When you think about your smartphone, apps and interfaces are probably the first things that come to mind. Beneath all that surface-level stuff, though, our modern mobile devices are filled with files folders upon folders of em! just like the clunky ol computers weve relied upon for ages.We may not come face to face with our phones file systems too often, but its valuable to know theyre there and to know how they can work for us when the need arises. Whether youre looking to dig up downloaded PDFs and presentations, open up ZIP files that a client emailed you, or move files from your phone to a computer, tablet, or even another Android phone or an iPhone, youve got all sorts of options to get down to business.Heres everything you need to know to tap into your phones file managing and transferring powers.Manage files on your Android phoneYou might not realize it at a glance, but Android actually allows you to access a devices entire file system even from the device itself.The key is finding the right file manager to handle the job. That type of app makes it incredibly easy to browse, search, and interact with all the files stored locally on your device as well as clean up your local storage to free up space. You can even compress or uncompress files and add extra encryption onto especially sensitive items.Youll likely need just a single standout Android file manager to handle all of that and then some. Ive narrowed down the field to two top contenders one thats the best all-around option for most professionals and one that offers an extra-advanced and robust file management experience with all sorts of interesting extras.Check out my Android file manager recommendations and see which path makes the most sense for you, then keep whichever app you end up with handy for on-demand file-wrangling right from your device.Supplement your phones local storageOne little-known feature of Android is its ability to connect with external storage devices like USB memory sticks and even larger-capacity portable hard drives. A phone just has to support something known as USB On-The-Go, or USB OTG, in order for the connection to work.A fair number of devices, including Googles Pixel phones and many Samsung Galaxy products, offer such support. If you arent sure if your phone does, your best bet is to Google its name along with USB OTG; odds are, youll find the answer fairly quickly.Provided your device supports USB OTG, all you need is a USB-A to USB-C adapter like this one made by Amazon. Use the adapter to plug the external drive into your phone, then look for a notification confirming the drive is connected.Tap the Explore option within the notification, and thats it: You can now browse and access all the files on your external drive. loading="lazy" width="400px">Look for the notification that pops up when an external drive is connected, and youll be browsing the drives contents in no time.JR Raphael / IDGWhen youre finished, dont forget to go back to the notification and tap Eject before disconnecting the drive.Android file transfers for Windows computersIn addition to supporting external hard drives, your Android device can act as an external hard drive for fast file transfers with any computer. And with a Windows system, its especially easy to make that connection.Just plug your Android device into any open USB port on your Windows computer, then turn on the phones screen and unlock it.Swipe your finger down from the top of the screen, and you should see a notification about the current USB connection. At this point, itll probably tell you your phone is connected only for charging.After you connect your phone to your computer, a notification will let you prepare it for transferring files.JR Raphael / IDGTap the notification and select Transfer files or File transfer in the menu that appears. If media files are all youre planning to move, you could also use the Transfer photos (sometimes listed as PTP) option, whichll treat your phone like a digital camera.Once youve made your selection, go to your desktop and open up a File Explorer window using whatever method lines up with your Windows workflow:Click the File Explorer icon in your taskbarOpen the Start menu and click This PC or ComputerClick the This PC, Computer, or My Computer icon on your desktopThen look for an icon representing your phone alongside other portable devices and drives. Click or double-click that icon, and ta-da: Youll be staring at your Android phones internal storage. You can now click around and browse folders, drag and drop files between your phone and PC, or manipulate the data in any way you want as if it were any other ordinary drive.Android file transfers for MacsGot a Mac? The Android file transfer process is a bit more complicated for you but fear not, for its still reasonably easy to get going.The main difference is that before things will work, youll need to download and install a program thatll allow your Mac to interact with your Android device. Google used to have its own program for this purpose called Android File Transfer, but the company seems to have quietly phased that app out over time (which isnt entirely surprising, as Mac owners had been complaining about its reliability for years).What youll want instead is the favorably reviewed third-party Commander One. It costs $30 for a single license or $100 for a five-user team license. Once installed and configured, itll let you browse your Android devices storage, transfer files in either direction, and even interact with data on the phone or tablet without transferring anything.Or well, skip down to the final section of this story for one other option.Android file transfers for ChromebooksYoud expect file transfers between Android phones and Chromebooks to be as simple as can be, considering that Googles the driving force behind both of those platforms and by golly, youd be absolutely right.Just like with Windows, all youve gotta do to connect your Android phone to a ChromeOS device is plug it into any open USB port on the computer, then tap the USB charging notification on the phone and select the appropriate option for file transferring.Once you do that, a prompt to open the ChromeOS Files app should automatically appear on your Chromebook, with your phone loaded as the active storage focus. You can then simply drag and drop files in either direction as needed.Pulling up your Android phones storage on a Chromebook is as easy as can be.JR Raphael / IDGTold ya it was easy! And youve got one more option yet.Wireless Android file transfersGood ol wired transfers are fast and reliable, sure but these days, you can also opt to move files from your Android device to another Android device, a computer, or even (gasp!) an iPhone without needing any physical connection.Youve got a few possible paths worth considering here:1. Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share)Googles own native-to-Android wireless sharing solution makes it effortless to beam files between any Android device and another Android device, a Chromebook, or a Windows computer. Just use the standard system share command within any app on Android, then select Quick Share from the list of options that pops up and follow the steps that show up to get started.If the other device is running Android or ChromeOS, search its system settings for quick share to make sure its set up and ready to receive. If the other device is a Windows computer, download the official Google Quick Share Windows app to connect it.And if the other device is running any other operating system, consider one of the next two wireless file-sharing strategies instead.2. PairDropPairDrop is a free and open-source service that lets you wirelessly send files between any devices on the same network, no matter what operating system theyre running.It works entirely on the web: All youve gotta do is open up the PairDrop website on both devices, then click the center area of the screen or drag and drop files to initiate a transfer.PairDrop brings wireless file transferring to any devices across any platforms Android, iOS, Mac, you name it.JR Raphael / IDGThats it: No downloads, no sign-ups, no hassles whatsoever. And the services open-source code makes it clear that no data is ever stored or even touched by a remote server as part of the process.3. Cloud storageIf PairDrop isnt for you and Quick Share isnt doing the trick, the time-tested tactic of embracing a middleman can get the job done.Simply pick any cloud storage you like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or any other such service. Upload the files you want to transfer into a folder within the respective app on your Android phone, then find the folder within the same app on the receiving device (or vice-versa). Or, if the sharing involves other people, share the folder with them within the same cloud storage service app.Android file transfer: Automatic syncing with a computerMaybe you like having certain files stored locally on your Android phone, but you also want those files to be backed up and saved on your computer. The best of both worlds, right?Believe it or not, this is actually quite easy to pull off. Just grab an Android app called AutoSync, which is available for use with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. Itll let you create pairings between a local folder on your phone and a cloud-based folder for free with a single folder pair and files smaller than 10MB or for a one-time $5 payment without any real restrictions.Install the appropriate computer-side app for whichever service you prefer, make sure its set to sync with your computers hard drive and there ya have it: Your Android devices folder is now effectively part of your PC.You can even have the folders stay constantly synced in both directions so if you add or update a file on the computer, the same changes will appear on your phone as well.Thats a wrap!Congratulations: Youve officially earned the title of Android file master. (For real you can even type it into a document, print it out, and tape it to your desk so everyone knows.)Next up: Make sure you understand the ins and outs of Android backups. Theyre ultimately made up of files, too, after all and pretty important ones, at that.This article was originally published in August 2017 and most recently updated in January 2025.

MIT Technology Reviews Whats Next series looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of themhere.In November, a young man named Noland Arbaugh announced hed be livestreaming from his home for three days straight. His broadcast was in some ways typical fare: a backyard tour, video games, meet mom.The difference is that Arbaugh, who is paralyzed, has thin electrode-studded wires installed in his brain, which he used to move a computer mouse on a screen, click menus, and play chess. The implant, called N1, was installed last year by neurosurgeons working with Neuralink, Elon Musks brain-interface company.The possibility of listening to neurons and using their signals to move a computer cursor was first demonstrated more than 20 years ago in a lab setting. Now, Arbaughs livestream is an indicator that Neuralink is a whole lot closer to creating a plug-and-play experience that can restore peoples daily ability to roam the web and play games, giving them what the company has called digital freedom.But this is not yet a commercial product. The current studies are small-scalethey are true experiments, explorations of how the device works and how it can be improved. For instance, at some point last year, more than half the electrode-studded threads inserted into Aurbaughs brain retracted, and his control over the device worsened; Neuralink rushed to implement fixes so he could use his remaining electrodes to move the mouse.Neuralink did not reply to emails seeking comment, but here is what our analysis of its public statements leads us to expect from the company in 2025.More patientsHow many people will get these implants? Elon Musk keeps predicting huge numbers. In August, he posted on X: If all goes well, there will be hundreds of people with Neuralinks within a few years, maybe tens of thousands within five years, millions within 10 years.In reality, the actual pace is slowera lot slower. Thats because in a study of a novel device, its typical for the first patients to be staged months apart, to allow time to monitor for problems.Neuralink has publicly announced that two people have received an implant: Arbaugh and a man referred to only as Alex, who received his in July or August.Then, on January 8, Musk disclosed during an online interview that there was now a third person with an implant. Weve got now three patients, three humans with Neuralinks implanted, and they are all working well, Musk said. During 2025, he added, we expect to hopefully do, I dont know, 20 or 30 patients.Barring major setbacks, expect the pace of implants to increasealthough perhaps not as fast as Musk says. In November, Neuralink updated its US trial listing to include space for five volunteers (up from three), and it also opened a trial in Canada with room for six. Considering these two studies only, Neuralink would carry out at least two more implants by the end of 2025 and eight by the end of 2026.However, by opening further international studies, Neuralink could increase the pace of the experiments.Better controlSo how good is Arbaughs control over the mouse? You can get an idea by trying a game called Webgrid, where you try to click quickly on a moving target. The program translates your speed into a measure of information transfer: bits per second.Neuralink claims Arbaugh reached a rate of over nine bits per second, doubling the old brain-interface record. The median able-bodied user scores around 10 bits per second, according to Neuralink.And yet during his livestream, Arbaugh complained that his mouse control wasnt very good because his model was out of date. It was a reference to how his imagined physical movements get mapped to mouse movements. That mapping degrades over hours and days, and to recalibrate it, he has said, he spends as long as 45 minutes doing a set of retraining tasks on his monitor, such as imagining moving a dot from a center point to the edge of a circle.Noland Arbaugh stops to calibrate during a livestream on X@MODDEDQUAD VIA XImproving the software that sits between Arbaughs brain and the mouse is a big area of focus for Neuralinkone where the company is still experimenting and making significant changes. Among the goals: cutting the recalibration time to a few minutes. We want them to feel like they are in the F1 [Formula One] car, not the minivan, Bliss Chapman, who leads the BCI software team, told the podcaster Lex Fridman last year.Device changesBefore Neuralink ever seeks approval to sell its brain interface, it will have to lock in a final device design that can be tested in a pivotal trial involving perhaps 20 to 40 patients, to show it really works as intended. That type of study could itself take a year or two to carry out and hasnt yet been announced.In fact, Neuralink is still tweaking its implant in significant waysfor instance, by trying to increase the number of electrodes or extend the battery life. This month, Musk said the next human tests would be using an upgraded Neuralink device.The company is also still developing the surgical robot, called R1, thats used to implant the device. It functions like a sewing machine: A surgeon uses R1 to thread the electrode wires into peoples brains. According to Neuralinks job listings, improving the R1 robot and making the implant process entirely automatic is a major goal of the company. Thats partly to meet Musks predictions of a future where millions of people have an implant, since there wouldnt be enough neurosurgeons in the world to put them all in manually.We want to get to the point where its one click, Neuralink president Dongjin Seo told Fridman last year.Robot armLate last year, Neuralink opened a companion study through which it says some of its existing implant volunteers will get to try using their brain activity to control not only a computer mouse but other types of external devices, including an assistive robotic arm.We havent yet seen what Neuralinks robotic arm looks likewhether its a tabletop research device or something that could be attached to a wheelchair and used at home to complete daily tasks.But its clear such a device could be helpful. During Aurbaughs livestream he frequently asked other people to do simple things for him, like brush his hair or put on his hat.Arbaugh demonstrates the use of Imagined Movement Control.@MODDEDQUAD VIA XAnd using brains to control robots is definitely possiblealthough so far only in a controlled research setting. In tests using a different brain implant, carried out at the University of Pittsburgh in 2012, a paralyzed woman named Jan Scheuermann was able to use a robot arm to stack blocks and plastic cups about as well as a person whod had a severe strokeimpressive, since she couldnt actually move her own limbs.There are several practical obstacles to using a robot arm at home. One is developing a robot thats safe and useful. Another, as noted by Wired, is that the calibration steps to maintain control over an arm that can make 3D movements and grasp objects could be onerous and time consuming.Vision implantIn September, Neuralink said it had received breakthrough device designation from the FDA for a version of its implant that could be used to restore limited vision to blind people. The system, which it calls Blindsight, would work by sending electrical impulses directly into a volunteers visual cortex, producing spots of light called phosphenes. If there are enough spots, they can be organized into a simple, pixelated form of vision, as previously demonstrated by academic researchers.The FDA designation is not the same as permission to start the vision study. Instead, its a promise by the agency to speed up review steps, including agreements around what a trial should look like. Right now, its impossible to guess when a Neuralink vision trial could start, but it wont necessarily be this year.More moneyNeuralink last raised money in 2003, collecting around $325 million from investors in a funding round that valued the company at over $3 billion, according to Pitchbook. Ryan Tanaka, who publishes a podcast about the company, Neura Pod, says he thinks Neuralink will raise more money this year and that the valuation of the private company could triple.Fighting regulatorsNeuralink has attracted plenty of scrutiny from news reporters, animal-rights campaigners, and even fraud investigators at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Many of the questions surround its treatment of test animals and whether it rushed to try the implant in people.More recently, Musk has started using his X platform to badger and bully heads of state and was named by Donald Trump to co-lead a so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk says will get rid of nonsensical regulations and potentially gut some DC agencies.During 2025, watch for whether Musk uses his digital bullhorn to give health regulators pointed feedback on how theyre handling Neuralink.Other effortsDont forget that Neuralink isnt the only company working on brain implants. A company called Synchron has one thats inserted into the brain through a blood vessel, which its also testing in human trials of brain control over computers. Other companies, including Paradromics, Precision Neuroscience, and BlackRock Neurotech, are also developing advanced brain-computer interfaces.Special thanks to Ryan Tanaka of Neura Pod for pointing us to Neuralinks public announcements and projections.

Game Porting Toolkit 2, the latest version of Apple's tool to help bring more Windows games to Mac, is finally out of beta.An example of gaming on a Mac - Image Credit: AppleThe second generation Game Porting Toolkit was introduced at WWDC 2024, bringing with it enhanced tools to support game developers. Seven months later, the tool is no longer in beta.Checking the Downloads page of Apple's Developer site reveals an update on January 15, 2025. The listing for Game Porting Toolkit is not marked with the "beta" name, meaning it is out of beta and intended to be used by all relevant developers. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

[As] the former head of the federal emergency management agency, Craig Fugate, has said: A house that gets destroyed is not an affordable home. Its not a sustainable one either. The city needs greater urban density, not more firebelt bungalows. Ironically, it might be the inability of the insurance industry to pay up that finally forces LA to change.Oliver Wainwright takes the adage "Build up, not out" as his clarion call for rebuilding Los Angeles County in the wake of the (still ongoing) urban wildfires that have also sidelined many other critics of its present urban stasis, which was not addressed at all in the directive Mayor Karen Bass proffered yesterday only a week after the crisis began.The recent "exclusionary" decisionto restrictmost new developments to already high-density zoned neighborhoods, which account for just 28% of the city, hangs in the background here.

Developer The Farm 51 has kicked off the Kickstarter campaign to help crowdfund the development of the follow up to its survival horror RPG Chernobylite. Dubbed Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone, the game will have a host of new features, including the addition of a first-person view.In a statement about why the studio went with Kickstarter to fund the games development, the studio explained that player feedback was valuable, and a major reason for bringing the ability to switch between first-person and third-person cameras.The studio had originally planned to design Chernobylite 2 as more of an RPG than its predecessor, and less like other first-person shooters.The reason why its not here already is simple, wrote the studio. In the beginning, we decided to focus on RPG-like gameplay and avoid being constantly confused with first-person shooters, which Chernobylite is not at all.Wed like to ask you to join our new Kickstarter campaign in the one but very important goal: to give us the ability to implement the FPP combat system that many of you would love to play, the studio continued. First, by confirming that its something you really want, then by helping us to fund the extra costs of additional work, and finally, by giving us feedback on how do you feel the new feature works before the game is fully completed and shipped to the masses.Since the studio wants players to provide more active feedback, those who contribute to the games Kickstarter campaign will also get access to the games closed beta and Early Access releases before its full release on Steam.Among the features coming to Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is the addition of planewalking, which essentially allows players to change their characters skill set and equipment on the fly. This will allow players to take on a wider range of challenges, and be prepared for more situations than a single build would allow.The game will also feature base-building, along with allowing the denizens of this base to be assigned to specific tasks, as well as various factions that players can interact with, and depending on their actions and reactions, potentially fight against.Interestingly, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone will also feature a form of co-operative multiplayer. While details on this havent yet been revealed, the games single-player campaign will also include co-operative missions.With the Kickstarter campaign, The Farm 51 has set a crowdfunding goal of $97,741. At the time of writing, the campaign has almost met this goal, and is sitting at $73,728 with 872 backers. There is still plenty of time left for the Kickstarter, with 28 more days left to go.Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone doesnt yet have a release date aside from a 2025 window. The game is being developed for PC and consoles.

Archaeologists unearthedroughly 1,500 decorated stone blocks that once made up part of Hatshepsut's valley temple. Ahmad Hasaballah / Getty ImagesAncient Egypt was primarily ruled by men, with only a handful of women successfully coming to power. One of them was Hatshepsut, the sixth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who reigned during the 15th century B.C.E.Hatshepsut was by far the most successful woman to rule Egypt as pharaoh, as Smithsonian magazines Elizabeth B. Wilson wrote in 2006. She insisted on being portrayed with male features, including the broad, bare chest of a man and the pharaonic false beard, though scholars dont know exactly why. Another mystery: After Hatshepsuts death around 1458 B.C.E., many of her monuments and statues were destroyed or defaced.Now, archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed roughly 1,500 stone blocks that once made up part of Hatshepsut's valley temple, which is located near her funerary temple in the city of Luxor. The blocks are decorated with colorful scenes and likely made up the temples foundation wall, reports Reuters Sayed Sheasha.These remarkable blocks retain their vivid colors and offer a glimpse into the artistry of the period, says Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypts Supreme Council of Antiquities, in a statement.Archaeologists also found a variety of tools, including chisels, a wooden hammer, an adz and a wooden cast for making mud bricks, according to Live Sciences Owen Jarus. They think these items were buried as the temple was being built. Over the past three years, archaeologists have made several discoveries while excavating the area around Hatshepsut's valley temple in Luxor. Ahmad Hasaballah / Getty ImagesExcavations also revealed a limestone tablet featuring the name Senmut, who was Hatshepsut's architect and managed the temples construction, per Reuters.Experts are still in the process of studying the artifacts, which they hope will offer new insights into the life and legacy of Hatshepsut.For me, the most important is the discovery of the blocks from the valley temple of Hatshepsut, Aidan Dodson, an Egyptologist at the University of Bristol who was not involved with the research, tells Live Science. Her main temple has been extensively excavated and studied since the mid-19th century, [but] the valley temple was only briefly examined by Howard Carter some 120 years ago.During their three-year excavation on the western bank of the Nile River, archaeologists also found burial shafts and pits that held wooden coffins dating back to between 1580 and 1550 B.C.E., reports theAssociated Press. One of the coffins contained the remains of a young child, who was likely buried roughly 3,600 years ago. Additionally, they found weapons that may have been used to battle the Hyksos, a group that invaded parts of ancient Egypt.Researchers also unearthed the tomb of Djehuty Mes, who was an overseer of the palace of Queen Tetisheri. Queen Tetisheris grandson, Ahmose I, expelled the Hyksos in the 16th century B.C.E. Live Science reports that archaeologists found several artifacts inside the tomb, including a limestone offering table, a commemorative stone slab and a cosmetics vessel.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Artifacts, Cool Finds, Egypt, History, New Research, Queens, Women's History

A brief snippet of today's Nintendo Switch 2 reveal may have hinted toward additional uses of the hardware.Read More

Report: 77% of devs expect games industry to grow in 202590% of studios plan to release at least one new game this year, according to game backend provider Metaplay News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 16, 2025 77% of game developers expect industry growth in 2025, with 90% of studios planning to release at least one new title.This is according to Metaplay's Game Development Renaissance report, which surveyed 150 senior Unity developers in the UK and US conducted by independent market research firm Atomik Research.According to the report, most respondents were optimistic about industry growth this year. Over two-thirds of developers expected fewer layoffs and studio closures, and around three-quarters predicted more acquisitions and exits.Looking at funding, 77% anticipate more availability for funding new studios due to an increase in crowdfunding, angel investors, and community-backed investments. According to Metaplay, this allows "for more creative control, flexibility, and early community support."63% of those surveyed also expect game development costs to be lower this year due to the use of technology rooted in artificial intelligence.Elsewhere in the report, more than one in three developers view cross-platform capability as an important factor in shipping live service games, with 71% expecting demand for cross-play to increase.Speaking of live service games, 76% of respondents expect this segment to boost revenue, with 38% suggesting that "regular content and updates" are significant factors when shipping a successful live ops title."Our findings have shown that live ops, cross-platform development, and external technology are at the heart of the game development renaissance," said Metaplay co-founder and CPO Teemu Haila."It represents an era where studios no longer have to rely on raw headcount to achieve growth. Instead, growth is achieved through smarter tooling, leaner teams, and sharper strategy."

You can always count on Nintendo for a surprise. This is the company that followed the Game Boy with a strange dual-screened handheld and broke out of its GameCube slump with a console focused on motion controls. Its the company that lost its lead with the Wii U and then gambled on another innovation the portable hybrid known as the Switch to ultimately get back on top. All of those were big, risky swings that seemingly exemplified the companys playful, experimental ethos.The Switch 2, on the other hand, is a bigger, better Switch. Its kind of boring. But its also exactly the right move from Nintendo. At a time when people expect their games and experiences to carry over between devices, the old console paradigm of starting over with a new generation doesnt make a whole lot of sense. And since Nintendo hit a home run with the original Switch, it has the runway to be a little bit boring this time.Todays reveal video didnt detail a whole lot about the Switch 2 in terms of specs, but there are still some clear improvements over the original, like the bigger display (though we dont know the exact screen size) and redesigned Joy-Con controllers. More details are coming at an event in April.RelatedIt seems like a series of notable upgrades, potentially worthy of being a long-awaited follow-up to one of the bestselling consoles of all time. At the same time, these changes dont fundamentally alter the Switch experience. The Switch 2 is still a tablet with detachable controllers, one you can either play as a portable or connect to your TV for a more console-like experience. It still plays (most of) your old Switch games, and your Switch Online subscription will carry over between devices.The original Switch. Photo by James Bareham / The VergeReally, the form factor of the Switch didnt need changing. Its clear consumers loved it; Nintendo has sold more than 146 million of them, as the Switch inches closer to toppling the DS as the companys bestselling piece of hardware. Its flexible in a way that made sense for a large group of people, and it helped spearhead a renewed interest in portable gaming, one that is now taking the PC world by storm. Even Microsoft and Sony are tentatively getting into the space. And by merging its portable and console development teams, Nintendo was able to focus on a single device and greatly improve the cadence of new releases. Over its eight years of existence, the Switch had surprisingly few lulls between major new games.Instead of being surprising, Nintendo decided to be sensibleSo instead of being surprising, Nintendo decided to be sensible. The Switch is what many people have been asking for for years: the same form factor, but more adept technically. No weird gimmicks, no sense of starting over with a new system. Its a continuation of a thing thats already working well.Its important to note that this doesnt mean Nintendo is done being weird. Just because its main device is a straightforward follow-up to the Switch doesnt eliminate the possibility of experimentation. You only need to look at initiatives like Labo and Alarmo to see that Nintendos playful streak is still going strong. Whats crucial about those projects is that Nintendos business doesnt hinge on them. A weird collection of cardboard accessories has the potential to be a hit, but if it isnt, its not a huge loss. The same cant be said for a major twist on a home console Nintendo hopes to sell for the next decade.Nintendo Labo. Photo by James Bareham / The VergeThe safeness of the Switch 2 points to where Nintendo is at as a company right now. As it attempts to grow into an entertainment empire that extends beyond just gaming, it has had to find a balance between reaching that wider audience and maintaining its inventive side. The original Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993 was a live-action fever dream, whereas the billion-dollar animated film was a safe bet made with the proven team at Minions studio Illumination. Its still Nintendo, but nowhere near as risky.On paper, its the right moveThe name itself is another sign of the overall maturing of Nintendo. Unlike the confusion of the Wii U, or the ongoing debate over what an Xbox is, the Switch 2 is immediately easy to understand. Its that thing you like, only better. Nintendo may have given up competing with the other console makers on a technical level, but it has taken a page from Sonys playbook. Its not always a smooth transition between PlayStations, but at least you always know what youre in for. Now the same is true for Nintendo.Maintaining that balance between risk and safety will be the key for Nintendo in this next generation. We already know that the Switch is a good device, and soon well have a better version. On paper, its the right move. The trick is keeping that sense of continuity without losing what makes Nintendo so special in the first place. If it doesnt keep being weird and surprising and idiosyncratic, all youre left with is just another tablet.

Nintendo fans eager to get their hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 and likely Mario Kart 9 can sign up for a chance to do so very soon.A short trailer confirmed the new hardware alongside a brand new Mario Kart game, and Nintendo soon after revealed that registration for a handful of hands on events across the U.S. begins tomorrow, January 17 on Nintendo's website."Get hands on with the Nintendo Switch 2, the successor to the Nintendo Switch system, at events in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas," Nintendo said. "Tickets will be made available through a free-to-enter, randomly selected drawing."Nintendo Switch 2 - First LookIGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!IGN's Twenty Questions - Guess the game!To start:...try asking a question that can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".000/250Registration begins at 12noon Pacific / 2pm Central / 3pm Eastern on January 17 and runs until 11:59pm local time on January 26. Results of the drawing will be revealed "soon after." Those eager to participate will need a Nintendo Account to do so and must be over 18 years old.Nintendo has not announced what games will be playable at the event, though it's likely to include Mario Kart 9 as it's the only one confirmed so far. This new entry only received a few seconds of gameplay during the trailer, but this alone was enough to suggest 24 person races are coming to Mario Kart for the first time.The New York event takes place from April 4 to 6, the Los Angeles event from April 11 to 13, and the Dallas event from April 25 to 27. Only U.S. residents are permitted to apply for a ticket, though various other events are taking place outside of the country for non-American fans.This includes Toronto, Canada from April 25, to 27, plus European locations including Paris from April 4 to 6, London from April 11 to 13, Milan from April 25 to 27, Berlin from April 25 to 27, Madrid from May 9 to May 11, and Amsterdam from May 9 to 11. Nintendo is also visiting Melbourne from May 10 to 11, Tokyo from April 26 to 27, Seoul from May 31 to June 1, and Hong Kong and Taipei at later dates.Though these latter two are yet to be announced, confirmation that one of these events which typically take place before a console is released will still be taking place on June 1, it's therefore likely the actual Switch 2 release will come after.The events will also take place after the Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, which arrives in April. The brief trailer has already confirmed a few things about the new hardware, of course, such as backwards compatibility features and the addition of a second USB-C port.Most details, such as its other games and what the heck the mysterious new Joy-Con button does, were left out, though the Joy-Con mouse theory did gain a little traction.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.