James Doohan as Lt. Commander Montgomery Scotty Scott on Star Trek CBS via Getty Images 2025-04-02T13:26:24Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? If AI agents catch on, there may not be enough computing capacity.AI agents generate many more tokens than chatbots, increasing computational demands.More AI chips may be needed if AI agents grow, Barclays analysts warned.In Star Trek, the Starship Enterprise had a chief engineer, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, who regularly had to explain to Captain Kirk that certain things were impossible to pull off, due to practicalities such as the laws of physics."The engines cannae take it, Captain!" is a famous quote that the actor may actually not have said on the TV show. But you get the idea.We may be approaching such a moment in the tech industry right now, as the AI agent trend gathers momentum.The field is beginning to shift from relatively simple chatbots to more capable AI agents that can autonomously complete complex tasks. Is there enough computing power to sustain this transformation?According to a recent Barclays report, the AI industry will have enough capacity to support 1.5 billion to 22 billion AI agents.This could be enough to revolutionize white-collar work, but additional computing power may be needed to run these agents while also satisfying consumer demand for chatbots, the Barclays analysts explained in a note to investors this week.It's all about tokensAI agents generate far more tokens per user query than traditional chatbots, making them more computationally expensive.Tokens are the language of generative AI and are at the core of emerging pricing models in the industry. AI models break down words and other inputs into numerical tokens to make them easier to process and understand. One token is about of a word.More powerful AI agents may rely on "reasoning" models, such as OpenAI's o1 and o3 and DeepSeek's R1, which break queries and tasks into more manageable chunks. Each step in these chains of thought creates more tokens, which must be processed by AI servers and chips."Agent products run on reasoning models for the most part, and generate about 25x more tokens per query compared to chatbot products," the Barclays analysts wrote."Super Agents"OpenAI offers a ChatGPT Pro service that costs $200 monthly and taps into its latest reasoning models. The Barclays analysts estimated that if this service used the startup's o1 model, it would generate about 9.4 million tokens per year per subscriber.There's been media reports recently that OpenAI could offer even more powerful AI agent services that cost $2,000 a month or even $20,000 a month.The Barclays analysts referred to these as "super agents," and estimated that these services could generate 36 million to 356 million tokens per year, per user.More chips, Captain!That's a mind-blowing amount of tokens that would consume a mountain of computing power.The AI industry is expected to have 16 million accelerators, a type of AI chip, online this year. Roughly 20% of that infrastructure may be dedicated to AI inference essentially the computing power needed to run AI applications in real time.If agentic products take off and are very useful to consumers and enterprise users, we will likely need "many more inference chips," the Barclays analysts warned.The tech industry may even need to repurpose some chips that were previously used to train AI models and use those for inference, too, the analysts added.They also predicted that cheaper, smaller, and more efficient models, like those developed by DeepSeek, will have to be used for AI agents, rather than pricier proprietary models.Recommended video

Moves like swagger: Kraft Heinz's global chief growth officer, Diana Frost, said she wants her marketing team to adopt a sense of pride and swagger in their work. WFA 2025-04-02T13:26:03Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? At the World Federation of Advertisers conference, it was clear marketers are under pressure.Tariffs, DEI rollbacks, the potential for ad budget cuts it's a lot.But CMOs are a creative bunch. They told me they're hopeful marketing can steer brands through."Snafu: Situation normal, all fd up."Stephan Loerke, CEO of the World Federation of Advertisers, dropped this f-bomb part of an acronym coined by the US military during the Second World War onstage at the ING Arena at the trade body's recent flagship event in Brussels. He said it was an apt way to describe how marketers feel three months into 2025.Yet marketers will often say they're at their most creative when they're under pressure. (Just don't mention cutting their budgets.)The duality was on full display at the glitzy conflab, replete with snazzy onstage graphics and a house band playing electropop in between sessions. Speakers from brands like Mastercard, L'Oral, and Kraft Heinz painted an optimistic vision to the 2,000-strong audience about how marketers could position their companies for growth, despite the tectonic shifts happening around them.Between the prospects of tariffs, inflation, the rising cost of living, global conflicts, political polarization, and the disruptive impact of AI, there's a lot for a CMO to keep on top of.Almost all (99%) of the roughly 600 marketers polled in a recent survey from the WFA and the consultancy firm Oxford said economic and geopolitical uncertainty and the need to quickly adjust priorities and budgets would be important or more important in the next five years. Roughly two-thirds (68%) said they'd anticipate these pressures would grow.One knock-on effect of that is ad budgets are likely to take a hit. Marketing is often the first department to feel the impact of cost cuts. In separate reports last month, analysts from Madison and Wall, as well as Magna Global, trimmed their US ad market forecasts for 2025. World Federation of Advertisers CEO Stephan Loerke didn't mince words. World Federation of Advertisers Backstage, Loerke told me that many marketers felt the uncertainty was at an inflection point, which was driving conversations about how to prove marketing's value as CMOs prepare for a tough year."Usually, when that conversation starts, it means that actually there's a recession coming," said Loerke, a former marketer at L'Oral in the 1990s.I interviewed six top global CMOs and spoke with other marketing execs attending the Brussels event to get a sense of what's top of mind for marketers as they navigate the turbulence.Marketers are scenario planning while trying to keep on track with their long-term strategiesMany marketers are spending a significant portion of their time locked in scenario-planning meetings with their CEOs, chief finance officers, and other members of the C-suite."Back in the day, when I started in the business, it was an A plan and a B plan," said Diana Frost, global chief growth officer at Kraft Heinz. "Well, that's a C plan and a D plan now."With the costs of raw materials going up, marketers in sectors like consumer goods and food are having to make rapid-fire decisions about prices, packaging, and product formulations. Consumers' willingness to pay more at the checkout is often partly determined by years of brand-building designed to make them choose one product over another.Patrik Hansson, EVP of marketing and innovation at the dairy company Arla Foods, said that while companies may encounter a year with disappointing growth, it's important for CMOs to stick to their plans a five-year horizon rather than a six-month horizon, say to ensure their marketing has a long-term impact."If you have a way forward, then a bit of noise, a bit of turbulence doesn't distract you from the long term, and that's what we're trying to focus on because otherwise, you get lost in this," Hansson told me.It all adds up for marketing measurementOver coffees, canaps, and cocktails, job security was a hot topic at the event.A February survey published Tuesday from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business found that 63% of the 281 US marketing leaders polled felt increased pressure from their chief finance officers, up from 52% in 2023."One of the big problems is that the advertisers themselves are shedding people in an attempt to cut costs, so CMOs are risk-averse and look for signs of success that are supposedly measurable," Nick Manning, founder of the media consultancy Encyclomedia, who was in attendance, told me after the event."Saying 'trust me, it'll work' doesn't play in a world where short-term is the only term," Manning added. A side dish of marketing effectiveness chat with your lunch, sir? World Federation of Advertisers Diageo is often seen across the industry as a poster child for demonstrating marketing effectiveness.In 2023, it began working with a tech company called CreativeX. CreativeX uses artificial intelligence to generate a "creative quality score" that predicts whether digital marketing assets will be effective.The drinks giant is also using an AI listening tool, developed with its partners Share Creative and Kantar, to predict consumer trends. One insight: 2025 is the year of "zebra striping," in which consumers cut down on their alcohol consumption by alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.Diageo's marketers also use an internal tool called Catalyst to get immediate access to data to help them make planning decisions."I want our marketers to have a business mindset and delve into the insights we can now access to plan spend, design campaigns, create content, and collaborate with partners based on what scenario best delivers the brand-building outcome that drives growth," said Cristina Diezhandino, Diageo's chief marketing officer.At Kraft Heinz, Frost wants to instill a sense of swagger and pride within the marketing department and she's got the receipts to back it up. The Heinz brand, in particular, has marked compound annual revenue growth of 6% over the past two years, adding around $600 million in top-line growth to the broader Kraft Heinz business, Frost said. She credits the creation of its internal digital ad agency, "The Kitchen," and also the repeatable frameworks it's put in place for Heinz marketers around the world to help grow the brand further."When you have these proof points of growth, then you can build the pride, then you can build the momentum of how it's actually possible as you roll it out to the rest of the portfolio, " Frost said.Jitters over brand safety and DEI rollbacks loomed large"Brand safety" was the elephant in the room at the event.Unspoken but present were lawsuits filed by Elon Musk's X and the video platform Rumble, plus a Jim Jordan-led House Judiciary Committee investigation. These took aim at the WFA's now-shuttered voluntary initiative, the Global Alliance of Responsible Media, and more than a dozen of its advertiser members. The lawsuits and the probe, which are ongoing, allege GARM's members illegally colluded to boycott platforms like X and Rumble. While GARM closed, which the WFA said was due to its limited resources, the WFA has said it adhered to competition rules and would prove so in court. The WFA told me in Brussels it didn't want to discuss the matter.(Side note: For all its glamour, the WFA's event had been originally due to take place at the far-flung locale of Mumbai, India, but after the legal troubles arose, it was shifted to Brussels, where the WFA is headquartered. The WFA partnered with the local advertising trade body, the UBA, to run the main show.) A bull market for marketing: Attendees packed the former Brussels stock exchange building to dine and dance at the gala dinner. World Federation of Advertisers While GARM was off limits, marketers did open up about another topic that's become newly contentious, particularly in corporate America: the anti-woke movement and the vocal backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.Gael de Talhouet, VP of brand building at the Swedish hygiene company Essity, said marketers should be mindful that "a brand is not a political stage.""It's something where you tell people about the good you bring to the world," he added.Rupen Desai, CMO and venture partner of the Una Terra Early Growth Fund, said the recent DEI rollbacks had revealed two types of companies: those where DEI was hard-coded into the company's economic model and those that were investing in these sorts of programs just because everyone else was.For the second type of company, Desai said the recent movements are a "huge sigh of relief.""When you're grappling with growth, or the lack of it, and this investment isn't really yet showing results, it's probably easier to take a step back," Desai said.But he added: "The companies who continue on this journey will be bigger winners than the ones who took a step forward, took a step back."As the sun set over the Palais de la Bourse, the former Brussels stock exchange, where the event's gala dinner was held, the mood was buoyant, despite the complexities the people in the vast dining room were having to navigate this year. (And sure, perhaps the frequently topped-up wine, exquisitely cooked duck, and performance from the French comedy TikTok creators Supermassive helped a tiny bit.) My name is Lara O'Reilly, and I approve this duck. Lara O'Reilly CMOs are complex creatures, after all, as David Wheldon, the new WFA president and chief brand officer of the lottery group Allwyn, summed up."A marketer has to have this strange combination of optimism and belief in what you're doing personally, and belief in what you're doing for your company and your customers and you have to be aware of the context you're in," Wheldon said. "If you flip-flop because the context is changing rapidly, then you cause yourself a problem."Recommended video

In God and Man at Yale, the 1951 book that made William F. Buckley famous, American conservatisms founding father argues that academic freedom is premised on a fiction.While professors claim that they are merely attempting to equip their students with the tools necessary to comprehend the world and succeed in it, they are in fact engaged in conveying a particular set of truths and values to their students meaning, at the time, liberal and socialist values. In response, Buckley argues, university trustees and administrators should banish favorable discussion of such ideas from the classroom, replacing them with a curriculum that emphasizes the eternal truths of Christianity and capitalism.In some ways, the Trump administrations aggressive approach to college campuses directly echoes Buckleys ideas. They are making transparently ideological demands of universities like Harvard and Columbia, and threatening to withhold funding if they dont comply. They have also adopted what looks a lot like a systematic policy of deporting foreign students who participate in pro-Palestinian activism.The Trump administration goes even further than Buckley in two critical respects.First, Buckley explicitly rejected government interference in the affairs of private universities the sort of thing that Trump has been doing throughout his second term. I should bitterly contest a preemption by the state of the duties and privileges of the alumni of the private institutions themselves to guide the destinies of the schools they support, Buckley wrote. Second, Trump has added a layer of ideological hypocrisy.Buckley explicitly rejected the idea of campuses as free speech zones, but the president has long claimed to be defending exactly this principle saying in 2019 that taxpayer dollars should not subsidize anti-First Amendment institutions. Indeed, the notion that there is a free speech crisis on campus that must be addressed has become a mainstream conservative position in the era of wokeness and cancel culture.Yet, Trumps current approach to universities is a dire threat to the First Amendment. The breadth of the threat became painfully clear last week, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio openly bragged that he was revoking visas of hundreds of pro-Palestinian students in retaliation for their political beliefs and activism.The conservative position on higher education and free speech is thus profoundly muddled. While nearly everyone on the right believes that left-liberal domination of the campus is a problem in fact, has been a problem since the 1950s there is no obvious consistent position on why this is a problem or what role the government should have in solving it.The case of Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts graduate student who was snatched off the street by unidentified DHS agents, has brought these tensions into full view. Ozturk was in the United States on a valid student visa; her only apparent crime, so far as we know, was writing an op-ed critical of Israels war in Gaza in the Tufts student newspaper.Ozturks case is important not only because its an especially egregious abuse of power, but also because it provides a clear test for the various factions of the modern right.Do they truly care about free speech, or was that a convenient talking point right up until they obtained the power to create a new campus orthodoxy? Do they agree with Buckley, that the state should stay out of private university affairs, or get on board with Trumps increasingly aggressive approach? Do they really think that targeting hundreds of students like Ozturk, as Rubio suggested he was doing, could be squared with any kind of commitment to limited government and individual rights?The reactions from right-of-center publications divide into roughly four camps, aligning on a spectrum ranging from vocal approval to outright abhorrence. Yet the former was far closer to the center of gravity than the latter.The four kinds of reactions to Ozturks arrest1) The illiberal nationalists. This group endorses Ozturks arrest on the grounds that noncitizens do not have the same free speech rights as Americans and, thus, should be deported when they engage in speech the administration finds harmful.As a matter of First Amendment jurisprudence, this is largely false: The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that noncitizen residents have constitutional protections, including First Amendment rights (with only very limited exceptions). The illiberal nationalists do acknowledge this, but they argue that the court was simply wrong in conflict with the morally correct interpretation of the law.The Supreme Courts twentieth-century rulings are incorrect, Ben Crenshaw writes in American Reformer, a Christian nationalist publication. Non-citizen foreigners are under the goodwill and censure of US law, but cannot claim the full range of its benefits until they become citizens.The illiberal nationalists reject both the campus free speech argument and the Buckelyite vision of limited government. They believe the state has the right and responsibility to shape the American polity along their preferred lines, including by interfering in the management of private universities and curtailing allegedly dangerous speech.2. The whataboutists. These articles focused less on the actual question of whether it was right to deport Ozturk than the alleged sins or inconsistencies of Trumps liberal critics, on campus or otherwise.Writing at The Federalist, a staunchly pro-Trump outlet, John Daniel Davidson spends most of his word count attacking Never Trumper David French for the alleged hypocrisy of criticizing Ozturks deportations while also having worked at a publication that helped Facebook fact-check arguments about abortion during the 2020 election.French worked as a senior editor at an outlet that was paid to justify Big Tech censorship of pro-life views. Its reasonable to conclude that he doesnt care about free speech, no matter what he says about it now, Davidson writes.The weakness of Davidsons guilt-by-association move aside, his evasion of the substantive question is striking. Davidson does not weigh in on whether Ozturk specifically deserves deportation; he just speaks in generic terms about the presidents new policy of revoking the visas of foreign nationals who agitate for terrorist groups like Hamas.Ozturk didnt actually do this: Her op-ed doesnt even mention Hamas. But that doesnt matter. For the whataboutists, the key issue is always the sins of their enemies. Ozturk, academic freedom, basic civil liberties these are all merely collateral damage in the war on the left.3. The see-no-evil crowd. Evasion is also the key feature here. These people and publications simply chose not to say anything about Ozturk, despite a longstanding and preexisting interest in issues relating to campus politics, immigration, or Israel-Palestine. This was, in my research, the most common response from major right-wing outlets. Take the Daily Wire, the Ben Shapiro-founded media empire that has made the campus culture war and Israel-Palestine two of its primary foci. While the site publishes at a truly astonishing clip, the only mention of Ozturks case is a passing reference in a March 31st news roundup in which the author describes her as a Turkish national [whose] visa was revoked after the State Department found she engaged in activities in support of Hamas. That one line is the entirety of the Daily Wires coverage which, of course, amounts to no real coverage at all.Whatever the reason for this silence, it speaks volumes about their commitment to alleged free-speech principles.4. The principled objectors. I couldnt find many of these from conservatives other than people who were already Never Trumpers, but they do exist.The clearest example is a column from Jeffrey Blehar at National Review. Blehar, whose official position on the 2024 election was that Trump and Harris were equally bad, appears to be genuinely appalled by Ozturks arrest.To capriciously eject people from the country without warning merely for publishing an unpopular political opinion in a student newspaper is, no matter what Trumps defenders or special pleaders may beg, utterly abhorrent, Blehar writes. The idea that foreigners who are here on valid visas should live under fear that their every political opinion might become grounds for sudden incarceration in Louisiana or El Salvador is inhumane and close to un-American in spirit.This is, I think, the right reaction and it deserves to be commended unreservedly. That it was published in the magazine Buckley founded, the closest thing to a house organ for the pre-Trump GOP establishment, is also notable. See More:

The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been revealed, and after months of rumours, we now know when we'll be playing the new system and what games we'll be playing on it

The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been revealed, and after months of rumours, we now know the release date, price and a list of games we'll be playing on itTech14:22, 02 Apr 2025Updated 15:10, 02 Apr 2025A new Mario Kart game was revealedThe Nintendo Switch 2 has finally been revealed at a Nintendo Direct, and we finally know all there is to know about the console, including the system's price and release date. We've know some info about the console since Nintendo's January reveal, and subsequent leaks have pointed to a backward compatibility boost, an AI boost for visuals, the return of Amiibo, and those mice-like Joy-Con.However today's huge Nintendo Direct revealed everything else we need to know about the future of the console and what hardware it contains . . . and the price.Article continues belowIt'll set games back 395 for the console without a game, or 429 for it with Mario Kart. Pre-orders start from April 8. We also finally found out the much-talked-about launch date, which will be music to the ears of gamers everywhere.The Nintendo Switch 2 packs a punch and now has a cameraThe launch date has now been confirmed as June 5, with a few new games to sit alongside it.The Joy-Con 2 was also revealed, with the mysterious "C" button on the right controller finally explained. In short, you press it and you can experience gaming with friends online as the C means "GameChat" which also lets you chat to mates using a microphone built into the actual console.Basically, think Google Meet but for Switch 2, because you can pin different people, share your screen and intreract exactly how you do on most conferencing softwares. And yes, you can share your own camera feed via a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera.However, it will all require a membership to Nintendo's own online subscription service.The most anticipated is Mario Kart World, which is an almost-open world version of the game, which claims to let you "drive virtually everywhere in the world" with a free roam mode, and it has 24 riders available to play with.Nintendo also introduced Gameshare which allows users to play games against in other using different Switch 2 consoles on a wireless version of a Local LAN network (sorry, that might be too geeky for some readers . . . )7.9inch screen13.9mm thicknessHD display - 1080p120fpsVivid LCDHDR supportJoy-Con 2 is attached magneticallyBigger SL/SR buttonsLarger control sticksMouse control using the Joy-Con 2Improved speakers and clearer audioBuilt-in microphoneNoise cancelling technology3D AudioNew, adjustable standTwo USB-C ports256GB storage4K support via the new dockPower cooling via built-in fan on the dockBackwards compatibleMicro SD Express Card compatibleArticle continues belowMario Kart WorldNintendo Switch 2 Welcome TourSuper Mario Party Jamboree upgradedZelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kindom: Switch 2 editionsZelda NotesKirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World: Switch 2 editionMetroid Priime 4 Beyond: Switch 2 editionPokemon Legends A-Z: Switch 2 editionDrag X DriveElden Ring: Tarnished EditionHades IIStreet Fighter 6Daemon x MachinaSplit FictionEA Sports FCMadden NFLHogwarts LegacyTony Hawk Skater 3 and 4Hitman: World of Assassination: Signature EditionJames Bond (unnamed game)Bravely Default: Flying FairyYakuza 0: Director's CutHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (a Zelda game)Classic game library featuring Nintendo Gamecube titlesBorderlands 4DeltaRuneCivilization VIIWWE 2KNBA 2KGunjin 2Starseeker: Astroneers Expeditions (2026)Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate EditionFinal Fantasy VII Remake IntergradeKunitsu-GameHollow Knight: SilksongStory of SeasonsGoodnight UniverseTwo Point MuseumWild Hearts SWitchbrookPuto Puto Tetris 2SRune FactoryMarvel Comic InvasionNogunaga's AmbitionFast FusionShadow LabyrinthRAIDOUReanimalFortniteArcade Archives 2Professor LaytonTamagotchi PlazaHuman Fall Flat 2The Duskbloods (2026)Kirby Air RidersDonkey Kong BananzaFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.

The Switch 2 is out this year (YouTube/Nintendo)Along with an extra boost of power, the Nintendo Switch 2 comes with a notably higher price tag.The price of Nintendos next console has been a topic of much speculation over recent months, but now the company has finally confirmed the details.Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2 in full during a special Direct presentation, including the consoles launch date and games line-up.While the price wasnt actually announced during the presentation, Nintendo has subsequently confirmed it on its store pages, and its fairly reasonable in comparison to other consoles. What is the Nintendo Switch 2 price in the UK?As confirmed on by Nintendo, the base Nintendo Switch 2 will be priced at 395.99 in the UK when it launches on June 5, 2025. A Switch 2 bundle with a digital copy of Mario Kart World will cost 429.99. In the US, the base model costs $449.99 and the Mario Kart World bundle is $499.99. As for Europe, this translates to 469.99 and 509.99.More TrendingFor comparison, the original Switch launched at 279.99, while the OLED model was released at 309.99. The PlayStation 5 disc edition and Xbox Series X, meanwhile, are both priced at 479.99.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5videoUp NextAnalysts expected the Switch 2s price to be around 400, but other estimates put it as high as $499 in the US. Its unclear, however, if the final Switch 2 price has been impacted by the recent US tariffs.Those who have already won tickets will be able to go hands-on with the Switch 2 early for free at the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience. The worldwide tour kicks off April 4, 2025 with events in Paris and New York, before it arrives in London for its only UK stop on April 11-13.The tour will continue across Europe, the US, Oceania, and Asia until June. The Switch 2 is nearly here (Nintendo)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Nintendo Switch 2 release date confirmed and you dont have long to waitAdam StarkeyPublished April 2, 2025 2:39pmUpdated April 2, 2025 2:44pm An almost guaranteed hit (Nintendo)After months of speculation, Nintendo has finally announced when its next console will launch.Nintendo may have technically revealed the Switch 2 console back in January, but its been a long three month wait for any concrete details.Thankfully, Nintendo served up plenty of information during its latest Direct presentation, including the consoles launch date.The good news is that you wont have much longer to wait and the other good news is that itll launch alongside the new Mario Kart, titled Mario Kart World.When is the Nintendo Switch 2 release date?As announced during the livestream, the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5, 2025.As teased within the initial reveal video, Nintendo also confirmed mouse-like functionality in the larger, magnetic Joy-Cons. Additionally, the Switch 2 will have a chat function for talking with friends during gameplay sessions, complete with a built in microphone.The mysterious new C button is used for bringing up a chat menu and Nintendo will also be selling a separate camera add-on for video chats. This will become available alongside the Switch 2 and is even set to be compatible with select games like Super Mario Party Jamboree.The game chat feature will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, though, but Nintendo will make it freely available at launch until March 31, 2026.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a webbrowser thatsupports HTML5videoUp NextPrior to the Nintendo Direct, rumours suggested the console would launch in late May or June. While therell inevitably be a rush to buy the console, Nintendo has apparently prepared a huge amount of units for launch. More TrendingHigh demand is expected based on the Switchs sales figures. The console surpassed 150 million units sold earlier this year, which puts it behind only the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS in the list of best-selling consoles ever.Anyone who managed to win tickets for the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience will go hands-on with the console early, starting this month. The worldwide tour kicks off April 4, 2025 with events in Paris and New York, before it arrives in London for its only UK stop on April 11-13.The tour will continue across Europe, the US, Oceania, and Asia until June.Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Nintendo Switch 2 is now here, and yes, you can soon buy itor at least as long as the stock holds. The Switch 2 is set to launch June 5 for $450. Preorders are set to start June 9 for the base console and a $500 bundle with the launch title Mario Kart World. Before you scream Shut up and take my money, just be aware you should try to avoid scalpers as much as possible, especially as Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has claimed it should have enough Switch 2s at launch for everyone. We suggest you sign in to your accounts, whether on Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy and have your credit card information already saved to get the fastest checkout. Most shops will be selling Switch 2s on a first-come, first-served basis, and if this is your first rodeo, its best to be prepared to avoid disappointment. Just dont get confused by any listings for Nintendo Switch Version 2, as those are just an updated version of the original Switch. Nintendo / Gizmodo For U.S.-based customers, the Switch 2 should be available to preorder on Nintendos online store. For now, Nintendo has a dedicated page where you can register your interest in a Switch 2. You need to log in with your Nintendo Account, but once you select your preferred console the company issues a notice reading Eligible Nintendo Account holders will receive an email when its time to purchase. These invitations will start hitting customers inboxes on May 8. Youll have just 72 hours to confirm your system and you should get your Switch 2 order close to release day June 5. Nintendo normally lists a store locator on its pages to see which local shops have in-person stock, but we likely wont see that up and running until June. As for outside retailers, GameStop already has its Switch 2 page available for U.S.-based customers, with a space to put in an email to get updates once preorders go live. Best Buy now has a livestream page dedicated to the Switch 2. The site is also hosting a deal for Best Buy Plus or Total members to get a $20 gift card for every $150 spent on Nintendo products. We expect other sites to add their own preorder pages soon, and well update this post to list them once they become available. For others in North America, Walmart Canada already has a page offering preorder information for the Switch 2.If youre looking for the best, fastest deal posters, we suggest you log into Bluesky and find Wario64, or if for some reason youre still on Twitter, find Cheap Ass Gamer. With big tech releases, it often matters how quick on the draw you are to hit the preorder button before somebody else, but we stress that you shouldnt make it your lifes mission to get a Switch 2 on launch day. Theres still time between then and now, and anything can happen. Its always better to wait for hands-on reports and reviews before you take the plunge on big expenses.

Samsungs latest deals on their elite-level Galaxy Watch Ultra are the ultimate case of a no-lose scenario. If you have wearables or other devices that youre willing to trade in, you can get up to $325 in instant trade-in credit, which would cut the price of the Galaxy Watch Ultra in half. And if you dont have anything youre willing to give up, Samsungs offering $230 in instant savings to bring the price of the Galaxy Watch Ultra down to just $420.Either way, you now have two great paths to score Samsungs newest and best smartwatch for hundreds of dollars less than the price of its closest competitor, the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Throw in the special bundling offers of over 40% off a pair of Galaxy Buds3 or Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the deal suddenly becomes almost irresistable.See at SamsungAdvanced AI On Your WristGalaxy AI is one of the Galaxy Watch Ultras main calling cards, especially how it powers its advanced health and fitness tracking capabilities. Galaxy AI helps to eliminate heart-rate monitor inaccuracies caused by motion, so your readings are far more accurate. VO2 Max measurements, estimated sweat loss, and performance tracking that lets runners and cyclists see their improvements are all enhanced by the powerful Galaxy AI built into the Ultra.The sleep monitoring skills of the Galaxy Watch Ultra are also greatly enhanced by Galaxy AI. When worn overnight as a sleep tracker, the Ultra can help detect moderate to severe sleep apnea, helping you ward off a potentially dangerous health condition.A superior workout and fitness monitoring smartwatch also needs to be durable and built to withstand more punishment than the average watch. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is as physically tough as it is technologically advanced, with a titanium case and 10 atmospheres of water resistance. Enhanced GPS tracking and turn-by-turn navigation earn the Galaxy Watch Ultra kudos as a trail-running, rock-climbing, and long-haul hiking companion.More Endurance Than Youll NeedYou may be an ultra-marathoner or some other form of extreme athlete, but no offense even you wont be able to outlast the battery life of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. In exercise power saving mode the Ultra battery lasts for 48 hours, and in regular power saving mode its good for 100 hours.All the amazing features and physical attributes make the Galaxy Watch Ultra a solid buy even at its full price of $650, especially if you lead an active lifestyle. But when you factor in the $325 in potential trade-in credit or the $230 in instant savings without a trade-in, Samsungs newest and best fitness smartwatch is a cant-miss deal.See at Samsung

The True Cost of Saving in Construction: A Case Study of a Library in New JerseySponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of KalwallIn the construction sector, the pursuit of immediate cost savings during the design or building phasewhether through hiring less qualified professionals, using low-quality materials, or modifying construction systems without technical backingcan lead to financial losses and future rework, compromising a building's performance and durability. The Franklin Township Library in Somerset, New Jersey, is a clear example of the consequences of inadequate material choices, particularly regarding energy efficiency and carbon footprint.During its construction in 2005, the originally specified Kalwall translucent fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) panels were replaced with polycarbonate panels on the roof to achieve an initial savings of $90,000. This seemingly harmless decision quickly proved problematic, resulting in significant operational challenges.Since the polycarbonate panels were not specified for this particular use and lacked proper technical analysis, they caused excessive solar heat gain, overloading the library's HVAC system. Originally designed for a 40-ton capacity with the specified FRP panels, the system required an additional 20 tons to compensate for the inefficiencies of the substituted material. The cost of upgrading the HVAC system alone was estimated at $200,000. Furthermore, over 19 years, the library faced annual energy losses ranging between $50,000 and $60,000, far exceeding the initial material cost savings.The choice of translucent materials for roofing and faades is crucial in architectural projects that aim to optimize natural light and create bright, welcoming spaces. The ideal material should offer adequate thermal performance, glare control, and a sense of openness to the exterior. Traditionally, frosted glass and polycarbonate have been widely used, but they often present limitations in energy efficiency and durability. In contrast, FRP panels, such as those supplied by Kalwall, stand out for their strength, lightweight nature, and superior thermal performance. Widely employed in translucent faades, sports facilities, and industrial buildings, these panels optimize natural light, eliminate excessive glare, and significantly reduce operational costs.Save this picture!Save this picture!Beyond financial costs, the decision to replace the panels directly impacted the building's carbon footprint. Operational carbon, which refers to CO emissions from electricity consumption, heating, and cooling, increased significantly due to the overburdened HVAC system. This aspect, often underestimated, accounts for approximately 28% of global energy-related CO emissions. Additionally, embodied carbon, associated with material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, construction, and disposal, must also be considered when evaluating a building's environmental impact. Materials such as concrete and steel are major contributors to these emissions, accounting for roughly 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions from energy use.To correct the negative impacts of this initial decision, the library underwent a roof renovation, replacing the polycarbonate panels with the originally specified Kalwall translucent FRP panels. These panels now cover over 14,000 square feet (1,300 m) of interior space, including the adjacent butterfly garden's solar roof, which spans 600 square feet (56 m). This intervention not only improved the building's thermal performancereducing energy consumption and operational costsbut also enhanced light quality and occupant comfort.Save this picture!The new composite sandwich roof panels feature upgraded specifications to maximize efficiency and thermal comfort. The external face has a 0.70 crystal type A finish, while the internal face features a 0.45 white type 25, both designed to optimize natural light diffusion and minimize excessive heat gain. The system was developed with a U-factor of 0.18, utilizing custom Kalcurve skyroof technology, ensuring superior thermal insulation and significantly contributing to energy savings. Additionally, Kalwall panels hold an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification, ensuring transparency regarding their environmental impact and energy efficiency.The Franklin Township Library case underscores the importance of considering not only upfront costs but also the long-term environmental and operational impacts when selecting materials for a project. Investing in materials with lower embodied carbon and higher energy efficiency is essential for reducing a building's carbon footprint and aligning with global sustainability goals. Moreover, architects and engineers must conduct energy simulations and review environmental certifications before making modifications to the original design to prevent costly and environmentally detrimental mistakes.About this authorEduardo SouzaAuthorCite: Eduardo Souza. "The True Cost of Saving in Construction: A Case Study of a Library in New Jersey" 02 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1028130/the-true-cost-of-saving-in-construction-a-case-study-of-a-library-in-new-jersey&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream