Rumor has it that Nintendo plans to launch a new version of its popular Switch game console later this year. We’d previously heard that it could have a bigger, better screen and support for 4K video output to an external display.
Now Bloomberg reports that Nintendo plans to use a new NVIDIA processor with improved CPU and graphics performance to deliver those features. The new Nintendo Switch could also have more memory.
Meanwhile, the Switch could get some competition next year – Android Police reports Qualcomm plans to release a Switch-liked console powered by a Snapdragon chip and Android software.
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.
- Nintendo to Use New Nvidia Graphics Chip in 2021 Switch Upgrade [Bloomberg]
The oft-rumored Nintendo Switch 4K model with a 7 inch, 1280 x 720 pixel OLED display will ship later this year with an upgraded NVIDIA processor with improved graphics, support for DLSS (deep learning super sampling), a faster CPU, and more memory. - Qualcomm is planning an Android-powered Nintendo Switch knockoff [Android Police]
Qualcomm might launch an Android-powered game console in Q1, 2022 with Snapdragon chips, 5G support, and sub-$300 pricing. With a phone/tablet-sized core + detachable controllers, it’s basically Qualcomm’s version of Nintendo’s Switch. Xda-developers editor in chief Mishaal Rahman confirms that he’s heard it’ll have a 6.65 inch full HD+ display, a 6,000 mAh battery, and a fan, but no rear camera. But he was unclear on whether this would be a consumer device or just a reference design. The current design has a Snapdragon 888 processor, but that could change. - Now everyone can send Steam Remote Play Together links [Engadget]
Steam Link is now available for macOS, letting you stream games from a PC to a Mac. There are already versions available for Linux, Android, and Windows. And now Steam says Remote Play Together is also now available for all – send a link to invite players.
- Intel outlines 7nm “Meteor Lake” chip timeline, plans for first-party and third-party fabs [Press release]
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger says it’s on track to tape out its first 7nm “Meteor Lake” chip in the second quarter of 2021, but they won’t ship until 2023. Intel is also building new chip fabs in Arizona and expanding use of third-party foundries. For a deeper dive than you’ll find in the press release, check out AnandTech’s coverage or watch the video of Gelsinger’s presentation. - Firefox 87 release notes [Mozilla]
Firefox 87 released with improved usability with Private Browsing and Enhanced Tracking Protection, improved Find in Page functionality, support for the MacOS VoiceOver screen reader, and automatic stripping of query strings in URLs. - HONOR Pad 7 with 10.1-inch FHD display, 4G LTE, 5100mAh battery announced [FoneArena]
Honor Pad 7 is a 10.1 inch Android tablet with a 1920 x 1200 pixel display, MediaTek Helio P22T processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and Android 10 software with optional 4G LTE support. It’s available in China this week for about $215 and up.
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Typo: “There are already versions available for Linux, Android, and Android.”
This is what Nintendo should have done before, the biggest mistake ever instead of Wii U, a updated to Full HD Wii and then Switch,
Wii -> Wii Full HD -> Switch
Wii -> Wii U -> Switch.
I would still love to have Wii Full HD even today.
At less than $300 I seriously doubt it’s going to be able to make phone calls, even if it’s theoretically made by somebody that gets to write industry standards on cellular connectivity and designs phone CPUs. They could do it, all they’d have to do would be modify a cell phone reference board design that they have the copyrights on to have space for controls. I doubt it would cost them any more for Qualcomm of all people to actually do it versus disabling calls, but they probably won’t, because they hate you.
Were that not the case, I’d imagine more of the tablets running qualcomm chipsets would actually be able to make calls! I can’t think of any technical reason why tablets are like this.
It’s also a cost saving thing. You need antennas and amplifiers to make phone calls. It’s one of the reasons cheap tablets have bluetooth that interferes with wifi, or vice versa, (they share a single antenna). It’s also why cheaper phones normally have limited band support. Plus there can be certification and testing involved (though this is sometimes skirted in different ways).