Jeff Bezos' space company, Blue Origin, has launched its first orbital rocket, New Glenn.New Glenn is one of the largest, most powerful rockets ever built.The maiden launch marks a milestone for Blue Origin.Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin has entered the rocket big leagues.At 2:03 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Blue Origin's 32-story-tall New Glenn rocket fired its seven engines and climbed atop a cloud of fire and steam for the first time, roaring into the skies above the launch complex in Cape Canaveral, Florida."LIFTOFF! New Glenn is beginning its first ever ascent toward the stars," Blue Origin wrote in an X post on Thursday morning.Bezos, who was present at New Glenn's launch, uploaded a minute-long clip of the launch on X shortly after liftoff."We did it! Orbital. Great night for Team Blue. On to spring and trying again on the landing," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp wrote in an X post on Thursday morning.New Glenn belongs to a new generation of the largest, most powerful rockets ever built, next to Elon Musk's SpaceX's StarshipThese heavy-lift vehicles have roughly the size and heft of NASA's Saturn V the rocket that launched Apollo astronauts to the moon but they're designed for even more ambitious goals.Musk and Bezos have espoused plans to establish permanent human settlements on Mars and on a giant space station, respectively. NASA aims to build permanent science stations on and around the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars with SpaceX's and Blue Origins' help.First, though, Blue Origin needs to strengthen its business. New Glenn'sBlue Origin was originally planning to launch New Glenn on Monday. The launch was repeatedly delayed and eventually postponed after Blue Origin said they had to "troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue.""Our key objective today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. We know landing the boosteron our first try offshore in the Atlantic is ambitiousbut we're going for it. No matter what happens, we'll learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch," Blue Origin wrote on X on Thursday morning.Blue Origin did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.Blue Origin loses booster in an otherwise successful launchBlue Origin lost its booster after it separated from the rocket. The booster was meant to return to Earth and land on a platform in the ocean, which would have been the company's first step to proving the reusability of its booster.This makes SpaceX the only company to have recovered and reused a rocket's booster. The Musk-led rocket company has been retrieving its much smaller Falcon 9 first-stage boosters for reuse in this way for years.SpaceX's Starship booster recently proved a different landing method, lowering itself into the waiting arms of a landing tower in October.Like Falcon 9, and unlike Starship, New Glenn is only partially reusable its second stage is not designed for reuse.Musk congratulated Bezos shortly after New Glenn's successful liftoff."Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @JeffBezos," Musk wrote on X.Blue Origin's future depends on New GlennTrailing behind SpaceX, Blue Origin is one of the leading companies paving the way for reusable rockets, which can help slash spaceflight costs.Weeks before New Glenn's debut launch, during the New York Times 2024 DealBook Summit, Bezos said Blue Origin "is not a very good business, yet."He added, "It's going to be the best business that I've ever been involved in."New Glenn is Blue Origin's second rocket, but its first designed to insert itself into Earth's orbit.The company began construction on New Glenn in 2016. Bezos has said he"Blue Origin needs to be much faster," Bezos told Lex Fridman in December 2023. "And it's one of the reasons that I left my role as the CEO of Amazon a couple of years ago."For comparison, SpaceX began developing its first orbital rocket, the Falcon 9 v1.0, in 2005. It made its debut launch five years later, in 2010.That said, New Glenn is more than three times more powerful than SpaceX's first Falcon 9.Blue Origin's comparatively tiny New Shepard rocket, which carries paying customers and other payloads to suborbital space, has been reused nearly 30 times since its first launch in 2015. Marianne Ayala/Insider New Glenn's maiden voyage is carrying a test payloadAs Blue Origin's barge sails the booster back to the coast, the rocket's second stage is scheduled to remain in space for about six hours while carrying the company's prototype Blue Ring pathfinder spacecraft.Blue Ring is designed for multiple mission types, including transporting, refueling, and communicating with other craft in space. The pathfinder prototype launched on Thursday is a test launch and is set to remain onboard and not be deployed into space."There is a growing demand to quickly move and position equipment and infrastructure in multiple orbits," Limp wrote on X in December. Blue Ring is designed to fulfill that need for both government and commercial customers, the Blue Origin CEO said.The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Blue Origin a license to launch New Glenn to orbit from Cape Canaveral for the next five years.Blue Origin's customers include NASA, Amazon, and several telecommunications providers.

This morning, Marvel gave us our first, long-awaited look atDaredevil: Born Again, its revival/continuation of Netflixs beloved series as a new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its full of rage and brutality, but its also full of intriguing hints as to whos coming back from the original show, whos being added to the MCU this time around, and what comic arcs are inspiring Matt Murdocks return to vigilante action. Lets take a look at whos who, shall we? The Dream Team Returns Marvel Early on in the trailer, framed around a tense (but a not entirely unpleasant) reunion between Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock, we get an acknowledgement that its been a while since the events of the Netflix Daredevil, series, and a long-awaited confirmation that, for now at least, things seem to be good between that shows returning lead trio: Matt, his partner-in-not-crime Foggy Nelson, and of course, Karen Page. In early versions of the shows return, neither Deborah Ann Woll nor Elden Henson were set to make an an appearance. Were glad that theyre finally back, but theyre also notin this trailer that much and that might tease some bad things to come, especially as were grappling with a Matt Murdock whos retired from the world of vigilantism when the series begins. Mayor Fisk Marvel A lots changed for Matt, but a lots changed for Fisk too, as we get to see him embrace a big new role as New Yorks mayor. This has also been a long time coming: the MCU started setting up this arc for Fisk after his return to the MCU in Hawkeye duringthe post-credits of Echo, and now were going to get to see it flourish inBorn Again. The plot twist to put Fisk at the top of the political chain comes from recent Marvel Comics historyFisk became mayor during Charles Soule and Stefano Landinis run on Daredevilin late 2017, after the events ofSecret Empire saw him play a major role in protecting the citizens of New York after Hydra sealed off Manhattan in a bubble of Darkforce energy during its plot to take over America. In the comics Fisk ran as an independent (and fixed the vote even with his popular support running on an anti-vigilante platform), and eventually even tapped Matt himself to act as Deputy Mayor, who used the position in an attempt to undermine Fisk and eventually confront him as Daredevil, hoping to catch him in the criminal act and strip him of his newfound power. Fisk actually stayed mayor of New York for quite a whileonly being laid low during the climax of the 2022 event series Devils Reign, after he attempted to outright ban vigilantes in New York and work with the Purple Man to try coerce the city into re-electing him as mayor, and also re-discover his lost knowledge of Daredevils alter ego. After he was stopped by both Matt and Elektra (both operating as Daredevil at the time), Fisk was briefly incarcerated, allowing Luke Cage to win the mayoral election by default.A Familiar Foe Marvel We get a brief and intriguing shot during the middle trailer of at least one returning villain from the Netflix series beyond Fisk himself: Wilson Bethels Bullseye. Seen here being led by armed guards through a prison, when we last saw him in the Netflix show Ben Poindexter was arrested after going rogue from his time as Fisks personal assassin, leading to him to attempt to kill Fisk and his wife Vanessa during their wedding. Incapacitated by Daredevil and Fisk working together, Poindexter was paralyzed during the attack, leading to him accepting a mysterious experimental spinal surgery that also seemingly gave him his enhanced marksman abilities from the comics. Considering hes up and about walking here, it seems like the risky surgery paid off.And a New One? Marvel But we are also getting new villains making their debut, too. The handiwork of one in particular is glimpsed throughout the trailer, and we get to see him in action briefly too: this white, splotchy-masked mystery is Muse. Created by the aforementioned Soule and artist Ron Garney in 2016, Musewhose identity is never actually uncoveredwas a mutate serial killer who graphically murdered targets before displaying them in gruesome works of performance art. In the comics he escapes capture several times before eventually breaking out of jail during Fisks mayoral tenure, before ultimately being defeated by Daredevil and Blindspot (who Muse had previously blinded), leading to him committing suicide. One thing thats seemingly unclear here in terms of what will come over intoBorn Again is Muses powers. In the comics, he has superhuman strength and speed, as well as a strange sensory absorption effect: Muses body can effectively dampen the sensory information around it, making him near imperceptible even to Daredevils enhanced senses.Frenemies Old and New Marvel The trailer also gives us a few more shots of returning faces from the Netflix show in the form of Ayelet Zurer, playing Fisks now-wife Vanessa (Sandrine Holt was previously cast to take over the role, beforeBorn Agains creative reboot), and Jon Bernthals Punisher literally burying the hatchet with Matt. Season two of Franks own spinoff series concluded with him having fully embraced the mantle of the Punisher, turning down a deal to work doing wetworks for the CIA to take his violent campaign against the criminal underworld in new directions. Where he and Matt reunite remains to be seen, but whats become of the Punisher in a world where Daredevil temporarily retired?A New Hero Rises Marvel Another really interesting new character we get a glimpse of in the trailer is a man putting on a familiar white mask: this is Hector Ayala, also known of as the superhero White Tiger. Played by Kamar de los Reyes in his final role before his passing in 2023, Ayala is the first of several characters to have taken on the White Tiger mantle in Marvels comics, a legacy that has gone on to include his youngest sister, Ava. First appearing in 1975, White Tiger is granted superhuman power by the amulet he wears around his neck, summoning the powers of a great Tiger God, allowing him access to superhuman strength and agility, as well as accelerated healing and enhanced senses. New Suit(s) Marvel One of the last and most intriguing glimpses we see in the trailer is Matt looking across a whole swath of Daredevil masks. While we see him throughout the trailer wearing an updated version of his iconic red suit, the different cowls here suggest a litany of throwbacks to Daredevils comic history. Most obvious is the yellow mask from the suit we saw him wear in his appearance in She-Hulk, inspired by the very first costume Daredevil wears in the comics, but there are also two red cowls here, which seem to both be from his earlier versions of his current suit seen in throughout the Netflix series.The black cowl could be a reference to one of two suits Daredevil has worn in the comics: his armored gear that he first wore after a battle with the Wild Pack, or his all-black Shadowlands suit, from when Matt took over the Hand ninja clan and found himself corrupted by its mysterious patron demon, the Beast. The most interesting addition here is the one on the left, a silver-white mask that has only one similar parallel in the comics: during the 2023 relaunch ofDaredevil with creative team Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder, Matt started working as a priest, and eventually teamed up with Doctor Strange to confront his inner demons. The end result was a purified all-white version of his regular suit. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Ziraat Bank Headquarters / KPFSave this picture! Dirk LinderBank, Landmarks & Monumentsstanbul, TurkeyArchitects: KPFAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:355300 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Dirk Linder More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) is pleased to announce the completion of Ziraat Bank Headquarters. Conceived as the centerpiece of the Istanbul International Financial Center (IIFC), the design of the landmark twin towers integrates highly crafted detail with the demands of a modern workplace and draws on the architectural and cultural heritage of one of the world's oldest and most diverse cities. The development extends to more than 450,000 m2 incorporating Ziraat Bank's headquarters, auditorium, ground-floor retail, and below-grade parking.Save this picture!Save this picture!"Ziraat Bank Headquarters is a modern building with deep roots in Istanbul's physical and cultural context," says Mustafa Chehabeddine, KPF Design Principal. "Our concept was for the podium to incorporate interpretive references to the intricate style of the region's rich historic architecture, with a layered, screen-like approach to shading, while the towers display a horizontal banding. The building geometry gently and gradually expands toward the top, resulting in a sculptural form that celebrates the growth and development of Ziraat Bank."Save this picture!'Ziraat Towers, which is a key part of the Istanbul Finance Center Project (IFC), hold great significance for our bank" says Ziraat REIT General Manager, Peyami mer. "These towers reflect Ziraat Bank's 161-year deep-rooted history, as well as representing a critical step in carrying our Bank into the future, aligning with our vision to be the sector's leader in every aspect. The Design of the towers was carefully crafted by KPF to be contemporary but at the same time take hints from our rich heritage. This development is also an indicator of our role as 'Ziraat' in achieving the goals of the Turkiye's Century'.Save this picture!Save this picture!The complex was designed as independent but interconnected buildings, with the podium acting as a continuation of the IIFC's civic space on the street and plaza levels. Bridges cross the eight-story interior atrium at multiple levels, promoting connectivity across the building, while the lower levels of the podium are defined by the sculptural form of the free-standing auditorium.Save this picture!Throughout the building, high-quality local stone and wood details are incorporated, most notably in the auditorium, which is clad in double-curving panels of CNC-milled, local limestone. Internally, the auditorium is lined with timber to create a sense of intimacy, and the waving profile of the roof panels was modeled to improve acoustics.Save this picture!Within the towers, workplaces are focused on employee well-being, collaboration, and social interaction across floors. Varied workplaces and shared amenities are provided, such as prayer rooms and naturally ventilated, double-height atria, garden spaces and roof terraces.Save this picture!The detailing of the podium faade references the ornate screens used across Islamic architecture, adding texture and layering while tempering the light to protect the interior from glare and overheating. The towers, which rise to 40 and 46 storeys, display a more contemporary style, serving as a landmark to the growing district. Louvers arranged in horizontal bands and varied according to height and orientation, are utilized to allow high levels of internal daylight across the office floors whilst preventing excessive solar gain.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:stanbul, TurkeyLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officePublished on January 16, 2025Cite: "Ziraat Bank Headquarters / KPF" 16 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025752/ziraat-bank-headquarters-kpf&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

Nature, Published online: 15 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08392-yA neocorticalentorhinalhippocampal network model based on grid cell states recapitulates experimental results and reconciles the spatial, associative and episodic memory roles of the hippocampus.

With the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal on the imminent horizon, Nintendo finds itself at a critical juncture. Every console launch is a pivotal moment for a company, but that's especially true for Nintendo. The first Switch proved to be a remarkable rebound from the disastrous Wii U, becoming one of the best-selling video game consoles in history over the last eight years.As such, Nintendo is undoubtedly facing a lot of pressure to maintain this momentum with its next console. And while it's tempting to compare this transition with the move from Wii to Wii U, the company's current situation more closely resembles the position it was in as it prepared to launch the 3DS--itself the successor to a hugely successful and influential system.In fact, 14 years ago this week, Nintendo hosted a media event in New York detailing its launch plans for the 3DS. Though the company had publicly unveiled the handheld a few months prior at E3 2010, it withheld some key details--including the system's release date, price, and launch lineup--until this January event. In hindsight, however, the reveal offered a glimpse at a rough road ahead for the platform--missteps that Nintendo will want to avoid repeating when it finally launches the Switch 2.Continue Reading at GameSpot

The highly immersive and realistic simulation game Planet Zoo puts players in the shoes of a zoo owner tasked with building, maintaining, and expanding a profitable zoo. The size, design, and type of zoo players can build is entirely up to them, but with this freedom comes some difficulty. There are a lot of animals to choose from and each has individual needs that must be maintained to ensure their happiness.

The Atari 7800 Plus, the renewed version of Ataris classic home console, just received its first discount at Amazon. The souped-up version of the Atari 7800 was originally $129.99, but is currently on sale for $116.99. Sure, its not a massive discount, and you can play just about every game ever made for the Atari 7800 or 2600 in your browser, but theres no denying the charm that comes with playing a game on (something resembling) its original hardware.The 7800 Plus isnt quite as big as the 1986 model but is an otherwise faithful recreation of the hardware as it originally appeared, and comes equipped with a single wireless version of the CX78 Plus gamepad. The 7800 Plus is able to play original cartridges (made for either the Atari 2600 or 7800) but is also compatible with new cartridges published by Atari. Regardless of when the game was originally published, all titles can be played in either their original 4:3 aspect ratio or upscaled to widescreen formats via an HDMI connection.The 7800 Plus comes packaged with a copy of Bentley Bears Crystal Quest, a new game published specifically for the launch of the new console, and if youd like to expand your collection with more titles for the Atari 7800 and 2600, individual cartridges are available on Amazon for $29.99 each. Collections for the 2600 and 7800 are also available from Atari.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.The Apple Watch Series 9 may have been overtaken by the Apple Watch Series 10 last year, but it's still a great product that anyone shopping for a smart watch should keep in mind. Right now, the Series 9 is on sale for its lowest price ever, according to price tracking tools, making it especially worthy of a second look. You can get the 45mm GPS sport loop Series 9 for $279 (originally $329). Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS) 45mm Phone OS Compatibility: iOS, Watch OS: watchOS, Processor: Apple S9 $279.00 at Walmart $329.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $279.00 at Walmart $329.00 Save $50.00 Like most tech products, the Apple Watch comes in a basic model (the SE), a mid-tier model (like the Series 9 or 10), and a high-end version (the Ultra 2). But the Series 9 offers arguably the best bang for your buck, with many premium features and a price that's closer to the SE than the Series 10 or Ultra 2. The Series 9 is has fewer features for outdoor enthusiasts than the Ultra 2, but if you want to save yourself a few hundred dollars and don't need a brighter screen or a more rugged design, the Series 9 is a great choice. PCMag gave the Series 9 an "outstanding" review for its powerful processor, the in-demand double-tap gesture for hands-free operation, access to Siri, and its bright display.The GPS version only allows you to access your phone if you're connected to the same wifi network or are close enough for a Bluetooth connection. In other words, you won't be able to go on a run without your iPhone and expect to play music on your AirPods or take calls unless you want to get a used GPS + Cellular version for $263.09.The aluminum case is cheaper than the stainless steel model, and the 45mm screen is for those who prefer a bigger screen compared to the 41mm one.

As the world turns, so do the console generations. The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old, so its due for a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been swirling for years, but now they are really heating up. A sequel to Nintendo's most successful home console ever is coming and its likely coming sooner rather than later.Will it be a straight up sequel to the Switch with updated specs while retaining the same hybrid functionality or will Nintendo get weird with it? Will it even be called the Switch 2, or will the company go with something like the Super Switch or even the New Nintendo Switch? You can never tell with Nintendo. Heck, maybe itll call the thing the Switch U.In any event, recent weeks have brought feverish speculation regarding all aspects of the forthcoming gaming console. Its important to note, however, that very little information has been confirmed by Nintendo. The company operates on its own timetable. With that said, here are all of the rumors that are most likely to come true, given industry analysis.When will the Nintendo Switch 2 be announced?As previously mentioned, Nintendo marches to the beat of its own drum. We dont exactly know when itll hold an event to reveal the console, but rumors have been swirling regarding an announcement this week. A post from Walmart seemed to suggest that a reveal would be coming on Thursday, January 16. The Verge's Tom Warren has also reported we'll get an announcement this week.Even Nintendo has trouble keeping the lid on a major console release, which is likely why there have been so many announcement rumors. There are parts that have to be sourced and shipments that have to be made. A senior analyst at MST Financial noted a spike in production equipment spending by Nintendo assembler Hosiden.When will the Nintendo Switch 2 come out?Once again, this is more or less a mystery. We arent totally in the dark, but its mostly rumor and speculation. One thing we know for sure is that Nintendo will announce the Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever it chooses to call it) by March 2025, as the company confirmed back in May. Some are saying there will be a March release date, which makes sense given the OG Switch came out on March 17, 2017. However, other reports put the consoles release window later in 2025.Accessory manufacturer Genki, which has been a major source of leaks in recent months, claims the console will be released in April.Will it even be a proper Switch sequel?Nintendo has a weird track record here. The baffling Wii U followed the massive success of the Wii. The Wii itself followed the more traditional GameCube. In other words, its possible itll be something out of left field and not exactly a true sequel to the Switch. However, this is unlikely this time around. As much as I would love to see wacky VR glasses or a completely bonkers console concept, all points indicate a more traditional approach.Nintendo Patent Points to (Another) VR Headset https://t.co/pofTjclgOt #LaboVR #Nintendo pic.twitter.com/A5WEZUG3kL The Escapist (@EscapistMag) September 10, 2019 Developers have already seen the hardware, though in a much earlier form, and it seems to be a regular old console. While Nintendo hasn't confirmed hybrid functionality, itd be a weird omission given the absolute financial firestorm of the Switch. Weve also heard rumors of a Mini-LED display, which would track for a hybrid console. Its highly likely this will be a straight-up Switch 2, or something like it, calling to mind the Super Nintendo.A summary of today's alleged Switch 2 images 'leak'. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Z4rfSGz4WQ Andy Robinson (@Andy_VGC) September 18, 2024 To that end, recent rumors suggest a design that recalls the original Switch. According to reporting by VGC, photos of the console have appeared online and they show an 8-inch screen and magnetic Joy-Con controllers. There looks to be SL/SR buttons and front-facing player LEDs on these controllers.Will there be a bit of Nintendo weirdness?Everything leaked or rumored so far on this console has been fairly, well, traditional. It looks like the original Switch, but better. That's awesome, but will there be any of that unpredictable Nintendo magic? Maybe! Recent reports indicate two puzzling additions that folks can't make hide nor hair of.Genki, the accessories manufacturer, just published a landing page for their Nintendo Switch 2 accessories. This landing page features a video that includes a very detailed look at a Switch 2 mockup. pic.twitter.com/Db7RSk4YlQ Bob Wulff (@BobWulff) January 8, 2025 An accessory maker called Genki accidentally leaked an alleged mockup at CES 2025 of the entire console. If the Switch 2 is coming sooner rather than later, it makes sense that accessory makers would have these kinds of mockups. There looks to be a mysterious "C" button on the bottom-right side and nobody knows what it does. Could it initiate voice chat during gameplay? Could it calibrate the controllers? Could it create a room-sized hologram of Bowser in your living room? We'll have to wait and see, and there's always a chance that the button won't even exist.Now onto the updated Joy-Cons, those same leaks seem to indicate a new sensor on the connecting side of each controller. It looks a whole lot like an optical sensor, which is what a computer mouse uses. This has led to speculation that players will be able to flip the Joy-Con over and use it like a mouse.Genki reveal isnt a mockup, its straight up just the Switch 2, optical sensor is literally flashing in this shot @Stealth40k #Switch2 pic.twitter.com/COeLsonqMd Ash (@Ashinarii) January 8, 2025 But why would anyone even want this? I can think of three words. New Mario Paint. In any event, take all of that Genki stuff with a big grain of salt, as Nintendo came out and said that the images and video were "not official." The accessory manufacturer has also stated that its mockup wasn't based on an actual console, but rather leaked information thats circulating in the industry.Is the Nintendo Switch 2 backwards compatible?If its a sequel to the Switch, the next question has to be about backwards compatibility. The Switchs library is absolutely massive, and continues to grow, so gamers would be rightfully peeved if they couldnt play Tears of the Kingdom on their new next-gen console. Theres good news on this front.The company has officially announced in a recent earnings report that the console will be fully backwards compatible. It will also feature access to Nintendo Online, so users will be able to play all of those old retro titles.What about specs?The rumors regarding specs are all over the place, so its tough to pin down. We know one thing for sure: Itll be more powerful than the ancient Switch hardware, which was already antiquated back in 2017. One analyst allegedly got a hold of a spec sheet from the Korean United Daily News that said the Switch 2 would boast an eight-core Cortex-A78AE processor, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal eMMC storage. This tracks for me, as these specs are about as underpowered in 2024 as the original Switch was in 2017. However, some reports do indicate that the console would include 12GB of RAM.Another source suggests that the eight-core CPU will be packaged inside an NVIDIA-produced Tegra239 SoC (system on a chip). Given the current Switch runs on an NVIDIA chip, that makes a lot of sense. The CPU will be more powerful, but it's the Switch 2's new GPU that will be a major differentiator. It's all-but-confirmed that the Switch 2 will support DLSS, NVIDIA's "deep learning supersampling" upscaling tech, which would allow the console to render games at a low resolution internally while outputting a high-resolution image. (Fun fact: We actually wrote about how perfect DLSS was for the Nintendo Switch 2 when the technology was announced alongside the RTX 20 series back in 2018.)There are still questions about the Switch 2 and DLSS: Will the system support newer DLSS features like frame generation? Will existing games be automatically tidied up by NVIDIA's algorithm? Regardless of the exact implementation, DLSS upscaling will be a huge leap over the rudimentary techniques available to Nintendo Switch developers.As for the display, there are many conflicting rumors. Early reports from solid sources suggested the Switch 2 would have an 8-inch display LCD display, but there have also been rumors about an 7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Some analysts have suggested this would be an OLED screen, while others have said it would be a Mini-LED display. A Mini-LED display is basically an LCD display that has a backlight made of (surprise!) mini-LEDs rather than edge lighting. This allows for local dimming, making the blacks more black. Im hedging my bets here. I think itll be a standard LCD, to cut costs, with an OLED or Mini-LED model coming later down the line. However, Mini-LED screens are slightly cheaper than OLED displays, so thats certainly a possibility at launch.As for resolution, recent reporting suggests that the console will output 1080p in handheld and 4K when docked. That's much better than the OG Switch.How much will the Nintendo Switch 2 cost?We don't have too much information regarding price but we do have plenty of history to work with. The original Nintendo Switch launched at $300, which is pretty much the "magic number" when it comes to Nintendo console releases in recent years. The Wii U also came in at $300.However, there are plenty of rumors circulating that Nintendo could be upping the asking price for the Switch 2. Numerous outlets have reported it'll be $400, or potentially even more expensive. However, the same analysts who say the console will be $400 were also fairly certain it would be out by the end of 2024 and, well, it looks like that ain't happening.Dipping back into history, there is some precedence for a price uptick. The GameCube was $200 and the Wii was $250. The Wii U and Switch increased to $300 and, well, numbers like to go up. A $400 price tag would make it nearly as expensive as a PS5 and Xbox Series X. That would also put it at the same price as the 256GB LCD Steam Deck.Do we know about any launch games?Nope! But its certainly been a long time since weve gotten a proper 3D Mario adventure, right? That would be one heck of a system seller. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. Past as prologue, we can expect something from Ubisoft and an off-the-wall title like 1-2-Switch.If theres a gimmick or hook involved with the console, well also get a game that takes advantage of that. A dual release of Metroid Prime 4, just like Breath of the Wild and Twilight Princess before that, is also a possibility. Finally, there have been rumblings that the big launch title could be none other than Mario Kart 9.That's everything we know about the Nintendo Switch 2 today. We'll update this article with rumors we trust and with information we gather directly from sources. Any changes made to the article after its initial publishing will be listed below.Update, January 15, 2025, 12:10 PM ET: This story has been updated to include rumors about a potential console announcement for this week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/will-the-nintendo-switch-2-get-revealed-this-week-heres-everything-we-know-110023623.html?src=rss

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