Nintendo dropped a ton of information with the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct. Though games are always going to be the main focus of any console, the system itself is a serious upgrade over its predecessor. Sporting visual and audio enhancements, as well as a slew of new features, it’s all but guaranteed if you liked the Switch, you’ll love the Switch 2. That being said, some of the console’s improvements stand out more than others.

Hours after Donald Trump’s latest tariffs came into effect, China has announced retaliatory measures: an additional 50 percent tariff on US goods, on top of a planned 34 percent charge, and adding a further 12 US companies to its export control list.“The US’s practice of escalating tariffs on China is a mistake on top of a mistake, which seriously infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests and seriously damages the rules-based multilateral trading system,” the country’s Tariff Commission said in a statement.Last week China announced a 34 percent tariff on goods imported from the US, matching the rate that the US would impose on Chinese goods. Trump took that badly, adding an additional 50 percent levy, which China is now matching in return. The new US tariffs on China, and other countries around the world, took effect today, with the 84 percent rate added onto existing 20 percent tariffs for a total of 104 percent. China’s 84 percent levy on US goods will come into force tomorrow, April 10th. In addition to the elevated tariffs, China has added 12 US companies to its export control list, joining 16 additions from last week. That move bans the export of dual-use items – anything that can be used for both civilian and military purposes – to those companies.The European Union is expected to confirm its own retaliatory measures soon, with a vote taking place today.

This is only a concept art rendering for now, but gives us some idea of what to expect.Universal, having just completed its latest Nintendo- and Harry Potter-filled theme park in the US, is now planning to build a new theme park and resort in the United Kingdom. The multi-billion dollar project will be Universal’s first European theme park, with construction on the 476-acre complex expected to start next year in Bedford, England, located around 60 miles north of London.Set to open in 2031, the UK government says the theme park will be “one of the largest and most advanced in Europe,” projected to generate nearly £50 billion ($64 billion) for the British economy by 2055 and attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year. Rumors about the project have been circling since Comcast NBC Universal acquired the sizable chunk of Bedford land in December 2023, with today’s announcement finally confirming that plans to build the park are going ahead — subject to securing planning approval.“Today we closed the deal on a multi-billion-pound investment that will see Bedford home to one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe, firmly putting the county on the global stage,” said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who added that the project is expected to create “28,000 new jobs across sectors such as construction, AI, and tourism.”This announcement comes ahead of Universal opening its third Orlando park, Epic Universe, on May 22nd. The Orlando expansion contains new lands themed around Nintendo, Harry Potter, classic movie monsters, and the How To Train Your Dragon franchise, and showcases some of the entertainment giant’s most advanced ride and animatronics technology to date.It’s too early to say exactly what the new park will entail, but proposals from Universal Destinations & Experiences include a theme park with “several themed lands featuring Universal’s distinct brand of immersive storytelling,” rides, attractions, and other forms of entertainment that utilize “sophisticated and advanced technology.” Plans for the resort include a 500-room hotel with on-site retail, dining, and entertainment options.We will have to wait and see if Universal will be bringing any of its existing land themes or ride experiences to the UK project, or opt for something new entirely. I’d expect the Harry Potter branding to be involved in some way — Universal has already built six lands themed around the franchise across other global parks, and this is its opportunity to fully lean into its native British setting.

Google has a vast history of launching experimental projects, only for them to fade away before ever getting a proper launch. Unlike many Google Labs experiments that never quite see the light of day, NotebookLM, Google's AI-powered note-taking app, is one of the few that did.

If you've ever wanted to dual-boot a different OS or set up a clean testing environment separate from your everyday files, you’ve probably considered partitioning your hard drive or already have. Partitioning can come with some downsides that are hard to reverse without reformatting your entire drive, and a certain inflexibility in adapting to evolving needs down the road. There are a few reasons that Virtual Hard Disks (VHDs) offer a better alternative, with more flexibility, security, and portability.

I began playing video games at the age of two, on a state-of-the-art HP desktop, which set my father back by $1000 in the year 2000. Twenty-five years later, there’s a certain language of video games that I consider myself well-versed in. Red or green means health, “M” for map, “I” for inventory, and I can almost always slide by pressing the crouch button while running. These, among a thousand others, are certain “rules” of video gaming that I consider universal.

International buyers can order a Laptop 12 today, but US fans will have to wait.Framework has confirmed it will no longer be opening US preorders for the new Laptop 12 today, or announcing a price, as it evaluates the impact of Trump’s tariffs. The modular, convertible laptop will still be available later today for buyers elsewhere, including Canada and Europe.The Laptop 12 is Framework’s smallest laptop yet, and its first convertible touchscreen model. It comes with a 13th Gen Intel Core i3 or i5 chip, a 1920×1200 touchscreen with stylus support, and up to 48GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. Like other Framework hardware, it’s modular and repairable. It also ships in a pastel pink and mint finish that we’re pretty fond of.Although the company hasn’t announced pricing, it pitched the 12-inch laptop as an “entry-level” model at a “lower cost” than the Laptop 13. That model now starts at $899 for a DIY version, or $1,099 for a prebuilt one, after the company “paused” sales on some of the cheaper Laptop 13 models in the US to avoid selling them at a loss after factoring in the new tariffs.Framework manufactures its products in Taiwan, which is subject to a 32 percent tariff as of today. The company explained on Bluesky that it’s beginning its tariff response with the “most reversible” changes, delisting and delaying products, and that it will avoid raising prices “until we have final confirmation that there is no alternative.”We’re delaying opening pre-orders for Framework Laptop 12 in the US. We’re still opening orders for the other countries we ship to tomorrow (April 9th), now at 10am PT. (cont)— Framework (@frame.work) 2025-04-08T19:05:50.494ZLaptop 12 preorders open for buyers in Canada, Europe, Australia, and Taiwan today at 1pm ET, and pricing will be announced at the same time.

The Nintendo Direct for the Switch 2 went great, but after the curtains had closed, people were left with one question: how much will this all cost? People were shocked when the prices did appear; we were looking at $449.99 for the console and $80 for a digital game (up to $90 if you wanted it in physical). People really didn't like the price point, and after Switch 2 was delayed in response to new tariffs, they feared the cost would rise even higher. If the Switch 2 is out of your budget, Nintendo has a golden idea: buy the original Switch instead. It's just that easy.

PDFgear is a free alternative to Adobe Acrobat. While it’s not open-source, like many great closed-source Adobe alternatives, it’s an option for anyone who wishes to pivot from Adobe tools. However, PDFgear is still missing some features that would put it at the same level as Adobe Acrobat, preventing many people from making a full switch. These major features of Acrobat aren’t available in PDFgear, but if you don’t need these features, you should consider moving on from Acrobat and using a free resource from a smaller brand. There are many reasons to avoid Adobe software, and PDFgear offers PDF editing and reading without the need for large corporations.

When you think of user-friendly tools for non-designers, Canva is probably the first to come to mind. But Canva isn't the be-all-end-all for accessible design — there's a whole range of alternative design tools that offer just as much, if not more, and some of them also don't lock their best features behind a paywall. So if you need an easy way to bring your ideas to life, whether creating flyers or simple web graphics, you don't have to settle for the mainstream picks. Give these graphic design tools a try instead...

The world of gaming handhelds is going through a bit of a renaissance these past few years, and it's in big part thanks to the immense popularity of the Nintendo Switch starting way back in 2017. Of course, a lot of PC-based gaming handhelds have been introduced in recent years with tons of advantages over NIntendo's handheld, particularly in terms of performance, display, and storage.

Soulslikes are some of my favorite games. Since I first got into the genre via Dark Souls 2, I have had that itch to throw myself at the most difficult bosses and emerge victorious. Thanks to Elden Ring Nightreign, I am craving that Soulslike experience more than ever. Thankfully, there are plenty to choose from that are currently on the market. There are even more coming out, and even some DLC is being made.