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- Nintendo significantly cuts Switch price in Europe
- The Morning After: Epic has already appealed Apple App Store lawsuit ruling
- The soccer team co-owned by Ryan Reynolds is coming to FIFA 22
- Defense Department seeks nuclear propulsion for small spacecraft
- Epic appeals ruling in lawsuit against Apple over App Store rules
- Android 12 might debut on October 4th
- Fusion energy nears reality thanks to an ultra-powerful magnet
- Last-minute iPhone 13 leak hints at 1TB storage option
- The US may crack down on 'stable' cryptocurrencies
Nintendo significantly cuts Switch price in Europe Posted: 13 Sep 2021 04:30 AM PDT Nintendo has officially lowered the suggested retail price of the base Switch model in Europe, Nintendo Life has reported, hopefully telegraphing a similar drop in the US. It's now available for £260 in the UK or €270 elsewhere in Europe, rather than the previous £280 (€330), at Nintendo's official store. "Nintendo of Europe is changing the European trade price of the Nintendo Switch console to retailers," a spokesperson said in a statement to Eurogamer. "More than four and a half years after its first release, Nintendo Switch continues to have strong sales momentum in Europe. After carefully weighing up a variety of factors, including currency exchange rates in Europe and the upcoming launch of Nintendo Switch - OLED Model, we decided that now was the appropriate time to change the European trade price of Nintendo Switch." A US price drop for the base unit has been rumored with the OLED Switch set to arrive on October 8th. The new model has a larger 7-inch, 720p OLED display with smaller bezels, a new kickstand, an ethernet port and speaker improvements, though no other upgraded parts. With everything else unchanged, the lower pricing makes the base model a relatively good deal. "We made the price change before the launch of Nintendo Switch - OLED Model so that the price differences between each model in Nintendo's own retail channel, My Nintendo Store, would be what Nintendo judges to be appropriate for its own store," Nintendo said. The Nintendo Switch base model is still showing at $300 in the US at Amazon and Nintendo's official store, so hopefully that will change in the near future. The Switch OLED will cost $350 in the US, £310 in the UK and €365 elsewhere in Europe. The price of the Switch Lite will remain the same, the company said. |
The Morning After: Epic has already appealed Apple App Store lawsuit ruling Posted: 13 Sep 2021 04:15 AM PDT The weekend before Apple's big iPhone event, the company's legal battle with Epic and app developers cast a shadow. It's hard to describe either side as an out-and-out loser or winner; Apple must allow App Store developers to direct users to other payment systems, which would let them bypass the 30 percent cut of in-app payments that Apple takes. Judge Gonzales Rogers also ruled, however, that the App Store doesn't violate antitrust law. She ruled against Epic in Apple's counterclaim for breach of contract. Epic has to pay Apple $3.65 million. The latest development: Epic has already filed an appeal against that ruling. The initial notice didn't explain exactly how the Fortnite developer was challenging the decision. I'm sure Apple would love to put the legal tussle behind it — while the ruling will cut into its revenue from some developers, it shouldn't hugely affect its bottom line — and it's got more new phones and devices to reveal. Want to know what we're expecting from the big event? Read everything we know so far, right here! -Mat Smith Last-minute iPhone 13 leak hints at 1TB storage optionYou may have a lower-priced AirPods option, too.Having said that, this little nugget was too late for our What to Expect story on Apple's incoming phones. It seems the iPhone 13 — will the company call it that? — comes with some 1TB options, regardless of the expansion of iCloud and storage outside of the device itself. Well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will have up to 1TB of storage alongside 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options carried over from the iPhone 12 Pro family. That could prove a little more expensive. Perhaps more importantly, he also believed the base iPhone 13 and 13 mini would start at 128GB versus the (frankly inadequate) 64GB of their predecessors. He added that the current second-gen AirPods will stick around and sell alongside a new third-generation model, to be revealed at Apple's September 14th event, probably with a price drop. Don't sleep on the iPhone miniIt was the most exciting iPhone 12.Mat Smith (yes, me) loves the iPhone 12 mini. While the battery life was frustrating, that there's a tiny smartphone, powerful enough for gaming and other processor-intensive tasks, is a very good thing. We hope — and rumors suggest that — Apple will continue the iPhone mini family. Perseverance rover samples hint Mars had water for a long timeInteresting early results.The Perseverance rover's first rock samples from Mars are already providing insights. NASA researchers' early analysis of the samples indicates water was present in Jezero Crater for a "long time" — think tens of thousands or millions of years. That, in turn, suggests Mars' water was stable enough to make it relatively welcoming to microscopic life. The mission team also detected crucial salts that might have formed when water flowed through the sampled rock. The salt might have not only trapped pockets of Mars' old water, but could have preserved signs of life. The US may crack down on 'stable' cryptocurrenciesRegulators are worried stablecoins hurt stability more than they help.Stablecoins are ostensibly safer than regular cryptocurrency thanks to their ties to less volatile assets, but US regulators apparently aren't convinced. Bloomberg sources hear the Treasury Department and other federal agencies are close to a possible crackdown on stablecoins through a review from the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Officials are reportedly concerned the digital money is largely unregulated and could ultimately destabilize the financial system, not protect it. Some of that concern centers around Tether, which tries to stabilize its funds by holding large amounts of corporate debt. That could be vulnerable to "chaotic investor runs" if cryptocurrency values tank, according to Bloomberg. The biggest news stories you might have missedAndroid 12 might debut on October 4th Hitting the Books: How Florence Nightingale changed medicine using stats and 'rose charts' Virgin Galactic delays its first commercial research space flight to mid-October Sony's PlayStation Showcase was a banger |
The soccer team co-owned by Ryan Reynolds is coming to FIFA 22 Posted: 13 Sep 2021 03:18 AM PDT Wrexham AFC is a non-league club in the fifth tier of the English soccer pyramid (the much-more-famous Premier League is at the top), which means it's an unlikely candidate to feature in a FIFA game. Fortunately for Wrexham, it's not just any club, but a (technically Welsh) team co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — which is why it'll now feature in FIFA 22.
Wrexham, based on Wales but playing in England's National football league, will appear in Kick Off mode in the "Rest of World" category. That section includes a grab-bag of clubs which are notable for other reasons but aren't members of a major FIFA-signed league. EA inked a multi-year deal with the club that includes "commitments to the Wrexham community and its fans," the company said The news leaked out a bit early when Wrexham appeared in a list of all teams in FIFA 22, as Eurogamer reported. Other National clubs might be peeved by the decision, but Wrexham does bring a certain notoriety with Reynolds as owner. "'Rest of World' is an important geographic area known for its random assortment of cultures, climates and football clubs. If you're planning on visiting 'Rest of World,' please consider visiting Wrexham," he said in a typically sassy video. |
Defense Department seeks nuclear propulsion for small spacecraft Posted: 12 Sep 2021 02:12 PM PDT The US Defense Department's ambitions beyond Earth just grew a little clearer. SpaceNews has learned the department recently put out a call for privately-made nuclear propulsion systems that could power small- and mid-sized spacecraft. The DoD wants to launch missions venturing beyond Earth orbit, and existing electric and solar spacecraft are neither suitable for that job nor suitable to smaller vehicles, the department's Defense Innovation Unit said. The nuclear propulsion system will ideally offer "high delta-V" (above 33ft/s) while scaling down to less than 2,000kg in dry mass (4,409lbs on Earth). On top of providing electricity for the payload, the technology will hopefully keep the spacecraft warm when in shadow and minimize radiation both on the ground and to other components. Responses are expected by September 23rd, with contracts handed out as quickly as 60 to 90 days afterward. Officials acknowledged they were making the request as a matter of expediency. NASA and other agencies are already developing or backing nuclear spacecraft, but those won't be ready for a long while. The DoD is hoping for a prototype within three to five years — this technology would serve as a stopgap that puts nuclear propulsion into service relatively quickly for near-term projects. While the request didn't provide clues as to what spacecraft were in the works, the focus on smaller spacecraft suggests it could involve probes, satellites or other vehicles with modest goals. You won't see this power human trips to Mars. All the same, it's clear the DoD is frustrated by the limitations of existing spacecraft engines and wants a fast track to more powerful designs. |
Epic appeals ruling in lawsuit against Apple over App Store rules Posted: 12 Sep 2021 12:33 PM PDT Epic may have scored a notable victory in its lawsuit against Apple, but it's dissatisfied enough to keep the legal battle going. The Vergereports Epic has filed an appeal against the ruling. The initial notice didn't explain how the Fortnite developer was challenging the decision, but there were a number of areas that left the company unhappy. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' ruling determined Epic had to pay $3.65 million in damages for violating Apple's rules barring third-party in-app payment systems, plus 30 percent of whatever Epic earned through its in-house payment system from November 2020 onward. More importantly, Rogers found Epic's monopoly allegations didn't hold up under scrutiny. While Epic did succeed in forcing Apple to allow links to third-party purchasing systems, it didn't receive concessions on allowing third-party app stores or obtaining "fair competition" for in-app purchasing. Apple largely gets to preserve its existing business model, preventing access to the Epic Games Store or similar App Store alternatives. Apple isn't completely satisfied, either, and is expected to appeal Epic's one win in the case. This fight isn't likely to end any time soon, regardless of how courts rule in the near future. |
Android 12 might debut on October 4th Posted: 12 Sep 2021 11:12 AM PDT Android 12 has taken longer to bake than many of its predecessors, but the end might finally be in sight. XDA editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman claims Google plans to release the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) version of Android 12 on October 4th. As the company often releases polished public releases at the same time as AOSP, that hints Pixel owners may get their upgrade starting that day. If the timing holds up, this also sets expectations for the Pixel 6 launch. Google can't really ship its new range-topping phones without Android 12, so it's unlikely to formally debut the Pixel 6 before that date. We wouldn't be surprised if the hardware only surfaced sometime later in October. Be prepared to wait if you aren't using a Pixel. While some phone makers tend to be quick and release major Android updates within weeks, many others take months. Samsung didn't start deploying Android 11 until December 2020, three months after Google officially released the OS. As much as Google has done to shorten update delays with efforts like Project Treble, it still takes time for companies to both adapt Android to heavily-customized interfaces and test the software with customers and carriers.
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Fusion energy nears reality thanks to an ultra-powerful magnet Posted: 12 Sep 2021 10:23 AM PDT Fusion energy just had its second breakthrough in as many months. Motherboardnotes an MIT- and Commonwealth Fusion Systems-led research team has successfully demonstrated a high-temperature superconducting electromagnet producing a field strength of 20 tesla — the most powerful field of its kind on Earth. The technology could be the key to SPARC, a fusion device due in 2025 that could foster a plasma field producing more energy than it consumes. Systems based on superconducting electromagnets aren't new. The under-construction ITER device in France will use low-temperature superconductors. However, the MIT-CFS hardware's high-temperature technology (built using a ribbon-like tape material) allows for much stronger magnetic fields. It can match the field of a low-temperature magnet system 40 times its size, according to MIT. SPARC and its net positive energy output would be just the start. MIT and CFS still plan to develop a fusion power plant, ARC, that might go online as soon as 2033. Should that happen, fusion energy would finally become a practical reality — just in time to help a world transitioning to electric vehicles that demand more from power grids. |
Last-minute iPhone 13 leak hints at 1TB storage option Posted: 12 Sep 2021 08:42 AM PDT The imminent iPhone 13 series promises more than a few upgrades, but one of them may answer a common problem: the never-ending desire for more storage. As 9to5Macreports, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will be available with up to 1TB of storage alongside 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options carried over from the iPhone 12 Pro family. While that's bound to be expensive, it could be appealing if you capture a lot of video or want that much more futureproofing. Kuo also believed the base iPhone 13 and 13 mini would start at 128GB versus the (frankly inadequate) 64GB of their outgoing counterparts. You'd also see a new 512GB tier — you'd no longer have to splurge on a Pro model just to get more than 256GB. There might be other ways to save money. The analyst also said he expected the current AirPods to stick around and sell alongside the third-generation models poised to debut at Apple's September 14th event. He wasn't certain how this would affect pricing, but the most likely scenario is a price drop that lets the third-gen AirPods occupy the existing space. Apple might sell the new wireless earbuds at a higher price, but there wouldn't be much of a gap between them and the (normally $250) AirPods Pro. If leaks are accurate, the new AirPods will more closely resemble their Pro counterparts and support spatial audio, but won't include the higher-end buds' eartips or active noise cancellation. That could make the current, no-frills AirPods the 'budget' choice for those who want alternatives to the Pixel Buds A, Nothing Ear 1 and other value-focused rivals. |
The US may crack down on 'stable' cryptocurrencies Posted: 12 Sep 2021 07:36 AM PDT Stablecoins are ostensibly safer than regular cryptocurrency thanks to their ties to less volatile assets, but US regulators apparently aren't convinced. Bloombergsources hear the Treasury Department and other federal agencies are close to a possible crackdown on stablecoins through a review from the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Officials are reportedly concerned the digital money is largely unregulated and could ultimately destabilize the financial system, not protect it. A presidential Working Group on Financial Markets is believed to be most concerned about Tether. The cryptocurrency's operators said they stabilize their funds by holding large amounts of corporate debt. That could be vulnerable to "chaotic investor runs" if cryptocurrency values tank, according to Bloomberg. While a firm decision isn't expected until December, when the Working Group is believed to be issuing recommendations, there's reportedly a "consensus" in favor of an Oversight Council review. If that happens, the council could label stablecoins as threats that warrant strict regulation. Numerous cryptocurrencies could be forced to change their business models or even shut down. As it stands, stablecoins are at risk from government competition. The Federal Reserve is exploring the possibility of launching a central bank cryptocurrency. Such a move could render private options moot in the US — there wouldn't be much point to them if there was an official, potentially more reliable equivalent. Whatever happens, it's safe to say the existing stablecoin market might not last long as-is if a review goes forward. |
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