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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Tiny $7,000 Electric Car Is More Popular in Japan Than Toyota's EVs
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Japanese startup KG Motors is building a stylish, single-seat electric car for just $7,000, and has pre-sold 3,300 that it plans to deliver to customers by March 2027. That's more than the 2,000 EVs Toyota sold across Japan in all of 2024, according to Bloomberg. Called the "mibot," KG's car has a limited 62-mile range and a 37mph top speed. "The mibot is a small mobility robot packed with surprises and fun in its small body," KG Motors says on its website, as translated from Japanese. "It can navigate even narrow roads with ease, turning everyday short rides into special experiences." The tiny EV gets over-the-air tech updates, has air conditioning and a small trunk. It charges up in five hours on a standard 100V household outlet; no need for "special charging equipment." At $7,000, the mibot is about half the price of Japan's most popular EV, the Nissan Sakura. The brand is packed with personality; blog posts about vehicle development feature titles like "A slightly nerdy story about door design." In that one, designer Pokomichi discusses the challenges of designing a door that comfortably accommodates passengers, given the vehicle's small size. They also imagined the mibot fitting into a "parking lot that is sized for light vehicles," and the importance of sliding into a spot without the door crossing the lines when it's open. "Cars are simply too big," says KG Motors founder and CEO Kazunari Kusunoki. "Seeing so many big cars travelling Japan's narrow streets – that's where this all began for me." Japan has been slow to embrace EVs, but it has more hybrids than traditional gas-powered cars on the road. In 2023, hybrids made up of new car sales there, followed by 36% traditional gas cars. EV adoption is at just of new car sales, which is even lower than the US's 8% and far below the 20% + in China and Europe. Toyota's former president spoke out against converting to an all-electric lineup in 2022. A supposedly EV-friendly leadership changeup in 2023 hasn't gained much traction, although this month, Toyota launched new EVs. However, it still intends to invest in a variety of powertrains, including ramping up its plug-in hybrid sales in the US. "Toyota said EVs aren't the only solution and, because it's Toyota, Japanese people assume it must be true,' Kusunoki says. 'A large number of people in Japan seem to believe EVs won't become popular." Perhaps a cheap, small EV can carve out a unique place in the Japanese market. In the US, there are no similar options, and the market is full of huge SUVs. The Fiat 500e is small and fun to drive, but it's not cheap ($34,000 starting). Volkswagen is working on a $21,000 small EV for urban drivers, but it's only launching it in Europe due to lower demand in the US. The Renault 5 E-Tech is another new, small EV launch aimed at accelerating electric adoption in Europe. In China, automotive powerhouse BYD offers several small, affordable models and is working on a new one, Electrek reports.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Desperate for a Switch 2? You Might Want to Camp Out at Staples Next Week
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. If you want to buy a Switch 2 on launch day, don't forget to check out your local office supplies store. Staples plans on carrying the console on June 5 at hundreds of locations across the US. Staples tells us this is "a rare second chance" for consumers to nab a Switch 2 after preorders sold out weeks earlier. Participating locations will offer "1 console per customer per day, while supplies last,' it says. Check out this web page to see if your local store will carry the Switch 2. Importantly, Staples is only selling the console in-store, meaning you'll need to wait in line, possibly overnight, to have a chance at scoring a Switch 2. 'Availability is first-come, first-served, and the [online] list does not show real-time inventory,' the retailer adds. The stores will offer the standalone Switch 2 for $449 and the Switch 2 bundle with Mario Kart World for $500. Staples notes that it "has also leveled up its gaming accessories, with in-store finds like ergonomic gaming chairs, keyboards, and immersive headsets.' "The Switch 2 will be offered at normal store hours (no midnight drop)," a spokesperson for Staples added. The retailer made the announcement after a Reddit user leaked Staples' memo to employees about the in-store sales. That Staples notification also mentioned offering the Switch 2 in 349 stores, which has since been confirmed in the company's official announcement. Other retailers, including GameStop and Best Buy, also plan to carry the console on launch day, and sales will start at midnight on June 5.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Still Looking for a Nintendo Switch 2? Try Costco on Launch Day
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Nintendo's Switch 2 arrives on June 5 and preorders are largely sold out, but a few unexpected retailers say they will have the gaming handheld in stock. Costco now has a dedicated page for the Switch 2, which says the console will be available for purchase on June 5. You can buy one unit per week, provided you have a Costco membership. The store was not part of last month's preorder blitz. A note on its Switch 2 listing says, "This product is expected to be in stock and available for purchase soon. Check back again later." Costco's website also only lists the Mario Kart World bundle at the moment. There's no price on but the bundle has been going for $499.99 for the Switch 2 console, Mario Kart World game, and 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online. The standalone Switch 2 costs $449.99. There's no guarantee that the stock will be available at your local Costco. "Item may be available in your local warehouse, prices may vary," the website says. If you're unable to get the console from Costco on launch day, there are a few other retailers you can try. Staples, GameStop, Best Buy, and Target are expected to have additional stock. On the other hand, if you preordered the console, check your order as some users are seeing their purchases get canceled without reason.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Got a Nintendo Switch 2 Coming Next Week? Check Your Preorder ASAP
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be in people's hands by the end of next week, but some users who thought they'd be playing Mario Kart World on June 5 are surprised to find their preorder was canceled without a clear reason why. First spotted by Vice, the Switch subreddit is full of posts from users sharing that their preorders for the console have been canceled. This happened to some users as far back as May 22, but it has continued for the last week, with more reports arriving each day. Reddit If you have a Switch 2 preordered, it's worth checking in with your chosen retailer to ensure it's still going ahead. In most of these reports, the retailer didn't contact the person who had preordered. Many people found out about the cancellation when checking their order themselves on the retailer's tracking tools. There are reports of this happening to orders from Target and Walmart. PCMag has contacted the retailers for clarification on why the cancellations are happening. A spokesperson for GameStop told PCMag, "We haven't been cancelling Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in any meaningful way." That suggests most orders at GameStop are safe from these cancelations. Some have speculated the orders were canceled because of the payment method they used, but more recent reports show that even those who paid for the console outright are also affected. It may be that the retailers overextended preorders, and Nintendo hasn't provided enough units to fulfill them. One Reddit user, Iceman_TK, shared that they spoke to Walmart customer service after spotting a cancellation and were offered a $50 gift card as compensation. If you're still looking to buy a Switch 2, you may have luck in person next week. It's thought that some retailers will have products available in stores. Earlier this week, a Reddit user who claimed to be a Target employee shared a photo of around 40 consoles ready to hit shelves. The post has since been deleted, but this matches a report from YouTuber Jake Randall, who says each Target store is set to have between 40 to 60 consoles ready to buy on launch day. Randall also said the stock will be evenly split between Mario Kart World bundles and standard editions of the console.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nintendo Switch 2 Releases Next Weekend: Here's How You Can Still Pre-Order
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Nintendo's Switch 2 console went up for preorder on April 24, and unsurprisingly it was a big deal. Retailer sites crashed and preorders sold out quickly. Launch day for the consoles is June 5, and hopefully you got a pre-order in at one of the many stores offering them. If you missed out, don't give up. It's not over yet. There are absolutely still going to be Switch 2 machines available on June 5 for savvy shoppers. While most locations say that they are temporarily sold out, we'll teach you how to watch out for new Switch 2 preorder opportunities. Nintendo reportedly has a stockpile of over a million Switch 2 consoles already stateside in preparation for purchase, and we don't know how many were allocated to each individual retailer. That said, the original Switch blew through a million units sold shortly after it launched, so don't sleep on the value of a preorder. Every retailer that offered preorders on April 24 has closed them as of today. That said, this isn't a permanent move, and we'd expect a few of them to re-open Switch 2 sales soon. The biggest retailer of them all, Amazon, still hasn't even sold a single Switch 2 console, and Nintendo's unique preorder method is still available. Because nothing in life is fair or easy, multiple retailers have begun reaching out to pre-order purchasers and telling them that they will not be getting the system on June 5. Buyers at both Target and Walmart have posted their cancellation notices on Reddit. This implies that these stores will not be getting Switch 2 hardware in the amount they forecasted, sending shockwaves down the purchase chain. Not great! We haven't seen any cancellations from Gamestop or other early sellers yet, but be aware that this is happening. Nintendo's online store is handling preorders differently than any other retailer, using a loyalty program to place potential buyers on a waitlist without any financial commitment. If you have a Nintendo account and you're 18 years of age or older, you can register your intent to purchase right now. This is not a binding commitment, but it is a way to get an exclusive purchase link. There are two lists here: If you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least 12 paid months and 50+ gameplay hours as of April 2, 2025, you get put on the priority list. If not, you're in the second set of invites after all the first group has gone. Read our rundown of why the Nintendo Switch 2 preorder system favors Switch Online members. It's also important to note that Nintendo will only tell you if you're on the list on May 8 or later. Nintendo also announced that even if you preorder on May 8, you're not guaranteed to get your console on June 5. You can still register your interest to purchase up until the Switch 2 actually launches, but Nintendo has not given any estimates on how long they will take to get systems in the hands of late registrants. Other retailers opened up preorders on April 24th and quickly sold out, but we've got the links to check stock and see if they've found a few more to sell. One of the weirdest stories from this whole Switch 2 pre-order saga is that Amazon simply... didn't participate. The mega-retailer is usually pretty dependable when new electronics come around, letting consumers pre-purchase and often giving them Amazon gift cards for doing so as an incentive. But they just didn't do it for Switch 2 consoles. Whatever the reason, you can check for Switch 2 stock here, and we'll update when we see any sign of Switch 2 consoles at Amazon. Walmart was the last retailer to close preorders during launch week, so they're probably the first place you should check stock on each day. The store hasn't made a statement as to whether it will be getting more in stock. Customers in the Pacific and Mountain time zone who preordered will be able to purchase a Switch 2 console in-store at 9 p.m. PDT / 10 p.m. MDT on June 5. Walmart also does curbside delivery, and if you preorder a Switch 2 before 8 a.m. on June 4, they promise that they can get the system to you by 9 a.m. local time on June 5. Some restrictions apply. Even though they specialize in PC products, Newegg is an underrated spot to pick up consoles as well. They are currently sold out at their Switch 2 preorder page. You can sign up to be notified when the base console or the Mario Kart World bundle come back in stock. GameStop is sold out of Switch 2 consoles for preorder, but they may get more inventory in before the release date and you can sign up for notifications on the product page, so do that now. They also have all the accessories and games you'd expect. If you join GameStop Pro as a new member, you can get $65 off on your purchase. Target is out of preorder stock on both Switch 2 console offers. More may become available as we get closer to release day. You can sign up using your Target account to be notified by phone or e-mail when they are back in stock. No discounts, rebates or bundle deals have been announced there. Early reports from Target employees indicate that many stores will have between 40 and 60 Switch 2 consoles available for sale outside of pre-order on launch day. Best Buy ran out of Switch 2 hardware almost immediately. They still have a landing page for Switch 2 information, but they're out of consoles to preorder. They do have plenty of games and accessories to peruse. Best Buy Plus and Total members will get $20 bonus rewards for every $150 spent on select Nintendo games and hardware. If you want to try your luck at a brick and mortar store, many locations will be opening at 12:01 a.m. on June 5 and may have additional consoles to sell. No matter where you want to preorder your Switch 2, make sure you're logged in to your retailer accounts, your billing information is up to date, and your shipping info is correct. Shoppers and scalpers grab consoles at lightning speed, so any wasted time harms your chances of getting a Switch 2. If you did happen to miss out on a preorder at your retailer of choice, don't panic. They'll be negotiating with Nintendo and other suppliers to get more inventory in. Bookmarking as many different retailers as possible will improve your odds on getting a purchase through. One method we'd recommend avoiding after the console releases is reseller sites like eBay. Scammers and scalpers gravitate to these sites to make a quick buck off of people desperate for the new hotness, and will often elevate prices, post deceptive listings and more to separate you from your money. We're not saying all resellers are bad, but they don't have the level of trust that major retailers do. Another way to get the inside scoop on preorders is with the Nintendo Today! app. This iOS and Android app gives you a direct line to the legendary game company with updates every 24 hours, but we're hearing rumors that the company might drop Switch 2 news there. It's also a good idea to follow us on X for up-to-the-minute deals. If you need a rundown on the hardware, we've got you covered. Lead analyst Will Greenwald has the complete rundown of the system's specs. If you want the Cliff's Notes, it has a similar footprint to the original Switch, with an all-in-one unit that contains both the console hardware and a 7.9-inch LCD screen, coupled with removable Joy-Con 2 controllers. But even the things that look similar have been redesigned from the ground up. Go ahead and check out our comparison of the Nintendo Switch 2 versus Switch 1 for a deeper dive on how they stack up. One interesting thing is that many physical Switch software purchases won't have the game software on a cartridge, but rather a "Game Key card," which require an Internet connection to use. When you insert the card into the Switch console for the first time, it downloads the actual game to the card from an external server. After that initial download, you no longer need an Internet connection to play it. It's an offbeat idea, and we've got all the details here. The new Joy-Con 2 controllers look similar to the first version, but now attach to the console and other accessories magnetically, for a secure fit. They also feature mouse controls, meaning you can slide them across a flat surface for cursor-moving input, as well as a new dedicated button that activates voice chat features. As for games, you can guarantee that Nintendo is going to have can't-miss first-party titles available at launch. We ran down our top 5 Switch 2 launch titles, including Switch 2 upgrades for both of the exceptional open-world Legend of Zelda games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which will feature faster load times, better graphics and Switch App integration. The bundled Mario Kart World is also a spectacular next step in the storied racing franchise, and a new Bravely Default RPG will eat up all your free time. The system itself promises "significantly improved CPU and GPU performance" according to Nintendo, along with USB-C ports on both sides so that you can charge the console while you play, as well as video output up to 4K and 120FPS, video chatting, and a GameShare feature that lets you play online with people who don't own the game you bought. We do still have a few questions, but overall the console looks great. If you didn't snag a Switch 2 in the preorder crush, there are tremendous deals to be found on existing Switch hardware and games. We gave an Editors' Choice award to the OLED refresh of the original Switch in our review, saying that the console was an all-around improvement thanks to the brighter, bigger and more colorful screen, increased onboard storage and improved kickstand. Everything you loved about the original Switch is here, from the intuitive and responsive controls to Nintendo's unbeatable first-party games. This is the best way to play original Switch titles until the Switch 2 comes out. Mario Kart World is one of the Switch 2's launch titles, so if you're a little rusty behind the wheel it might be smart to practice with what we called "the most comprehensive Mario Kart game to date" in our review. The pioneer kart racing game got an Editors' Choice award from us thanks to its massive selection of courses, intuitive and powerful controls and revamped Battle Mode. If you don't know the drill, these games are about speeding and drifting through colorful tracks, picking up weapons and ruining other drivers' days. Pick it up at a 16% discount right now. The Pokemon franchise is one of Nintendo's most reliable performers, and while it will be a bit before we see a new full-fledged adventure of monster collecting, the spin-off games are just as good. New Pokemon Snap takes you on a safari through the Lental region with your trusty camera, tasking you with photographing more than 200 of the creatures in their natural habitat, earning stars for good composition, focus and more and unlocking new areas to explore. We gave it an "Excellent" rating in our review, particularly enjoying the charming animations and unlockable customization options. Need to save even more? Our deals page has the best prices on tech products, gaming consoles and more.
