developing, refresh for updates...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-nintendo-switch-2-arrives-on-june-5-132838214.html?src=rss

Millions of free VPN users have sent their data to China without realizing itAt least five VPNs are linked to Qihoo 360, a Shanghai-based firm believed to have links with the Chinese military Experts found a total of 20 China-owned apps, counting over 70 million downloads on the US Apple store

Millions of free VPN users in America have sent their data to China without knowing it. At least five of these services are linked to Qihoo 360, a Shanghai-based firm hit by US sanctions in 2020 for alleged links with the Chinese military.These are the worrying findings from an investigation carried on by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) into the top 100 free VPN apps on Apple's official app store in the US. Overall, experts found 20 apps had undisclosed Chinese ownership and have been downloaded more than 70 million times.The China-linked VPN apps are also currently available in both Apple and Google's official app stores in and out of the US, the UK included. This indicates that the real number of impacted users is likely to be even higher.

The danger of China-linked VPNs

While the best VPN services boost your online anonymity and security by encrypting your internet traffic and spoofing your IP address, malicious apps pose great risks to your privacy.That's because providers can potentially read the internet traffic rerouted via their servers. "That risk is compounded in the case of Chinese apps, given China’s strict laws that can force companies in that country to secretly share access to their users’ data with the government," TTP experts noted.Worse still, understanding the real ownership behind these free VPN applications isn't easy. TTP found that none of the 20 China-linked services disclosed this crucial information. The team was able to determine this by piecing together several corporate documents.Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Thunder VPN, Snap VPN, and Signal Secure VPN are the five services linked to Qihoo 360. The Shanghai-based firm has been previously accused of having ties with the Chinese military. For this, the US sanctioned the company on national security grounds in June 2020.All in all, "Apple is not taking adequate steps to determine who owns the apps it offers its users and what they do with the data they collect," TTP experts note.We contacted Apple, but we are still waiting for a response at the time of writing.

I first raised the alarm about the Turbo VPN family of #VPN apps and their Chinese ownership links in 2018. Looks like I was right & they're connected to blacklisted Chinese security firm Qihoo 360. It highlights the problem with free VPNs...April 2, 2025

Apple isn't alone to allegedly failing user privacy, though.As reported by the Financial Times, Qihoo-linked apps were all available on Apple and Google’s US stores as of last week. "After the Financial Times contacted Apple for comment, Thunder VPN and Snap VPN were pulled from its store," pointed out the publication.It's estimated that three of these apps alone were downloaded more than 1 million times from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store combined in the past three months.Turbo VPN even obtained Google's verified badge, a label that helps users easily identify secure and trustworthy services.TechRadar was also able to confirm that, at the time of writing, these apps are still available across Apple and Google's official app stores in the UK. The apps are likely to remain available in other markets, too, considerably raising the number of impacted users.

Which are the China-linked free VPNs?

TTP experts flagged a total of 20 free VPN apps with shady Chinese ownership. This count excludes those services clearly labelling themselves as Chinese in the App Store, making their China connection clear to users.As mentioned earlier, five of these have links with Shanghai-based Qihoo 360, a company believed to have ties with the country's military bodies. Below is the full list:

Nintendo just dropped a boatload of Switch 2 news. We got the release date, which is June 5, and plenty of details. The company also pulled the lid off a mysterious Joy-Con feature. The rumors were right. They can double as mouse-like controllers.

One Joy-Con can be used as a traditional controller, held vertically, while the other slides along the table as a mouse. This could allow for near-perfect ports of Wii and Wii U games that relied on motion control, in addition to ports of PC titles. A Joy-Con will also combine with the gyroscope for unique gameplay experiences.

Nintendo

The good use case here should be first-person shooters. Computer mouse controllers offer a level of precision that consoles have typically struggled to match, but this looks like an attempt to address this particular issue. It could even make the Switch 2 a powerhouse for franchises like Civilization.

The company revealed that a Switch 2 version of Metroid Prime 4 will use this feature. Nintendo might also release games that make special use of this functionality down the line. It also pulled the lid off a game called Drag x Drive that's controlled via mouse Joy-Con.

Nintendo

The company even showed off nifty-looking demos, but these look mostly like mini-games. I, for one, would very much like a new Mario Paint.

Nintendo

The company also revealed another tool for the Switch 2. This is the mysterious "C" button. The button calls up voice chat. Finally, a Nintendo console with easy voice chat.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-2s-joy-cons-can-double-as-mouse-like-controllers-133355339.html?src=rss

Voice chat was never easy on the Nintendo Switch. Thankfully, with the Switch 2, Nintendo is making it an integral part of the new console. By pressing the new "C" button, located on the right Joy-Con, players can jump into a Game Chat with their friends and family. Nintendo demoed the feature during its recent Switch 2 Direct, alongside a new Switch 2 Camera that will go on sale on June 5, the same day as the new handheld.

If you've ever watched someone stream on Discord, you'll have an idea of what to expect from Game Chat.

Developing...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-nintendo-switch-2-offers-built-in-voice-chat-and-screensharing-133334225.html?src=rss

We finally have all the answers about the Nintendo Switch 2, including its games. The company used its Switch 2 Nintendo Direct to announce Mario Kart World, the latest iteration in the series, and one that is all about off-roading.

That's right, Mario Kart World will allow you to "drive virtually everywhere." That means you can grind down railings, jump off walls and even drive off the race track. You can also enter a mode called Free Roam which let's you simply drive around and enjoy the scenery with friends. Cue me as my forever choice Yoshi excitedly driving across the globe.

Unsurprisingly, with a name like Mario Kart World, the courses will take place in regions around the world. You'll also get a bit more of an immersive experience as Nintendo is going to change things up based on the time of day and the weather.

When it comes to a four-race Grand Prix, Nintendo is even having you do the legwork and drive between the courses. How you do along the way will impact your standing in the competition. There's also a new mode called Knockout Tour, which takes you from one end of the globe to another — but with elimination checkpoints along the way. You must be above the place listed on the screen, say eighth for example, or you'll get kicked out of the race. Oh and did we mention there's now 24 drivers, upping the competition?

A new Mario Kart game for the Switch 2 isn't exactly a surprise. We got a first look at a potential Mario Kart game back in January, when Nintendo released a first-look at the Switch 2. While the gaming company didn't say anything specific about Mario Kart World, it did show a snippet of play on the device. You can watch that original preview here — it starts at about 1:40 in the video.

Mario Kart World will exclusively be available for the new Nintendo Switch 2. Both the game and the device will arrive on June 5, but Nintendo will announce more information about Mario Kart World during another Nintendo Direct on April 17.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-features-24-player-races-off-roading-and-sick-grinds-134117381.html?src=rss

Nintendo won't let you escape two of its most critically-acclaimed games ever. It's announced there will be Switch 2 versions of both Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Both titles will benefit from the next-gen console's increased power, with enhanced framerates and resolution during play, as well as HDR support for deeper colors and contrast. Nintendo wasn't specific on the difference between handheld and TV play just yet, but we know the new console will feature several resolutions for play, from 1080p through to 4K.

The Switch 2 is also capable of up to 120 FPS, so you're likely to see a difference. For reference, Tears of the Kingdom on the original Switch was locked at 30 FPS in both the Switch's handheld and TV modes

Also, finally! You can turn your smartphone into a (sort-of) Sheikah Slate. Zelda Notes is a feature inside the new Switch App. It'll guide you around maps with voiced directions, and you'll be able to share your creations with QR codes so that others can create your Mad Max destruction machines in their games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-announces-upgraded-switch-2-editions-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-and-tears-of-the-kingdom-134039778.html?src=rss

Elden Ring is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025

Elden Ring is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this yearFromSoftware made the announcement at the Switch 2 Direct todayMore games like Split Fiction and Hogwarts Legacy are also arriving as launch titles on June 5

FromSoftware's award-winning Elden Ring is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025.The announcement comes from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Showcase today, where the company finally unveiled a full breakdown of the Switch 2 and confirmed a June 5, 2025 release date.Alongside Elden Ring, we also received confirmation that a bunch of other games, including Hazelight Studios' Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, and Street Fighter 6, will be coming to the console as a launch title, as well as Tony Hawk: Pro Skater 3 + 4 this summer.We can expect even more from Nintendo this week as it's announced that it will be airing two Treehouse presentations this week, offering a new look at Switch 2 gameplay.You'll be able to tune in for the first broadcast on April 3 at 7AM PT / 9AM ET / 2PM BST, and the second will take place at the same time on April 4.

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GreyNoise observed a spike in scanning throughout March 2025Thousands of IP addresses were scanning PAN-OS GlobalProtect portalsThese activities usually lead up to a cyberattack, researchers claim

Someone may be getting ready to attack Palo Alto Network devices, security researchers are warning after spotting a rise in activity.Analysts from GreyNoise said they observed a “significant surge” in login scanning activity against the company’s PAN-OS GlobalProtect portals, with almost 24,000 unique IP addresses attempting to access these portals in March 2025.“The pattern suggests a coordinated effort to probe network defenses and identify exposed or vulnerable systems, potentially as a precursor to targeted exploitation,” the article reads. This could also mean that someone’s found a zero-day vulnerability in these endpoints and is now looking to see how many endpoints it can compromise through it.

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Remote code execution risks

“Over the past 18 to 24 months, we’ve observed a consistent pattern of deliberate targeting of older vulnerabilities or well-worn attack and reconnaissance attempts against specific technologies,” said Bob Rudis, VP of Data Science at GreyNoise. “These patterns often coincide with new vulnerabilities emerging 2 to 4 weeks later.”For GreyNoise, there is no doubt that this is a malicious campaign. Of the 24,000 unique IP addresses that scanned Palo Alto devices, 154 were labeled as “malicious” beyond reasonable doubt, while the rest were classified as “suspicious” in the past. Their locations are mostly in North America, throughout the US and Canada.The majority of the targets are also based in the US.GreyNoise says this activity could be linked to separate PAN-OS reconnaissance-related tags, such as PAN-OS Crawler, where they observed a single spike on March 26, 2025 involving 2,580 unique source IPs.Obviously, the end goal is not known at this time, but vigilance is advised. IT teams should review their logs since mid-March to see if they were targeted, and should be on the lookout for signs of compromise. They should also harden their login portals and block known malicious IPs.Via BleepingComputer

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A Minecraft Movie director Jared Hess has given short shrift to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry.Speaking to TechRadar ahead of the film's release on April 4, Hess revealed that AI wasn't used at any point during A Minecraft Movie's development. However, he admitted that its wide-ranging application throughout the movie- and TV-making business was inevitable, even though it can't – and likely won't – come close to replicating the creativity that human artists, animators, voice actors, and other talented industry folk possess in abundance."We didn't use it as part of development," Hess emphatically replied when I asked if he leaned on AI during production on one of 2025's new movies. "We were old school, so we used human artists with awesome brains and imaginations.

I just hope AI is used as a tool and not as a shortcutJared Hess, A Minecraft Movie director

"Look, AI is going to affect every aspect of life, including entertainment," he continued. "I just hope it's used as a tool and not as a shortcut. Again, the human experience is so critical to all forms of art, and that kind of nuance and voice and perspective is something that AI can't replicate. It's currently able to imitate things, sure, but I'm always just going to gravitate toward the human [experience] wherever I can."AI's application in the entertainment business has exploded over the past year. From its controversial use in Oscar-nominated flick like The Brutalist and its fellow Academy Award nominee Emilia Perez, to its multifaceted application on some of the world's best streaming services, artificial intelligence's influence on Hollywood will only grow from here.As Hess said, here's hoping it's implemented in the correct manner and at the right time, rather than being mishandled in order to replace the human workforce and human invention as we know it.

'I wanted to barf my brains out!'

Jared Hess had a hard time using one piece of technology during the movie's development (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)

Warner Bros' take on Mojang Studios' universally popular Minecraft sandbox video game benefitted from the use of other forms of technology, though. There was one particular piece of virtual reality (VR) tech that Hess says he "couldn't handle", too, because of how nauseating it felt."We actually used Minecraft VR," he told me. "We also had this thing called the virtual art department. It was based in Unreal Engine, and allowed us to physically drop ourselves into Minecraft's Overworld and the Nether to set up shots, position cameras, and work out how to film in this environment."I remember that the crew brought me some VR goggles and, dude, I wanted to barf my brains out!" he added with a laugh. "I'm not meant for VR – I couldn't handle it. So, I just said to my team 'pass me a controller [and] let's do this old school on an Xbox console!'"Be sure to keep an eye out for my review of A Minecraft Movie later today (April 2) to see whether it's worth watching when the film arrives in theaters. In the meantime, read more coverage of A Minecraft Movie, plus some other intriguing articles of mine, below.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong does not currently have a release date, after being delayed out of its last window. Thankfully, we did get a short update during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event which let us know that it'll come out sometime in 2025.So far, Team Cherry has revealed a fair bit of gameplay, a couple of trailers, and provided an update on the development of Hollow Knight Silksong nearly two years ago. In terms of upcoming games, Silksong is easily one of the most highly anticipated, so hopefully we see more of it sooner rather than later.There's still plenty to learn about Hollow Knight Silksong, namely whether or not it can measure up to the lofty legacy of its predecessor. Here's what we know about the upcoming sequel so far, including a look at gameplay, all of the latest news, and what's been said about when Hollow Knight Silksong is coming out, and on what platforms.

Hollow Knight Silksong - Cut to the chase

What is it? The sequel to Hollow Knight, a modern-classic metroidvania gameWhen does it come out? TBC 2025What can I play it on? PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo SwitchWho is making it? Team Cherry

Hollow Knight Silksong platforms

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Hollow Knight Silksong is currently being developed for PS5, PS4, XSX|S, XBO, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 / Nintendo Switch. Given that it's been quite a while since we had an update about the game, this is subject to change. If platforms for Silksong do change, we'll update this page.What we do know is that it'll arrive sometime in 2025, according to a short glimpse during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event.

Hollow Knight Silksong trailers

The most recent trailer we've seen from Hollow Knight Silksong arrived as part of the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase event in late 2022. This trailer, which you can view below, shows off gameplay, as well as a look at the new protagonist and setting.

There have been a few more trailers released for Hollow Knight Silksong over the last four years or so. We've included some of them throughout this article, but to see all of them you can head over to the game's official YouTube channel.

Hollow Knight Silksong story and setting

Hollow Knight Silksong is set in the haunted kingdom of Pharloom. Visually, it is a gilded, gloomy sort of area, not dissimilar to the deepnest setting of the first game. Hornet will start at the very bottom, having been brought there after being captured. From there, she must climb higher and higher, hunting down foes and ultimately determining the fate of the world around her.Much like in the first game, Silksong looks likely to convey most of its story via NPC dialogue and lore found in the environment. A story is definitely there if you want to and it, but perhaps takes less of a spotlight when compared to other facets of the game. What we do know is that there will once again be a variety of bosses to take down, friends to meet, and subtle choices to decide on while you play. There's still a lot to learn about the story in Silksong, but we're betting most of it will be kept a mystery, right up until the game is in the hands of players.

Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Players will play as Hornet in Hollow Knight Silksong, who is a pretty stark contrast when compared to the Knight from the first game. She is much more agile, able to dart and grapple around the world, with her needle weapon in hand. Once again, players will be able to find new abilities as they progress, giving them options for customizing Hornet.So far, we've yet to see too much gameplay for Silksong, but what's been shown looks to be a continuation of the platforming/boss fighting of its predecessor. You'll explore different zones, slowly unlocking the map. It's a Metroidvania game once again, meaning that certain areas are locked behind ability upgrades, with lots of backtracking involved. Boss fights look to be a big part of Silksong, with the gameplay trailer released last year having shown off a couple of the main foes we'll be taking on.Generally, if you played Hollow Knight, it seems as though you'll be right at home with the gameplay in Silksong. We'll have to wait and see just how many new bells and whistles are included this time around, but, for now, the action is looking like more Hollow Knight - which is certainly not a bad thing.

Hollow Knight Silksong latest news

Hollow Knight Silksong confirmed for 2025During a sizzle reel that was shown during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event, Hollow Knight Silksong is planned for 2025.Hollow Knight Silksong delayed out of 'first half of 2023'In a Tweet, Team Cherry's Marketing Director announced that the game will no longer hit its release window of the 'first half of 2023'.

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Samsung has debuted the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and S10 FE PlusThe latter model features a series-first 13.1-inch screenThey start at $499.99 / £499 / AU$TBC, and are available now

In our Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus review, we described Samsung’s 2024 entry-level tablet as the “anti-iPad Air”, and its newly announced successor – the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus – further improves on the company’s winning formula.Debuting alongside the smaller Galaxy Tab S10 FE (which has almost identical specs), the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus features a supersized 13.1-inch display – scaled up from last year’s 12.4-inch model – an Exynos 1580 chipset, a 10,090mAh battery, IP68 dust- and water-resistance, up to 12GB of RAM, and up to 256GB​ of storage.The standard Tab S10 FE, meanwhile, sports a 10.9-inch display and an 8,000mAh battery. Both models get a 13MP wide rear camera, a 12MP ultra-wide front camera, and support for the included S Pen stylus.Aside from their superior chipsets and that display size increase for the Plus, both models best their respective predecessors with a suite of Galaxy AI features, including an upgraded Object Eraser, Best Face, and Auto Trim. Samsung’s glare-reducing Vision Booster technology has also made the jump over from the best Samsung TVs (and indeed the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra) to the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and S10 FE Plus.

Image 1 of 2The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Image credit: Samsung)Image 2 of 2The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus (Image credit: Samsung)

Annoyingly, you’ll pay for these upgrades via a price increase, albeit a relatively minor one – the Galaxy Tab S10 FE starts at $499.99 / £499 / AU$TBC while the S10 FE Plus starts at $649.99 / £649 / AU$TBC. But both models are still significantly cheaper than their closest Apple counterparts in the iPad Air (2025) series.Of course, the Exynos 1580 chipset is no match for Apple’s M3 behemoth, but Samsung’s new tablets do benefit from a similar-looking LCD display – in fact, you’ll get a variable 90Hz refresh rate here, where the iPad Air remains stuck at 60Hz.The appeal of Samsung’s FE tablets, then, remains as strong as ever: if you want a more powerful Android slate, look to something like the “exceptional” Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, but for those in need of a no-frills tablet with a beautiful display and great software, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and S10 FE Plus could be great options.Both models ship in three colors – Gray, Silver, and Blue – and are available now from Samsung.com in 5G and Wi-Fi variants. Stay tuned for our full reviews.

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Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, April 2 (game #661).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #662) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

SCANNERBROWSERPOSTERREADERNOTICEBEACHREGISTERFOLDERSUNDAYBULLETINSCALETREESODA CANCONVEYOR BELTKEYBOARDANNOUNCEMENT

NYT Connections today (game #662) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: Written proclaimationsGREEN: As seen at WalmartBLUE: The common word rhymes with “cabs”PURPLE: The answer is a part of your hand

Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #662) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: PRINTED NOTIFICATION GREEN: SEEN AT A GROCERY CHECKOUT COUNTER BLUE: THINGS WITH TABSPURPLE: PALM ___

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #662) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #662, are…

YELLOW: PRINTED NOTIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT, BULLETIN, NOTICE, POSTERGREEN: SEEN AT A GROCERY CHECKOUT COUNTER CONVEYOR BELT, REGISTER, SCALE, SCANNERBLUE: THINGS WITH TABS BROWSER, FOLDER, KEYBOARD, SODA CANPURPLE: PALM ___ BEACH, READER, SUNDAY, TREE

My rating: HardMy score: 2 mistakes

Although PALM__ made up the purple group, and I was very pleased with myself to get it, the blue collection of THINGS WITH TABS was far harder — as if often the case when Connections has fun with the multiple meanings of words.In this case it was even harder for me, as the thing Americans call a tab on a soda can is called a ring pull in the UK.I made my two mistakes trying and failing to get SEEN AT A GROCERY CHECKOUT COUNTER.In my head I was associating CONVEYOR BELT and SCANNER with airport security, so I tried multiple variations with KEYBOARD and READER before getting the right foursome. Shameful, seeing as I worked at a grocery checkout for several years in my late teens.I’m glad to say I was never one of those cashiers who would comment on what the customer was buying, those people are the worst.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 2 April, game #661)

YELLOW: CAPRICE FANCY, IMPULSE, LARK, WHIMGREEN: ILK KIND, LIKE, SORT, TYPEBLUE: WILLIAMSES HANK, ROBIN, TENNESSEE, VENUSPURPLE: WORDS PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY AS PROPER NOUNS HERB, JOB, NICE, READING

What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, April 2 (game #1164).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1165) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1165) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #1165) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• Yes. Two of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1165) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1165) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• A• J• D• J

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1165) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1165, are…

ASCOTJETTYDRUNKJOLLY

I’m allowing myself a deep sigh of satisfaction and some shoulder dusting today, after completing Quordle without a hitch. I’ll save my rooster dance for if I ever finish after six turns (unlikely).In truth, the only tricky word was ASCOT and I only got that as it’s been in Quordle before, but hey they all count.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1165) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1165, are…

ERECTLURCHRALPHMADAM

Quordle answers: The past 20

Quordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLEQuordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECTQuordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACEQuordle #1161, Sunday 30 March: CRIME, DRINK, CLOVE, TRUERQuordle #1160, Saturday 29 March: LATER, ODDLY, CUMIN, AGREEQuordle #1159, Friday 28 March: TERSE, MUSHY, PROVE, FRONDQuordle #1158, Thursday 27 March: CRONE, APNEA, LIGHT, AWOKEQuordle #1157, Wednesday 26 March: LEFTY, NOOSE, NOISE, TRIADQuordle #1156, Tuesday 25 March: SNEER, WATCH, FLORA, STAINQuordle #1155, Monday 24 March: FLOUT, SMASH, RAZOR, SMALLQuordle #1154, Sunday 23 March: ALLEY, GAMUT, GEESE, RADIIQuordle #1153, Saturday 22 March: PICKY, BRACE, BOOZE, SURLYQuordle #1152, Friday 21 March: DITTY, VALOR, TOWER, AMISSQuordle #1151, Thursday 20 March: RIPER, STILL, WAFER, NOTCHQuordle #1150, Wednesday 19 March: FLAME, CARAT, SPAWN, TUNICQuordle #1149, Tuesday 18 March: NAVEL, TREAT, COPSE, SLINKQuordle #1148, Monday 17 March: INFER, FLINT, CHUMP, SHEERQuordle #1147, Sunday 16 March: INPUT, RUMBA, ELUDE, BLANKQuordle #1146, Saturday 15 March: SPEED, CLASH, RISKY, GRATEQuordle #1145, Friday 14 March: BELIE, SPEAR, GROWL, ADOBE

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, April 2 (game #395).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #396) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Get the bug

NYT Strands today (game #396) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

THANDOLESOAPTOOLSNAPLADS

NYT Strands today (game #396) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #396) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 4th rowLast side: right, 3rd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #396) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #396, are…

LADYSTINKDOODLELIGHTNINGPOTATOASSASSINSPANGRAM: ENTOMOLOGY

My rating: HardMy score: 3 hints

ENOTOMOLOGY, and I will tell you as I’ve just googled it, is the study of insects, encompassing their biology, ecology, behavior, and interactions with humans.I must admit that a couple of the bugs that made today’s search are ones that I thought were just names for things, rather than names for actual insects.Until today I thought DOODLEbug was the name given, during the Second World War, to flying bombs – rather than a small unattractive creature that lives in sand.Strictly speaking, LADYbugs are beetles rather than bugs and they’re really fascinating.The two facts that I remember most about them is that although they have a short lifespan (two years at most) they hibernate for about nine months of that time and secondly that the charming name for a large group of them is a “loveliness”.STINKbugs don’t have an official collective term but the experts like to call large groups “a stench”.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 2 April, game #395)

DAZZLETWINKLESHIMMERSPARKLEGLEAMRADIATESPANGRAM: STAR POWER

What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Nintendo is today laying out the goodies for the Switch 2, which includes the third-party titles available at launch. The roster may be small, but it includes a number of notable titles from the current generation, trimmed and polished to work on the new hardware. That includes Cyberpunk: 2077, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Street Fighter 6, Hitman: World of Assassination and Split Fiction. EA has also committed to putting whatever the hell we pretend to call FIFA these days EA Sports FC as well as this year’s Madden. There’s also a Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD remaster and Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut plus a tweaked version of Hogwarts: Legacy.

The breadth and depth of titles available on day one is testament both to the fact there are plenty of good titles in the air right now, and that the Switch 2 must be fairly easy for developers to work with.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/cyberpunk-2077-and-split-fiction-are-third-party-launch-titles-for-nintendo-switch-2-135648661.html?src=rss

Nintendo Switch Online is getting a Switch 2-exclusive upgrade. On June 5, the same day the new console goes on sale, the service's Expansion Pack service will begin including GameCube games. At launch, Nintendo will offer The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcaliber II and F-Zero GX, with more games to come following the Switch 2's release.

Games that support multiplayer, including F-Zero GX, will offer online play, with support for up to four players. Additionally, the Switch 2 will render every GameCube game at a higher resolution for improved image quality. Nintendo will also release a new version of the GameCube's classic controller that features a USB-C connection, wireless connectivity and a dedicated C button for GameChat functionality.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-nintendo-switch-2-will-play-gamecube-games-141025334.html?src=rss

During today's Nintendo Direct all about the Switch 2, the company shared how and when fans can finally get the handheld into their hands. After a long, long wait, pre-orders for the Switch 2 will begin on April 9. Its starting price tag is $450, and the console will be widely available on June 5. The console will be available from the usual lineup of retailers, which we expect to include Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and others.

We knew from the teaser trailer for the Switch 2 that Nintendo's new hardware would be bigger and would have a new approach to the detachable Joy-Cons. The new Joy-Con 2 have a new C button, mouse controls and a built in gyroscope for tilt control. The console has a built-in mic to support a new feature called Game Chat that will let you communicate with friends in-game. The device is indeed a bit larger, with a 7.9-inch LCD screen that supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR and a 1080p resolution.

When docked, you'll be able to play at up to 4K on your TV, and Nintendo says it improved the consoles internal speakers as well. The new dock also has a built-in fan to keep the console cool and help maintain performance during long play sessions. The Switch 2 has dual USB-C ports for charging, and the base storage amount has increased to 256GB. The Switch 2's storage can be expanded like the previous model, but it will only work with newer microSD Express cards.

Developing...This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-pre-order-the-nintendo-switch-2-140931639.html?src=rss

If you were hoping for Bloodborne 2, it's good and bad news. This isn't that, because that's a Sony thing. However, FromSoftware's new game, coming to the Switch 2, looks to borrow a lot of the gothic cues and style of Bloodborne.

The Duskbloods leans into a slightly more Steampunk style too, with what appears to be steam-powered automatons and a Victorian London setting. There are also vampire shenanigans, a man with an axe in a pyjama onesie, a dinosaur, and a rune-covered rodent. In short, there's lots of mystery, lots of violence and some magic, too.

In today's brief trailer, we got to see one of the characters leap into a busy Victorian cityscape, shady churches and huge vicious beasts to slay. We also got teases of several characters wielding different weapons and attack patterns.

For now, The Duskbloods doesn't have a specific release date; it will land on Nintendo's new console sometime in 2026.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/fromsoftware-the-duskbloods-switch-2-2026-release-142025792.html?src=rss

FromSoftware has revealed its new game, The Duskbloods, at the Nintendo Switch 2 DirectThe Duskbloods is a new multiplayer game that looks like a mix between Bloodborne and Elden RingThe game is launching exclusively on the Switch 2 in 2026

FromSoftware has unveiled its next major title The Duskbloods and it's launching exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.The surprise announcement comes from today's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct alongside a lengthy gameplay trailer, which almost had me thinking it was a Bloodborne sequelIt's a new multiplayer role-playing game (RPG), and from the footage, it looks like a cross between Bloodborne and Elden Ring, with a Victorian gothic style blended with fantasy, with gruesome monsters and grand locations to encounter.The Duskbloods is currently only confirmed for the Switch 2, but it's hard to imagine the FromSoftware title not also getting a PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC release, post-launch.

The Duskbloods, a brand new multiplayer title from the creators of Dark Souls and ELDEN RING, FromSoftware. Coming exclusively to #NintendoSwitch2 in 2026. pic.twitter.com/fJXiveG3ZvApril 2, 2025

Nintendo also confirmed that a Creator's Voice article from The Duskblood's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, will be published on the official Nintendo website on April 4, which should hopefully offer more details.During the exciting broadcast, we also received confirmation that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5, 2025, but unfortunately, pricing and preorder details still have yet to be revealed.It was also announced that Elden Ring will be coming to the console this year, alongside a number of other popular titles like Split Fiction, Hogwarts Legacy, and Street Fighter 6.

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