Nintendo Switch Sports hands-on: Reviving a surefire formula for fun

It’s hard to believe Wii Sports came out more than 15 years ago. But to me, the strangest thing is that despite being one of the most memorable Wii games of all time, Nintendo never made a proper sequel, that is until now.

I got a chance to check out Nintendo Switch Sports ahead of its official release on April 29th, and I’m so glad it’s back. Just like the original, Switch Sports is a collection of virtual sports games that rely largely on motion controls. In other words, it’s a game best played standing up, ideally with a bunch of friends or family members.

Nintendo Switch Sports will feature six sports at launch: tennis, bowling, volleyball, chambara and badminton
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Returning from the original are tennis and bowling, which are as fun as ever. And like all of the included sports, the game supports both online and local play (with up to four players on a single TV). And for kids who might not have been around during the first Wii Sports craze, they’re a great way to introduce motion controls. But for me, the real stars are the four new additions: soccer, volleyball, badminton and chambara.

In volleyball, there are different gestures for things like bumping, setting and blocking, and the ability to play full 2v2 matches locally is a surefire formula for instant fun. The gestures felt surprisingly natural once I got a hang of the timing, to the point where I was having flashbacks about gym class in high school. Just don’t forget to use your Joy-Con’s wrist straps, because no one wants to see a controller-shaped crack on their big screen TV after going for a spike.

Bowling is one of the two games returning from Wii Sports in Nintendo Switch Sports
Nintendo

Soccer takes a slightly different approach because, for now, it relies on controller inputs rather than wildly flailing around, which means it plays more like Rocket League than actual soccer. There’s even a jumping headbutt command that’s tricky to land, but is extremely satisfying when you do.

That said, in the shootout mode, you can attach a Joy-Con to your preferred kicking limb using Nintendo’s leg strap. The strap comes included in the $50 physical version of the game, but is also available separately for $10 if you opt for the $40 digital edition. It’s the same strap that comes with Ring Fit Adventure, so if you already have that you don’t need to buy another.

For soccer, you can use Nintendo's leg strap accessory to enable motion controls in shootout mode (and in the main game mode later this summer).
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I found nailing the timing in shoot-out mode to be the hardest out of all the games, but even when I whiffed badly, it was still a blast. And sometime later this summer, Nintendo is going to release a free update that will add motion-kicking controls to the main soccer mode.

Meanwhile, chambara lets you live out all your sword-fighting dreams. It’s frantic, while still rewarding fast reactions on defense. You can hold your Joycon vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to block incoming strikes, and if you’re successful, you can get in a free riposte while your opponent is dazed.

Or you can just do what I did and pretend your Taz from Looney Tunes and try to overwhelm your opponent with a flurry of swings which, pro tip, doesn’t really work. The goal is to knock your opponent off the platform into the water below, which can take as little as one or two hits in later rounds. There are even charge and twin sword modes to spice up the action, but I didn’t get to try those out, which is probably a good thing because the standard mode is hectic enough.

Badminton in Nintendo Switch Sports is fast and frenetic.
Nintendo

Finally, there’s my absolute favorite of the bunch: badminton. It feels twice as fast as tennis, and even though I only played one match, it might have been the most fun workout I’ve had in weeks. Rallies are frenetic, and if you can make your opponent flub their timing, you’ll be rewarded with a soft lob (denoted by a wobbly birdie) that you can smash back with extra aggression. There’s even a command for doing a drop shot, which adds a nice bit of strategy.

For those thinking about becoming Switch Sports pros, there’s an online competitive mode that lets you rank up as you develop your skills. Bowling also gets a special survival mode that pits 16 players against each other simultaneously. And in the fall, Nintendo is going to push out a second free update that brings golf back to the mix.

Honestly, Switch Sports is so engaging my only question is why something like this wasn’t available at the Switch’s launch in 2017. 1-2 Switch was fine, but it often felt more like a tech demo than a collection of party games. And it didn’t really have the replayability or the pickup-and-play appeal Wii Sports provided. But no matter, a proper sequel is gonna be here soon, and from what I’ve played so far, it’s going to be even better than the original.

ASUS ROG Flow Z13 review: Practicality can be overrated

The Surface Pro’s design has been with us for almost a decade, so it’s kind of a wonder that in all that time, no one has really ever tried to make a detachable 2-in-1 gaming machine. Pretty much everywhere you look, there’s a hybrid version of every type of gadget — from tablets to smartphones — aside from gaming PCs. And while ASUS teased us with the ROG Mothership back in 2019, now the company has finally returned to transform that concept into an actual retail device: the ROG Flow Z13.

Design and display

For those familiar with Microsoft’s detachables, if you take one look at the Flow Z13 (which starts at $1,800) you’ll immediately see why I mentioned the Surface Pro line, because ASUS has basically taken that blueprint and made it all gamery. You get a bright 13.4-inch full HD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a handy kickstand in back, and a magnetic strip for hooking up a removable keyboard cover. That cover also feels similar to a Surface, right down to the bounciness of the keyboard and its slightly too-small touchpad. This means any hardcore RTS or FPS gamers will definitely want to keep an external keyboard around. ASUS even hid a microSD card slot and removable M.2 cover behind the kickstand, just like the Surface Pro. You’ll also find an 8-MP camera around back, though its image quality leaves a lot to be desired (the cam in front is fine though). Elsewhere, we have one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB A port and a couple of other ports hidden beneath a protective seal. But more on those later.

Similar to a Surface Pro, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 features a built-in kickstand and a detachable keyboard.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, while its overall design is a lot like a Surface, the Z13 gives off a very different vibe. ASUS’ over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic combined with a splash of red and black accents might be a bit much for some. But I kinda love it, especially that window with RGB lighting in back. In fact, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say we need more see-through gadgets in general.

Specs and performance

On the inside, we got some relatively beefy components, particularly for a system this size. We’re talking an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 3050TI. In normal use browsing the web or social media, the Z13 is rather quiet, though that changes when you launch a game. Fan noise is noticeable, but doesn’t become a real distraction. And while the back of the Z13 does get warm, ASUS’ tablet design and vapor chamber cooling system helps keep throttling to a minimum.

One of the Asus ROG Flow Z13's most eye-catching features is a window with RGB lighting showing the system's motherboard.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now normally, pairing an i9 chip with a 3050 Ti doesn’t make a lot of sense. In most games, the Z13 is going to be bottlenecked by its GPU, which makes a high-end CPU seem like overkill. In benchmarks, I saw frame rates of 37 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on ultra settings, 64 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest and 40 fps in Metro Exodus on high. So decent, but not exactly mind-blowing.

That’s where those hidden ports come in. Once you remove the protective seal, you can attach ASUS’ optional (and expensive) $1,400 XG Mobile graphics dock, which has even more ports (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, Ethernet, four USB 3.2 Type-A ports and an SD card reader), along with an RTX 3080 graphics card. And after I hooked everything up, gaming performance basically doubled, with frame rates in Forza Horizon 5 jumping up to 87 fps at the same settings, with similar results for other titles (134 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 95 fps in Metro Exodus).

For people who want even better performance from the ROG Flow Z13, Asus made the XG Mobile external graphics dock.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So now, we’re looking at a portable gaming tablet that has the kind of performance you’d typically only get from a big 15 or 17-inch notebook. And because the dock is detachable, you have the option to leave it behind if you’re not gonna be gaming. It even has its own power cable, allowing it to send juice to the Z13 when connected. So theoretically, if you throw both of these in your bag, you can leave ASUS’ basic charging brick at home. And when you’re not using the dock, beneath that seal next to ASUS’ proprietary XG port, there’s a USB-C 3.2 connection that supports video out with G-sync.

However, there are a number of quirks about the XG dock. First, you can’t just disconnect it at will. Before you pull the plug, you need to manually disable it from the icon in the Windows system tray, which takes more than a moment. You also can’t pick what GPU goes inside, it’s either an RTX 3080 or nothing. That means if you want to upgrade in the future, you’re gonna have to buy a whole new dock, assuming ASUS even makes a second generation. And because of that proprietary port, the XG Dock is only compatible with this system and the ROG Flow X13, which is basically the laptop version of Z13.

Battery life

on the Asus ROG Flow Z13, there's a removable seal that hides an extra USB-C port and the system's proprietary XG port.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

One of the biggest downsides of the Z13’s tablet design is not having a lot of room for a sizable battery. In our video rundown test, the system’s 56 Whr power pack lasted just five hours and 38 minutes. That’s four hours shorter than the Zephyrus G14 (9:45) and nearly two and half hours less than the Alienware X14. That means you will probably need to bring ASUS’ power brick whenever you leave the house, especially if you plan on actual gaming. And in the real world, even with the most casual workloads, I found the Z13 was often gasping for energy well before the end of the day. On the plus side, the Z13 uses USB-C Power Delivery, so at least the charger can top up other gadgets too.

Wrap up

The right side of the Asus ROG Flow Z13 features a single USB Type-A port and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

When it comes to summing up a product, I’m usually not this conflicted. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea, I love the way it looks, and I love being able to tack on a beefy GPU when I want extra performance. I also love being able to flip it open, pair a controller and just get to gaming – no need to worry about a keyboard. There really isn’t anything else like the Z13. The problem is that the whole kit isn’t very practical, and it’s not a great value either.

When you’re using it as a laptop – like you know, on your lap – because all of its guts are stuffed inside what is essentially a tablet chassis, it’s really top-heavy. Also, its battery life isn’t very good, lasting at least two to three hours shorter than every other gaming laptop we’ve tested recently. And while it’s relatively thin, when you think about all the accessories you might want to carry around with it, the Z13 doesn’t really let you pack that much lighter when compared to a rival 14 or 15-inch laptop.

The Asus ROG Flow Z13 comes with a USB-C power adapter, though it can also charge using the optional XG Mobile graphics dock.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And then there’s its price. The Z13 starts at $1,800, or around $1,900 for one similar to our review unit with a 3050TI GPU, which is as high as you can spec it. And if you want the XG mobile graphics dock your all-in price climbs well above $3,000.

A similarly equipped traditional gaming laptop, like an Alienware X14 goes for about $200 less. Meanwhile, ASUS’ own G14 Zephyrus can be had for as little as $1,450, and that’s with a slightly more powerful RTX 3060. So if you just want to be able to game on the go, you can save a bunch of money simply by getting something less exotic. And if you need some extra performance now and then, you’re probably better off getting a regular external GPU enclosure that you can upgrade yourself down the line instead of ASUS’ proprietary dock.

The Asus ROG Flow Z13's unique design means you can use it as a tablet, even while gaming.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now all this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one. But you should know what you’re getting into first. The Flow Z13 is a wildly interesting system, and for people looking for a portable and adaptable machine with big time performance, I’m glad that ASUS finally made a gaming tablet/detachable 2-in-1 into a real device after all these years. And while its high price will make the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most people, I still think it’s impractically cool.

Google Maps is getting toll pricing and other route details

With road trip season about to commence, Google Maps is getting an update that should help make vacation planning a bit easier thanks to enhanced details and a new feature that will calculate estimated toll prices. 

Previously, while Google Maps could tell you which routes had tolls or not, you didn’t get much info beyond that. But now, in an update rolling out later this month that will cover more than 2,000 roads across the US, India, Japan and Indonesia, users will be able to see estimated toll pricing sourced from local authorities.

For spring 2022, Google Maps is getting a new feature that will show estimated toll pricing in select countries.
Google

This means you should have more information when trying to figure out the cheapest way to get to your destination, with Google Maps even factoring in things like different payment methods (e.g. paying with a pass versus cash/credit), the day of the week or even the specific time you’re expected hit a toll. And of course, if you want to save as much money as possible, Google will still surface toll-free routes and provide an option to completely block routes with tolls from being displayed.

Enhanced details in Google Maps are coming for spring and summer 2022.
Google

On top of that, to help make driving through unfamiliar territory a bit less scary, Google Maps is also getting enhanced details. Soon, you’ll be able to see things like traffic lights and stops signs along with additional info regarding nearby points of interest and even more precise building outlines. Google also says that in select cities, users will be able to spot details like the shape of the road, including features such as medians and islands. The update is slated to roll out to Android, iOS, Android and CarPlay throughout select countries in the coming weeks. 

Finally, for those with iOS devices, Google is adding a few extra features for use across Apple’s ecosystem. On iPhones and iPads, Maps is getting a new trip widget that will let you pin your next trek to your home screen. Additionally, the standard Google Maps search widget is also getting a size reduction, so you can quickly lookup a destination without the widget taking up too much screen real estate. 

For 2022, Google is adding a new pinned trip widget for Google Maps to iOS, while shrinking the sizer of the default Maps widget.
Google

Meanwhile, for those who want to travel super light, Google is adding deeper support for Google Maps to the Apple Watch. This will allow you to look up a destination and even see directions on your wrist, all without ever having to pick up your phone. Additionally, iOS Spotlight, Siri and the Shortcuts app are also getting Google Maps integration in the coming months, so you can more easily search for a place using voice commands. 

DOJ seizes $34 million of crypto from the dark web seller

In what the DOJ calls one of the largest cryptocurrency civil forfeiture filings in US history, the Southern District of Florida has successfully seized around $34 million worth of coins and tokens from a seller on the dark web.

According to a recent release, the illicit crypto was seized from a South Florida resident who used an online alias to sell more than 100,000 illicit items across marketplaces on the dark web. The bulk of the sales is said to be hacked account info from a number of major services including HBO, Netflix, Uber and others.

Prosecutors from the Southern District of Florida say the resident used TOR (The Onion Router) to access the dark web, before using a series of tumblers to convert one cryptocurrency to another in order to hide its source. This series of actions is often called chain hopping and is considered a form of money laundering, which obviously a big no-no at both the federal and state levels. 

Eventually, proceeds from the illicit sales were deposited in random increments at random times in designated crypto wallets, which were later recovered by law enforcement. Between May 16th, 2017 and June 19th, 2017, authorities seized approximately 919.3 Ethereum, 643 Bitcoins, 640 Bitcoin Gold, 640 Bitcoin Cash and 640 Bitcoin SV

The DOJ says the civil forfeiture filing comes as a result of Operation TORnado, which is a joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) across multiple federal, state and local agencies.

However, while that $34 million sum (which was worth as much as $47 million at one point based on court docs) is certainly a lot, given the growing popularity of crypto, it almost certainly won’t be one of the largest seizures for long. 

Samsung’s 2022 TV lineup has something for everyone

While Samsung announced all of its new 2022 TVs back at CES, due to the pandemic we haven’t been able to check them out in person until now. And even though Samsung didn’t bring all of its 30-plus new sets to its flagship store in New York, from what I saw there’s a lot to like about Samsung’s latest big-screen lineup.

The centerpiece of Samsung’s portfolio is, without a doubt, the new QN900B, the centerpiece of the company’s Neo QLED 8K family. For 2022, Samsung has added 14-bit HDR mapping (up from 12-bit mapping on last year’s models) to improve picture detail in both bright and dark scenes. When combined with that massive 7,680 x 4,320 resolution, the TV looks seriously sharp.

Thanks to Quantum Dot technology and a new processor, the QN900B sports top-notch brightness along with a stunning 8K resolution.
The QN900B’s higher peak brightness and 8K resolution deliver super sharp details in practically any lighting conditions.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But the most promising upgrades might be the changes Samsung made behind the glass, including an updated Neural Quantum processor the company says can analyze the content being shown to further optimize image quality. As for audio, the QN900B also gets a new 90W 6.2.4 channel speaker setup featuring Dolby Atmos with Object Tracking Sound Pro. This allows the TV to tweak sounds and voices based on where they appear on screen, adding an extra level of immersion.

As a gamer, I really like that in addition to improved support for game streaming services like Google Stadia and NVIDIA GeForce Now built into Samsung’s Gaming Hub, the QN900B (along with the 4K QN95B and QN90B) also gets one HDMI 2.1 port that supports refresh rates of up to 144Hz (up from 120Hz). Meanwhile, all of Samsung’s new TVs from the Q80B and up will come standard with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 120Hz inputs. That means you won’t need to constantly mess with your cables to make sure you’re getting the best possible image quality for your Xbox Series X, PS5, or any gaming PCs you might have connected to the TV. That’s a big quality of life upgrade compared to my two-year-old TV that only has a single port that supports 120Hz inputs.

I also want to mention the QN900B’s design, which features practically non-existent bezels. Particularly with its slimmer base, the TV really gives the impression that the whole thing is floating in mid-air. Samsung even tweaked the sides of the TV’s bezels with a brushed metal finish and patterned cut-outs, which looks slick but not distracting. Sadly, with the smallest 65-inch model starting at a whopping $5,000, Samsung’s latest 8K TVs aren’t cheap. Thankfully, if you don’t care about 8K (which is very understandable), Samsung’s Neo QLED 4K QN85B starts at just $1,500 for a 55-inch model.

Tee S95B is Samsung's first new OLED TV in almost a decade
The S95B features Quantum Dot tech and is Samsung’s first new OLED TV in almost a decade. 
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

However, I think the S95B (which starts at $2,200 for a 55-inch model) is Samsung’s most interesting TV for 2022. Not only is it the company’s first new OLED TV in almost a decade, it also features Quantum Dot technology and a new sub-pixel architecture that delivers some truly impressive colors. Unlike traditional OLED displays, Samsung got rid of the traditional white sub-pixel and instead uses blue sub-pixels as the main source of illumination. And when paired with the same Neural Quantum Processor used in the QN900B, the S95B delivers better brightness than traditional OLEDs without washing out colors or reducing saturation. Honestly, the richness and vibrancy of this display is jaw-dropping, and I actually stopped in my tracks the first time I walked past it.

Now, it’s important to remember that the S95B still isn’t as bright as one of Samsung’s QLED sets, so for people watching TV in a room with lots of windows or tons of ambient light, something like the 4K QN90B would probably be a better option. And while the S95B (which starts at $2,199.99 for a 55-inch model) does get four HDMI ports that support 120Hz inputs, sizes top out at just 65 inches compared to 85 inches for most of Samsung’s QLED sets.

The big upgrade for the 2022 Frame is a new matte, anti-reflective coating.
The 2022 Frame’s new matte coating also makes the TV’s art mode look much more lifelike. 
Sam Rutherford/Eng

Finally, when it comes to Samsung’s Frame TVs (which starts at $1,000 for a 43-inch model), the big change for 2022 is a new matte finish that reduces reflections and helps the set do an even better job of disguising itself as art when you’re not watching it. To me, the matte finish gave things like brush strokes in paintings an extra level of texture, resulting in a more lifelike appearance. That said, there is a downside because the anti-reflective coating slightly reduces how much light gets through the TV’s front glass. Thankfully, Samsung easily remedied that by increasing the 2022 Frame’s overall brightness, both in art mode and when showing content.

Here's a comparison showing the difference between the anti-reflective coating on the 2022 Frame (left) versus last year's model.
Here’s a comparison showing the effect the 2022 Frame’s (left) anti-reflective coating has when light is shined on it versus last year’s model (right). Note how the glare is much less harsh on the new Frame. 
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But perhaps my big takeaway after seeing Samsung’s new TV lineup is that it feels like there’s more choice than ever before when it comes to picking your perfect set. If you want a super high-res TV with excellent brightness that will look great even in bright rooms with lots of windows, there’s the QN900B. Alternatively, if you want brilliant colors and deep inky blacks, the S95B represents a welcome return for Samsung to the OLED TV space, which is a market its cross-country rival LG has dominated in recent years. And if you prefer a TV with a more subdued design that might blend in better with your decor, there’s the Frame and its updated matte finish.

All of Samsung’s new 2022 TVs are available for pre-order today, with devices expected to begin shipping out sometime later this month.

An engineer just made the world’s first Android phone with a working Lightning port

Back in 2021, engineer Ken Pillonel did what Apple refuses to do when he made the world’s first iPhone with a working USB-C port. Now, Pillonel has flipped the script with his latest project: the first Android phone with a Lightning connector.

Admittedly, an Android phone with a Lightning port doesn’t have nearly the same sort of cross-over appeal as a USB-C iPhone, but that’s OK. In his initial video, Pillonel says the device was meant to be more of a fun project created to “balance the chaos” unleashed by his previous device, with the release deliberately timed for April Fools’ Day.

However, putting this thing together was no joke, because while the concept might be silly, the Lightning port on the Android phone (in this case a Samsung Galaxy A51) is fully functional for both charging and data transfer. “[This] was a complex modification that required some out-of-the-box thinking,” said Pillonel. And when I got the chance to ask about the project’s biggest challenges, Pillonel told Engadget the hardest part was figuring out how to make everything actually work together.

“The Lightning cables sold by Apple are not ‘dumb,’” he said. “They will only charge Apple devices. So I had to find a way to trick the cable into thinking it was plugged into an Apple device. And the whole thing needs to fit inside the phone, which is another challenge in itself.”

Thankfully, Pillonel has learned a thing or two since his previous project, which helped lay the groundwork for his latest device. “I would say it was easier to do than the first USB-C iPhone for two reasons,” he said. “The first is that I’m getting better at it because I’m learning new things every day, so hopefully I can finish these mods faster and faster. The second reason is that the quality of the finished product is nowhere near what it was for the iPhone.”

And while I would posit that an Android phone with a Lightning port is a definite downgrade in terms of usability compared to a standard USB-C port, that doesn’t seem to bother Pillonel. “I don’t expect anyone in their right mind wanting to do this to their device,” he said. “It was for fun, I just wanted to see if I could do it.”

So what’s the next move for this unique gadget? For those looking for more details about what went into the project, Pillonel says he’s working on a full-length explanation video coming soon to his YouTube channel. As for the phone itself, Pillonel says he’ll probably just keep it after running into issues when he put the original USB-C iPhone up for auction on eBay, which ended up garnering fake bids in excess of $100,000.

“I didn’t want to force trying to sell it because that’s not really who I am. I want to focus on my engineering and science projects,” Pillonel said. And while these custom mods might not be everyone’s dream device, they’re a great example of what can be done even without the help of the companies that originally made them.

Intel details its first Arc A-series GPUs for laptops

Way back in 2018 Intel announced plans to develop its own line of discrete GPUs back designed to compete with rival cards from AMD and NVIDIA. And despite several delays including missing its original 2020 launch window, this spring the first batch of Intel’s new Arc graphics cards are finally ready for use in retail devices, starting with Samsung’s Galaxy Book 2 Pro laptops.

As a quick recap, while Intel’s Arc line will eventually cover both laptops and desktops, the first batch of A-series GPUs are lower-power cards intended mainly for ultraportables and thin-and-light notebooks. The company’s graphics cards will use a naming scheme similar to its CPUs to help differentiate between various performance tiers, beginning with the new Arc A350M and A370M, before moving on to the more powerful Arc 5 and Arc 7 cards which are due out sometime later this summer. 

The new Arc 3 line will serve as Intel's entry-level GPUs, while the more powerful Arc 7 GPUs will cater more to gaming enthusiasts and pro content creators.
Intel

Across the entire family of Arc GPUs, Intel’s graphics architecture is based on four main pillars: the company’s XE cores, XE Media Engine, XE Display Engine, and the XE Graphics Pipeline. All Arc cards will also have the same basic feature set including support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, XE Super Sampling, AV1 hardware acceleration and more. 

The Arc’s XE cores are based on Intel’s XE HPG (High Performance Graphics) microarchitecture, with each core featuring 16 256-bit Vector Engines. 16 1,024-bit Matrix Engines and 192KB of shared memory. The XE Media Engine is designed to support popular video apps with hardware encoding at up to 8K 10-bit HDR and hardware acceleration for a number of popular standards (VP9, AVC, HEVC, AV1). Meanwhile, the XE Display Engine was built to handle video output for up to two 8K displays at 60Hz simultaneously, four 4K displays running at 120Hz, or a single 1440p screen at 360Hz.

Intel's new A-series GPUs will feature a similar name scheme to the company's CPUs, with lower-power Arc 3 GPUs available now followed by more performant Arc 5 and Arc 7 cards due out later this summer.
Intel

As for the two new cards themselves, both the A350M and A370M are targeting 1080p gaming at 60fps to 90fps across a range of popular games. The A350M is designed to draw between 25 and 35 watts of power and will sport six XE cores, six ray tracing units, a graphics clock of 1,150 MHz (which Intel says is a conservative estimate of the card’s typical clock speed) and 4GB of GDDR6 vRAM. Alternatively, the A370M is designed for slightly larger laptops with a power draw of between 35 and 50 watts, eight XE cores, 8 ray tracing units, a graphics clock of 1,550 MHz, and the same 4GB of vRAM. And as you can see in the image above, the upcoming Arc 5 and Arc 7 cards will be significantly more powerful. But again, they won’t be out until sometime in early summer. 

According to an infographic from Intel, the new Arc 3 GPUs should provide a significant performance boost compared to Iris XE integrated graphics
Intel

Also, alongside its new GPUs, Intel created a software suite called Arc Control similar to NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience and AMD’s Radeon Software, designed to allow users to more easily monitor performance, install drivers and updates, record game highlights and even connect to live streaming apps like Xsplit. And thanks to a UI that uses a streamlined overlay, Intel’s Arc Control should be easy to access in the middle of a battle. 

Intel even says it’s working more with developers to provide faster and more responsive driver support for new titles, with featured games on the Arc cards including titles such as Elden Ring, Ghostwire: Tokyo, Dolmen and a whole lot more. And as one of the largest chip makers in the world, Intel also created its Deep Link tech which is designed to give its Arc cards an additional performance boost when working in tandem with Intel’s onboard integrated graphics. 

Intel's new A-Serci Arc GPUs will include a number of next-gen features including AV1 hardware acceleration, Intel's new XE cores and more.
Intel

So while we’re only getting two new Arc cards right now (and relatively low-power ones at that), today marks an important moment as Intel finally becomes the true third horse in the discrete graphics space. The first retail device to feature one of Intel’s A-series cards is Samsung’s Galaxy Book 2 Pro, which goes on sale next month. However, Intel promises that there will be a slew of even more laptops featuring Arc GPUs coming soon from big names including Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, MSI, Lenovo and others. 

DC Universe Infinite is finally available outside of the US

After being converted from a streaming video service into a portal for comic books last year, DC Universe Infinite is finally rolling out to regions outside of the US this spring and summer.

Today, DC Comics announced that the service is now available in Canada, with support for Australia and New Zealand arriving later this week on March 29th. After that, the UK will get access on April 28th, followed by availability in Brazil and Mexico sometime later this summer. 

DC Comics says subscribers in other countries will have the same access to the service’s library of more than 25,000 comics books as those in the US, including early access to new Digital First comics such as Suicide Squad: King Shark and others. And just like in the US, new editions of printed comics will be added to the service six months after first going on sale in retail stores. 

Meanwhile, to sweeten the deal, DC Comics is introducing discounted pricing for anyone who signs up during the first 30 days of DC Universe Inifinite’s launch in their country, with customers able to keep that
reduced pricing for as long as they maintain a paid subscription. So while prices vary a bit by region, you’ll generally be looking at savings of around 30 to 35 percent if you take advantage of DC’s introductory pricing.

At launch, an annual subscription to DC Universe Infinite will cost just $59.99 CAD, $64.99 AUD, $64.99 NZD or £36.99 BPS for the next 30 days, before jumping up to its regular price of $89.99 CAD, $99.99 AUD & $99.99 NZD or £54.99 per year. Alternatively, if you prefer to pay month by month, you can do that too with prices starting at $9.99 CAD, $9.99 AUD, $9.99 NZD or £6.99 BPS.

OnePlus as we knew it is dead, here’s what next

OnePlus began life as a startup making smartphones with high-end specs aimed at enthusiasts. Its first phones were barebones devices that maximized value for money, while still retaining a sense of identity (remember those sandstone backs?). That’s something that’s not easy for any device, regardless of price. But now after 10 generations, it feels like the OnePlus we knew is gone, and it’s probably not coming back.

Now, I don’t mean to be all doom and gloom. It’s only natural that companies evolve over time. Just look at Nintendo, which started out making Hanafuda cards more than 130 years ago, or Nokia, which can trace its roots back to a single pulp mill built way back in 1865. So while OnePlus hasn’t been around nearly that long and its pivot isn’t nearly as drastic, ahead of the company’s next flagship phone’s arrival in the US, now feels like a good time to examine how a once sorta plucky smartphone upstart turned into mainstream OEM.

Chief Executive Officer of OnePlus Pete Lau attends a launch event for the new OnePlus 6T in the Manhattan borough of New York, New York, U.S., October 29, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Last year, OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau was promoted to chief product officer for both Oppo and OnePlus.
Carlo Allegri / reuters

Founded in 2013 by Carl Pei and Pete Lau, OnePlus started off as a subsidiary of BBK electronics alongside other well-known Chinese smartphone brands including Oppo, Vivo and, more recently, Realme. So right away there was a lot of shared DNA. But critically, even though OnePlus phones often had similar designs and specs compared to contemporary Oppo devices, the teams behind those phones were separate. (The old joke for years was that the latest Vivo phone would eventually become the next OnePlus device after a few months, but I digress.) This gave OnePlus the freedom to tweak things to suit its core audience: hardcore phone nerds, mostly in the US and western Europe before later expanding to India. Meanwhile, Oppo and Vivo focused more on the Chinese market and other regions in Asia.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, when a new OnePlus phone came out, it often launched first in the US. OnePlus phones also had features like its Alert Slider and OxygenOS that weren’t available on phones from its sister companies. And as early as 2015, 60 to 70 percent of the company’s sales came from overseas as growth in the west quickly outpaced gains in its home country. More recently in 2020, OnePlus sales in the US grew by 143 percent while practically every other phone maker saw shipments decline due to the pandemic and the silicon shortage that followed soon after. In contrast to Oppo and Vivo, OnePlus carved out its niche overseas, and in some ways, you could even think of OnePlus as a western company that just happened to be based in the east.

For a company that started out making barebones phones with high-end specs for enthusiasts, OnePlus has a very different focus for its products in 2022.
Here’s a slide from OnePlus’ recent roundtable during MWC 2022. For a company that started out making barebones phones for enthusiasts, this sort of product focus feels like it’s coming from a completely different company.
OnePlus

But everything changed last year when OnePlus announced that it was officially merging with Oppo. So now, instead of being an independent company (albeit with the same parent in BBK), OnePlus is being positioned as a sub-brand for its sister company run by Lau, who will jointly oversee both companies while serving as chief product officer.

From a business standpoint, the merger makes a lot of sense. Rather than having redundant teams working on similar projects at different companies, combining OnePlus and Oppo helps streamline research and development while also boosting the scale at which the company can produce (and sell) devices. And it’s a similar story for the OS powering these devices, because after years of independent development, OnePlus announced that OxygenOS and Oppo’s ColorOS would transition to a shared codebase.

That means while OxygenOS will still be around, it’s closer to being a tweaked and stripped-down skin of ColorOS designed to look OnePlus’ old platform. But under the hood, they’re the same. And if it wasn’t for backlash from fans, Oppo probably would have shelved OnePlus’ take on Android entirely in favor of Vivo’s platform.

While OxygenOS and ColorOS will continue to exist, both platforms will share a unified codebase instead of being developed fully independently.
While OxygenOS and ColorOS will continue to exist, OnePlus’ shift to a shared codebase means they are essentially the same platform with some differences and tweaks depending on your region.
OnePlus

Unfortunately, this change to the new codebase hasn’t been smooth. During a recent roundtable that took place during MWC late last month, OnePlus’ head of OS product Gary Chen admitted that the latest iteration of OxygenOS (version 12) “did not meet expectations.” On top of that, when asked why the OnePlus 10 Pro launched first in China months before becoming available in other regions, Lau said the OP10 Pro’s delayed availability wasn’t caused by the ongoing global chip crunch, but instead because “software development takes longer for non-China countries.” This is a very different approach to OnePlus’ global sales strategy compared to the past. And lest we forget, there still aren’t even any plans to make a non-pro OnePlus 10, which just seems odd after years of new phones landing in pairs.

Another important factor to consider is all the former employees who have left the company recently, most notably Carl Pei. Not long before the OnePlus/Oppo merger went down, Pei left the company he helped create to launch Nothing. According to Lau, “Pei’s departure did not have an impact on the development of OnePlus.” And while I understand the desire for a company to put on a stoic face during a major transition, allow me to reserve a bit of skepticism on that one.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: (L-R) OnePlus Co-founder Carl Pei and TechCrunch Hardware Editor Brian Heater speak onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center on October 04, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch)
Prior to his departure from the company last spring, Pei was often the most visible OnePlus employee, particularly for customers in the west.
Steve Jennings via Getty Images

Over the course of multiple generations, Pei was often the face of OnePlus, especially for customers in the west. He presented new flagship devices at launch events and regularly popped in to chat with customers or provide updates in the company’s forums. And after launching its first product last year (the Ear1 earbuds), Nothing is about to become one of OnePlus’ direct competitors now that the company is prepping to launch the Phone 1 sometime this summer. Without getting too deep into any interpersonal drama, I think it’s pretty clear that Pei is still very much interested in making gadgets, just not at OnePlus.

The brain drain hasn’t happened solely at the very top of the ladder either, with other longtime OnePlus execs like chief marketing officer Kyle Kiang having left the company last year in April. And then there are the countless numbers of OnePlus public relations, communication and support staff that have departed as well. Prior to 2020, I basically had the same two or three OnePlus contacts for five years running. And while my more recent contacts have been nothing short of professional, the amount of internal turnover I’ve seen feels very much like a changing of the guard.

Oppo 150W SuperVOOC flash charge with BHE (Battery Health Engine) enables a 4500mAh battery to reach full charge in 15 minutes. Battery health is also doubled when compared to conventional flash charge.
Oppo

And then there are smaller moves like pushing Warp Charging to the back burner in favor of 150W SuperVooc charging, which is slated to arrive on an upcoming OnePlus phone sometime in 2022. Now, it’s hard to get too upset about getting even faster charging tech, but this is yet another example of how the Oppo side of the company is seeping into OnePlus.

But perhaps most importantly is how OnePlus views itself. After shipping more than 11 million phones last year, OnePlus set new sales records in 2021. And while the company says it will continue to support its core markets in the US, India, Europe and China, the company also has aggressive plans to expand its markets later this year to Canada, Mexico and South America (a first for OnePlus). And in the future, OnePlus is eyeing North Africa and the Middle East as well. In short, while longtime enthusiasts probably won’t be completely forgotten, 2022 feels like a massive push from OnePlus to become a truly mainstream name.

A slide from OnePlus' MWC 2022 roundtable showing the company's plans to expand sales to Canada, Mexico, South America, North Africa, and the Middle East starting this year.
OnePlus has very agressive plans for expansion as the company looks to become a truly global name in 2022.
OnePlus

In some ways, OnePlus has kinda become the new LG, filling the void in the smartphone landscape left after Samsung’s cross-country rival shuttered its mobile business. And while this might seem like selling out (which, remember, is exactly what companies are made to do), there are a number of positive things that have come about as part of the company’s maturation. We’re talking about stuff like wider retail availability and improved carrier support throughout the US, not to mention a growing ecosystem of gadgets that includes wireless earbuds, smartwatches and more.

There’s also the company’s partnership with Hasselblad to improve its mobile photography, which for OnePlus has consistently lagged behind what you get on phones from Apple, Samsung and Google. OnePlus has even improved the everyday durability of its handsets in recent years thanks to support for IP68 dust and water resistance — even if the company’s unlocked models don’t explicitly mention this in their specs. And thanks to the Nord series, OnePlus has a larger lineup of affordable devices than ever before.

OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus

So has OnePlus finally turned its back on its longtime customers? Maybe, maybe not. That really depends on what you’re looking for in a phone. There’s no question that the company’s latest flagship devices are very different from what it used to make back in 2014. Heck for the first few year But at the same time, people’s preferences and expectations about what makes a good handset have changed a lot during the last eight years too. In its quest for a worldwide presence, OnePlus left a lot of its past behind. And in its place, we’re left with a global brand that ranks as the fourth-largest smartphone maker on the planet (and that’s not even counting Vivo) that’s very hungry to climb even higher. So say goodbye to the old OnePlus and say hello to the rapidly expanding behemoth that’s taken its place.

The USPS is doubling its order of next-gen electric mail trucks

Despite previously saying that it would only order 5,000 all-electric models of its next-gen postal truck, today the USPS announced that it’s doubling that figure to just over 10,000. 

Produced by Oshkosh Defense, the NGDV (Next Generation Delivery Vehicle) is slated to become the new workhorse of the USPS, with the first batch of trucks scheduled to hit the road sometime in 2023. And as part of the USPS’ efforts to upgrade its aging fleet, the service placed an initial order of 50,000 vehicles featuring a mix of gas and electric-powered trucks.

However, after learning that only 10 percent of those trucks would be EVs, the EPA and the Biden Administration requested the USPS to reconsider the distribution of its order. So now the USPS has increased the number of new electric postal trucks on order to 10,019 BEVs, which is a significant improvement, but still in the minority compared to gas-powered models. 

Postmaster Lous Dejoy says “Today’s order demonstrates, as we have said all along, that the Postal Service is fully committed to the inclusion of electric vehicles as a significant part of our delivery fleet even though the investment will cost more than an internal combustion engine vehicle. That said, as we have also stated repeatedly, we must make fiscally prudent decisions in the needed introduction of a new vehicle fleet. We will continue to look for opportunities to increase the electrification of our delivery fleet in a responsible manner, consistent with our operating strategy, the deployment of appropriate infrastructure, and our financial condition, which we expect to continue to improve as we pursue our plan.”

Upgrades on the NGDV include air conditioning, built-in 360-degree cameras, better braking and traction control, and much improved safety thanks to things like air bags and a new collision avoidance system. That said, with the USPS having over 190,000 trucks currently in service, this initial 50,000 order only represents a fraction of what the service will need to fully modernize its fleet. So while the mix of gas and electric NGDVs might not be ideal right now, there should be room to expand electrification in the future.