Latest news with #SamRutherford
Engadget
14 hours ago
- Engadget
We might not be getting that handheld Xbox for some time
A lot of people (not least Engadget 's own Sam Rutherford ) have been asking Microsoft to make an Xbox-branded handheld for a long time. And it looked for a while like we might be getting exactly that in the not-so distant future. But Microsoft's priorities have reportedly shifted to improving the widely criticised performance of Windows 11 on existing third-party PC gaming handhelds. In an exclusive report, Windows Central claims that a dedicated Xbox handheld system, which could have launched in 2027 alongside the successor to the Xbox Series X, isn't the company's main area of focus right now, even if it remains keen on the idea. An internally developed handheld, for which Windows Central 's Jez Corden says he has seen a number of different codenames, is not currently being worked on, and he adds that no layoffs have taken place as a result of the strategic shift. While a native Xbox device might be some way off, the report makes clear that Microsoft is still very much active in the handheld market. A third-party console that it has been working on with ASUS, codenamed "Project Kennan", is still targeting a 2025 launch. It's likely this device, which could be equipped with AMD's Z2 Extreme chip, will ship with an improved Windows 11 experience better suited to a controller interface. The software's awkward integration in early iterations of PC handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally has been a big problem, and it's partly why people are so excited about the SteamOS experience no longer being exclusive to the Steam Deck. The Lenovo Legion Go S started shipping with SteamOS running out of the box this week, the first handheld not made by Valve to do so.
Engadget
4 days ago
- Engadget
The Morning After: Our verdict on the Galaxy S25 Edge
When I got an early look at Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, the first of a new supposed wave of thinner smartphones, it was easy to spot what I'd take issue with. But you know what? Those issues may not matter as much as I thought. Engadget's Sam Rutherford has put the device through its paces, and thankfully, the impressive battery life of the S25 series continues. Our rundown test lasted a minute shy of 26 hours. That's less than other S25 phones with bigger batteries but roughly equal to Google's Pixel 9 Pro. And while there's no optical zoom, the substantial 200-megapixel main camera sensor can crop in a lot, offering some kind of zoom, even if image quality doesn't match true telephoto cameras. I've got the S25 Edge with me, and these compromises are fine . I also like it thinner. And lighter. I've suffered enough with Ultras and Pro Max phones. If anything, I wish the S25 Edge had a smaller screen, closer to the base S25, Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro. The biggest weakness I didn't note with the S25 Edge? The perennial curse of measuring devices in millimeters and fractions of an inch means your protective case will almost certainly add those millimeters back on. — Mat Smith Get Engadget's newsletter delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Sure, the Nintendo Switch 2 is almost here, but early June also means a whole host of gaming showcases as part of Summer Game Fest. Along with the two big events — Summer Game Fest Live and the Xbox Games Showcase — there are many others in store, including the always-delightful Day of the Devs. We'll be there in person, and I'll be flying out on Switch 2 launch day. So I won't get to touch my Switch 2 until a week later. Bah. We've pulled together all the livestream details revealed so far. Continue reading. A bill banning social media for anyone under 18 recently moved past the Senate committee and is due for a vote in the Texas State Senate. If made into law, the bill would force social media platforms to verify the age of anyone setting up an account, like how Texas passed legislation requiring porn websites to implement an age verification system. Texas' social media ban also proposes letting parents delete their child's social media account, which definitely won't start blazing arguments in households across the state. Continue reading. On June 9, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. What can we expect besides new numbers after every flavor of Apple software? Apparently, a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple's mixed reality headset. The aim is to integrate all the OSes to a singular design, so jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac feels like different screens showing the same thing. We could also see the iPad get even more Mac-like (thanks to those powerful M-series chips), Apple Intelligence delivering on those promises (Siri?) and more health coaching. Continue reading.
Engadget
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Nintendo Switch 2 will support regular USB mice in at least one game
The Switch 2's Joy-Con "mouse" has some competition. At least one launch game for Nintendo's new console includes USB mouse support. Nobunga's Ambition: Awakening CE lets you plug in a traditional pointing device and get down to business. According to developer Koei Tecmo, the mouse will "work seamlessly." Nobunga's Ambition will let you switch between controller and USB mouse on the fly. "Once you connect the USB mouse, a message will appear in the top left indicating that the mouse is connected," Michi Ryu said in a video (translated from Japanese). "When the USB mouse is connected, it takes priority over the Joy-Con 2. As you can see, you can switch instantly. It's very smooth." To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. So, what does that mean for other mouse-friendly Switch 2 games? Civilization VII , another launch title, comes to mind. We emailed 2K Games to ask and will update this story if we hear back. To be fair, the Switch 2's Joy-Con mouse support is solid. Engadget's Sam Rutherford was pleasantly surprised with it in his hands-on. Still, it's nice to have options. (And let's be honest, a real mouse will be hard to beat.) Although it wasn't a well-known fact, the original Switch also supported USB mice. For example, Nintendo's visual programming tool Game Builder Garage worked with them. But the number of games supporting the Joy-Con mouse makes it a bigger deal on the Switch 2.
Engadget
23-05-2025
- Engadget
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: More than just super thin
When I first heard Samsung was bringing back the Edge name as a new super-thin member of the S25 family, all I could think was: Why? Honestly, I thought phone makers had gotten over their hunger for thinness nearly a decade ago. The quest to shave millimeters off devices resulted in worse battery life, extra heat and more limited features. So what gives? On a certain level, just like fashion, older trends can over time become fresh and stylish again. Additionally, after phones made the transition to 5G — which required extra power, more complex modems and larger antennas — modern components have started shrinking again, essentially paving the way for the return of slimmer handsets. But then it hit me. While thinness may be the most striking thing about the Galaxy S25 Edge, that's not enough to justify the creation of a whole new device. Instead, I believe this phone is a part of a larger mission by Samsung to make the middle child of its flagship mobile lineup a more appealing member of the family. And when viewed in that light, I actually think it's largely a success. While it suffers from a smaller battery and no telephoto lens, the S25 Edge is more than just a super sleek phone designed purely for extreme thinness. $1,100 at Samsung Now don't get me wrong, despite my gripes about how thinner phones are less practical, the S25 Edge is beautifully designed. At just 5.8mm thick (0.23 inches), it feels impossibly sleek. What might be even more impressive is that Samsung hasn't sacrificed durability to get here either. Just like the S25 Ultra, the Edge features a titanium frame, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and an even stronger Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 panel covering its display. The one difference is that the Edge's screen has a glossy finish instead of matte like on the Ultra because — and I kid you not — Samsung says an anti-reflective coating would have increased its thickness. Kudos to sticking to a strict design philosophy, because in terms of sheer feel and aesthetics, S25 Edge is undeniably enchanting. Sam Rutherford for Engadget However, while the S25 Edge shares some characteristics with the Ultra, like its frame and main camera, at least when it comes to its overall size, it's really more of a refreshed take on the S25+. It has the same 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate that's just as vibrant and wonderfully colorful as before. Although it does weigh a bit less at 163 grams or 5.75 ounces versus the S25+ (190g or 6.7 oz). Like the rest of the S25 family, the Edge is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage. Despite the compact dimensions, Samsung still found room to squeeze a vapor chamber inside to prevent throttling and overheating. So even when pushed, the back of the phone rarely got more than lukewarm while delivering strong performance as I was gaming, multitasking or doing pretty much anything else you can think of. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The other major departure from the S25+'s basic template is that the Edge features the 200MP main sensor from the Ultra, along with a 12MP ultra-wide cam. But there's no dedicated zoom. Now at first, I was a bit upset because I think any phone this expensive should have a telephoto lens. That said, the massive amount of pixels the Edge's primary sensor can capture means you have quite a bit of freedom to crop in without degrading image quality. You just need to remember to tell the camera to shoot in full 200MP mode instead of the standard 12MP setting. One other small change is that Edge features a slightly wider-angle 12MP selfie cam than the S25+ and Ultra, which allows you to fit more people in group shots, but that's really the main difference. In general use, the S25 Edge takes great pics. Colors are rich and details are crisp, though you still get Samsung's slightly oversaturated hues and warmer tones. The same goes for low-light shots. For this review, instead of comparing it to a Pixel or iPhone, I pitted the Edge against the Motorola Razr Ultra. I feel like both are attempting to woo people who want a sleek and stylish device, but they are doing it in very different ways. In a shot of some roses, the Razr Ultra struggled with focus and color saturation. What immediately jumped out is that foldable phones (at least the Razr) still lag behind more traditional glass bricks, even ones as thin as the Edge. In nearly every shot, Samsung's handset produced brighter, sharper and better-exposed images than Motorola's. So if you're the kind of person who wants a compact phone without needing to sacrifice image quality, the S25 Edge is a stronger pick. The biggest trade-off when making a phone this skinny is having less room for its battery. As such, the S25 Edge has the smallest power pack in the family at 3,900 mAh, which is 100mAh less than what's in a base S25. This led to a time of just 25 hours and 59 minutes on our local video rundown test. That's not terrible, but it is three and a half hours less than what we got from the S25 Ultra (29:27) and two hours worse than a standard S25. For those who care a lot about longevity, you have been warned. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Thankfully, the S25 Edge still has support for wireless charging at an acceptable 15 watts, though its wired speeds are just average at 25 watts. However, as the phone is merely "Qi2 ready," anyone who wants to use compatible magnetic wireless accessories will need to buy a case or an adhesive mount with a built-in magnet, because there isn't one inside the phone itself. The S25 Edge is a divisive phone. I still don't fully grasp the desire to make modern phones thinner than they already are. Particularly if you're like most folks and you throw the thing in a case as soon as you get it (even when accounting for Samsung's new super slim option). Shaving off an extra 1.5mm over the standard S25 doesn't really make a tangible difference in how you use it, unless you consider the phone's reduced battery life a good thing. Sam Rutherford for Engadget But as an alternative to the humdrum S25+, suddenly things get a lot more interesting. Samsung's previous middle child costs significantly more than a base S25, but it doesn't have the fancy features like a super high-res main camera or a titanium frame like you get on the S25 Ultra. Really, the S25+'s most attractive feature is a nicely-sized 6.7-inch screen. Now here's where the Galaxy S25 Edge comes in. It has all of those things alongside a super thin and wonderfully crafted chassis for the same $1,100 starting price as the S25+. Yes, Samsung sacrificed some battery capacity and the phone's dedicated zoom to get here, but those aren't straight-up dealbreakers. That's because with the Edge, the new in-between member of Samsung's flagship mobile family is more than just skinny — it has a stylish identity that can stand on its own.
Engadget
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
How to use Nintendo Switch virtual game cards
Nintendo has shaken up how it treats your digital game purchases. It's now calling those virtual game cards, and it hopes to make it easier for you to share your games across multiple Switch systems. You can even let friends and family members borrow a game you've purchased from the eShop so they can play it on their own Switch. Getting things set up is a slightly complex process, but in most cases, you'll only need to do the tricky stuff once. In any case, we're here to help. The virtual game card system went live on the console on April 30 when Nintendo rolled out a major update. The Nintendo Switch 2 (which arrives on June 5) will support virtual game card lending and borrowing as well. Virtual game cards also include any of a game's associated DLC (i.e. extra downloadable content) that you've acquired. If you haven't tried out this way of letting your kid, partner or roommate jump into a Switch game you're not currently playing, sharing a virtual game card is a pretty simple process. We'll break down how to do that before explaining how to use virtual game cards across two of your own Switch consoles. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. When it comes to lending and borrowing virtual game cards, there are a number of caveats you'll need to be aware of. Sadly, a casual internet acquaintance who lives on the other side of the country won't be able to borrow a game from your Switch. The virtual game card system is designed for sharing games between friends and family — you'll need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to make the transfer. To wit, you can only lend out a virtual game card to another member of your Nintendo Account family group. Both Switch systems will also need to be connected to the same wireless network at the time a game is lent and borrowed. You can lend out a game for 14 days at a time. While a game of yours is loaned out, you won't be able to play it on your own Switch. However, if you do decide you want to hop back into that title, you can recall it at any time (which is, perhaps, a way to show a misbehaving child the consequences of their actions). Let's run through the other key virtual game card lending provisos in bullet points: You can lend out as many as three virtual game cards at a time. A borrower can only take one game at a time, and they can't borrow from multiple users simultaneously. Similarly, you can only lend out one virtual game card to a given console at any time. If a Switch has users that belong to different family groups, it won't be able to borrow any virtual game cards. Got all of that? Cool. Let's jam through how to actually lend and borrow virtual game cards on the Nintendo Switch. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Before you actually get started with lending and borrowing virtual game cards, there are a few things you'll have to do. First, make sure your system software is up to date. You can check that's the case by going to the Switch home screen, then System Settings > System > System Update. If your Switch isn't running the latest system software, it will start the update process. Otherwise, you're golden. Next, as mentioned, you'll need to make sure the Switch systems that are going to exchange virtual game cards are on the same wireless network. Once you've taken care of that, it's time to ensure the consoles are in the same Nintendo Account family group, if you haven't already done so. (A family group can include up to eight account holders, and a role-based system allows for parental controls.) Slightly annoyingly, you can't add a Nintendo Account to a family group from Switch consoles as things stand. You'll have to set things up on Nintendo's website. First, sign in to the Nintendo Account that will be the admin for the family group (only one account can be an admin per family group). From there, select "Family group" then either "Add a member" or, if you haven't set up a family group yet, "Create family group." To invite an existing Nintendo Account holder to a family group, first click the "Invite someone to your family group" option (or go through the process of setting one up for a child aged 12 or younger, if that's who you're adding). Of course, if the person you want to invite to a family group doesn't yet have a Nintendo Account, they'll need to set one up. Next, you'll need to read a disclaimer about only adding people you know to a family group and then what will happen if either your account or theirs is banned (spoiler, it won't be a good thing!). After you've agreed to the disclaimer and clicked Confirm, you'll be prompted to enter the email address linked to the Nintendo Account you want to add to the family group. Click Submit when you're done. The person you're inviting to the family group will receive an email. They'll need to click the verification link, sign into their Nintendo Account if necessary and click "Join family group." After that person has joined the family group, the admin can assign them a role. Phew, okay. All of the hard/annoying stuff is out of the way. Save for connecting to the same wireless network, you should only have to do all of that stuff once to make sure a pair of Switch consoles is ready to use virtual game cards. Now for the fun part. For the sake of clarity, let's call the system that's lending a virtual game card Switch A. We'll refer to the device that's borrowing a game as Switch B (calling them Switch 1 and Switch 2 would have made things more confusing!). Go to the Virtual Game Cards option on the Switch A home screen, then select the user that's linked to your Nintendo Account. At this point, you'll need to enter your password or a PIN if you've enabled the user verification setting. Pick the game you want to lend out from your library of virtual game cards then to go Lend to Family Group Member > Select Select a User to Lend To. Select the person you'd like to receive the game, and then click on Lend. After that, it's the recipient's turn to act. On the Switch B, access Virtual Game Cards from the home screen. Choose the user profile for the person that's receiving the game, and enter the PIN or password if necessary. Then choose the Borrow option. After that, the virtual game card should start downloading, then you'll be able to play! You only need to be connected to the same wireless network when you're actively lending and borrowing ("loading" or "ejecting" to use Nintendo's terms for it) a virtual game card. You don't necessarily have to be online to play a game once it's on your Switch. Nintendo has a help article that should help you address any error messages you encounter as part of the process. Returning a virtual game card (perhaps so you can borrow a different one from Switch A) is straightforward too. Go to Virtual Game Cards from the home screen, select the relevant user profile, enter the password or PIN if need be. Go to the game, select Return to Family Group Member and then click Return. This is all perhaps a little more complicated than it has to be. It probably would have been easier for the Switch B user to receive a notification when Switch A lends a game out to them. Still, the process should be simple enough to run through, especially after you get the hang of it. One other thing you can do with virtual game cards is freely swap them between two of your own Switch consoles, even if one is in sleep mode. Maybe you have a Switch docked in your living room and a Switch Lite you take on the go. This system could be useful in that case. As ever, other users of a Switch console can play any game or DLC that's installed on the system through their own profile. To swap virtual game cards from one Switch to another, you first need to link them. First, bring the system that you can already install virtual game cards on (Switch A, we'll call it) and the other one (Switch B) in close proximity to one another and connect them to the internet. Make sure your Nintendo Account is linked to a user on Switch B as well. On Switch B, choose Virtual Game Cards from the home screen, then the user that's linked to your Nintendo Account (again, you'll need to enter a password or PIN if you have user verification on). Choose a virtual game card that you'd like to add to the Switch B, then go to Load on This System > Next > Systems Are Close Enough (once you've ensured both consoles are within close proximity). Next, return to Switch A. Again, do the virtual game cards > user linked to the same Nintendo Account > password/PIN (if necessary) deal. You'll then see a message about linking to another console. Select the Link option to enable this. After the linking process is wrapped up, click the OK button. You'll also need to click on Load on This System if such a prompt pops up to load the virtual game card you picked earlier onto Switch B. And that's it! After that, you don't need to keep the consoles in close proximity to each other to load virtual game cards onto either system. Bear in mind that only two consoles can be linked at a time for this purpose. To set up another console as a new Switch B (we're still calling it that for the sake of clarity), go through the same setup process again on that device. Partway through, you'll see a message on the new Switch B telling you that you already linked two consoles for the purpose of loading virtual game cards. After you read the information about that (and assuming that linking a different Switch is what you want to do), select Unlink next to the console that you want to unlink. Click this button again to confirm. If you want to play digital Switch games across more than two consoles (perhaps you have one in your den, another in the bedroom and a third at a vacation home?), you may need to use a different method called the online license feature. Nintendo has a help article that'll walk you through how to set that up. With either method, there is a significant factor you'll need to take into account. Save data isn't automatically shared across each system, so you can't simply start playing a game on one Switch and continue where you left off on another. To do that, you'll need to transfer the data manually, either by having the two consoles in close proximity to each other or via the cloud if you're a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber. The Nintendo Switch has been around for over eight years. That's a long time! Over that period, you may have amassed a large collection of digital games, perhaps making it increasingly difficult to find what you're looking for. Thankfully, there's an option to hide (and unhide) virtual game cards in your collection. To hide one, go to Virtual Game Cards on the Switch home screen and choose the user that's linked to your Nintendo Account. Highlight the game or DLC you'd like to hide, select Options and then Hide twice to mask that title from your library. To view a hidden virtual game card, repeat those first two steps, then scroll down and choose the Can't Find Software? option. From here, you'll see a prompt to View Hidden Virtual Game Cards. Pick this and you'll see the full list of hidden game cards. You can unhide a virtual game card from this section too. Select the particular game, then choose Options and Unhide. It will then appear back alongside your regular library of virtual game cards. A game card isn't exactly useless while it's hidden. You can still download the associated game onto your Switch while a card is hidden or lend it out to others in your family group.
