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JUST for Geeks

WSJ: Two Nintendo Switch Models for 2019?

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WSJ: Two Nintendo Switch Models for 2019?

According to the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo is preparing not one, but two variants on the Switch-- one smaller and cheaper, the other aimed at gamer customers wanting a more high-end machine.

The sources for the report are parts suppliers claiming to have access to a prototype. They say the lower-end version of the Switch lacks the "HD Rumble" vibration functionality, and might not even have detachable controllers, making it something of a successor to the 3DS. Meanwhile the high-end version has “enhanced features targeted at avid video gamers," making it reminiscent of the likes of the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro.

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The Next Game Streaming Contender: Google!

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The Next Game Streaming Contender: Google!

Many a company has taken a stab at offering a game streaming service (with varying levels of success) but now the biggest name of them all has thrown its hat in the ring at the Games Developer Conference (GDC) 2019-- Google.

Dubbed Stadia, the Google game streaming services promises to be the most powerful of them all. It requires no dedicated hardware, since the idea is to allow on gameplay on any screen, be it a desktop PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone or TV (via Chromecast), so long it is able to decode video. Google already tested the idea earlier last year with "Project Stream," a means to play Assassin's Creed Odyssey on the Chrome browser, but the search giant now wants to all kinds of games, all running on Google datacentres.

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Patent Reveals Google Game Controller?

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Patent Reveals Google Game Controller?

A recently uncovered patent might reveal more details on Google experiments in Chromecast-powered game streaming-- specifically what the controller used for such a service could look like.

Google revealed plans for a game streaming service back in October 2018. Dubbed "Project Stream," it was presented in the shape of an invite-only beta allowing users to play Assassin's Creed Odyssey using the Chrome browser. As such, it is Google take on services such as PlayStation Now and GeForce Now, with games streaming from Google servers (as opposed to something like Xbox Game Pass, which allows customers to download games from a pre-selected list for a monthly fee). #

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Sony Discontinues PlayStation Vita

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Sony Discontinues PlayStation Vita

Sad news for handheld gaming enthusiasts, as Sony brings an end to the PlayStation Vita-- the Japanese giant has officially discontinued the last two Vita SKUs, something the company said it would do earlier last year.

Sony has been planning to bring the Vita to a close for a while now. After all, it stopped working on first-party games for the handheld system in 2015, and stopped producing physical titles in 2018. It even stopped offering Vita games as part of the PS Plus program, to the chagrin of a small but dedicated fanbase.

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Microsoft Takes HoloLens 2 to the Workplace

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Microsoft Takes HoloLens 2 to the Workplace

Microsoft confirms teasers of a HoloLens sequel appearing at MWC 2019 with the presentation of the, well, HoloLens 2-- an updated on the "mixed reality" headset aimed primarily for use on the job, not the home.

As an upgrade on the first Microsoft headset, the HoloLens 2 offers double the field of view even as it maintains the same 47 pixels per degree of sight. The company does not give exact numbers on the matter, instead saying it is the equivalent of moving from a 720p TV to a 2K set for each eye. The headset tracks the retinas to work out what the user is looking at, and uses a new "time-of-flight" depth sensor to track the hands without need for a controller.

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DJI Updates European Drone Geofencing

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DJI Updates European Drone Geofencing

DJI follows on the December 2018 incidents in Gatwick London airport-- where the sightings of drones brought about the closure of the runway of one of the busiest airports in Europe-- with an update on the geofencing technology inside its drones.

The Geospatial Environmental Online (GEO) 2.0 system update affects drones in 13 European countries already covered by the original GEO system, as well as 19 more countries previously lacking in advanced geofencing. According to the company, GEO reflects the actual safety risks posed when flying drones around sensitive facilities, while being more flexible in lower-risk areas.

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Microsoft Teases HoloLens Ahead of MWC

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Microsoft Teases HoloLens Ahead of MWC

A cryptic teaser from Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman points out a possible Mobile World Congress 2019 launch for the HoloLens 2, the next take by the Windows maker on the augmented reality headset.

Admittedly the 42-second video shows very little other than trippy visuals, such as blocks of metal melting into liquid before forming glowing fibres, but the fact it was posted by Kipman is significant. After all, the man is one of the minds behind the first HoloLens headset, and the timing is seems right for the launch of a second generation headset.

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A Bocco Emo Robot for Family Communication

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A Bocco Emo Robot for Family Communication

Japanese company Yukai Engineering has a charming means to both monitor the house and help family members leave messages to each other at CES 2019-- the Bocco Emo communication robot.

The Bocco Emo looks like a snowman, and is an update of a 2015 robot from Yukai Engineering simply dubbed the Bocco. According to the company, the "Emo" in the name stands for the ability to "express empathy." How so? Apparently the robot can tell between positive and negative messages, and expresses each accordingly. The robot nods and makes happy chirping sounds with a positive message, while a negative message has it light up red, put its head down and make sad whining noises. To do so it can tell between different words, as well as interpret messages based on emoji.

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HTC Intros Vive Cosmos VR Headset

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HTC Intros Vive Cosmos VR Headset

CES 2019 has a virtual reality headset update from HTC-- the Vive Cosmos, described by the company as nothing less than a "new premium PC VR system, and a vision of the virtual future."

HTC is still to fully detail the headset, but it does claim the Vive Cosmos will be both comfortable and require minimal setup for use. It is primarily designed for use with PCs, but HTC says it has "the capability to be powered by more than a traditional gaming PC," a statement further confirmed by the appearance of a smartphone in an all too brief video teaser. Also seen in the teaser is a pair of new controllers HTC says will be both "gamer-friendly" and "versatile."

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