Technology

Nintendo has repeatedly denied that a Nintendo Switch Pro could be in development, but at the same time, we doubt that Nintendo isn’t thinking about a future model of the Switch, maybe one that’s so  drastically different that it might be known as the Switch 2 instead of the Switch Pro.

Now, some of you might have heard that NVIDIA recently fell victim to a cyberattack, and as such, several alleged leaked files were posted online. According to a report from TechPowerUp, they have published a list of the leaked files, one of which contains a folder called NVN2 and a driver called NVNDLSS.

Both Microsoft and Sony are currently offering services that are similar to each other. For example, Microsoft has Xbox Live Gold and Sony has PSN that lets players go online and play against others. However, as some of you might recall, last year it was reported that Sony could be developing a new service that would be akin to the Xbox Game Pass.

Now thanks to a report from GamesBeat, the pricing of Sony’s upcoming service has been revealed. The service, which is currently codenamed Spartacus, will allegedly be offered in three different tiers. One will be the Essential tier which is similar to PlayStation Plus in its current form and will cost $10 a month.

If you’re an amateur photographer or a hobbyist with an interchangeable lens camera, you’re probably aware that some lenses can be pretty expensive, with prices ranging anywhere between $1,000 to $2,000. But did you know if you’re a professional that needs particular and specific lenses to get the job done, it can cost way more than that?

In case you didn’t know, here’s a bit of a sticker shock for you. Canon has just announced a couple of new super-telephoto lenses that will cost as much as $20,000 for a single lens. Yup, you read that right, a camera lens that’s about the price of a new car.

Taking screenshots while you play your favorite games on the Sony PS4 or PS5 is completely doable and it’s pretty easy and straightforward. However, sharing those screenshots might be a bit tricky, but Sony is hoping to remedy that with an update to its PlayStation app.

How this works is pretty much the same as how you would normally sync photos in the cloud. Basically, as long as you’re signed into the same account on the app as your console, whenever you take a screenshot or a video, it will sync in the cloud so after a few minutes, it should show up in the app.

Putting together a gaming rig or a streaming rig can be expensive, but if you just want to be able to experience what it might be like to stream or game on a proper rig, then the next time you’re in Japan, gamer apartments could be something you might want to check out.

It seems that over in Japan, people have started to list what are known as gamer apartments. These are essentially apartments that come furnished with a complete gaming computer setup. Renters will be able to choose their keyboard and mouse combo, plus different apartments also come with different GPU configurations.

With the amount of time that you would have to invest in an MMORPG to become good and get good gear and explore its content, obviously you have to choose which one to play carefully since you might end up spending a lot of time and resources on it.

If you have been eyeing Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 14, then you’ll be pleased to learn that the company has announced that on the 22nd of February, 2022, they will be resuming the free trials for the game. The company had actually hit the pause button on free trials back in December 2021.

Courtesy of SQUARE ENIX CO, LTD.

So earlier this year, Square Enix raised some eyebrows when the company announced that they were interested in integrating NFTs into its games. For those who might be concerned, you can rest assured that while the company still has plans for NFTs, it will not be making its way into Final Fantasy 14.

When Microsoft first unveiled Windows 11, we have to say that the feature that jumped out was the fact that users could actually officially install Android apps on their computers, an interesting feature and strategy for Microsoft.

Now, the company has officially started to allow users to use Android apps on Windows 11, and for those who are curious as to what kind of requirements they’ll need to be able to run these apps, Microsoft has published a system requirements page that you might want to check out.

CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 was originally released towards the end of 2020 where it was available on previous-gen consoles as well as the PC. It was one of the most highly anticipated games of the year and understandably so given all the demos and screenshots we’ve seen.

For those who own next-gen consoles and are looking forward to playing the game, you’ll be pleased to learn that the company has since announced that Cyberpunk 2077 will now be available for the Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S consoles. If you had bought the previous-gen version of the game, you’ll be able to upgrade to the next-gen version for free, but for those who didn’t, you’ll have to buy it.

When it comes to headphones and earphones, Sony is no stranger to that market. However, the company has since officially launched the LinkBuds which we think is quite a departure in terms of design that we typically expect from the company, but whether or not it’s good or bad will depend on your preference.

As you can see in the photo above, the LinkBuds are a pair of earbuds that features a ring where the earbuds would typically go into your ear. Apparently this creates a more comfortable experience that would let you wear the earbuds all day long, plus the fact that it doesn’t completely plug your ears means that you can also remain aware of your surroundings and when people talk to you.

Given that the Wii U is no longer in production, it makes sense, although we’re sure that owners of the 3DS system might be a little disappointed. According to Nintendo, “As of late March 2023, it will no longer be possible to make purchases in Nintendo eShop for the Wii U system and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. It will also no longer be possible to download free content, including game demos.”

The company also notes, “As of May 23, 2022, it will no longer be possible to use a credit card to add funds to an account in Nintendo eShop on Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.” They also add that starting August 29, 2022, users will no longer be able to use a Nintendo eShop Card to add funds, but download codes can still be redeemed until late March 2023.

One of the interesting features and highlights of Microsoft’s Windows 11 is that it allows users to download and use Android apps on their PC. Prior to this, there was no official way of using Android apps on a PC short of mirroring your phone onto your PC which was also device dependent.

The feature has been in preview for a while now, but the good news is that Microsoft has since announced that all Windows 11 users in the US will now access the preview on their computers. According to Microsoft, “Windows 11 users in the U.S. can access the Amazon Appstore Preview1 in the Microsoft Store, and popular apps like Audible, Kindle, Subway Surfers, Lords Mobile, Khan Academy Kids and many more.”

During Nintendo’s financial results briefing last week, a question was posed to the company in which they were asked what they thought about the metaverse and NFTs. Nintendo acknowledges that the concept of the metaverse has piqued their interest, but it seems that they will be staying away from it for now.

“As a company that provides entertainment, our main emphasis is on ways to deliver fresh surprises and fun to our consumers. We might consider something if we can find a way to convey a ‘Nintendo approach’ to the metaverse that many people can readily understand, but we do not think that is the situation at the present time.”

It’s now 2022 which means that later on in the year, Google will be releasing its next major Android update in the form of Android 13. The good news is that we won’t have to wait too long to find out the changes that Google has made because the company has since released the first developer preview.

Keep in mind that this is just the first of several developer previews that Google will probably release over the coming months. This isn’t a public beta for Android users yet and is aimed more towards developers who need to make sure their apps are compatible and for them to check out what’s new and what kind of features they can take advantage of.