The Morning After: Nintendo’s Switch turns five

Nintendo’s return to form, after the miss that was the Wii U, has been impressive. The Switch, equal parts home console and handheld, has been a huge hit for the company and recently surpassed the Wii to become Nintendo’s best-selling console. The hardware — underpowered in specs compared to the competition — has proved flexible and powerful enough, and Nintendo has crushed it with the games. With Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which landed shortly after the console launched, players got not only the best Zelda game in years but arguably (don’t come for me) the best Zelda game. Period.

To celebrate its fifth birthday, we’ve pulled together the best games that have cemented the Switch as the versatile, family-friendly console that’s still going strong. Who needs a Switch Pro?

(Me, I do.)

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

‘Star Trek: Picard’ enters the 25th century only to promptly ignore it

This season is for all those time-travel fans.

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Paramount

The first season of Picard was controversial, to say the least. Many fans were happy to see old friends again; others weren’t so thrilled at the bleak future of Starfleet and the Federation. So Star Trek did what Star Trek does: time travel! Our early preview contains moderate spoilers for the first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard season two.

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Another Netflix production was robbed, this time on the set of ‘Lupin’

Twenty masked thieves reportedly made off with $330,000 worth of equipment.

Netflix has been the victim of two big on-set robberies in two days. On February 24th, $200,000 worth of antique props were reportedly stolen after thieves broke into vehicles used for production of The Crown. And just a day later, 20 thieves with covered faces broke on to the set of Lupin, in a northwest Paris suburb. The thieves apparently set off mortar-style fireworks before making off with the equipment.

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Samsung may be throttling apps to save battery life on Galaxy phones

The company says it’s looking into reports.

Samsung may have limited the performance of a large number of apps on its Galaxy smartphones. There are claims it’s been using something called the Game Optimizing Service (GOS) to throttle up to 10,000 apps (likely to save battery life), including many that have nothing to do with gaming, like Netflix, TikTok and, er, Microsoft Office. However, it isn’t throttling benchmarking apps.

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A ‘molecular drinks printer’ claims to make anything from iced coffee to cocktails

Thousands of beverages at the press of a touchscreen.

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Cana

A company called Cana has revealed what it’s calling the planet’s first “molecular beverage printer.” The idea is that, using a single cartridge of flavorings, the machine can mix one of thousands of beverages, including juice, soft drinks, iced coffee, sports drinks, wine and cocktails. The notion seems to be it can manufacture most drinks from a water base, adding in what differentiates orange juice from, say, a latte. The system uses a “novel microfluidic liquid dispense technology” to mix the beverages. The pricing is unusual, too. After paying for the machine (early adopters can bag one for $499), you have to pay for each drink. Each costs between 29 cents and $3, though Cana claims the average price will be lower than bottled beverages at retailers.

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John Romero releases a new ‘Doom II’ level to raise money for Ukraine

John Romero, co-founder of id Software, has released a new level for Doom II called One Humanity. It’s the first level he has designed for the game since it was released in 1994 and, more importantly, it will benefit the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund in Ukraine. The level will set you back €5 or $5.50, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards those organizations, Romero has announced on Twitter. 

Doom II is a critically acclaimed first-person shooter that people still enjoy playing almost two decades on. To be able to play One Humanity, you must have an original copy of the game and a modern source port. 

Romero has joined the list of people and companies in the gaming industry that had taken steps to support Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. The Pokémon Company donated $200,000 to GlobalGiving’s humanitarian relief efforts in the country, which will benefit families and children affected by the war. EA removed Russian national team and clubs from FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile and FIFA Online, while CD Projekt Red stopped selling its games in Russia and Belarus.

Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also called on Sony and Microsoft to block the PlayStation and Xbox accounts of players in Belarus and Russia. Fedorov, who’s also the country’s Minister of Digital Transformation, is hoping the move would urge Russian citizens to resist their government’s “disgraceful military aggression.”

Elon Musk issues warnings over the use of Starlink terminals in Ukraine

SpaceX chief Elon Musk has warned Starlink users in Ukraine that there’s a high probability of the service being targeted, as it’s the only working non-Russian communications system in some parts of the country. On Twitter, Musk advised people to use Starlink with caution by turning it on only when needed and placing it as far away from other people as possible. He also told users to place light camouflage over the antenna to avoid visual detection. 

As Reuters reports, Musk’s warning comes after John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab project, said Russia could use Starlink’s uplink transmissions in Ukraine as beacons for airstrikes. In a lengthy Twitter thread, he explained Russia’s extensive experience when it comes to targeting people while they’re using satphones and other kinds of satellite technologies. 

Internet connection has become spotty in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. The intense combat and explosions in major cities like Kyiv had disrupted the operations of GigaTrans, the country’s main internet provider that also supplies connectivity to other networks. SpaceX activated the Starlink broadband internet service in Ukraine following a plea from Mykhailo Fedorov, who serves as the country’s Minister of Digital Transformation. The company also quickly sent terminals to the country, which arrived just a couple of days after the service’s activation. 

Days after receiving SpaceX’s shipment, Fedorov tweeted a photo of a Starlink dish installed and in use on a rooftop. He also asked for ideas on how to keep the antenna powered in the middle of Russia’s ongoing attacks. Musk responded that SpaceX is updating the terminal’s software to reduce its peak power consumption and so that it can be powered from a car’s cigarette lighter socket. He also said the company enabled mobile roaming so that a Starlink antenna can maintain its signal even on a moving vehicle. 

A consultant in satellite communications told Reuters that Starlink terminals weren’t designed to be used while in motion, so it’s not quite clear what Musk meant. One user in California stuck a Starlink antenna to the hood of his car for internet connectivity, though — they even got a ticket for it. SpaceX has also long been planning to connect moving vehicles to the Starlink network and previewed a ruggedized version of the service’s dish meant for ships, aircraft and bigger land vehicles like RVs last year.

Sony and Honda announce plan to build EVs together

Sony and Honda have signed a memorandum of understanding to design and market electric vehicles together, the companies announced. The deal isn’t final, but the aim is to establish a joint venture this year and start selling vehicles by 2025.

Honda would design, manufacture and market the first model, with Sony creating the mobility service platform. The idea is to marry Honda’s car building and sales chops with Sony’s infotainment, mobile and image sensor expertise. 

“Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different,” said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe. “Therefore, I believe this alliance which brings together the strengths of our two companies offers great possibilities for the future of mobility.”

For Honda, the joint venture might help it achieve its goal of shifting its entire lineup to EVs by 2040. As it stands now, the company has one of the sparsest EV lineups of any automaker, with its only true EV sold in the west being the nichey, Europe-only Honda E.

Sony pitched the partnership as a bid to “fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology.” That likely means you can expect high-tech interiors and fancy entertainment systems designed to help you forget that you’re stuck in rush-hour traffic. It added that it wants to create a mobility system “centered around safety, entertainment and adaptability.”

The news doesn’t come as a complete shock, as Sony has already showed not just one but two electric vehicles of its own design, the Vision-S EV and Vision-S 02 electric SUV. When it first appeared, the Vision-S was a showcase for all of Sony’s strengths, packing 33 different sensors for 360 Reality Audio tech, wide-screen displays, autonomous driving and other features. Sony promised to debut a new company called Sony Mobility sometime this spring, but it looks like the Honda alliance will serve that purpose instead.

Apple may soon drop mask requirements for retail and corporate employees

Apple is starting to eliminate mask requirements for both retail and corporate US employees, according to Bloomberg. The company reportedly told corporate staff that masks are now optional for vaccinated employees in regions where indoor-mask mandates have been dropped. Retail staff at specific locations were also told that masks will be optional starting today. 

The company is following the lead of the CDC and states that are quickly dropping mask mandates as COVID-19 cases plummet around the country. It plans to relax mask rules across more regions as well, depending on local laws. In addition, Apple is reinstating in-person “Today at Apple” classes at US retail stores starting on March 7th, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

Apple has already dropped mask requirements for Store customers in a number of regions, including Kansas, North Carolina and Ohio. Most New York locations don’t require customers to wear masks anymore either, so long as they’ve been fully vaccinated.

Apple previously dropped mask mandates last June, but that didn’t last very long. It reinstated them just a short time later as the Delta variant surged, and kept them on during the spread of the Omicron variant. 

If things go to plan, Apple may also set a deadline for employees returning to the office. It planned to do that in June of 2021, but delayed it once again as cases surged. It then projected a September return, but eventually admitted that employees wouldn’t likely return until 2022.

Airbnb is suspending its operations in Russia and Belarus

Airbnb is halting operations in Russia and Belarus, CEO Brian Chesky announced in a tweet. That includes around 90,000 active short-term rentals across different platforms in Russia and just over 1,800 in Belarus, according to Reuters. 

Chesky brought the situation up yesterday saying “all things are on the table” due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Monday this week, Airbnb offered free housing for up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing to European nations including Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania. 

Airbnb users have been taking things into their own hands, too. Members of the public purchased Airbnb rentals in Ukraine to help get money to residents facing severe economic hardship, as The Guardian reported. “My wife and I have just booked your apartment for one week, but of course we will not be visiting. This is just so you can receive some money,” wrote one user to an Airbnb renter in Ukraine. Airbnb has also agreed to waive guest and host fees on all bookings in the nation.

Over a million refugees have fled the country since Russia’s invasion started, according to the UN, and it estimates that up to four million people could eventually leave.

US Surgeon General orders tech companies to reveal sources of COVID-19 misinformation

President Biden’s Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has formally called on tech companies to provide information on sources and the scale of COVID-19 misinformation, The Washington Post has reported. “This is about protecting the nation’s health,” he told The Post in a written statement. “Technology companies now have the opportunity to be open and transparent with the American people about the misinformation on their platforms.” 

Murthy’s request pertains to social networks, search engines, crowdsourced platforms, e-commerce and instant messaging companies. To start with, he wants data and analysis on typical vaccine misinformation already identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That includes falsities like “the ingredients in COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous” and “COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips.”

The administration seeks to learn how many users have been exposed to such misinformation, and which demographic groups may have been disproportionally affected. On top of that, it’s looking for data about the major sources of COVID-19 misinformation, including individuals or businesses that sell unapproved COVID-19 products or services. Tech companies have until May 2nd to comply, though they won’t be penalized if they don’t.

Last summer, Murthy called health misinformation an “urgent threat to public health” that tech platforms needed to address, adding that “health misinformation has already caused significant harm.” 

The request is part of the White House’s COVID National Preparedness Plan announced yesterday, designed to achieve “minimal disruption” by COVID-19. The administration also asked health providers to submit statements on how coronavirus misinformation has hurt patients and communities. “We’re asking anyone with relevant insights — from original research and data sets to personal stories that speak to the role of misinformation in public health — to share them with us.”

Google pauses all ad sales in Russia

Google has stopped selling ads in Russia completely, according to Reuters. The tech giant’s decision applies to YouTube, search and outside publishing partners, expanding the more limited ad bans it implemented since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. “In light of the extraordinary circumstances, we’re pausing Google ads in Russia,” the company told the news organization in a statement. “The situation is evolving quickly, and we will continue to share updates when appropriate.”

The tech giant blocked RT and other Russian channels from generating ad revenue on YouTube in late February before barring Russian state media from being able to monetize their content across its platforms. It had also prohibited all kinds of ads that seek to take advantage of the situation, unless they’re anti-war advertisements.

Google is far from the only tech company that has implemented ad-related changes across the region. Twitter had quickly paused ads and recommendations in Russia and Ukraine after the invasion began “to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it.” Facebook blocked Russian state media from running ads on its platform after the country’s authorities partially restricted access to the social network. More recently, it blocked access to RT and Sputnik within the EU and Ukraine before demoting all Russian state media on its website around the world. Microsoft banned RT and Sputnik from its ad platform, as well, and pulled their news apps from its store. 

As The New York Times notes, Google has been very careful with its decisions involving Russia. It has over 100 employees in the country, and Russian authorities previously threatened to prosecute individuals if their employers don’t abide by their rules. 

Google’s decision to ban all ad sales in the country comes shortly after Russian communications watchdog Roskomnadzor demanded the takedown of YouTube video ads it says are spreading “false political information” about Ukraine. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Roskomnadzor is accusing YouTube of running “advertising campaigns to misinform the Russian audience” and are “aimed at creating a distorted perception of current events.” 

The regulator didn’t say whether it would limit YouTube in Russia if Google doesn’t comply, but Russian authorities have been blocking websites that provide information contradicting their country’s official narrative about the invasion. In addition to restricting access to Facebook within the country, the Russian government also limited people’s access to Twitter and previously threatened to block Wikipedia.

Pete Davidson reportedly finalizing a deal to join an upcoming Blue Origin flight

SNL comic Pete Davidson, who once played an astronaut on a sketch with Elon Musk, may be a passenger on an upcoming Blue Origin flight, reportedPage Six. The Jeff Bezos-owned commercial space travel company has successfully launched three crewed spaceflights over the past year. A source close to Davidson said that while he had yet to sign an official contract, details are currently being finalized. It’s unlikely the 28-year old’s desire to be launched into space at the cost of $2.5 million per minute just appeared out of nowhere. In fact, Davidson and his girlfriend Kim Kardashian dined with Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez earlier this year. According to Page Six’s source, Davidson “got on really well” with Bezos.

How much is Davidson’s journey into the edge of space going to cost? Blue Origin has been notoriously tight-lipped about the price of seats on its future flights. The winning bid in a public auction for a seat on the very first Blue Origin flight was $28 million. The winner, Justin Sun, CEO of blockchain platform Tron, later had to give up his seat because of “scheduling conflicts” (luckily he was able to reschedule the once-in-a-lifetime experience for another date). But the actual price of a seat is most likely far less. The cost of upcoming suborbital flights through Richard Branson’s commercial flight company, Virgin Galactic, is a far more frugal $400,000. Bezos has said in earlier interviews that a seat on Blue Origin’s New Shepard would likely be in the same ballpark. Given that Davidson’s net worth is estimated to be around $8 million, it’s likely this will be more appropriate for his budget range. Not all Blue Origin passengers have had to pay, so it’s possible Davidson may have secured a better deal. 

New Glenn’s next flight is scheduled for takeoff at some point in the fourth quarter of 2022. Thanks to the surge of celebrity interest in Bezo’s commercial space venture, Davidson will actually be the third SNL alum to join a Blue Origin flight. Former Blue Origin passengers William Shatner and Bezos have both hosted SNL.

Sens. Sanders and Warren urge investigation into Amazon’s ‘no-fault’ attendance policy

A group of Democratic lawmakers led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) want regulators to take a closer look at Amazon’s points-based attendance policy, which they believe may be punishing workers for taking legally protected time off. First reported by Vice, the letter to the Department of Labor and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission focuses on Amazon’s “no-fault” approach to absences, which adds points every time an employee misses work without giving advance notice, regardless of the reason. If workers reach a certain number of points, they are automatically reviewed for termination.

Under the company’s attendance policy, an employee whose child has suddenly fallen ill or who suffers a medical emergency would still be penalized. Employees who don’t report absences at least 16 hours before the start of shift receive two points on their record. If they give notice less than two hours before a shift, they receive two points and an “absence submission infraction”. If workers receive three absence submission infractions and eight attendance points, Amazon will consider firing them.

Lawmakers believe that Amazon’s attendance policy could violate current laws that allow workers to take sick, family, medical and pregnancy leave without advance notice. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees eligible workers unpaid leave for a variety of circumstances, including pregnancy or the need to take care of a sick family member.

“We field numerous calls from Amazon employees; while many workers know about Amazon’s punitive attendance policies, they describe never receiving information about the federal, state, and local laws that entitle them to legally protected time off—much less understanding how such laws apply in practice in their own lives,” noted labor rights group Better Balance in a letter to Congress.

Other companies with “no-fault” attendance policies have run into legal troubles in the past. Back in 2011, Verizon was ordered to pay $20 million after the EEOC found that the company’s no-fault attendance policy made no exceptions for disabled workers. 

Many warehouse workers have complained that Amazon neglected to inform them of their rights under FMLA or disability laws. The company has had a poor track record with how it treats workers at its many warehouses and fulfillment centers. A number of warehouses, in response to poor working conditions at the e-commerce giant, are currently pushing to unionize.