Latest news with #Marques
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
First players of exciting new Nintendo Switch 2 divided over new games console
Nintendo Switch 2 is now on sale with the Japanese gaming giant promising that the new console is a 'huge leap forward' after eight years of development - but is it worth the £400 price tag? Nintendo's highly anticipated Switch 2 is now in stores - and gamers have already had their honest say on whether you get more bang for your buck. It's being heralded as a 'once in a decade' moment as new games consoles from Nintendo are so rare. The new console, released today (June 5), has a larger and higher-quality screen, with double the number of pixels as the original Switch. A key difference is with the controls, which now magnetically attach. There is also the Joy-Con 2 controller, which can be operated like a computer mouse by sliding it on a surface. The updated Switch also comes with a range of new social features, centred around a new tool called GameChat, which allows players to voice or video chat with friends while playing. The Japanese gaming giant also confirmed the new console supports the ability for players to share a game and play together with up to three friends, even if those friends do not own the game. Reviews are currently few and far between, as Nintendo decided not to send review units out until the day before release. However there are some popular opinions being shared online in the first few hours of release. Shoppers had the option to buy the console on its own, or with a digital version of Mario Kart World, the new open-world racing game, included. Gaming YouTuber Marques Brownlee shared an unboxing video with fans, along with a first try. Sharing his initial thoughts, he told the camera: "This new bigger screen looks way better." Comparing it to the Switch 1, he shows off the new full length kick stand and larger display, adding: "It's an obvious upgrade." Having a go with the detachable controls, Marques says it's "so much fun", adding: "They're so much better than the old ones." Referring back to the new controls experience, he explained: "Just having these huge new buttons, ergonomically it's better. It's much better to game on the individual Joy-Con on the new ones, so if you're thinking about Switch 2, is it really that much of an upgrade? Is it really that different? It's going to feel different just because of the Joy-Cons as much as the bigger screen." One follower replied: "The Switch 2 start up music is a vibe" while a disgruntled viewer shared: "Will never be as cool as the DS's evolutions (DS, DSI, 3DS, 2DS)". In response to Marques comments about the impressive screen protector, one replied: "For those who take out the switch a lot, that wiggle is awesome, it means it probably mitigates a little bit the scratches in the screen." In another initial review, Tabitha Baker, from gamesradar+, said: "I've just finished up my first day testing the Nintendo Switch 2, and so far things are looking pretty strong. While I've been surprised by the OLED's ability to display its own Switch 1 games slightly better (those without the Switch 2 Upgrade that is), the performance I've experienced from Cyberpunk 2077 and the overall feel of the console over the last eight hours point towards a worthy upgrade for those after a little more grunt under the hood." Kez McDonald, of The Guardian, explained that while he doesn't have his hands on the console just yet, he had a chance to play the console at Nintendo's offices. While he's keen to emphasise that the new features are indeed an upgrade, for the £400 asking price, he expected something more. He wrote: "Hardware-wise, it is the upgrade of my dreams: sturdier JoyCons, a beautiful screen, the graphical muscle to make games look as good as I want them to in 2025 (though still not comparable to the high-end PlayStation 5 Pro or a modern gaming PC)." But he said the upgrade feels rather "belated" after eight years of waiting. "I was hoping for something actually new, and aside from the fact that you can now use those controllers as mice by turning them sideways and moving them around on a desk or on your lap, there isn't much new in the Switch 2. "Absorbed in Mario Kart World, the main launch title, it was easy to forget I was even playing a new console." Nintendo say the Switch 2 has significantly improved gaming performance, as well as eight times the storage capacity of the original, with 256GB of built-in storage. The original Switch has proven hugely popular since it's release in 2017. Its hybrid home and mobile gaming system allows players to carry the screen and detachable remote controls with them and dock the device in a station at home to use it with a TV. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the Switch 2 was a 'leap forward' for the company and its customers. 'Nintendo Switch 2 is the next step in at-home gaming that can be taken on the go based on eight years of play and discovery that began with Nintendo Switch,' he said. 'With its new features that expand the possibilities of gaming experiences, I truly believe that Nintendo Switch 2 is a leap forward in our journey of putting smiles on the faces of everyone that Nintendo touches.' The new console will cost £395, or £429 for a bundle which also includes Mario Kart World.
Fibre2Fashion
6 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US' Dow debuts low-carbon silicone blends for beauty care
Dow (NYSE: Dow) will debut a broader portfolio of skin, hair and color cosmetics, and introduce its first low carbon silicone elastomer blends under the Decarbia reduced carbon platform. The Company's newest product offering includes targeted products for conditioning and deposition aid, styling, cleanser, film formers for color cosmetics and sun care applications – empowering formulators to create high-performing consumer loved products. Dow will also unveil inspiring prototypes under the theme 'From Shower to Sensational', designed to elevate everyday routines into indulgent self-care experiences. Complementing this is the launch of the 'ProtecTress 2.0 program', focusing on effective hair heat protection options. Dow is set to debut a broader beauty portfolio and its first low-carbon silicone elastomer blends under the Decarbia platform. Highlights include the 'From Shower to Sensational' kit, ProtecTress 2.0 heat protection program, and new polymers for hair, skin, and colour cosmetics. These innovations offer high performance, sustainability, and verified low-carbon impact. 'Today's brand owners are eager to ride the wave of trends and go viral – but they also care deeply about the longevity of their established product ranges through continually enhanced performance, just as we do. Consumers demand long-lasting results, whether they're trying out a new product or reaching for a trusted favorite. That is what helps them feel confident throughout the day', said Jennifer Marques, Global Strategic Marketing Leader at Dow Personal Care . 'We approach every launch through multiple lenses to ensure we offer the most effective and versatile ingredients. Our scientific know-how, performance testing capabilities, and regulatory expertise aren't just appreciated—they're relied on by our customers who know they can create products that truly resonate with consumers', adds Marques. It goes hand in hand with industry evolution, which increasingly recognizes the opportunity to do more for our people and the planet with high-performing products that can make a meaningful difference. In line with this, Dow is introducing its four first low-carbon DOWSIL Silicone Elastomers Blends, as part of Dow's Decarbia portfolio of reduced carbon materials. These carbon-neutral ingredients are a result of Dow's decarbonization of its silicon metal feedstocks. With a fully integrated supply chain. Dow optimizes every step from raw materials to finished products. Each is backed by verified carbon compensation certification, supported by third party Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and certified Life Cycle Analyses (LCAs) Dow's new featured trade products and programs include: From Shower to Sensational formulation kit: Composed of 12 thoughtfully crafted formulas powered by innovative ingredients like silicone elastomers, gum blends, organic skin-conditioning polymers, a bio-based SPF booster, and upcycled rice husk silica, this kit is designed to transform everyday routines into a refreshing and inspiring beauty experience. Composed of 12 thoughtfully crafted formulas powered by innovative ingredients like silicone elastomers, gum blends, organic skin-conditioning polymers, a bio-based SPF booster, and upcycled rice husk silica, this kit is designed to transform everyday routines into a refreshing and inspiring beauty experience. DEXCARE CD-2 Polymer: A low viscosity, dual cationic dextran used as a conditioning agent and deposition aid for silicones and natural oils. It enhances formulations' conditioning power with a bio-fermented polymer, improving dry and wet combing. Supplied in an easy-to-use liquid format, it is non-GMO, biodegradable, and contains over 80% bio-based content. A low viscosity, dual cationic dextran used as a conditioning agent and deposition aid for silicones and natural oils. It enhances formulations' conditioning power with a bio-fermented polymer, improving dry and wet combing. Supplied in an easy-to-use liquid format, it is non-GMO, biodegradable, and contains over 80% bio-based content. ACUDYNE 2000 Polymer: A low viscosity, water soluble emulsion that is easy to handle and readily disperses in water. This hair styling polymer allows hair product formulators to achieve long lasting style control with high levels of hold, excellent humidity resistance and no flaking. A low viscosity, water soluble emulsion that is easy to handle and readily disperses in water. This hair styling polymer allows hair product formulators to achieve long lasting style control with high levels of hold, excellent humidity resistance and no flaking. ACULYN F1 Polymer: A rheology modifier for cleansing formulations offering clear transparency and good suspension across a pH range of 3 to 11. Efficient in sulfate-free surfactant systems, it can suspend both beads and bubbles and supports softer preservatives. Cold processable, it ensures smooth flow and clarity in shampoos, facial, and body cleansers. A rheology modifier for cleansing formulations offering clear transparency and good suspension across a pH range of 3 to 11. Efficient in sulfate-free surfactant systems, it can suspend both beads and bubbles and supports softer preservatives. Cold processable, it ensures smooth flow and clarity in shampoos, facial, and body cleansers. DOWSIL MQ-1610 ID Resin and DOWSIL MQ-1650 ID Resin: Two film formers for color cosmetics and sun care applications, offering long wear with good sebum and water repellency. Supplied as a liquid, they support easy formulation and feature a broad compatibility with most cosmetic ingredients, including sunscreen actives. Two film formers for color cosmetics and sun care applications, offering long wear with good sebum and water repellency. Supplied as a liquid, they support easy formulation and feature a broad compatibility with most cosmetic ingredients, including sunscreen actives. ProtecTress 2.0: A hair heat protection program that highlights Dow's hair care ingredients, tested for their effectiveness in preventing heat damage and breakage and using most recent test methods. "The team is eager to engage with the beauty care industry and demonstrate how our forward-looking products can support consumer-driven formulations', commented Jennifer Marques, Global Strategic Marketing Leader at Dow Personal Care . Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Impossible dream' of death row inmate and Catalan jazz artist collab
A US prisoner on death row and a Catalan jazz star who formed an unusual musical collaboration have released a second album together that rallies against capital punishment. Catalan musician Albert Marques and Keith LaMar, who performs over the phone from a maximum security prison in Ohio, debuted their new work "Live from Death Row" at a gathering in New York last Friday. On death row since 1995 after he was convicted of a crime he insists he did not commit, LaMar's execution is scheduled for January 13, 2027. The album, which coincides with LaMar's 56th birthday, chronicles the civil rights struggle of Black people like himself. It features compositions by Marques with lyrics by LaMar, alongside classics such as Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and "Alabama" by John Coltrane. LaMar said that music "saved his life" during solitary confinement, particularly jazz tracks like those on Coltrane's 1964 album "A Love Supreme." "Music is the vehicle through which I've been able to resurrect my bid for freedom," he told AFP. "I love it when a plan comes together, when the stars align to bring to fruition a dream that didn't seem possible. That's what this live album is -- an impossible dream." It follows 2022's "Freedom First," which turned into a clarion call for a fair retrial that could ultimately lead to LaMar's release. "This music is about trust and faith (and) about stepping out even when you can't see the stairs and believing that your foot will find something solid to stand on," LaMar told AFP by email. - 'This crazy thing' - Marques, who is convinced of LaMar's innocence, said "we have done this crazy thing at the highest possible level." After staging concerts worldwide in recent years and "showcasing that we have done everything we could, we need help" to take the fight "to another level," said Marques, a Brooklyn high school music teacher. "We may be tired, exhausted, but we cannot throw in the towel." In 1995, an all-white jury found LaMar guilty of the deaths of five out of nine inmates and one guard killed during one of the worst prison riots in US history. During the incident, which happened in 1993, LaMar was already serving a sentence for the murder of a former friend during a drug dispute in his native Cleveland. LaMar, as well as recent journalistic investigations, claimed that exculpatory evidence was hidden at trial and destroyed, and other prisoners were rewarded with sentence reductions for implicating him. Ohio's governor had postponed LaMar's execution, originally scheduled for November 2023, due to the refusal of pharmaceutical companies to supply the components needed for lethal injection. However, the situation could change following President Donald Trump's January 20 executive order directing the US attorney general to ensure states can access the necessary ingredients. Nineteen inmates have been executed so far this year, compared to 25 in all of 2024. af-gw/jgc
France 24
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
'Impossible dream' of death row inmate and Catalan jazz artist collab
Catalan musician Albert Marques and Keith LaMar, who performs over the phone from a maximum security prison in Ohio, debuted their new work "Live from Death Row" at a gathering in New York last Friday. On death row since 1995 after he was convicted of a crime he insists he did not commit, LaMar's execution is scheduled for January 13, 2027. The album, which coincides with LaMar's 56th birthday, chronicles the civil rights struggle of Black people like himself. It features compositions by Marques with lyrics by LaMar, alongside classics such as Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and "Alabama" by John Coltrane. LaMar said that music "saved his life" during solitary confinement, particularly jazz tracks like those on Coltrane's 1964 album "A Love Supreme." "Music is the vehicle through which I've been able to resurrect my bid for freedom," he told AFP. "I love it when a plan comes together, when the stars align to bring to fruition a dream that didn't seem possible. That's what this live album is -- an impossible dream." It follows 2022's "Freedom First," which turned into a clarion call for a fair retrial that could ultimately lead to LaMar's release. "This music is about trust and faith (and) about stepping out even when you can't see the stairs and believing that your foot will find something solid to stand on," LaMar told AFP by email. 'This crazy thing' Marques, who is convinced of LaMar's innocence, said "we have done this crazy thing at the highest possible level." After staging concerts worldwide in recent years and "showcasing that we have done everything we could, we need help" to take the fight "to another level," said Marques, a Brooklyn high school music teacher. "We may be tired, exhausted, but we cannot throw in the towel." In 1995, an all-white jury found LaMar guilty of the deaths of five out of nine inmates and one guard killed during one of the worst prison riots in US history. During the incident, which happened in 1993, LaMar was already serving a sentence for the murder of a former friend during a drug dispute in his native Cleveland. LaMar, as well as recent journalistic investigations, claimed that exculpatory evidence was hidden at trial and destroyed, and other prisoners were rewarded with sentence reductions for implicating him. Ohio's governor had postponed LaMar's execution, originally scheduled for November 2023, due to the refusal of pharmaceutical companies to supply the components needed for lethal injection. However, the situation could change following President Donald Trump's January 20 executive order directing the US attorney general to ensure states can access the necessary ingredients. Nineteen inmates have been executed so far this year, compared to 25 in all of 2024. © 2025 AFP
Toronto Star
11-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
My company offers a deferred profit-sharing plan. How does it differ from my group RRSP?
What looks like an RRSP, but isn't an RRSP? Of the many financial vehicles to help Canadians save for the future, a deferred profit sharing plan (DPSP) comes with its own rules and regulations that set it apart from an RRSP. A DPSP is an account that only an employer contributes to, and generally speaking, it's meant to represent a percentage of your company's profits, says Jason Heath, managing director at Objective Financial Partners in Toronto. He adds that this percentage can often range between two and four per cent. 'It kind of works like a group RRSP where your employer is just putting money into a separate account effectively,' says Heath. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Heath says every plan is different, so it's important to read the fine print for specifics, like what happens to the contributions if you leave your job or get laid off. 'The DPSP provides flexibility if the employer gets into financial difficulty,' he says, 'but it also provides some flexibility to take back contributions if an employee leaves.' Also, be sure to read the fine print for the vesting period. 'The DPSP can have a maximum vesting period of up to two years,' says Cindy Marques, certified financial planner and director at Open Access in North York. Personal Finance Amid U.S. tariff storms, you really need a rainy-day fund. Here's where to park your money Experts says keeping emergency cash liquid is crucial, in an account that earns at least some This, Marques says, means that you would have to stay with the company for the duration of that vesting period for those funds to belong to you. She adds that if you leave your job after a year, and your DPSP has a vesting period of two years, your company could reclaim its contributions — the main difference between a DPSP and an RRSP. 'With RRSPs, that's immediate vesting,' says Marques. 'So your employer makes a contribution, you quit the next day, that money is yours to take.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Where you can withdraw money from an RRSP, you can't withdraw your company's contributions from a DPSP. Marques says that as long as you're with your company, that money stays in the DPSP. The tax implications between a DPSP and RRSP also differ. While RRSPs allow individual contributions that are tax-deductible and earnings can grow tax-deferred, DPSPs are tax-deductible until you withdraw the money. 'After you leave, you can roll the DPSP into the RRSP without any taxable consequences, and now you have more control over that money,' says Marques. You can also take the DPSP out in cash, but Marques warns that doing this triggers a 'huge taxable burden.' Personal Finance Bringing a dog home just got more expensive. Here's how to keep your best friend happy and healthy on a budget Aspiring dog parents can expect to pay between $1,750 and $4,655 in upfront costs to bring one home. Lastly, note that DPSP contributions reduce your RRSP contribution room for the following tax year. Heath points out that contributing to your RRSP will reduce your contribution room for the current year. 'But with a DPSP, your employer's contributions to the account reduce your RRSP contribution room for the next year,' says Heath. 'Employer contributions to a DPSP result in what's called a pension adjustment, and that pension adjustment reduces your RRSP room on a one-year delay.'
