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watchOS 26 has removed several watch face designsThey include the Gradient, Toy Story, and Vapor looksAt the same time, there are no new faces to replace themTypically, you expect big software updates to add features, not take them away. Yet sometimes a handful of things disappear in the process – and if you’re fond of a select few Apple Watch faces, you might be out of luck, as Apple is removing a number of well-known faces with the watchOS 26 update.As spotted by Reddit user flogman12, Apple has ditched five faces in watchOS 26: the Fire and Water, Gradient, Liquid Metal, Toy Story, and Vapor designs.It’s not known why these faces have been removed – Apple never gives a reason for removing faces or even announces that they’re gone – but they will likely be sorely missed by their fans. It’s possible that the faces were simply less popular than other options, and have been cleared out to make way for others.Still, it’s not all bad news, as watchOS 26 has updated a bunch of new faces that are available for all of the best Apple Watches. While the company didn’t add any brand-new designs, it did bring its Liquid Glass visual style to a number of faces, bringing more translucency and light refraction to your Apple Watch.Losing face(Image credit: Future)This isn't the first time Apple has cut a selection of faces from its watchOS operating system. It did so last year with watchOS 11. It’s not an unusual move for the company, and it often does this to make room for other additions when it releases a major new watchOS update.This may also have been done simply to keep the list of watch faces at a manageable number. After all, if you’re faced with a daunting list of hundreds of different designs to choose from it might feel a tad overwhelming.The fact that the Toy Story face has been dropped is interesting, as this was the first feature-length film released by Pixar while Apple founder Steve Jobs was Pixar CEO. You would think that would give this watch face a solid connection to Apple, but that wasn’t enough to save it from being axed.While watchOS 26 hasn’t added any all-new options to the Watch face gallery, it has brought a bunch of new features in other areas. Be sure to check out our picks for the best watchOS 26 features to see what’s new.You might also likeApple watchOS 26: everything you need to know after WWDCwatchOS 26: these are the 6 big updates coming to your Apple Watch soon – including an AI Workout Buddy and a Notes appApple quietly got rid of four Watch faces in watchOS 11, and furious users want them back

Back in 2017, it felt like handhelds were dying. The PlayStation Vita was suffering from a lack of support and the 3DS was already on its way out. But then the Nintendo Switch arrived and became the hybrid console that launched 1,000 portable rivals. It proved you could make a device that was powerful enough to play games on your TV but also small enough to take with you anywhere. And by the time everything is all said and done, there's a good chance it will be the highest-selling console of all time.

But making a proper follow-up can be difficult. So for the Switch 2, instead of changing everything up again, Nintendo took the best features from the original, upgraded them and gave us more of what we love. And even though this is just the start, it feels like I've been enchanted all over again.

Design

The Switch 2's design is the most obvious example of Nintendo not straying too far from the original's template. That said, nearly every component has been tweaked or upgraded in some way. The console's slightly larger dimensions (10.7 x 4.5 x 0.55 inches and 1.2-pound chassis with Joy-Con) help make way for a bigger 7.9-inch display. In fact, almost everything has been embiggened, including the face buttons, analog sticks and rear kickstand, the latter of which opens even wider than before.

However, the Switch 2's biggest upgrade is its new Joy-Con. There's a familiar matte finish with more subtle red and blue accents, but instead of sliding them on and off like before, Nintendo gave them a new magnetic attachment system that comes with a very satisfying thunk. Meanwhile, detaching them is dead simple thanks to a handy button next to each trigger. So not only do the Joy-Con feel more secure, they are a pleasure to clip on and off as the need arises.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Nintendo didn't stop there though, because hidden in the edge of each Joy-Con is a sensor that allows them to function as mice. I will admit that I thought this feature was a gimmick at first. But in games like Civilization 7 that are traditionally best enjoyed with a mouse, they serve as a very welcome alternative to classic gamepad controls. They also work surprisingly well on the arm of a sofa or even your leg. This is handy because if you're playing games on your TV, you might not have a table or some other flat surface within reach.

Display

The Switch 2's 7.9-inch LCD is a significant upgrade over the panel on its predecessor. Not only is it larger (up from 6.2 inches), it's also higher res (1080p vs. 720p) while boasting a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR. With its auto-brightness setting turned off, the screen tops out at around 400 nits, though in titles with HDR, I've found that number can hit 450 nits or more. The downside is that the Switch 2's LCD screen's black levels aren't quite as good compared to an OLED Switch. This can make dark backgrounds look closer to gray, especially when viewed in a low-light environment.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

When docked, the Switch 2's visual prowess expands to 4K at 60 fps or 1440p at 120 fps, though it's important to remember that those settings may not be available for every game. Sadly, the console supports VRR (variable refresh rates), but that only applies to its onboard display. On the bright side, the Switch 2 does seem to have support for auto low latency mode (ALLM), which is good for anyone who plays fast-twitch games like shooters.

Performance

Judging the performance of a brand-new console is difficult because it often takes developers months or years to figure out how to truly optimize their games for a new platform. The Switch 2 features a chip from NVIDIA with a custom GPU that the company claims offers ten times more graphics power than what we got from the previous model, alongside support for features including DLSS and ray tracing. The console also comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage, which can be expanded further using microSD Express cards.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

First-party titles like Mario Kart World run beautifully, though we've sort of come to expect that from major tentpole releases from Nintendo. The only hint of stuttering I've seen is when I played four-player local co-op with Game Chat turned on and multiple video streams going at the same time. And even then, it's hard to tell unless you're really looking for evidence of slowdown.

What might be the biggest indicator of the Switch 2's improved performance is the sheer number of AAA third-party ports available at launch. Cyberpunk 2077 looks excellent and without a direct side-by-side comparison with something like the PC version, it's difficult to spot where any graphical corners have been cut. And while Street Fighter 6 isn't quite as impressive since some of the flashier effects don't pop as much as they do on other consoles, it's still a very enjoyable experience. As someone who often criticized the performance of the original Switch as one of its weak points, I'm thoroughly encouraged by the increased power I've seen from the Switch 2 thus far.

Backwards compatibility

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One of the best things about the Switch 2 is that it supports wide backward compatibility with original Switch titles. The vast majority of games work as you'd expect, though there are some outliers, including titles like Ring Fit Adventure, as the Switch 2's larger Joy-Con don't fit inside the existing controller straps. Many of the NS1's accessories are also backwards compatible, so you can still play games like Ring Fit by pairing one of the original Switch's Joy-Con. The other current high-profile bug is an issue in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that can cause the game to crash when someone chooses a Mii Fighter. Thankfully, Nintendo is aware and working on a fix.

The real treat is that many older games look and run better on the Switch 2 than they did before. Super Mario Odyssey plays even smoother, while games like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are more beautiful than you remember thanks to an $10 upgrade pack (or free with Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack) that adds support for HDR, better graphics and more. However, the games that may have gotten the biggest boost are Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Due to a free upgrade on the NS2, the game features a higher framerate, higher monster density, a longer draw distance and more. In some ways, it feels like a brand new game, and if it had launched like this back in 2022, Nintendo could have completely avoided one of the biggest knocks against it.

Game Chat

Another major addition to the Switch 2 is the arrival of a built-in chat feature, including a new dedicated button on the console's controller. Setup requires a handful of identity checks, but once you've sorted that out, it's incredibly easy to use. You can invite people from your friends list to impromptu lobbies or create/join more permanent hangouts. Once you're in a chat, adjusting your settings is as easy as hitting the C button. From there, you can choose from a handful of screen layouts and background options, along with the ability to share your video, do voice-only or activate speech-to-text (or text-to-speech). And if you have a camera attached, you can put your face in chat too.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Nintendo has generally done a great job of making it easy to jump in and out of chats. With support for up to four video feeds and a total of 12 people per lobby, there's plenty of room for everyone in your family, no matter if they're in the next room or on the other side of the planet. The small demerits to Game Chat are that its frame rate and video resolution are relatively low (same goes for camera footage if you have one attached). The option to delete your background (aka green screen) often looks rather pixelated and if you watch closely, you may see video windows stutter unless you pin a specific view to your main feed.

That said, because Game Chat is more about enjoying the company of others instead of producing clips for social media, I'm not that bothered. You don't even need to be playing the same game (or any game at all, for that matter) to be in a lobby with others. It's easy to use and the vibes are good, which is what's really important. However, you will need to pay for Nintendo Switch Online, which costs $20 a year.

The Dock

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Like the console itself, Nintendo didn't stray too far from the design of the original Switch's dock for its successor. You still get a plastic shell with more rounded corners and a slot that the Switch 2 can fit inside. There area handful of ports in the back (covered by a removable plate) for power (via the included USB-C cable and adapter), HDMI and wired internet. The big upgrade is that now there's a fan inside to help keep the console cool and provide better sustained performance. Thankfully, it's relatively quiet, so you won't have to deal with an annoying hum distracting you from your games.

The awkward thing about the Switch 2's dock is that it has one less USB port than before. Aside from the single USB-C connection in back for power, there are only two USB-A jacks on the side. This means if you want to connect accessories like the camera, which only comes with an included USB-C cable, you'll either have to get an adapter or plug it directly into the Switch 2 via its exposed port on top. Unfortunately, that will force you to disconnect the camera every time you undock the console, which is just kind of clunky. I wish Nintendo had made every USB port a Type-C connection, or at the very least included more than one.

Battery Life

The Switch 2 features a 5,220 mAh battery, which according to Nintendo should provide between 2 and 6.5 hours of runtime on a single charge. However, the console's longevity also greatly depends on the game you're playing along with other factors such as screen brightness and background downloads.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

To help provide a slightly better picture of the Switch 2's power efficiency, I played a handful of titles starting at 100 percent battery and kept going until the console was dead with the screen set to max brightness (around 400 nits) and auto-brightness disabled. These settings are meant to provide a consistent but also conservative look at the console's runtime, as it's very possible to increase longevity by doing things like lowering brightness.

In Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 lasted two hours and 23 minutes, which is on the lower end of Nintendo's official estimate. Meanwhile, in the NS2 edition of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the console fared a bit better with a time of 2:56. That said, the game with the best battery life I've tested so far is Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S at four hours and 15 minutes, which shouldn't be a big surprise as it's a port of a decade-old 2D title.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

For some folks, these numbers might be disappointing. I certainly would love an extra 30 to 60 minutes of battery life, but these stats are generally in line or slightly better than what we get from rivals like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally X. And remember, when compared to practically all of its PC-based competition, the Switch 2 remains a much sleeker device.

Another helpful battery-related improvement is the addition of a charging limit, which allows the Switch 2 to automatically stop at a certain percentage to help maintain the power pack's longevity. But my favorite little detail is now the Switch 2 will display a small battery icon when you drop it in the dock because the screen peeks out a bit, so you always know for sure when it's charging.

Cost considerations

At $450 for the console alone or $500 for the bundle with Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 is priced significantly higher than the original, which cost $300 at launch (though that increase is closer to $50 when adjusted for inflation). However, when you include the price of accessories and games, the total adoption cost for a Switch 2 can be substantially higher. I purchased a standalone console along with physical versions of Mario Kart World and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (NS2 Edition) and one Pro Controller for $745.75. But after you tack on another $50 for one year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion, my grand total was just shy of $800.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Everyone has different opinions on what they consider disposable income, but that's still a lot of money to spend on a new console and two games. Here's hoping this breakdown helps people think about how the Switch 2 will impact their budget.

Important notes

The Switch 2 requires a day one patch in order to go online or even play some games. You'll normally get this automatically by following the setup guide when you first turn on the system. However, if you skip the section where it asks you to connect to Wi-Fi, you may need to manually download the patch later by hitting the check for updates button in system settings the next time you connect to the internet.

The Switch 2 only supports microSD Express cards, which are not interchangeable with standard microSD or microSD XC cards. When buying a microSD Express card, you'll want to make sure it has an EX or EXPRESS label printed on the card itself.

In addition to Joy-Con, a Joy-Con Grip, two Joy-Con straps and the console itself, the Switch 2 comes with an HDMI cable and a 60-watt power adapter with a detachable USB-C cord.

Some units may suffer from an inaccurate charging indicator, which can be addressed with these instructions from Nintendo.

Parents can monitor and approve the people your kids can talk to when using Game Chat via Nintendo's Parental Controls app.

Nintendo says the Switch 2's Joy-Con use an all-new module for its analog sticks. As they aren't Hall effect modules, it's too early to tell how well they will resist drifting.

Only the Switch 2's bottom USB-C port supports video out.

Wrap-up

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The old adage goes ‘if it ain't broke, don't fix it.’ But for the Switch 2, Nintendo did something even smarter. It maintained the console's hybrid design and just made everything better. Its screen is bigger and brighter. Buttons are larger and the magnetic Joy-Con are so much easier to snap on and off. Even features such as the kickstand and expandable storage feel like they've gotten substantial upgrades thanks to a wider range of motion and support for faster microSD Express cards. I also really appreciate the addition of a second USB-C port.

The Switch 2 has everything that made the original so great, but now there's more of it to enjoy. Granted, Nintendo's latest console commands a higher price, but as the successor to the iconic system that revived handheld gaming, this thing is worth it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-review-more-of-what-you-love-120048430.html?src=rss

Google's impressive Beam video conferencing technology has finally been integrated into an actual product that will be available for purchase. That's the good news. The bad news? The HP Dimension system is going to cost a whopping $25,000. This is an enterprise product through and through.

However, the device certainly looks spiffy. The HP Dimension with Google Beam combines six cameras, a spatial audio system and adaptive lighting to allow for highly immersive virtual meetings. AI wizardry brings eye contact into the mix. All of this helps deliver "a deeply immersive experience that replicates the feeling of being in-person, with no headsets, glasses or wearables required."

HP

We actually tried this tech, back when it was called Project Starline, and came away impressed. It makes calls "appear fully 3D from any perspective." Algorithms combine live footage from the six cameras to render a pseudo-holographic version of the caller. It tracks head movements to ensure it delivers all of this visual data to eyes at the correct angle, all at 60FPS.

We found that the simple act of the person on the other end of the call holding out an apple for us to touch "was so realistic" that it felt like we could reach out and grab the fruit. This is a telepresence dream.

In addition to the Dimension system, HP is releasing a microphone that integrates with the new teleconferencing tech. The Poly Studio A2 Table Microphone works to extend "crystal-clear audio" further away from the Beam system, which should be a boon for medium or large-sized conference spaces. Users can daisy chain up to eight microphones together, though everything requires a standalone bridge device to operate. The microphone costs $329 and the bridge costs $549. This tech can also be used with more traditional setups.

All of this stuff will be available later in the year. There's one caveat: Not only does the system cost $25,000, plus any of the aforementioned audio accessories, but users have to plunk down for access to the Beam service itself. Google has yet to release a pricing model for this.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/the-first-google-beam-device-is-the-25000-hp-dimension-120016865.html?src=rss