One mad modder has massacred the Steam Deck, folding it into a 'Steam Brick' with 'no screen, no controller, and absolutely no sense'
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Gaming handhelds are probably getting too big—the massive lad that is the Acer Nitro Blaze 2 being a perfect example—but how far would you be willing to go to make one fit in your backpack? DIYer crastinator-pro created the Steam Brick, a Steam Deck that has no mouth and it must scream, but I'm weirdly into it.
"The Steam Deck has been a game changer for travel," crastinator-pro wrote in a GitHub post documenting the project. "But I found myself leaving it behind more often than not, as it wouldn't fit in my backpack, took up a huge amount of carry-on space, and was a hassle to bring down from the overhead compartment when I wanted to use it."
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Crastinator-pro also has the most niche use-case I've heard for Valve's handheld: Mostly keeping it plugged into a TV or a pair of AR glasses, the kind that can project a large screen in your field of view. "So I got to thinking," crastinator-pro wrote. "It could be so much smaller and lighter without the built-in controller and screen, but that would be ridiculous, right? …right?"
Ridiculous it may be, but by god, it works. The Steam Brick will still boot and connect to external peripherals with its screen and all controls save the power button removed. Tragically, crastinator-pro notes that the newer revision Steam Deck OLED is preferable for the mod—RIP to that beautiful screen us Steam Deck early adopters would kill for.
Crastinator-pro kept the motherboard, battery, WiFi antenna, storage, USB-C out, power button, and cooling fan only—say goodbye to the volume buttons and headphone jack in the final build in addition to the controls and the screen. Crastinator-pro trimmed down the Deck's internal aluminum frame and seated it in a simple 3D-printed enclosure, resulting in the final Steam Brick. Crastinator-pro cautions that this is really taking the life of the machine in your own hands, and there's no guarantee it won't cook itself or experience some other unforeseen failure down the line. But for the creator's very specific use case? It seems more or less perfect.
I love how crastinator-pro essentially reversed at 60 miles per hour into creating a Steam Machine, Valve's abortive first attempt at making its own console in the early 2010s, though being able to run off a battery certainly helps the Steam Brick run laps around its housebound predecessor. The process of making the Steam Brick also ironically shares a lot in common with console "portablizing" projects like those documented by GingerOfOz on YouTube. For years, enthusiasts have been finding ways to trim console motherboards to the minimum size where they'll still function, allowing them to slot into handheld enclosures and run games off a battery and internal storage, but still on original hardware.
Best laptop games: Low-spec lifeBest Steam Deck games: Handheld must-havesBest browser games: No install neededBest indie games: Independent excellenceBest co-op games: Better together
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Fast Company
2 hours ago
- Fast Company
Seven strategies to help the class of 2025 succeed in the AI workplace
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It's automating a wide range of tasks. While AI will automate certain functions, it will simultaneously create new opportunities and roles. Instead of fearing AI as a job-stealing technology, you should see it as a valuable partner that can help you work smarter and more efficiently. To succeed, you need to identify routine tasks within your role that AI can handle. This could include drafting initial reports, analyzing data patterns, or researching industry trends. Your goal is to employ AI to eliminate time-consuming work and invest that saved time in high-value activities like strategic thinking, relationship building, and creative problem-solving. As soon as you start your new job, audit your responsibilities and ask: 'Which of these could be automated or AI-assisted?' Then experiment with the available tools in your organization. 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Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Nintendo Switch 2 review — no gimmicks here, just a fantastic hybrid console
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And with its still innovative docking system, you can again switch between playing on your TV and gaming on the go in a matter of seconds with zero interruptions. Nintendo Switch 2 makes the original look like merely a proof of concept. It's the culmination of the Switch idea. The numerous upgrades don't come entirely without caveats. The impressively boosted performance levels come at the cost of battery life. Even if you're heading out with a full 100% charge, you'll want to keep a power supply to hand. Plus, Switch 2's larger size only further highlights issues with the console's flat design that lacks built-in ergonomic grips. Priced at $449, which places Switch 2 at parity with Sony's PS5 Slim, Nintendo's hardware is no longer the 'cheap option.' The hybrid is a more substantial investment and less attractive as a second console for those looking to play exclusive games like Mario, Zelda and Kirby. At the same time, Nintendo has managed to take (almost) everything that worked about the original Switch and improve upon it. Justifying the purchase price even at this early stage, and setting up Switch 2 for an exciting lifecycle ahead, even if the launch library is lacking. Dimensions 10.71 × 4.57 × 0.55 inches (w/ Joy-Con 2s attached) Weight 1.18 pounds Processor Custom Nvidia processor RAM 12 GB LPDDR5X Storage 25GB (UFS 3.1) Display 7.9-inch LCD, 1080p, HDR10, 120Hz refresh rate Ports 2 x USB-C, 1x 2.5mm audio jack, 1x microSD Express card reader slot, 1x Switch 2 Game Card slot Wireless connectivity Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Battery life 2 – 6.5 hours (Nintendo provided figures) Price $449 USD If you've used the original Nintendo Switch at any point since its launch in spring 2017, then you'll have a good idea what to expect when it comes to Switch 2. But Nintendo hasn't skimped on the upgrades, it's better across the board. Before Switch 2's launch, there was much consternation within the Tom's Guide team about Nintendo's decision to revert to LCD following 2021's well-received Nintendo Switch OLED. However you slice it, it is a downgrade over its predecessors' mid-gen refresh (the base Switch stuck with LCD, as did the Nintendo Switch Lite). But Nintendo has done a pretty remarkable job not making it feel like a significant step back because the Switch 2's display is seriously pretty. Even just scrolling the UI on initial boot up had me oohing and ahhing. Measuring in at 7.9 inches, compared to 6.2 inches on Switch 1, it's not only larger but also offers a max 1080p resolution (select games can be played in 4K via the dock), which is a large leap from 720p on the original Switch. It also packs HDR and a 120 Hz refresh rate, allowing for up to 120 fps gaming in select software. Although I expect these will be rare. 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The Joy-Con 2 controllers also attach to the Switch 2 console with a delightful degree of sturdiness. The connection points feel solid, with only marginal give, another appreciated upgrade over its predecessor. I do have some slight concerns that the magnetism may degrade over time, but I'm informed that modern magnets take hundreds of years to lose their strength, so this might be a moot point. I know I opened this review by saying that Nintendo has eschewed its habit of strange gimmicks, but this is still the Big-N, so there had to be at least one novel new feature. With Switch 2, this comes in the form of the Joy-Con 2 Mouse Mode, which allows each controller to be used like a PC gaming mouse just by laying the Joy-Con 2 on a flat surface. Heck, you don't even need the 'flat' part; the feature works even when placed on your lap. The mouse tracking is surprisingly accurate, surface-dependent, of course. You can even use both controllers at once for a dual mouse setup. Plus, there's no setup required; just place your Joy-Con 2s down and the mode will activate. I'm not sure I would ever want to play an entire game using the control method over traditional joysticks, but it's still a pretty nifty inclusion, and I look forward to seeing how game developers utilize the option in the future. Anybody picking up a Switch 2 who owned a Switch 1 may notice a new button on the right Joy-Con 2 marked with a 'C'. This is the dedicated GameChat button, and serves as your instant portal to the Switch 2's new online communication functionality. GameChat is one of those 'does what it says on the tin' features. It allows you to chat with your friends and family while gaming on Switch 2. You can communicate via the console's built-in microphone (which offers background noise reduction tech), or, if you have the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, you can even video broadcast yourself just like you're on Zoom. While PlayStation and Xbox have offered Party chat for multiple console generations at this point, for Nintendo, it's a huge step up from the antiquated app-based solution found on Switch 1. So, while it's hardly revolutionary, it's great to see Nintendo get with the times. You also have the option to share your screen, letting participants watch your live gameplay, but persistent lag makes this feature close to unusable. Plus, I have to wrinkle my nose at the fact that GameChat is locked behind a Nintendo Switch Online paywall. It'll be free for the console's first year, but after 12 months, you'll need to fork over for a $19 subscription. While there's much to love about Switch 2, all that extra performance power does come with a fairly significant drawback to battery life. Plus, dedicated handheld players might want to consider investing in a third-party grip case. When discussing gaming handhelds, the conversation will always broach the thorny issue of battery life before long. And this is one area where the Switch 2 sadly doesn't shine bright. During my testing for this review, I was able to get just shy of two-and-a-half hours of play from a 100% charge while running Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition with Wi-Fi switched on and display brightness set to the default 'Automatic Brightness' setting. This isn't a disastrous total, and would last you the length of a short-haul flight or a decently long train journey, but if you're away from a power outlet for a prolonged period of time, you're going to want to invest in a good power bank to make significant gaming progress. It also compared unfavourably to the Nintendo Switch OLED (which we benchmarked at around five hours) and the 2019 model of the Nintendo Switch, which lasted four hours and 40 minutes in our testing. Though it's roughly in line with competitors like the Steam Deck. If you plan to play Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode for a significant amount of time, you might want to invest in a third-party case with built-in grips because, without one, it's just not that comfortable to hold for hours at a time. If you prefer your Switch 2 to be naked, it's far from a fatal flaw, but my hands quickly found themselves missing the ergonomic design of my trusty Steam Deck OLED. Placing the Switch 2 in dbrand's Killswitch 2 case intently elevated my portable gaming experience. The original Switch has this problem too, but the increased size of the Switch 2, which naturally comes with increased weight, only exacerbates the issue. While my hands are far from shovel-sized, I really cannot imagine how a young child could hold one for very long. The overall slick aesthetics of the Switch 2 certainly trump the Steam Deck OLED or Asus ROG Ally X, with their protruding plastic shells being rather unsightly, not to mention giving them a larger overall profile. 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But this is to be expected at launch, and over time, this 'issue' will naturally resolve itself. Even if the selection of games needs bulking out, Nintendo Switch 2 is a phenomenal console out of the box. It makes all the improvements I wanted, and even some upgrades I didn't know I needed. Nintendo struck gold with the initial Switch concept, and its numbered successor takes just about everything I loved about the original and makes it even better.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
FROG Q1 Earnings Call: Cloud Usage, Security Platform, and AI Drive Outlook
Software development tools maker JFrog (NASDAQ:FROG) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 22% year on year to $122.4 million. Guidance for next quarter's revenue was better than expected at $122.5 million at the midpoint, 1.2% above analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.20 per share was 21.5% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy FROG? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $122.4 million vs analyst estimates of $117.3 million (22% year-on-year growth, 4.4% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.20 vs analyst estimates of $0.16 (21.5% beat) Adjusted Operating Income: $21.35 million vs analyst estimates of $17.08 million (17.4% margin, 25% beat) The company slightly lifted its revenue guidance for the full year to $502.5 million at the midpoint from $501 million Adjusted EPS guidance for the full year is $0.69 at the midpoint, beating analyst estimates by 2.1% Operating Margin: -18.8%, down from -16.6% in the same quarter last year Customers: 1,051 customers paying more than $100,000 annually Net Revenue Retention Rate: 116%, in line with the previous quarter Market Capitalization: $4.86 billion JFrog's first quarter results were shaped by broad-based momentum in cloud adoption and expanding platform usage among large enterprise customers. CEO Shlomi Ben Haim highlighted the company's role as a 'system of record for software delivery' and pointed to 42% year-over-year cloud revenue growth as evidence of rising developer activity and increased customer consumption beyond contractual commitments. The quarter also saw continued migration from on-premises to cloud, and greater adoption of the Enterprise Plus subscription, with over 1,050 customers now paying more than $100,000 annually. Management noted that consolidation of security tools and deeper integration with industry partners, such as GitHub, played a meaningful role in driving platform stickiness and customer retention. Looking forward, JFrog's leadership attributed its improved revenue outlook to anticipated growth from its security offerings, further expansion of its cloud platform, and the recent launch of JFrog ML for machine learning model management. CFO Ed Grabscheid emphasized that guidance remains conservative due to macroeconomic uncertainty, stating, 'We did not carry forward the full benefit of that over-performance into the full year' and have de-risked the outlook by excluding larger, more complex deals. CEO Shlomi Ben Haim added that while early adoption of MLOps (machine learning operations) is progressing, most monetization upside from new AI capabilities is expected to materialize gradually as enterprises solidify governance and budget processes for AI initiatives. Management credited quarterly performance to accelerated cloud adoption, expanded enterprise deals, security product integration, and early traction from machine learning platform updates. Cloud consumption exceeded commitments: Cloud customers used more JFrog services than their contracted minimums, with growth spread broadly across industries and regions. CFO Ed Grabscheid called this a "strong quarter" for cloud usage, but emphasized that the company remains cautious about assuming this trend will persist given ongoing purchasing constraints and longer sales cycles. Enterprise Plus adoption rising: Enterprise Plus, the company's top subscription tier, now comprises 55% of revenues, up from 49% a year ago. Management attributed this to both new customer wins—including a major AI technology company—and successful expansion among existing clients, driven by demand for unified DevOps and security features. Security platform consolidation: JFrog's security suite gained traction as customers like WalkMe migrated from multiple point solutions to the advanced security features of the JFrog platform. This consolidation allowed organizations to enforce policy, curate external packages, and reduce vendor complexity. CEO Shlomi Ben Haim pointed to these consolidations as a driver of efficiency and platform loyalty. AI and ML product launch: The release of JFrog ML provided all cloud enterprise customers with tools to manage, test, and secure machine learning models. Early adoption included integration with Hugging Face, an open-source model hub, to scan and secure millions of AI models—addressing new security threats in the AI supply chain. Strategic partnerships and market expansion: New collaborations, such as the partnership with GitHub, enhanced JFrog's integration within software development workflows and expanded its reach among developers. Management noted that joint events and roadmap alignments have increased customer engagement and pipeline growth. JFrog expects near-term growth to be driven by security platform adoption, cloud migration, and gradual monetization of new AI and MLOps offerings, while macroeconomic conditions and cautious customer spending remain key risks. Security product adoption: Management expects expanded adoption of JFrog's security platform to be a primary driver of growth, as organizations increasingly seek to consolidate security tooling and enforce supply chain policy. The pipeline for security-related deals remains strong, though purchasing cycles have not meaningfully shortened. Cloud migration and enterprise deals: Ongoing shifts from on-premises to cloud-based solutions, along with multi-year enterprise contracts, are expected to support revenue stability. However, management is excluding the largest, most complex deals from its near-term outlook due to uncertainty in customer deployment timing. Emerging AI and MLOps monetization: Early usage of JFrog ML is encouraging, but management stressed that revenue contributions from machine learning model management will be gradual. Governance and budgeting for AI initiatives are still evolving among enterprise customers, so material financial impact from MLOps is not anticipated until adoption becomes more widespread. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will watch (1) whether JFrog can maintain elevated cloud usage and successfully convert excess consumption into longer-term commitments, (2) continued traction and upsell activity in core security and MLOps offerings, and (3) signs that large enterprise and multi-year deals translate into improved net retention and annual recurring revenue. Execution on AI security initiatives and deeper integration with partners like GitHub will also be important markers of progress. JFrog currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 9.3×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it's free). Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio