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Furious fans hijack Nintendo Treehouse: Live stream with demands to 'drop the price'

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 10:00
  • Fans are demanding that Nintendo "drop the price" of the Switch 2
  • The Treehouse: Live chat gets hijacked as fans spam the same request
  • The Nintendo Switch 2 is priced at $449.99, while Switch 2 games will cost upwards of $80

The Nintendo Switch 2's controversial price has fans divided, and they're now taking their frustrations directly to the source.

Nintendo's first Treehouse: Live of the week is now live, showcasing some of the Switch 2's brand new games like Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Welcome Tour.

However, instead of expressing excitement for the launch lineup, fans are practically begging Nintendo to "drop the price!" of its upcoming console, which is confirmed to cost $449.99 / £395.99.

With over 120K viewers watching, as of writing, it's hard to find just one comment that isn't demanding a lower price tag, with some joking that they will be "spending their life savings" on the console.

Image 1 of 4

Nintendo Treehouse: Live chat (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Nintendo)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Future)

While others are blaming United States President Donald Trump for the recent increase in tariffs, there are also fans commenting on the high cost of Switch 2 games.

They're currently retailing for upwards of $79.99 / £75.99 and $89.99 / £85.99, with some arguing that a console and one single game together is simply too expensive.

Following the release of the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, Nintendo significantly reduced the price of the handheld from $249.99 to $169.99, following poor launch sales. Considering the contentious price of the Switch 2, it wouldn't be surprising for Nintendo to pull a similar move if it finds itself in the same situation.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct aired yesterday, confirming that the console will launch on June 5, 2025, with Switch 2 preorders scheduled to open on April 8.

TechRadar Gaming attended an exclusive hands-on preview and spent four hours with the Nintendo Switch 2

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Categories: Technology

Amazon adds new benefit to Prime subscription that gives members a better chance of buying an Nvidia RTX 5000 or AMD RX 9070 GPU

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 09:29
  • Amazon is making some models of Nvidia or AMD GPUs exclusive to Prime members
  • A handful of RTX 5000 and RX 9070 models fall into this category
  • The idea is to stop scalpers, or at least throw another hurdle in their way

Amazon appears to have made some changes that mean those who are Prime members stand a better chance of buying one of AMD or Nvidia’s new GPUs.

As you can’t have failed to notice, since they launched, it’s been a painful scramble for stock when it comes to Nvidia Blackwell and AMD RDNA 4 graphics cards, with would-be buyers finding it very difficult to secure a GPU.

Club386 was keen-eyed enough to catch (via Tom’s Hardware) that Amazon in the US now has some RTX 5000 or RX 9070 models marked as ‘reserved’ for Prime members. If you’re logged into your Amazon account and are a Prime subscriber, you’ll see these GPUs available to buy. But if you aren’t a Prime member, you won’t see them.

It’s also worth noting that you may not realize that these are Prime exclusives, as that isn’t flagged for those who are logged in – they just see that the GPU is on sale.

To give you a quick example, if you search for RTX 5080 models on Amazon (US), you’ll see that the Asus ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5080 OC Edition is an exclusive for Prime subscribers, as is the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5080 Gaming OC.

On those pages, those who aren’t Prime members will see a box to ‘Join Prime’ instead of the usual ‘Add to cart’ or ‘Buy now’ options (for those GPUs which are in stock, of course).

There are still more of these (relatively) new Nvidia or AMD GPUs available to everyone than reserved models for Prime members, granted – but there’s more than a handful of the latter.

(Image credit: Future / Asus / AMD) Analysis: Prime movers

What’s the reasoning behind this? Well, it’s another way of tempting folks to sign up for a Prime membership, of course, but it’s also a defensive measure against scalpers.

Price scalping types looking to buy MSRP level graphics cards – or more affordably priced models – as soon as they come in stock, to resell in order to make a profit are a scourge on the GPU world. They’ve made it particularly hard to get hold of more expensive GPUs (Nvidia models in the main), as they can be jacked up to even more ridiculous prices, and we’ve seen exactly this happening on auction sites this year.

Requiring a Prime membership for certain graphics cards at least shields them from some scalpers who, in the main, probably haven’t bothered subscribing to Prime. (Although that’s not to say some price gougers won’t, of course – or that they can’t sign up there and then).

Still, this should make it a little bit easier for Prime members to grab a GPU. Right now, for example, there’s an RTX 5070 overclocked edition from Asus available for Prime members at $700. That’s still a quarter over the MSRP, but there’s always going to be a premium for overclocked models, and in that light, it doesn’t look like a terrible buy. (Or it wouldn’t if the RTX 5070 was a better GPU in general, but sadly, it falls well short of what Nvidia has managed with other Blackwell GPUs).

On the AMD side, equally sadly, more affordable RX 9070 GPUs just aren’t available at Amazon currently, although they have been very recently, as Club386 highlighted. They may turn up once again before long, with any luck, and the situation with Nvidia’s Blackwell graphics cards certainly seems to be improving (dare I say it) on Amazon.

As far as I can tell, this is a US-only scheme for now, and certainly Amazon in the UK isn’t running it (at least not yet, at the time of writing).

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Categories: Technology

Chase Sapphire Preferred's New 100K Welcome Bonus Is Too Good to Miss. Here's How I'd Spend It

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 08:30
This limited-time offer on my go-to travel card has me already considering the possibilities.
Categories: Technology

I Played the Nintendo Switch 2: Is It Worth It?

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 08:00
I spent a day playing a whole bunch of games. Here's what it told me about Nintendo's $450 console sequel.
Categories: Technology

Can't Pay Your Tax Bill This Year? Here Are 5 Things You Can Do Right Now

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 08:00
If you owe the IRS money, you have more options than you think, including asking for a short-term extension or setting up a payment plan.
Categories: Technology

'You' Season 5: Release Date and What to Remember Before Joe Goldberg Returns

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:45
Will this be the season when Joe Goldberg finally gets caught?
Categories: Technology

I Get 5G on My Phone at Home. So Why Can't I Get 5G Home Internet?

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:30
Even if your fancy new phone gets 5G service, you're not guaranteed to be able to get a 5G home internet service. What gives? CNET explains.
Categories: Technology

Pixel 9 Pro Fold vs. Oppo Find N5 Camera Comparison: Which Takes Better Shots?

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:00
The latest foldable phones from Google and Oppo have impressive cameras, but which comes out on top?
Categories: Technology

Phone Launches Every Year Need to Stop for More Reasons Than One

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:00
Commentary: Apple, Samsung and Google could benefit from launching phones less often. So would the planet.
Categories: Technology

Verizon Locks Prices for 3 Years, Offers Free Phones for Trade-Ins

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:00
Plus free satellite text messaging is added as a perk for all plans.
Categories: Technology

Valero Texas Open 2025: TV Schedule Today, How to Watch, Stream All the PGA Tour Golf From Anywhere

CNET News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 07:00
It's the PGA Tour's final event before next week's US Masters.
Categories: Technology

The Sonos Era 100 and Ray’s new lower price are a welcome move from a company that wants to win your love back

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 06:54
  • Sonos Era 100 is now $199 / £199 / AU$319
  • Sonos Ray is now $199 / £199 / AU$349
  • Retailers may discount even further

If I were in charge of Sonos, my earworm would be Black Eyed Peas' Where Is The Love? – because since the botched app update in 2024, there have been many cases of users hurtin' and users cryin'. But now the firm has embarked on a new strategy to win back audio fans' love: it's seriously cutting the price of some of its key products.

Sonos has permanently cut the price of two of its key speakers, the Sonos Era 100 smart speaker and the Sonos Ray soundbar.

These are significant cuts: the Era 100 is down $50 from $249 to $199 (£199 / AU$319). And the Ray is down even more, from $279 to $199 (£199 / AU$349).

These aren't the cheapest prices we've ever seen for these Sonos products. But this is a permanent price reduction, not a promotional discount or retailer loss leader.

Opinion: a sound strategy for Sonos

There's no doubt that the Sonos app fiasco did a lot of damage to the brand. But Sonos has made good on its promises to keep updating the app, and while that's still ongoing, the app is in much better shape now.

The app problems seem to have cost Sonos a lot of sales as well as reputation, and the previously loyal customers who've vowed to ditch the brand altogether may not be coming back. And that means Sonos needs to persuade new people to buy into its ecosystem.

(Image credit: Future)

For years, Sonos has positioned itself as the Apple of audio, a premium brand offering a premium experience at not too premium prices. The app problems have made that a much harder sell, and until the app disaster is a distant memory – as it eventually will be; who thinks about Apple's "antennagate" when considering an iPhone? – one of the best tools in Sonos's toolbox is price.

Even before the app problems we felt that these two products were a little overpriced. In our Sonos Era 100 review, we said that the price was pushing it "closer to high-end speakers", where there's an expectation of excellence. Similarly, we felt that the Sonos Ray was "middle of the pack for value". At these newly reduced prices, both products are much more compelling.

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Categories: Technology

It looks like Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are live at some retailers with some fans securing their console ahead of the official date - but we would still be careful

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 06:42
  • Online retailers like Very and Smyths opened Nintendo Switch 2 preorders early
  • Some fans have already secured their console ahead of the official preorder date, April 8
  • Amazon UK is currently accepting invites for Switch 2 preorders

Some online storefronts in the UK opened Nintendo Switch 2 preorders ahead of time, but if you missed out, there may be a way to get your hands on one, too.

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders don't officially begin until April 8, but according to numerous posts online, fans were able to secure their console from websites like Very and Smyths days early.

Unfortunately, these sites quickly sold out of units, and the majority of Very's Switch 2 preorder stock has now sold out – although we sometimes see a few bundles available.

As of writing, however, Argos is currently accepting preorders for the Switch 2 and Mario World bundle, but we're unsure how long supplies will last.

While Amazon isn't taking preorders right now, it is accepting invites for those interested in getting their hands on the console. When you head over to the webpage, there will be a "Request invite" button that will allow you to opt in for a chance to purchase.

"If invited to purchase, you'll get an email with a link that's valid for 22 hours. We won’t be able to grant all requests," Amazon explains.

Meanwhile, US retailers such as Best Buy and Walmart have announced that they will take Nintendo Switch 2 preorders from April 9 with in-store collection or free delivery available on the release date.

It's important to note that even though it may seem that your preorder has gone through on websites offering the console early, some stores may not have stock just yet. We'd recommend waiting until the official preorder date to ensure you've secured one.

The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launches on June 5, 2025, and it will cost you $449.99 / £395.99.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders – quick links Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the US

The official My Nintendo Store is, naturally, one of the best places to bookmark and keep close by for Switch 2 pre-orders when they go live. You can register your interest now and priority will be given to Nintendo Switch Online members who have an active membership and a minimum of 50 hours playtime as of April 2.

Best Buy is one of the best places to pre-order gaming gear and the retailer has confirmed it will take orders from April 9. You can register your interest now for notifications. Also, Best Buy will do some late-night store openings so you can pick up your console from 12:01am ET on June 5.

No word on pre-orders here just yet, but as the biggest retailer of them all, Amazon is always one of our top places to check for stock. It will likely require you to register your interest or request and invite before the pre-order window opens on April 8, so check back in regularly to get your name on the list.

Old, reliable retailer Walmart has confirmed it will take Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders on April 9, with both the Switch 2 console and Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle listed as coming soon. As a bonus, the retailer also promises free delivery before 9am on launch day when you pre-order at Walmart.

Of course, video game retailer GameStop will be offering Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders - and it might even offer some super attractive trade-in deals for your OG Switch.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders - UK links to bookmark

Going straight to the source is never a bad idea, and this is the first place we've seen offering Nintendo Switch 2 preorders. However, there is one caveat: preorders from here will be initially offered on an invite-only basis to Nintendo Switch Online members.

Argos is a superb option if you're looking for that physical store element to your Switch 2 pre-order, and it's available right now. Don't expect stock to stick around for long.

Amazon is giving you the option to request an invite to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2, but the retailer hasn't confirmed if they will be available on April 8 like the official Nintendo Store. However, if you're one of the lucky chosen ones, you'll be emailed a link to buy the console that remains valid for 22 hours.

Very has several Nintendo Switch consoles and bundles available to preorder right now. Stock is extremely limited, though, and seems to be vanishing from sale about as quick as we're seeing it. Because of that, you'll need to move fast if you want to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 from here.

Currys is a terrific option in the UK for pre-orders. Since its reveal, it has been working hard on Switch 2 coverage and taking registrations of interest.

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Categories: Technology

Okay, the AirPods Max USB-C lossless audio update is now available, for real this time – here's how to check you've got it

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 06:36
  • A bug in iOS 18.4 stopped AirPods Max promised lossless update from working
  • Apple has fixed the issue with firmware 7E101
  • You'll need your iPhone, iPad or Mac and your charging cable

What do you call an Apple update that doesn't work? A Tim Cook-up! I made that joke up myself and I'm very proud of it, but it's time to get serious now: Apple's AirPods Max lossless audio update was about to launch, didn't work properly, was delayed, and is now working and ready for you to install it.

The problem was with iOS 18.4, the newest version of iOS, which contained the necessary code to update your AirPods Max. Unfortunately that code didn't work properly, and the update wasn't downloading. Apple has fixed the problem and also provided helpful instructions on how to update your headphones.

"Update my AirPods! I said UPDATE MY AIRPODS!" (Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes) How to install the lossless audio update on your AirPods Max

Here are the instructions, directly from Apple.

  • Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is updated to the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, or macOS, and that Bluetooth is on
  • Make sure that your AirPods Max are connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
  • Connect your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to Wi-Fi
  • Plug the charging cable into the bottom-right earphone, then plug the other end of the cable into a USB charger or port
  • Keep your AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and wait at least 30 minutes for the firmware to update
  • Reconnect your AirPods Max to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
  • Check the firmware version again and make sure it lists “7E101"

I'm glad this update has been fixed, because it's a welcome one for owners of the USB-C AirPods Max: once installed, you'll be able to get lossless audio over USB-C to make your AirPods sound even better, and to finally be able to use them with airplane entertainment systems.

We're going to test the feature to see if it sounds as good as it, er, sounds – at least, we will as soon as we've verified this firmware update.

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Categories: Technology

Intel is discontinuing an app you’ve never heard of – but sadly, that alternative to Windows 11’s Phone Link was a useful tool you might regret never using

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 06:36
  • Intel has announced its Unison app will be discontinued at the end of June
  • This was an alternative to Windows 11’s Phone Link functionality
  • It was better in some ways – notably for iOS users, and with the app being more streamlined – so it’s sad to see a viable alternative go

Intel’s take on tying your phone in with your Windows 11 PC – the Unison app – is being shuttered, with Team Blue announcing that it’ll be discontinued for most users at the end of June 2025.

Windows Latest reports that Intel made the announcement in the Microsoft Store listing for app, stating that: “Intel Unison will soon be discontinued. The first step in its wind-down process is ending service for most platforms at the end of June 2025. Lenovo Aura platforms will retain service through 2025.”

If you’re scratching your head and thinking "I’ve never heard of Intel Unison" well, you wouldn’t be alone there. In a nutshell, it’s Intel’s version of Windows 11’s built-in functionality known as the Phone Link app.

Both Phone Link and Unison offer the ability to access iOS or Android smartphone functionality on the desktop of your Windows 11 PC. In the case of Intel Unison, the core abilities are covered, such as replying to texts, seeing notifications, making calls, and file transfer operations if you want to shift, say, a photo from your phone to the PC for image editing purposes.

As Windows Latest notes, the key strength of Intel Unison is a better implementation on the iOS side (indeed, it supported Apple smartphones from the off, when Microsoft’s take on this formula didn’t for some time). It’s also a more streamlined app, and well enough liked by those who use it – the review ratings for Unison on the Microsoft Store are currently higher than for Microsoft’s own solution.

At any rate, if you use Unison, you’ll have to ditch the app soon, so you might be looking at Phone Link in a couple of months’ time.

Windows Latest has spoken to sources and claims that while officially June 30 is the day on which Unison will be discontinued, it may continue to work okay on some devices for a little time afterwards – or at least some parts of the app might. Before long, though, it’s going to be fully turned off, so you might as well start getting used to that idea now.

(Image credit: Intel) Analysis: Disunification in progress

Intel Unison will have lasted two years (almost) when the app gets canned (Team Blue launched it back in August 2023). It’ll be a shame for some folks to see it go, as there are reports that it works more smoothly than Phone Link not just for iPhones, but for Android devices too – going by some of the online feedback for the app, anyway. (I haven’t used it myself).

If this is the first time you’re hearing about Intel Unison, then obviously, it’s a bit late to be learning about the app now. Although it’s not something I’d heard of previously, either, and Unison somehow flew under my radar – and I’m guessing that’s part of the problem, and reason why it’s been dropped. The other likely reason here is that as Windows Latest hints, it’s probably part of Intel’s cost-cutting measures, with Team Blue having to streamline its business considerably, as we saw with all the very unfortunate layoffs (and more) last year.

Compared to Intel Unison, the advantage of Phone Link is that it does offer more advanced functionality – particularly for Samsung smartphones, of course, but for all phones more broadly. And that includes the most recent step of integrating Phone Link directly in the Start menu, putting it front and center in the Windows 11 interface.

In short, Phone Link isn’t going anywhere, and Microsoft is surely going to bolster it going forwards – so it’s not likely that Unison would have kept up with this pace anyway. Still, for those who wanted a simple alternative, and a streamlined app that covered the basics – and by all accounts, covered them with some aplomb – Intel’s app fitted the bill, but obviously that won’t be the case for much longer.

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Categories: Technology

Oracle admits second major security breach, user login data stolen

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 05:52
  • Several reports claim a second Oracle data breach has occured
  • User login credentials were apparently stolen
  • Oracle allegedly told some customers that the data is almost a decade old

Oracle has apparently suffered its second cyberattack in a month, but the company is downplaying its importance.

A Bloomberg report citing two people familiar with the matter has claimed Oracle told some of its customers a threat actor compromised its IT infrastructure and stole client login credentials.

At the same time, Reuters is reporting that an unidentified threat actor tried to sell the stolen data on the dark web, claiming to have stolen it from Oracle’s Austin, Texas premises.

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Old data

Bloomberg also reported that Oracle told some of its clients that the FBI was notified, and that CrowdStrike was brought in to investigate. Furthermore, the clients were notified that this is not the same incident that struck healthcare customers in March 2025. Finally, the attacker also tried to extort Oracle for the stolen data.

Oracle has hinted that the data isn’t that relevant, however, claiming that the compromised system was not used for eight years. Therefore, the conclusion is that the data found there is outdated and poses little risk.

However, there were Oracle customer login credentials from as recently as 2024.

We would say that leaked login data is always a problem, regardless of if it’s ten years, or ten days old. Besides, many organizations never change their login credentials, or reuse the same passwords across a myriad of other services, in which case such a database could prove a gold mine for brute-force or credential stuffing attacks.

At press time, Oracle has not yet addressed the media reports, but we have contacted the company for comment.

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Proton VPN unveils a major revamp to its Windows, iOS, and Android apps

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 05:42
  • Proton VPN released new updates and features for its Windows, iOS, and Android apps
  • The upgrade aims to make Proton VPN apps more intuitive, transparent, and customizable
  • The new apps also provide a range of educational content to help users get the most from their VPN

Proton VPN unveiled a major upgrade that promises to make its apps more intuitive, transparent, and customizable.

As of today, April 3, 2025, Proton VPN's Windows, iOS, and Android users will benefit from new updates and features. These include a sleek new interface, customizable home screen widgets for mobile, and a new enhanced Profile feature.

The new apps also provide a range of educational content to help users get the most from one of the best VPN services on the market.

Proton VPN's new look

While increasingly more people have become familiar with the benefits of using a virtual private network (VPN) in their daily life – whether that's better streaming, privacy, or security – the underlying software and its features can still feel quite intimidating.

As Proton VPN's General Manager, David Peterson explains, this may limit users' ability, especially those unfamiliar with the tech, to benefit from what a VPN has to offer. That's exactly where Proton VPN's revamp comes in.

"The new Proton VPN apps make it easier than ever before to protect users' privacy while enhancing transparency to explore new features effortlessly," said Peterson.

After launching a new, more intuitive home screen interface on Android, the provider has decided to bring these improvements to its iOS and Windows VPN apps, too.

The Windows app received a full redesign to match its Android VPN counterpart. A redesigned Settings menu makes it easier to scroll through all of Proton's advanced features, like split tunneling, a kill switch, and port forwarding. For the first time, you can also choose between a dark and a new light mode.

(Image credit: Proton)

An enhanced Profile tab is perhaps the most relevant new feature (see image above).

This allows paid subscribers to create personalised connection profiles, picking their favorite location, city, or state, server, protocol, and settings depending on their needs.

You may opt for the fastest server in the US to use Proton VPN to unlock US Netflix when abroad. Alternatively, you may choose a Secure Core server and Stealth protocol if you're worried about online surveillance and censorship.

While the iOS app also comes with a Profile tab, the new release brings the latest, enhanced version to Windows and Android. The team is currently testing an early version on iOS, too, meaning that iPhone users won't need to wait too long to enjoy the same level of customization.

Another exclusive feature for Windows and Android at the time of writing, Connect & Go, allows you to specify the website or app you want to launch when connecting to a specific profile.

While the team didn't give TechRadar a timeline, Proton said the plan is to extend all these features across all platforms (iOS, macOS, and Linux).

To know more about the new release, you can head to Proton VPN’s official website or visit the blog post with the official announcement.

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Categories: Technology

Yes, the Nintendo Switch 2 has more internal storage and supports expandable cards, but you'll need a specific type

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 05:30
  • The Nintendo Switch 2 features 256GB of internal storage
  • The console still supports expandable storage, but you'll need to use a microSD Express card to run games
  • These cards offer faster speeds but are more expensive

The Nintendo Switch 2 has a lot going for it – a more powerful CPU to enable even more impressive games, better audio from improved speakers, and yes, a larger screen at 7.9 inches. But can we give a round of applause to Nintendo for upping the internal storage to 256GB?

That’s a big leap – eight times what the original Nintendo Switch offered – and it should mean that you’ll have a lot of room for games and apps. Of course, there is expandable storage. However, it’s not all roses in that regard … especially if you’ve invested in a lot of standard microSD cards for your current Switch and want to make the upgrade.

Why? Well, the Nintendo Switch 2 still supports expandable storage, but it’s only going to work with microSD Express cards. That’s an important distinction, as non-standard microSD cards don’t carry the properties of ‘Express.’ These higher-end microSD cards, though, do offer faster speeds that are more on the level of SSDs (solid-state drives).

(Image credit: Nintendo)

That feature, alongside the improved performance, should make for a more fluid experience when reading or writing onto the microSD Express card. You will need a microSD Express card to use with the Switch 2 to save a game or open one. However, according to this support page, you can plug a standard microSD card in to view photos or screenshots.

The improved speeds might weigh out the downsides aside from the cost though. A regular 128GB microSD card runs for about $20.99 (on Amazon for this SanDisk model), but a 128GB microSD Express card from SanDisk is $49.99 (currently $44.99 on Amazon). That’s quite a jump and generally the case here – microSD Express Cards are more expensive than microSD cards.

So yes, upping the internal storage on the Switch 2 to 256GB is great, and keeping the option for expandable storage is good, but the microSD Express requirement might cost you a bit more.

Of course, there’s always the chance that you might have been using a microSD Express card in your Switch Lite, Switch, or Switch OLED – it’s worth checking and as we get closer to preorders (April 8 from Nintendo and April 9 from other retailers) and launch (June 5, 2025), we’ll be writing about any major sales on this cards.

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Categories: Technology

New Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 leak again confirms return of the Classic model

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 05:18
  • Two new Samsung Galaxy Watch models are on the way
  • The Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have surfaced, this time in regulatory filings
  • One battery listed is slightly bigger than last year's model, but it's not a massive upgrade

Details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup have appeared for the second time in just a few days, this time with our first hint at the battery capacity for one of the models.

In late March, firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was spotted, pointing to four new Galaxy Watch models coming in 2025 – two Classic and two regular models, each with a Wi-Fi and an LTE (cellular connectivity) version.

Now, filings have been uncovered in South Korea's SafetyKorea certification database, one of the myriad global regulatory bodies with which device manufacturers have to register upcoming new products, including the best Android smartwatches, before they can go on sale.

As reported by Xpertpick, the batteries that will feature in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic appear to have surfaced in the database. The outlet matches these with the aforementioned firmware leak, indicating one battery each for the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic, respectively.

This would reinforce the idea that two new models are on the way, but also gives us one small hint about battery life.

Galaxy Watch 8 battery leaks

As per the report, only one of these battery filings has a listed capacity, the Galaxy Watch 8. The battery is listed at 435mAh, a very minor bump over the Galaxy Watch 7. While that's technically bigger, it's nothing to write home about, and likely won't yield any tangible results in terms of battery-life performance.

And if Samsung has added more power-hungry features to the new model, battery life might only match last year's model, and if so you can expect Samsung's rating of around 22 hours. This is the larger 44mm model, with no information out there about the smaller version yet.

That definitely won't be enough to challenge the best Android watch for battery life right now, the OnePlus Watch 3, but it does tell us that both of these smartwatch models definitely exist, and will probably launch in early summer in the US and UK.

The absence of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in database listings could indicate that the company won't release an Ultra model this year, and may be alternating between the Classic and the Ultra on an annual basis.

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Categories: Technology

New Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 leak again confirms return of the Classic model

TechRadar News - Thu, 04/03/2025 - 05:18
  • Two new Samsung Galaxy Watch models are on the way
  • The Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have surfaced, this time in regulatory filings
  • One battery listed is slightly bigger than last year's model, but it's not a massive upgrade

Details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup have appeared for the second time in just a few days, this time with our first hint at the battery capacity for one of the models.

In late March, firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was spotted, pointing to four new Galaxy Watch models coming in 2025 – two Classic and two regular models, each with a Wi-Fi and an LTE (cellular connectivity) version.

Now, filings have been uncovered in South Korea's SafetyKorea certification database, one of the myriad global regulatory bodies with which device manufacturers have to register upcoming new products, including the best Android smartwatches, before they can go on sale.

As reported by Xpertpick, the batteries that will feature in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic appear to have surfaced in the database. The outlet matches these with the aforementioned firmware leak, indicating one battery each for the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic, respectively.

This would reinforce the idea that two new models are on the way, but also gives us one small hint about battery life.

Galaxy Watch 8 battery leaks

As per the report, only one of these battery filings has a listed capacity, the Galaxy Watch 8. The battery is listed at 435mAh, a very minor bump over the Galaxy Watch 7. While that's technically bigger, it's nothing to write home about, and likely won't yield any tangible results in terms of battery-life performance.

And if Samsung has added more power-hungry features to the new model, battery life might only match last year's model, and if so you can expect Samsung's rating of around 22 hours. This is the larger 44mm model, with no information out there about the smaller version yet.

That definitely won't be enough to challenge the best Android watch for battery life right now, the OnePlus Watch 3, but it does tell us that both of these smartwatch models definitely exist, and will probably launch in early summer in the US and UK.

The absence of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in database listings could indicate that the company won't release an Ultra model this year, and may be alternating between the Classic and the Ultra on an annual basis.

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