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DHS has ordered DeepSeek removed from federal civilian IT systems over security concerns. Learn what the restrictions mean for agencies and technology vendors.

The post DHS Orders DeepSeek Removed from Federal IT Systems Over Security Risks appeared first on TechRepublic.

Replit has chosen OpenAI as its preferred AI partner while keeping Anthropic models available. Here's what the shift means for developers and enterprise teams.

The post Replit CEO Says ChatGPT Is Better Now, but Anthropic Isn’t Out appeared first on TechRepublic.

Microsoft 365 costs $99.99/year, but Microsoft Office Pro gives you the same apps for life for only $49.97.

The post Cancel Microsoft 365 and Get Microsoft Office for Life for $50 appeared first on TechRepublic.

Windows 11 offers controls for diagnostic data, location access, clipboard syncing, and personalized recommendations. Here's how to review seven privacy settings and understand their trade-offs.

The post 7 Windows 11 Privacy Settings You Should Check in 2026 appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Bloomberg's Jason Schreier says Rockstar Games spent years developing an alternative weapon system for Grand Theft Auto 6
• He says, "They wanted GTA 6's weapon system to be more like Red Dead," with a reimagined weapon wheel
• However, after years of iteration, Rockstar stuck to a classic design

Rockstar Games reportedly spent years developing a new weapon interface for Grand Theft Auto 6, but eventually stuck with the classic weapon wheel the series is known for.

As reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, who shared a YouTube video about his visit to Rockstar North, co-studio head and head of development Rob Nelson said that the team wanted the game's weapon loadout system to be more like Red Dead Redemption 2 than GTA 5.

"They wanted GTA 6's weapon system to be more like Red Dead, where you couldn't just carry an unlimited number of guns," Schreier said, which was "a little more realistic."

In Red Dead Redemption 2, loadouts are tied to your horse, and players can only carry a certain number of weapons on their person at a time, whether a pistol or a shotgun, while the rest is stored on your saddle.

The team wanted to recreate a similar system for GTA 6 by having storage tied to the player's car and a limited loadout of weapons that players can carry at any given time, but wanted to reimagine the weapon wheel.

"So the idea that they were thinking was like, well, if we use a weapon wheel, is that just going to remind people of all these blank spots in it? It'll remind people of what they can't actually do, what they can't carry. And so maybe we shouldn't use a weapon wheel," Schreier explained.

"And so they spent months, if not years, trying a million different things that would replace the weapon wheel."

Schreier revealed that Rockstar tried "trays and webs and all sorts of different things in the UI" and other ways to replace the weapon wheel, but in the end, the team ended up back at the weapon wheel.

"They tried not having one," he said. "They tried all these different iterations on this. After all that, they just wound up back at a weapon wheel, and in the final game it's just a weapon wheel again."

Schreier believes this was part of the "dark periods" of development that "led to some problems for the game", as developers continuously reworked prototypes for the UI, only to end back at square one.

However, he added that "really ended when the game started coalescing, I would say around [the] end of 2022, beginning of 2023, something like that is where they really started to see it all come together."

"As I mentioned in the story, the first trailer that they released in December 2023 was really a guiding light for a lot of the people on the team to see, 'Oh, this is what the game is going to look like,'" Schreier said.

Rockstar recently released the cinematic GTA 6 launch trailer, ahead of GTA 6's launch on November 19. The game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S, with a new report claiming the PC version could launch in early 2027.

Amazon has found another way to make itself part of our everyday lives with its new Bee AI devices. The Bees can record conversations and are pitched as a way to remember important details and translate plans into actions. Naturally, those actions can include buying things from Amazon, making every casual conversation a potential shopping cart. You can pay $75 or $100 for the privilege, depending on whether you choose the Bee Frontier, which clips to a wrist strap or clothes, or the Bee Eclipse, a magnetic smartphone attachment.

There are practical applications for something that remembers conversation details you might otherwise forget. An assistant that recalls an appointment, prepares a follow-up email, or reminds you about a promise could save considerable time. But Amazon's announcement also promises personalized shopping recommendations based on what Bee learns about you, which strikes me as a depressing, if inevitable destination for AI tools.

Of course, you might argue plenty of people have invited Amazon into their homes through Alexa devices. Plus, Amazon already has a potentially huge amount of customer data from shopping histories, which lets it recommend products so well that it's a cliché joke to feel like you only have to mention a topic out loud for related items to show up in your recommendations.

That joke is an explicit feature of the new Bees. Turning spoken conversations into another source of personalized assistance is supposed to appeal to potential customers. The question is whether this is a bridge too far when it comes to allowing Amazon to eavesdrop on our lives to shape our shopping.

Idle chat becomes a shopping list

(Image credit: Amazon)

The idea of an AI assistant remembering what you say and not letting anything important slip through the cracks is enticing for the convenience it promises. But imagine casually mentioning that your back hurts, your car is making a strange noise, or your child has developed an interest in dinosaurs. Those aren't just setups for a reminder to make a doctor's appointment, bring in your car, and buy tickets to the museum you'll get. They're also data points for potential purchasing interests that might otherwise never have reached a retailer.

Amazon hasn't said Bee will automatically turn every overheard complaint into a product recommendation, yet the shopping integration creates an obvious path to do so. But it might be too much personalization. Adding information from spoken conversations to what Amazon already knows could paint a much more intimate picture of someone's life, good and bad, regardless of Amazon's promises to keep data under the user's control.

And there are real privacy protections in the system, according to the company. Bee's AI processes audio in real time and deletes it rather than retaining recordings, while conversation transcripts are encrypted and users can delete them. The devices also include physical controls and lights that indicate when they're listening. Plus, the Amazon shopping connection is optional and opt-in.

But deleting the original audio doesn't eliminate every privacy concern when a device is specifically designed to remember and interpret what people say. The information extracted from a conversation can be just as revealing as the recording itself.

Eavesdropping Bees

(Image credit: Bee)

The privacy problem becomes even more complicated when other people enter the conversation. Someone wearing a Bee device might be perfectly comfortable having their conversations analyzed, but their friends and colleagues haven't necessarily agreed to participate. A small recording indicator is hardly a substitute for meaningful consent, especially when people may not recognize the device or understand what it does.

We've already seen this controversy unfold with Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. People have reported unexpected recordings, and even filming. Bee doesn't have the same camera-related concerns, but recording conversations introduces its own problems. A friend discussing a medical diagnosis or workplace dispute in confidence might not feel so open if they know you're wearing a Bee. They haven't necessarily agreed to have an AI system connected to the world's largest online retailer convert their comments into searchable data.

There are also practical questions about where recording is appropriate. Private conversations can involve confidential information, and recording laws can be wildly different depending on location and circumstances. Anyone using Bee needs to consider the consent of the people talking around them, regardless of whether Amazon deletes the original audio.

The fact that personalized shopping is part of the product's ambitions says something revealing about how the company imagines the future of personal AI. Amazon and Meta seem convinced that the future involves devices observing more of our lives so they can anticipate what we need next. And it's easy to think of reasons to develop these capabilities. People with memory difficulties, busy professionals, and anyone struggling to manage complicated schedules could benefit from reliable reminders and searchable conversations. But making recording devices an ordinary accessory could have far-reaching consequences, not all pleasant.

For me, the shopping integration is where Amazon's vision becomes particularly unappealing. I can appreciate an assistant remembering that I promised to call someone or reminding me about an appointment. I have considerably less enthusiasm for a device that might turn a casual remark about needing new shoes into another opportunity for Amazon to suggest something I should purchase.

We've spent years teaching technology companies about our interests through searches, purchases, clicks, and browsing histories. Wearable AI assistants like the Bee could extend that relationship into our conversations with other people. I don't particularly want my conversations becoming another source of shopping recommendations, though. If it's that important, maybe just write it down.

Nvidia RTX Spark laptops start at $2,599. Explore local AI capabilities, compatibility checks, and the cost and security trade-offs IT teams should assess.

The post Nvidia RTX Spark Brings Local AI Agents to Windows Laptops appeared first on TechRepublic.

• A hacker used AI agents to target more than 1,200 websites, compromising over 100 in under a month
• Autonomous agents tested vulnerabilities, adapted tactics, and established access with minimal human input
• Researchers warn AI-powered attacks are making large-scale website compromise faster and cheaper

In less than a month, a single Chinese hacker managed to break into more than 100 company websites, while doing almost none of the work himself. Instead, he tasked AI agents to do it for him and paid them around $5,000 in tokens for the job.

The campaign was spotted by cybersecurity researcher Snorre Fagerland from NorForge, who was looking for exposed Cairn installations when he found approximately two dozen being used for malicious purposes. These gave him first-hand insight into an active cybercriminal operation.

Cairn is described as an open source, general-purpose AI problem-solving engine, designed to help autonomous agents find solutions to complex tasks. Instead of focusing on a single application, Cairn provides a framework that defines goals, explores different approaches, and then executes actions to try and solve the problem. According to numerous media outlets, Cairn is quite popular in the cybercriminal community (although it’s not malicious by design).

When security becomes a problem needing solving

In this case, the “problem” Cairn was trying to solve for the attacker was how to run code on a website without signing in. They were trying out SQL injection, file uploads, as well as unsafe handling of stored objects. The goal, according to the researcher, was to establish persistent access to shopping and payment systems which could later be used to steal money.

Fagerland said the attacker used a combination of models, likely Claude Code with a DeepSeek model, although it is very difficult to determine. The instructions themselves were very brief, generally fewer than 100 Chinese characters, and in less than a month, the agents tried to break into more than 1,200 sites.

On average, the agents poke around a website for a day (23 hours), before either breaking in or moving on. With some 100 successful break-ins, Fagerland says the hacker paid $50 for tokens on average, per breach. This, however, is an estimate and not a confirmed billing.

The analyst did not name the victims. In its report, Cybersecurity News said the victims were mainly online stores in the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan, and Reuters managed to confirm some targets by “independently reviewing the hacker's Cairn activity”: including Deere (farm equipment maker), SharkNinja (home appliance ​company), and Cummins (engine manufacturer). It added that two “smaller businesses” also acknowledged being compromised but did not reply to the agency’s inquiries.

Impressive technique

Deere told Reuters it took “necessary remediation actions” and added that there was “no indication that sensitive information was accessed.” SharkNinja said the breach hit a standalone site carrying product support information only, and that the threat had been remediated. Cummins just said it was looking into reports.

So far, no one knows if the attacker managed to steal any sensitive data from his victims, and if so - how many. The researcher apparently found “hundreds” of exposed secrets in the open panels and was working with Reuters to let the victims know.

Fageraland told Reuters he was “impressed” by some of the techniques the agents used while compromising their victims. Apparently, after hitting a dead end against one of the targets, the AI agents scanned digital records in search of associated infrastructure. When they found a public-facing control panel, they discovered a “subtle weakness” in how it processed data. It took “hours of trial and error” before finally being able to execute a malicious command on the website’s server.

"It's ⁠not straightforward to come up with solutions like that," Fagerland said. "It's not script kiddie stuff."

AI attackers are the new normal, it seems. Business owners are advised to patch public-facing applications, restrict access to admin panels, and keep an eye on unexpected files in web directories.

Via Tom's Hardware

Cancel your individual AI subscriptions and get lifetime access to 50+ models for only $29.97 (reg. $499) with code SAVE10.

The post Get 50+ AI Models for Life in One Plan for $30 appeared first on TechRepublic.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is here, and this new first-party Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive has big shoes to fill.

You see, when Wii Sports entered the scene 20 years ago, it was a total phenomenon. It was a smash hit thanks to its simplistic yet addictive gameplay, enticing players of all ages…even your grandparents could get involved.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 only
Release date: October 22, 2026

Its successor, Wii Sports Resort, expanded on the formula, adding more sports, more depth, and more precise controls. And Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is attempting to do the very same for a new generation — to refine the relatively basic Nintendo Switch Sports and create a more fleshed-out experience, all while retaining that sense of widespread appeal for players of all ages.

But can Nintendo Switch Sports Resort pull off this seemingly daunting task? I’ve spent about 15 hours playing the game solo, with friends, and with fellow gaming journalists online, and this is my verdict.

Getting sporty on Switch 2

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The original Nintendo Switch Sports was a decent overall experience. It was a bit thin at launch and lacked single-player replayability, but the version we know today has a solid lineup of events, with fairly responsive controls, and is a good party game to enjoy with friends. And luckily, it feels like Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has fixed a lot of the issues I had with its predecessor.

Let’s start off by talking about the sporting variety on offer. There are 12 core sports available here. You’ve got some classic options like Basketball, Bowling, Boxing, and Tennis, as well as some Leisure Sports, such as Power Cruising and Prop Plane. What’s more, there are two sports that have never been seen in previous entries — namely Skateboarding and Thumb Wrestling.

I found that all 12 of the included sports were great fun to play. Let’s start with the returning events. Sports such as Basketball and Tennis are much unchanged, but feel incredibly tight and enjoyable, with accurate motion controls and multiple modes, such as Three-Point Contest for the former and a slower-paced Laid-Back Match for the latter. Bowling, Golf, and Volleyball are similarly unchanged, and continue to be a favorite for my pals and me, with plenty of laughs and tense moments.

Some of the returning sports feel far more refined, though. The biggest example of this is Boxing. Gone are the days of randomly flailing your disconnected gloves to down your opponent. Now, Boxing feels far more tactical. You have a stamina bar; it's far easier to land uppercuts and hooks, and picking the right moment to land your knockout punch is crucial.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

My highlight was definitely conquering the island champion in Table Tennis. This was my favorite sport by quite a margin, and landing a crushing power shot to snag the number one ranking felt incredible. Take that, Yunsu. I’m the champion now.

It’s a similar story with Table Tennis, which, in my view, is the most fun sport in the game. At higher levels, you’ll need to be incredibly strategic with your slice shots to recover back to the centre and perfect your timing to hit shots right onto the table edge. The Return Challenge mode is also a whole lot of fun, and honing your accuracy to beat your high score feels super rewarding.

Archery is another highlight, with the Joy-Con 2 controllers providing pinpoint precision when aiming for the target. There are also some hidden targets to discover, adding plenty of replay value to the sport. Other sports, like Power Cruising and Prop Plane, translate nicely onto Switch 2 as well, and although the latter asks you to hold the Joy-Con 2 in a slightly bizarre way, it’s fairly comfortable and effective after you get used to it.

Out with the old, in with the new

(Image credit: Nintendo)

We’ll get onto the new events in just a moment, but before we do that, let’s talk about something that irked me a little. Some of the events from the original Nintendo Switch Sports have been cut.

Yes, it’s out with the old and in with the new, as three events — Badminton, Chambara, and Football (or soccer) — are no more. This is a shame, as these were all among my favorite sports last time out. Football in particular is a big miss — it provided a chaotic, all-action multi-player experience with tense last-minute theatrics. Will these sports return in some kind of update or DLC? Quite possibly. But I would’ve loved to have seen them here at launch.

Anyway, no point in crying over spilt milk, eh? After all, the newly added sports are a blast. Thumb wrestling is a truly bizarre addition, and I can’t believe that Nintendo managed to make this feel fun. You have to hold your thumb against your opponent's hand to enlarge it, and then pin them down to attain victory. I feel like they missed a trick by leaving out ‘one, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war’ as the countdown, but otherwise, no complaints here.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has made one other key addition that helps it to totally surpass its predecessor, that being Island Crown.

I can see skateboarding dividing opinion, but I had good fun with it. This mode makes use of the Switch 2’s mouse mode capabilities, and this works surprisingly well. Whether I was lifting the Joy-Con 2 to jump or trick, tilting to steer, or pushing back to accelerate, movement always seemed to be accurate. The Skate Sprint mode is definitely the highlight here; tricking to gain speed, sneaking up behind your opponents, and grinding on railings is a whole lot of fun.

What I would say, however, is that the Free Play mode could’ve been better. The world that you skate around isn’t empty or anything, but I wish there was more to do and explore. The Sightseeing Tour is also a little lacking; you’re tasked with collecting photos, which isn’t the most thrilling experience — I would’ve preferred the option to collect customization parts for my board or character instead. This also applies to the Prop Plane and Power Cruising modes, which have Free Play options as well.

Oh, and a quick note on online play, which was very enjoyable in my experience. Here, you can expect highly responsive, smooth controls. Even though my home Wi-Fi is far from great, I ran into no performance issues whatsoever when linking up with a couple of other gaming journalists online — vital when playing reaction-based sports like Table Tennis and Volleyball.

A more replayable sporting experience

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has made one other key addition that helps it to totally surpass its predecessor, that being Island Crown.

Island Crown is a primarily single-player experience, where you have to rise up the ranks in a particular sport and challenge the island champion. Initially, your foes will seem laughably weak, but as you climb up the table, some highly skilled challengers will stand before you. If you manage to beat the island champion, you’ll have the opportunity to face a legendary Mii from the Wii era…I won’t spoil the identity of these, though; I’ll let you discover them for yourself.

This mode has kept me coming back to Nintendo Switch Sports Resort time after time. You get new customization options as you improve your rank; the challenge of beating tough opponents is highly compelling, and the mode serves as an excellent way to develop your sporting prowess. This is the sort of single-player replayability that the original Switch Sports was crying out for, and I absolutely loved it.

I’ve mentioned customization options a few times in this review, so let’s talk about them. By playing sports, you’ll earn points which you can spend at the item center to get a random title, hairstyle, costume, or such things. Previously, you could only earn points online to customize your character — meaning you’d need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but no longer. Now, you can earn points offline too, and I loved a lot of the straight-up weird customization options available. I mean, come on, just look at my character.

Just like Wii Sports Resort, this entry succeeds in building on its predecessor with additional depth and versatility.

You can either customize your standard character or a Mii that’s saved on your Switch 2 console. But I never deviated from the standard option. I’m afraid that the Miis just look so out of place in this game, with this visual style...and I feel like it’s time to let them go. Maybe they should simply remain as a relic of a bygone era.

More generally, I would say that the visual style of Nintendo Switch Sports is a bit lackluster. It misses the personality and sauce of the Wii era titles, and goes for a more ‘streamlined,’ modern look which ends up feeling a tad soulless. Even the menus are a touch dull, and given that this is a Nintendo game, I expected more flair, and perhaps a few nods to the company’s most beloved IPs to add even more charm.

The quality of the visuals is generally strong, though, and frame rates are consistent in docked or tabletop mode. I did notice a few texture loading issues in tabletop when playing Prop Plane, but this was fairly minor.

Otherwise, though, I’m coming away from my experience with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort feeling largely positive. The bolstered single-player replayability, enjoyable new sports, refined classics, and brilliantly responsive controls ensure it's a hit that’s especially great for multiplayer mayhem.

It’s a shame that some sports were cut, and I’m still not sold on this series’ visual direction, but just like Wii Sports Resort, this entry succeeds in building on its predecessor with additional depth and versatility. So, if you’re looking for a fun sporting experience to add to your Switch 2 library, this is well worth picking up.

Should you play Nintendo Switch Sports Resort?

(Image credit: Nintendo)Play it if…

You want to enjoy more multiplayer mayhem on Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 already has an excellent lineup of multiplayer experiences, and Nintendo Switch Sports only adds more variety into the mix. I enjoyed playing all 12 of the sports here with friends and family, and had no end of chaotic showdowns. This one’s definitely going to remain in my party game rotation alongside Mario Party Jamboree and Mario Kart World.

You’re looking for more single-player goodness
The inclusion of Island Crown means that there’s so much single player replayability on offer in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Fighting to rise up the ranks and defeat the island champion is an absolute blast, and keeps the experience feeling fresh, even without friends or online rivals.

Don't play it if...

You’re not a big fan of motion controls
If you don’t enjoy motion controls, this is one to be avoided. All of the sports here highly rely on motion, with no other control schemes available, other than the mouse mode-enabled Skateboarding.

You didn’t vibe with the previous game’s visuals
The visual style from the original Nintendo Switch Sports has been retained here, and again, it doesn’t feel very inspired or charismatic. If that ended up being a major turn off for you last time, don’t expect much in the way of change here.

Accessibility features

You can change the dominant hand for each individual sport, alter camera controls for Prop Plane and Skateboarding, and turn on Shot Assist for Golf, which makes it easier to hit the ball accurately. Otherwise, there aren’t many ways to customize your experience in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, with no colorblind modes or alternate control schemes available.

How I reviewed Nintendo Switch Sports Resort

(Image credit: Nintendo)

I spent 15 hours playing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, trying out Island Crown mode in single-player, as well as a number of core and Leisure Sports via local and online multiplayer.

For the most part, I played in docked mode, with my console connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, I did dabble in some tabletop mode gameplay, and used the JBL Live Beam 4 to enjoy in-game audio.

More generally, I’ve spent years reviewing gaming software and hardware here at TechRadar. I’ve reviewed a number of Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, including Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and Kirby Air Riders. I've also logged more than 50 hours on the original Nintendo Switch Sports, which I directly compared against its newly released successor.

First reviewed October 2026

The lower-cost phone has a parent portal for managing calls and texts, checking the phone’s location and enabling games.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is here, and this new first-party Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive has big shoes to fill.

You see, when Wii Sports entered the scene 20 years ago, it was a total phenomenon. It was a smash hit thanks to its simplistic yet addictive gameplay, enticing players of all ages…even your grandparents could get involved.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 only
Release date: October 22, 2026

Its successor, Wii Sports Resort, expanded on the formula, adding more sports, more depth, and more precise controls. And Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is attempting to do the very same for a new generation — to refine the relatively basic Nintendo Switch Sports and create a more fleshed-out experience, all while retaining that sense of widespread appeal for players of all ages.

But can Nintendo Switch Sports Resort pull off this seemingly daunting task? I’ve spent about 15 hours playing the game solo, with friends, and with fellow gaming journalists online, and this is my verdict.

Getting sporty on Switch 2

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The original Nintendo Switch Sports was a decent overall experience. It was a bit thin at launch and lacked single-player replayability, but the version we know today has a solid lineup of events, with fairly responsive controls, and is a good party game to enjoy with friends. And luckily, it feels like Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has fixed a lot of the issues I had with its predecessor.

Let’s start off by talking about the sporting variety on offer. There are 12 core sports available here. You’ve got some classic options like Basketball, Bowling, Boxing, and Tennis, as well as some Leisure Sports, such as Power Cruising and Prop Plane. What’s more, there are two sports that have never been seen in previous entries — namely Skateboarding and Thumb Wrestling.

I found that all 12 of the included sports were great fun to play. Let’s start with the returning events. Sports such as Basketball and Tennis are much unchanged, but feel incredibly tight and enjoyable, with accurate motion controls and multiple modes, such as Three-Point Contest for the former and a slower-paced Laid-Back Match for the latter. Bowling, Golf, and Volleyball are similarly unchanged, and continue to be a favorite for my pals and me, with plenty of laughs and tense moments.

Some of the returning sports feel far more refined, though. The biggest example of this is Boxing. Gone are the days of randomly flailing your disconnected gloves to down your opponent. Now, Boxing feels far more tactical. You have a stamina bar; it's far easier to land uppercuts and hooks, and picking the right moment to land your knockout punch is crucial.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

My highlight was definitely conquering the island champion in Table Tennis. This was my favorite sport by quite a margin, and landing a crushing power shot to snag the number one ranking felt incredible. Take that, Yunsu. I’m the champion now.

It’s a similar story with Table Tennis, which, in my view, is the most fun sport in the game. At higher levels, you’ll need to be incredibly strategic with your slice shots to recover back to the centre and perfect your timing to hit shots right onto the table edge. The Return Challenge mode is also a whole lot of fun, and honing your accuracy to beat your high score feels super rewarding.

Archery is another highlight, with the Joy-Con 2 controllers providing pinpoint precision when aiming for the target. There are also some hidden targets to discover, adding plenty of replay value to the sport. Other sports, like Power Cruising and Prop Plane, translate nicely onto Switch 2 as well, and although the latter asks you to hold the Joy-Con 2 in a slightly bizarre way, it’s fairly comfortable and effective after you get used to it.

Out with the old, in with the new

(Image credit: Nintendo)

We’ll get onto the new events in just a moment, but before we do that, let’s talk about something that irked me a little. Some of the events from the original Nintendo Switch Sports have been cut.

Yes, it’s out with the old and in with the new, as three events — Badminton, Chambara, and Football (or soccer) — are no more. This is a shame, as these were all among my favorite sports last time out. Football in particular is a big miss — it provided a chaotic, all-action multi-player experience with tense last-minute theatrics. Will these sports return in some kind of update or DLC? Quite possibly. But I would’ve loved to have seen them here at launch.

Anyway, no point in crying over spilt milk, eh? After all, the newly added sports are a blast. Thumb wrestling is a truly bizarre addition, and I can’t believe that Nintendo managed to make this feel fun. You have to hold your thumb against your opponent's hand to enlarge it, and then pin them down to attain victory. I feel like they missed a trick by leaving out ‘one, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war’ as the countdown, but otherwise, no complaints here.

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has made one other key addition that helps it to totally surpass its predecessor, that being Island Crown.

I can see skateboarding dividing opinion, but I had good fun with it. This mode makes use of the Switch 2’s mouse mode capabilities, and this works surprisingly well. Whether I was lifting the Joy-Con 2 to jump or trick, tilting to steer, or pushing back to accelerate, movement always seemed to be accurate. The Skate Sprint mode is definitely the highlight here; tricking to gain speed, sneaking up behind your opponents, and grinding on railings is a whole lot of fun.

What I would say, however, is that the Free Play mode could’ve been better. The world that you skate around isn’t empty or anything, but I wish there was more to do and explore. The Sightseeing Tour is also a little lacking; you’re tasked with collecting photos, which isn’t the most thrilling experience — I would’ve preferred the option to collect customization parts for my board or character instead. This also applies to the Prop Plane and Power Cruising modes, which have Free Play options as well.

Oh, and a quick note on online play, which was very enjoyable in my experience. Here, you can expect highly responsive, smooth controls. Even though my home Wi-Fi is far from great, I ran into no performance issues whatsoever when linking up with a couple of other gaming journalists online — vital when playing reaction-based sports like Table Tennis and Volleyball.

A more replayable sporting experience

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch Sports Resort has made one other key addition that helps it to totally surpass its predecessor, that being Island Crown.

Island Crown is a primarily single-player experience, where you have to rise up the ranks in a particular sport and challenge the island champion. Initially, your foes will seem laughably weak, but as you climb up the table, some highly skilled challengers will stand before you. If you manage to beat the island champion, you’ll have the opportunity to face a legendary Mii from the Wii era…I won’t spoil the identity of these, though; I’ll let you discover them for yourself.

This mode has kept me coming back to Nintendo Switch Sports Resort time after time. You get new customization options as you improve your rank; the challenge of beating tough opponents is highly compelling, and the mode serves as an excellent way to develop your sporting prowess. This is the sort of single-player replayability that the original Switch Sports was crying out for, and I absolutely loved it.

I’ve mentioned customization options a few times in this review, so let’s talk about them. By playing sports, you’ll earn points which you can spend at the item center to get a random title, hairstyle, costume, or such things. Previously, you could only earn points online to customize your character — meaning you’d need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but no longer. Now, you can earn points offline too, and I loved a lot of the straight-up weird customization options available. I mean, come on, just look at my character.

Just like Wii Sports Resort, this entry succeeds in building on its predecessor with additional depth and versatility.

You can either customize your standard character or a Mii that’s saved on your Switch 2 console. But I never deviated from the standard option. I’m afraid that the Miis just look so out of place in this game, with this visual style...and I feel like it’s time to let them go. Maybe they should simply remain as a relic of a bygone era.

More generally, I would say that the visual style of Nintendo Switch Sports is a bit lackluster. It misses the personality and sauce of the Wii era titles, and goes for a more ‘streamlined,’ modern look which ends up feeling a tad soulless. Even the menus are a touch dull, and given that this is a Nintendo game, I expected more flair, and perhaps a few nods to the company’s most beloved IPs to add even more charm.

The quality of the visuals is generally strong, though, and frame rates are consistent in docked or tabletop mode. I did notice a few texture loading issues in tabletop when playing Prop Plane, but this was fairly minor.

Otherwise, though, I’m coming away from my experience with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort feeling largely positive. The bolstered single-player replayability, enjoyable new sports, refined classics, and brilliantly responsive controls ensure it's a hit that’s especially great for multiplayer mayhem.

It’s a shame that some sports were cut, and I’m still not sold on this series’ visual direction, but just like Wii Sports Resort, this entry succeeds in building on its predecessor with additional depth and versatility. So, if you’re looking for a fun sporting experience to add to your Switch 2 library, this is well worth picking up.

Should you play Nintendo Switch Sports Resort?

(Image credit: Nintendo)Play it if…

You want to enjoy more multiplayer mayhem on Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 already has an excellent lineup of multiplayer experiences, and Nintendo Switch Sports only adds more variety into the mix. I enjoyed playing all 12 of the sports here with friends and family, and had no end of chaotic showdowns. This one’s definitely going to remain in my party game rotation alongside Mario Party Jamboree and Mario Kart World.

You’re looking for more single-player goodness
The inclusion of Island Crown means that there’s so much single player replayability on offer in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Fighting to rise up the ranks and defeat the island champion is an absolute blast, and keeps the experience feeling fresh, even without friends or online rivals.

Don't play it if...

You’re not a big fan of motion controls
If you don’t enjoy motion controls, this is one to be avoided. All of the sports here highly rely on motion, with no other control schemes available, other than the mouse mode-enabled Skateboarding.

You didn’t vibe with the previous game’s visuals
The visual style from the original Nintendo Switch Sports has been retained here, and again, it doesn’t feel very inspired or charismatic. If that ended up being a major turn off for you last time, don’t expect much in the way of change here.

Accessibility features

You can change the dominant hand for each individual sport, alter camera controls for Prop Plane and Skateboarding, and turn on Shot Assist for Golf, which makes it easier to hit the ball accurately. Otherwise, there aren’t many ways to customize your experience in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, with no colorblind modes or alternate control schemes available.

How I reviewed Nintendo Switch Sports Resort

(Image credit: Nintendo)

I spent 15 hours playing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, trying out Island Crown mode in single-player, as well as a number of core and Leisure Sports via local and online multiplayer.

For the most part, I played in docked mode, with my console connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, I did dabble in some tabletop mode gameplay, and used the JBL Live Beam 4 to enjoy in-game audio.

More generally, I’ve spent years reviewing gaming software and hardware here at TechRadar. I’ve reviewed a number of Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives, including Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and Kirby Air Riders. I've also logged more than 50 hours on the original Nintendo Switch Sports, which I directly compared against its newly released successor.

First reviewed October 2026

There's no doubt that the Samsung 990 Pro SSD is an exceptional drive - it scored 5 stars in our tests, where we called it the drive to beat. But when it comes to good value, there's a deal on the Samsung 990 2TB SSD for $330 (was $530) at Amazon.

Compared to the 990 Pro, which is selling for $410, I'd be inclined to opt for the cheaper one and save $80. It's an ideal SSD for applications, large files, photos and videos, and a quick PC storage upgrade. The main point of difference is the speeds, with the 990 hitting up to 7,250MB/s, versus the 990 Pro at 7,450 MB/s. In the real-world, for general users, that's practically invisible.

• Best for: Desktop PC builders, content creators, professionals working with large files, and anyone upgrading from a smaller or slower SSD.

• What we like: The 990 SSD boasts high-speed PCIe 4.0 performance. Its advertised sequential read speeds reach 7,250MB/s, while write speeds go up to 6,450MB/s. That's fast enough for demanding tasks, including transferring large video files.

Today's best Samsung SSD deal

2TB 990 SSD: was $529.99 now $329.99
This 2TB internal SSD features PCIe 4.0 NVMe connectivity, sequential read speeds up to 7,250MB/s, write speeds up to 6,450MB/s, hardware encryption, drive-management software, and three-year limited warranty coverage.View Deal

Why we recommend it

While we haven't tested the 990, we have reviewed the upgraded Samsung 990 Pro, which remains one of our top-rated drives with 5 stars. If you don't need flagship-tier performance (and most people don't), the 990 is a strong pick.

Random performance is rated at up to 850,000 read IOPS and 1,200,000 write IOPS, helping the drive tackle intensive tasks involving numerous smaller files. Samsung claims up to 38% better performance per watt than the 990 Pro under its own test conditions.

You can manage the drive through Samsung Magician software, which provides firmware updates, health monitoring, and security features.

Price context & historical value

The Samsung 990's usual price is $529.99, but it's currently $200 off, bringing the price down to $329.99. That works out to approximately 38% off, or around $165 per TB.

This is not only the cheapest it's been in 30 days on Amazon, it's as affordable as it's ever been there, so we'd definitely recommend you snap it up now.

For more savings, we're tracking all the best SSD deals to help beat all the price hikes on components.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Samsung 990 if...

You need 2TB of fast internal storage for a desktop, workstation, or compatible laptop. The combination of PCIe 4.0 performance and generous capacity is great, and ideal for use in a new system.

❌ Skip the Samsung 990 if...

You're working with a tight budget and can grab a rival 2TB SSD for cheaper. Also, note that this is the standard Samsung 990, not the higher-end 990 Pro. It's also an internal M.2 SSD, so your PC needs a compatible slot and you'll need PCIe 4.0 support to achieve the advertised maximum speeds.

More Samsung SSD deals

990 Pro SSD (2TB): was $639.99 now $409.99
The Samsung 990 Pro SSD is still one of the best around - especially at an unbeatable price like this. In our review, we hailed it as "an absolutely stellar M.2 SSD for both professional users and gamers." View Deal

9100 Pro SSD (2TB): was $679.97 now $410.64
Offering up to 14,700MB/s read speeds, this PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD pairs 2TB of storage with hardware encryption, advanced thermal control, Magician Software support, and excellent performance for creative workloads, AI applications, and demanding multitasking.View Deal

• Shop all internal SSD deals at Amazon

In his new book, Paris Marx explores how global anti-data center movements are fighting Big Tech’s power over us.

Learn how AI tool calling works, how it differs from APIs and MCP, and what businesses should know about integrations, permissions and security risks.

The post What Is Tool Calling in AI? How It Works and Why It Matters appeared first on TechRepublic.

Gmail AI Inbox is expanding to paid Google Workspace accounts. Learn what IT admins can control, how rollout works, and what users should verify.

The post Gmail AI Inbox Reaches Workspace: What IT Admins Can Control appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Mayor Zohran Mamdani has urged New Yorkers to push back against AI
• He says there has been a 'complete abdication of federal law' when it comes to regulating the technology
• Mamdani has banned AI use in some schools in New York and has banned AI from being used to generate images on property listings

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has urged city residents to push back against the doom and gloom feelings around AI, telling them that “Nothing has to be.”

Speaking at The People’s AI Assembly, hosted by the AI Now Institute in Webster Hall, Manhattan, Mamdani noted there has been a “reckless adoption of technology without any kind of a reckoning with the limitations of that technology.”

“There’s a creep that comes with this, and there’s an intent to overwhelm that leaves people feeling as if there is simply no option,” Mamdani said.

“Reckless adoption of technology”

Federal regulations on AI are few and far between, and are failing to keep pace with the technology, prompting widespread worry that AI will replace jobs and harm education for both New Yorkers and people around the world.

Mamdani’s comment centers around how AI technology is being relentlessly pushed into products, services, education, and elsewhere with people having very little say in how it is used.

Schools were a particular sticking point for the conversation on AI. Mamdani recently introduced a ban on AI use in elementary and middle schools after the technology began creeping its way into classrooms. Actress and activist Ilana Glazer, interviewing Mamdani, said, “It just makes me nervous. It feels so non-consensual, as though…this has to be in schools. It wasn’t two years ago. Why does it have to be in schools?”

AI is also having an impact on schools in other ways. Speaking on the reckless adoption of AI, Mamdani referenced the US military’s use of an AI targeting tool that was involved in a strike on a school in Iran earlier this year that killed over 150 people including at least 123 children. A subsequent Pentagon investigation found that overreliance on AI tools was a factor in the deadly strike.

President Trump has pushed forward with an AI at any cost rhetoric framed as an arms race against China, with the President arguing that any attempts to regulate AI could cost the US its lead. “There is this desire to speak about [AI] as if it is infallible, as if it cannot be questioned, as if the only people who can regulate it are the ones who are currently developing it,” Mamdani said.

“What it really is, is an attempt to escape any kind of accountability at any level, without also jeopardizing the potential valuation from an IPO.”

Anthropic is set to enter the public markets before the end of 2026, with OpenAI looking to make the same move in 2027. Both companies have been involved in hacking incidents where AI agents undergoing testing have escaped sandboxes and breached other companies. These incidents have been labelled as ‘rogue’ behavior, despite evidence from investigations suggesting the AI agents were behaving exactly as intended.

The use of the word ‘rogue’ has also been questioned by experts, with Tenable Field CTO Bernard Montel saying the use of the word “muddies the public policy debate by distracting regulators from enforcing strict legal liability for flawed software deployments.”

Despite these events, little movement has been made to introduce regulations, which Mamdani labelled as a “complete abdication of federal law.”

“As we are looking at what comes after this federal administration, there has to be a very different kind of framework in how we think about AI, talk about AI, the accountability we’re willing to bring forward when it comes to that,” he said.

ViceForge Gamer Pro finds wins, eliminations, and clutch plays in your footage, then exports polished clips.

The post Turn Raw Gameplay Into Shareable Clips With This $50 AI Editor appeared first on TechRepublic.

The White House AI task force has begun a 120-day review of cybersecurity, biosecurity and oversight, with potential implications for businesses and developers.

The post White House Begins 120-Day AI Safety Review Amid Growing Security Concerns appeared first on TechRepublic.

• A new location-sharing upgrade for Google Messages has been spotted
• You'll be able to add different map layers, including live traffic
• It's not clear how long it will be before the feature is enabled for everyone

While Google has added plenty of new features and refinements to its Google Messages app in recent months and years, it still lags behind competitors such as WhatsApp when it comes to certain facets of the app — like sharing your location with other people.

This is something that's essential for social meet-ups, keeping tabs on the kids, planning journey times, and more besides, and hidden code spotted by Android Authority suggests that location sharing in Google Messages is about to get a significant upgrade.

This is code that's present but not yet enabled in the latest beta version of Google Messages for Android, but the Android Authority team was able to get it working. It adds several map types and a map details option, when you choose to share your location.

Currently, you can only show a map in the default Google Maps style when location sharing in Google Messages, but the new options would let you switch to satellite or terrain views instead, as well as overlaying live traffic information on top.

Benefits to users

Sharing your location in Google Messages (Image credit: Future)

The satellite view would make it easier to find someone in relation to a landmark or a feature or the landscape, for example, while the terrain view would give you a better idea of how simple (or otherwise) it might be to reach someone in a remote area.

Then there's the traffic view — say if the roads were blocked up around a person you're trying to pick up in a car, you could get them to walk and come and meet you, rather than getting stuck in a traffic jam unnecessarily.

Most of the time I do tend to default to WhatsApp when it comes to letting people know where I am, because everyone's got the app and it's straightforward to use. You can also set time limits on location sharing, something which Google Messages doesn't have.

If improvements like this continue, I might switch to Google Messages for locations instead — at least for those people on Android. There's still work to do, but the feature only arrived earlier this year, so it's encouraging to see upgrades on the way already.