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There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a new laptop, tablet, or desktop PC — and the kinds of components you’ll need will depend on your requirements. A gaming machine, for instance, will benefit greatly if you direct most of the budget towards picking up a solid graphics card. On the other hand, you might want to spend more on the CPU and RAM if you’re looking to build a workstation for development.
One factor that’s of equal importance in any use case is the storage — how fast it is, and how much of it you have at your disposal. We’ve largely switched over to SSDs given their compact form factors, fast read and write speeds, and better durability than mechanical hard drives. You may have also heard of eMMC storage being used in devices, especially on older tablets or laptops.
eMMC stands for Embedded MultiMediaCard, and is a type of storage that’s closer in principle to an SD card or an SSD than it is to a traditional spinning hard drive. eMMC uses NAND flash memory, which is also found in USB thumb drives, and benefits from its ability to retain data even when it’s not being supplied with power. The “embedded” bit in its nomenclature refers to how it is physically soldered onto the motherboard, as opposed to an SSD or an SD card that can be replaced effortlessly.
SSDs are faster and more convenient
SSDs, or Solid State Drives, on the other hand, are far more common in modern computers. Not all offerings are created equal, but some of the most reliable SSDs will not only allow you to store and retrieve files at greater speeds but will also last longer. They come in different form factors like SATA or M.2, and in capacities that far exceed the upper limit of eMMC storage. The highest capacity SSD available can store up to 100TB of information, though this is not targeted towards the consumer market – popular SSD sizes range from 500GB to 4TB.
In contrast, most devices that use eMMC storage are stuck with smaller capacities — usually 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB. Not only did this storage fill up quickly, but there was no way to swap it out for a bigger drive — though some laptops offered slots for SD card or SSD expansion. Compared to SSDs, eMMC storage is also noticeably slower. A speed test carried out by Windows Central reveals that an SSD in a Surface Go tablet was at least four times faster than the eMMC storage in the same device.
Depending on the generation and compatibility with your motherboard, SSDs can soar past 3,500MB/s. The latest Gen5 Crucial T700 is rated at read speeds of up to 12,400MB/s. The latest eMMC 5.1 interface, on the other hand, could achieve a theoretical maximum read speed of 330MB/s.
Not only has SSD storage become the norm, but eMMC is virtually phased out in the PC and laptop department. While it still has its benefits of being cheaper to implement and is a better choice than a slower hard drive, there aren’t many popular consumer-grade products that still ship with eMMC storage. The 2022 Steam Deck LCD was a rare occurrence, with its cheaper variant using eMMC storage– and while it’s theoretically slower than its SSD counterpart, in a portable device with tight power requirements, this can be a feasible option.
eMMC storage is built with fewer memory channels, which translates to comparatively slower performance under full load. That said, you’ll likely run into the storage bottleneck far before you notice the slower speeds on a device with just eMMC storage. 64GB or 128GB simply isn’t enough on modern devices, especially if we’re talking about tablets or laptops, where the Windows operating system itself eats away a good chunk of the space.
Then there’s the entire aspect of not being able to upgrade a storage type that’s eMMC. SSDs and even HDDs can be swapped out, repaired, or upgraded. In the event of device failure due to other reasons, the ability to recover important data from a removable medium of storage will always be a good thing to have. Though eMMC was historically a cheaper option, SSDs have become accessible enough to not be everyone’s top pick by now.
If there’s one experience binding tech users together, it’s trying to plug in a USB cable or device. Somehow, it’s never oriented correctly the first time, and after the panic of realizing you’ve been trying to shove it in the wrong way, you frustratedly flip it over. Often enough, you mess up the second try, too. Whether you’re a computer novice or work with technology for a living, we’ve all made this mistake more times than we care to think about.
The frustration over USB orientation is so universal that the USB-IF, the consortium overseeing USB standards, made sure the new USB Type-C connector was reversible. That’s well and good for devices that only use USB-C, but plenty of computers, flash drives, and other useful USB gadgets still use the rectangular Type-A connection.
However, there’s a simple trick that will make it far easier to avoid accidentally plugging your USB devices upside-down. Each USB Type-A connector uses the same design, so all you need to do to orient yourself is look at the plastic tab inside the connector. In many cases, the other side of the connector will be the one facing up.
Often, the USB port and the device you’re plugging in will be two different colors, but don’t worry. The colors indicate different capabilities (for example, fast charging for green USB ports), but it’s safe to mix USB devices regardless of the color of their ports.
Look for plastic tabs and square holes on your USB connector
Every USB connector uses the same design; it’s not called a Universal Serial Bus for no reason! You can use those consistent characteristics to properly align the connector of any USB Type-A device every single time. As mentioned above, the main indicator to look for is the flat plastic tab inside the male connector. This portion of the connector houses the contacts of the USB. It takes up roughly half of the inside of the connector. Every female USB port has a corresponding plastic piece housing its contacts, which slots into the male connector when you plug it in. The USB connection occurs when those two sets of contacts touch one another. In other words, the plastic tab in the male connector should always be oriented in the opposite direction of the plastic tab in the female connector.
Another rule of thumb is that laptop USB ports typically have their plastic tabs facing upwards. This means you can simply flip the connector so the plastic tab is at the bottom. On other devices, such as desktop computers, it’s worth checking the connector first before orienting the cable the other way around.
Another good way to know which side the plastic tab is on is to look for two small, square holes in the metal. If they’re hollow, the plastic is on the other side. Lastly, there’s always a jagged seam running lengthwise along the bottom of the connector. It’s always on the same side as the plastic tab, giving you yet another landmark by which to orient your connector.
In a matter of just a few short years, Apple’s AirPods have gone from the sleek new way to connect to iPhone and other mobile devices to pretty much the only way to connect to them. There has, of course, been a learning curve for AirPods since their arrival, with users not only adapting to the device’s welcome lack of a cord, but to other little things, like how to charge the newly battery-powered earbuds and headphones that fall under the AirPod line.
If you’ve owned a set of Apple AirPods over the years, you know the devices are charged by placing them inside a small box that connects to an electrical outlet or charging apparatus via a USB cable. Historically, those charging cables have been tucked inside the box that contains your AirPods at the point of purchase, whether that be in-store or online. That is no longer the case, with Apple pivoting towards USB-C chargers for AirPods while removing the charging cable from the items included in the box.
You can, however, still purchase Apple AirPods with a charging cable included in the box, assuming you select the right model. At present, Apple is offering just two of its AirPods models with a USB-C charging cable included in the box. The first is the SlashGear-approved AirPods Pro 2, which retail for $249. The other is the AirPods Max, which — at $549 a pop — might inspire some to seek out cheaper over-the-ear options.
As any Apple devotee no doubt noticed, the tech giant’s most recent version of its earbuds — the SlashGear Select Badge-earning AirPods 4 — were not listed among the devices that include a USB-C charging cable. In fact, the AirPods 4 don’t come with any sort of charging cable at all. That is indeed true for both the standard version of the AirPods 4 as well as their upgraded with active noise-cancellation cousins.
For its part, Apple is being as up front as it can be about that fact, specifically noting on the product pages of both AirPods 4 devices that they do not come with a USB-C charging cable or power adapter. The good news is that both cordless AirPods 4 options can be purchased for considerably less than the cord-included AirPods Pro 2. How much less, you ask? The option without noise-cancellation is currently retailing for just $129, while the option with active noise-cancellation is selling for $179.
Now that you know you can scoop Apple’s AirPods 4 for far less than AirPods Pro 2, you’re probably wondering if the cost of the USB-C charging cable offsets the difference. It does not, with cables going for $29 on the high end for the 240W version and $19 on the low end for the 60W version. If you need the power adapter to go with your cable, a 20W USB-C version will set you back a mere $19 direct from Apple. So even if you need both, you’re still saving money, even with the additional charges.
If you’re a Millennial who grew up around translucent game controllers, Jungle Green N64s, or the original Halo Xbox,Razer’s new Phantom Collection will feel like a direct hit of nostalgia.
The Phantom Collection updates Razer’s popular gear with a fresh look
(Image credit: Razer)
Razer this weekannouncedits new “Razer Phantom Collection,” which the gaming brand describes as “a bold new colorway that redefines visual design in the gaming space.”
The collection features an all-translucent design and, in the company’s own words, “offers a bold visual departure from traditional finishes.”
Razer mentions that in addition to celebrating the engineering excellence behind its hardware, the Phantom Collection introduces an aesthetic language blending transparency, depth, and modern minimalism.
The Phantom Collection introduces refreshed versions of some of Razer’s most popular gear, just in a brand-new translucent colorway and enhanced Chroma RGB. This includes theRazer Basilisk V3 Pro,which batterymaphas previously reviewed and claimed is easily one of thebest gaming micein Razer’s entire lineup.
The Phantom Collection also gave theRazer BlackWidow V4 75%keyboard a design refresh, which batterymapdescribed as “one of the best gaming keyboards out there.”
Razer also gave the Barracuda X Chroma headset the Phantom Green touch and the Firefly V2 Pro mouse mat.
Phantom Collection reminds gamers of classics like the Xbox Halo edition and the Nintendo 64
Interestingly, according to gamers who have seen the new Phantom Collection so far, the Army-green tinted coloring (i.e., the Phantom Green design refresh Razer aimed for) took many gamers back to the ‘90s.
For instance, someoneshared images of the Razer Phantom Green collection on the r/MouseReview subreddit, and the comment section is filled with nostalgia-struck gamers reminiscing about the good old days.
One redditor commented,“Welcome back, the 90’s,” whileanother chimed inand explained how the translucent finish of the Phantom Collection reminded them of the classic ‘80s water pistols and how they could almost taste the warm plastic from their childhood.
The Phantom Collection even reminded many folks of the Jungle Green Nintendo 64 and the Xbox special Halo edition, which featured a similarly rugged, translucent Army-green finish that became iconic among gamers.
TheHaloedition Xbox remains a collector’s item to this day, and you can get it oneBayfor $399right now!(Image credit: Mahnoor Faisal)
The Phantom Collection may also remind some of the Xbox 360 and its interface, which had an iconic green-tinted vibe that Xbox is known for.
It’s funny how certain designs can instantly transport us back to a specific gaming era. Razer’s Phantom Collection, which is already available at Razer’s website, Razer stores, and authorized retailers worldwide, is a perfect example.
I’ve been looking forward to this all year long. Longer, really.
Folks, we’re finally here. TheNintendo Switch 2isfinallyshowing up on people’s doorsteps, while others braved the lengthy lines atmidnight launch eventsthat spanned the globe.
Because I have a cool job, I actually got the console a day early. And after spending about 24 hours with my new Switch 2, I’ve got plenty of early thoughts to share. I know some gamers are on the fence about spending $450 on a new Nintendo console (and$80 for the newMario Kart World), especially in tough economic times. My full Switch 2 review will come later, but for now, let’s dive into my first day of gaming.
And because you’ve waited long enough, here’s my early verdict: It’s awesome, though not without its setup quirks.
Remember: This is definitely not a full review of the console, as again, I’ve only had it for a little over 24 hours at the time of writing. My impressions and reviews of games likeMario Kart WorldandRune Factorywill also have to wait. These are my unfiltered thoughts on the hardware and user experience so far. You can also check out myfirst impressions of the new Game Chat features.
Setup is easy enough but not perfect
Your Switch 2 main menu will look a lot like this right after the first boot.
Let’s start with good news: Getting the console up and running on the initial startup is quite simple. You turn it on, log into your Nintendo account if you have one (you should probably have one), connect to the internet, and then you’re more or less good to go. I mean, you won’t be able to play any games right away unless you have physical copies because downloading games takes time, but all things considered, I found this process pretty painless.
The only caveat I’d add to all of that? There’s a (by all accounts) lengthy and involved data transfer process if you want to transfer over everything from yourSwitch 1 to your Switch 2. This is obviously useful if you have a bunch of old Switch games you’re currently in the middle of playing, or if you want to grab your save data the old-fashioned way. Nintendo Switch Online members have access to cloud saves, and foralmostevery game, downloading them takes just a few seconds on the home screen the first time you boot the game up.
Attaching and detaching the magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers feels so good the first time you do it. Just trust me.
I should note that I didn’t try the data transfer because I didn’t have my Switch on me at the time and I needed to start playing games ASAP, but everything I’m hearing from other gamers makes it sound like kind of a mess. Former Mashable superstar Adam Rosenberg went through his experience ina thread on Bluesky, in which he said the process tooktwo hours.His Switch 2 tried to transfereverythinginstead of giving him an easy way to decide what to bring over and what to leave behind.
He’s not the only person I know who expressed frustration with the Switch 2 transfer process. Iwouldnormally recommend skipping the data transfer process, but there are two factors that might make that a bad idea for some of you. First,Pokemon Scarlet and VioletandAnimal Crossing: New Horizonslack support for cloud saves, so if you want to keep playing those games on Switch 2, you should do the transfer.
Second, it sounds like you only get one shot at the transfer, weirdly enough. Hat tip toKotakufor bringing that to my attention; if you have any interest whatsoever in transferring data, don’t skip it at setup just assuming you can do it later.
The hardware itself is an immediate and profound step up
Strange setup quirks aside, the Switch 2 is so,somuch better than the first console once it’s actually in your hands.
The new 7.9-inch, 1080p display has a 120Hz refresh rate and is acolossalimprovement over the 6.2-inch, 720p, 60Hz original. There’s one more caveat here, though; it’s an LCD display, meaning it is, in one specific way, inferior to theSwitch OLED. I was never a Switch OLED owner, so I can’t say authoritatively that the lack of OLED is a huge problem on the Switch 2. The new display looks pretty darn good to me, though I suppose it could be a bit more vibrant in certain spots. That said, your mileage may vary if you’re used to looking at an OLED display.
Beyond that, the new Joy-Con 2 controllers are substantially bigger than before, making them much better suited to adult-sized hands. The new analog sticks have a bit more travel to them and feel a little more responsive overall, though it remains to be seen if stick drift will be a big problem on Switch 2, given the lack of Hall Effect sensors.
I’d also like to shout out the new magnetic attachment mechanism for the Joy-Con controllers. On the first Switch console, the Joy-Cons slid on and off via a vertical rail. This was fine for 2017, but over time, it became clear that a better solution was needed. Switch 1 Joy-Con controllers have a bit of wiggle to them, even when attached. That’s been entirely eliminated on Switch 2, based on my experiences so far. Attaching a Joy-Con 2 to the unit is as easy as slapping it into the open slot and letting magnets take over from there. Thankfully, there’s a release lever you have to pull to detach them, making it functionally impossible to detach them accidentally. (At least, that’s been my experience so far.)
Attaching and detaching the magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers feelsso goodthe first time you do it. Just trust me.
The new dock, which looks and works similarly, is also worthy of some praise. The new dock can output at up to 4K resolution and has a new built-in fan for heat dissipation. Crucially, it also has a built-in ethernet port now. Please, please wire up your dock if you can. Your experience will be so much better.
The Switch 2 introduces “virtual game cards,” a new feature Nintendo has added to both Switch consoles. This essentially turns any games you’ve purchased digitally into a commodity that can only live on one console at a time. At any time, you can scroll to the new virtual game card section in the main system menu and load any games you own digitally onto the console. In fact, youhaveto do this to bring over any Switch 1 games you plan on playing. Once that’s done, you can’t play it on any other Switch console unless you boot that machine up and do the same thing over there.
For a single and childless person like me, this is only mildly inconvenient. I’m not going to complain too much about having to press an extra button to tell the Switch 2 to download a Switch 1 game I own. However, I can imagine this being nightmarish for multi-Switch households. Users have the ability to “loan” virtual game cards to other users for up to two weeks, but as I understand it, that means the loaner loses the ability to play that game while it’s in the hands of the loanee.
While some games now support “GameShare” (a new feature that allows users to play multiplayer games with only one copy of a game), that’s not universally supported. There are definitely good use cases for loaning digital games to other people, to be sure, but this is also a lot of extra management that’s foisted upon every Switch 2 owner. I can imagine it’s going to create entirely new ways for siblings to fight with each other, too.
Storage is going to be an issue in the long term
Obviously, I’ll do a deeper dive into the console once I’ve had more time with it, but the final first impression I’ll share is that the Switch 2’s internal storage capacity of 256GB might not be enough for serious gamers.
When it was first announced, I thought it was fine. I mistakenly made the assumption that game file sizes wouldn’t balloon too much from the OG Switch, but I was wrong. In fairness, first-party Nintendo stuff has been fine so far; Mario Kart World is a manageable 22GB, and the only other thing I saw that crossed the 20GB threshold from Nintendo itself is the Switch 2 version of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Third-party games are a different story, however.Hitman: World of Assassinationis 58GB, or roughly 22 percent of the internal storage capacity. That at least makes sense, as that’s three entire games in one package, and frankly, it’s alotbigger on other platforms.Street Fighter 6is 48GB, which is pretty big, but again, that’s a big game on other platforms, too.
The most confusing one I’ve seen isYakuza 0: Director’s Cut. On a PlayStation 4,Yakuza 0is 24GB. On a Switch 2, it’s a staggering 45GB. Granted, there’s some new content, like additional cutscenes, a multiplayer mode, and new English voice acting, but nearly doubling the file size is a bit much.
To make life more difficult, the Switch 2 only has one option for external storage expansion — microSD Express cards. This is a new type of memory card with substantially faster data read speeds than a regular microSD card. Nintendo going to this new standard is a good thing overall because games load way faster than before, but it also means everyone has to buy a new memory card, and they’re pretty expensive and hard to find right now. That won’t be a problem forever, so hopefully people can hold out until there are some good Black Friday sales or something like that.
I feel like I’ve spent most of this piece complaining about some relatively minor quirks with Switch 2, so I want to make something very clear: I think it’s awesome. Most of the games I’ve played have been impressive in one way or another, and the hardware is a clear improvement over the first Switch. It’s not perfect, but nothing is.
Look out for a full review in the near future. In the meantime, I’ll be perfecting my grinding skills inMario Kart World.
Where to buy the Switch 2
As of this writing, the Switch 2 is still sold out at all major retailers, though price gougers arehaving a good day over at eBay.
Including a whole new look for macOS 16 (or should that be macOS 26)?
Apple’sWWDC 25is almost upon us and a new version of the desktop operating system for Macs is expected to be revealed at the event,rumoredto be called macOS Tahoe.
While this should be macOS 16 Tahoe going by logical progression, there’s another theory that Apple may hit fast-forward, and itcould be macOS 26. We shall find out soon enough, as the big reveal is on Monday June 9.
Whatever the next incarnation of macOS ends up being called, you may well have questions about it. When will the OS be out? What features can you expect? And which Macs will be compatible with macOS Tahoe? Let’s dive into all those details.
macOS Tahoe hasn’t been officially revealed or talked about yet, but as mentioned, we’re expecting to see it announced atWWDC2025, with the keynote happening on June 9.
A potential release date also hasn’t been aired. However, Apple typically deploys its new version of macOS in September or October, so we can likely expect the refreshed desktop OS to roll out to Macs around that time.
Before that, we will see the release of a developer beta (which should be imminent), and later, a public beta, for testing macOS Tahoe as the year rolls onwards. Remember, though, that pre-release software is often a rollercoaster ride of glitches and potentially show-stopping bugs, so it’s not for the faint-hearted. Most folks will want to wait for the full release of macOS Tahoe.
If you were wondering whether your Mac will be eligible for macOS Tahoe, there are already rumors about which hardware will be compatible with the new operating system. Heavily season this information, but if it’s correct, here’s a list of the Macs that’ll be able to run macOS Tahoe:
If you’ve been getting a bit bored with the look of macOS, which hasn’t changed much as this decade has progressed, here’s some potentially good news – one of the major changes rumored for Tahoe is a revamped look.
While not much in the way of detail has been provided, the rumor that theinterface is due for a big overhaulcomes from Mark Gurman (again). In theory, this is part of a plan to align the design language and appearance of Apple’s software across iOS, macOS, and iPadOS (as well as other platforms). So, it’ll be of even greater benefit to those with multiple Apple devices to have similar-looking icons or menus.
The rumor is that this revamp of the macOS interface will include translucent elements, and with theWWDC2025 invite sporting a frosted glass effect, this is what we might get with Tahoe. If Gurman is correct, we can also expect floating menus and more rounded parts of the interface.
(Image credit: Apple)
2. Accessibility features in spades
Apple recently announced araft of new accessibility functionalityacross its various devices including Macs, and some of these will surely debut in macOS Tahoe.
That includes Personal Voice, which can capture the voice of someone who is losing their ability to talk, and Magnifier for Mac. The latter leverages youriPhone(or a USB camera) to be able to zoom in to, say, a distant whiteboard, and present the writing on the board to the user on their Mac’s screen – seriously nifty stuff for those who are vision-impaired.
In a similar vein, Accessibility Reader can take images of book pages and show them on the Mac display, allowing for zooming, or changing fonts or colors to make things clearer.
3. Wi-Fi timesaver
This is a feature that’s coming to iOS 19, according to Gurman, but logically it must also apply to macOS Tahoe (and other Apple platforms besides), because it’s all aboutunifying public Wi-Fi logins across multiple Apple devicesfor convenience.
As it stands, when you’re in a hotel, gym, or other place with public Wi-Fi, you may have to fill out a form before you can connect to the network and go online. Doing this on multiple devices is even more of a pain, but with this new feature, you’ll only have to complete said form once, and all your other Apple devices will automatically use those details.
So, for example, tackle the form on yourMacBook, and you’ll also be good to go on your iPhone or iPad – neat.
4. Gaming app
Apple seemingly has plans for a new gaming app which spans across all its platforms, including macOS.
Details are thin on this, as it’s a very recentrumorto surface. What we do know is that it’ll theoretically be built to tie together Apple’s gaming properties as you might imagine, including Apple Arcade, and games downloaded from the App Store. However, on Macs, it’s expected to incorporate games grabbed from other third-party sources.
(Image credit: Apple)
5. Elephant in the room: what about AI?
We couldn’t have a new flavor of macOS without seeing some fresh AI functionality injected into the mix. But what?
Well, that’s a very good question, and this is something of an odd one, because rumors abound that Apple has put the brakes on with its grand AI plans,putting back the grand vision of an AI-powered Sirito a later date. We won’t see this at WWDC 25 on Mac, iOS, or anywhere else, we’re firmly told via the rumor mill.
We have, however,heardthat there’s a possibility that Apple is going to give AI powers to the Shortcuts app with macOS Tahoe. This would allow Mac users to give AI voice commands to concoct shortcuts, making these timesavers more easily usable by the less tech-savvy folks out there.
Also, we’re expecting AI to be drafted in toextend battery life on iPhones, and if that’s the case, that’d surely mean MacBooks, too? It’d seem silly not to leverage the tech for laptops.
Furthermore, there have been hints regardingGoogle Gemini integration for iOS, and how it might be built right into Apple Intelligence by the middle of 2025. That aligns with a WWDC announcement, of course, and if it’s happening with the iPhone, again, it seems likely that this will go ahead with macOS Tahoe as well.
Windows 11 will detect when you aren’t using your laptop and throttle the CPU accordingly.
Microsoft
It might come down to:
Drop to lower performance states (lower clock speeds or voltages).
Spend more time in deeper sleep-like modes (C-states).
After spending the last few months trying to fix all the bugs in version 24H2, Microsoft’s developers have now shifted their focus to the next upgrade of Windows 11. Version 25H2 will reportedly offer, among other things, a new feature meant to extend laptop battery life.
The new feature is at the operating system level and is called “User Interaction-Aware CPU Power Management,” reportsWindows Latest. The idea seems to involve limiting CPU usage when you aren’t actively using your PC. It was first referenced inthis Windows blog postabout changes introduced to Windows 11 Insiders.
Inactivity could be inferred from a lack of mouse, keyboard, and touch-based user interaction. When you return to your PC and resume interaction with the mouse, keyboard, or touch, Windows could then switch back to regular CPU usage behavior.
Of course, this isn’t the only thing in the works. Microsoft has been working onAI-driven management of system settings, a newAdvanced Settings page with extra tweaks, andAI-generated PC hardware advice.
Unlike a typical blood glucose monitor, this patented non-invasive system would use pulse spectrometry to track your long-term HbA1c.
(Image credit: Garmin)
What you need to know
Garmin filed a patent in May called “Pressure compensation for wrist-based pulse spectrometry” to track users’ “glycated hemoglobin level” via smartwatch.
A Garmin watch would track your HbAlc, or amount of glucose attached to blood cells across a long period, non-invasively.
The patent mentions other trackable “blood content” like COHb, MHb, SHb, O2Hb, and others using the optical PPG sensor.
Garmin watches can currently display continuous data from Dexcom blood glucose monitors.
Smartwatch brands are racing to be the first to offer non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. Now Garmin has thrown its hat in the ring with a U.S. patent for tracking your glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.
You can use theU.S. patent searchto find patent number “20250134464,” which outlines how Garmin could use its watches’ photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals — commonly used for heart rate and blood oxygen — to determine a “user’s glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level.”
As the patent explains, HbA1c checks the volume percentage of your blood’s hemoglobin proteins that are “glycated,” or bound or coated with glucose. Because glucose stays attached to red blood cells for their four-month lifespan, HbA1c “provides a long-term indication of the average blood glucose level…and is typically not impacted substantially by a single meal or activity.”
“Determining and monitoring HbA1c levels can help with the management of glucose and insulin,” the patent continues, as diabetics want to maintain their blood levels below 7%. And lowering it below 5% “is believed to improve and maintain an individual’s overall health.”
Since, currently, people must draw blood to test levels, it’s easy for people to be unaware of their growing HbA1c levels, or to avoid frequent testing because of the discomfort. That’s why this “would be of great benefit to users of a wrist-worn device,” to have this data available painlessly and continuously, the patent suggests.
This patented tool wouldn’t replace the spot-check blood tests diabetics use on a daily basis. For that, Garmin partnered with Dexcom so you can continuously see your mg/dl of glucose from an attached Dexcom patch on your Garmin watch.
Instead, this seems more like a preventative tool that would warn prediabetics of bad glucose trends and encourage better fitness and nutritional habits to bring down your HbA1c gradually over weeks and months.
What’s the hold-up on seeing this feature in Garmin watches now? The patent warns that “conventional electronic fitness devices” will struggle to provide accurate data in this area. Pressure from a tight band can compress your blood vessels, and the size of your ligaments and bones will also skew the results.
So the watch’s processor will need to determine a “pressure metric value” to compensate for these effects and provide accurate results. Garmin’s patent outlines how it will attempt to pull this off, but it’ll need FDA levels of accuracy before we’d ever see this HbA1c tracking feature in a consumerGarmin watch.
Samsung execs have openly shared plans toput blood glucose tracking in a Galaxy Watch, whileAppleis”many years away” from glucose trackingdespite several patents on the subject. We’ve even seen asmart ring promise non-invasive blood glucose data soon. It’s no surprise, in other words, that Garmin would try to keep up with its rivals.
Interestingly, the patent also suggests its pulse spectrometry method could determine other chemical levels like SHb and MHb, signaling rare blood disorders where iron or sulfur binds with hemoglobin and interferes with your blood oxygen levels. And it would determine levels of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, which could help catch other medical conditions.
Many patents never see the light of day in consumer products. In this case, no smartwatch brand has offered blood glucose monitoring yet because of the inherent challenges of delivering accurate results.
So anyone concerned about their blood glucose levels shouldn’t go out and buy a Garmin watch just yet. It’s likely that Garmin would only offer this feature in brand-new models with a smarter processor and revamped sensors for better results, such as the successor to the expensiveGarmin Fenix 8.
Still, we’re happy to see Garminattemptto tackle this problem, with HbA1c data that’ll provide early warning to prediabetics that things are getting worse or to diabetics that their efforts at getting healthy are working.
Switch 2 just arrived? Here’s how to transfer everything from your old console
If you’ve upgraded to theNintendo Switch 2, you’ll probably want to bring over your game saves, user profiles, and digital purchases from your original Switch.
Thankfully, Nintendo has made it really straightforward to transfer data between consoles, but there are a few steps you’ll need to follow carefully during initialset up, to avoid losing your progress.
Nintendo provides a built-in transfer tool that takes the hassle out of starting over. With just a few steps, you can move your entire digital library — from save files to purchased games — directly to your new Switch 2.
Your profiles come along too, so you can jump back into your favorite titles without missing a beat. Here’s everything you need to know to successfully move your data from Switch to Switch 2.
Next,move the Switch 2 and Switch 1 close together to transfer data.
You’ll have toconnect each system’s respective AC adaptersto start downloading data.Using a different USB-C power delivery method won’t work. You have to use the AC adapters that came with both Nintendo consoles.
4. Start system transfer
On your old Switch,click on the gear icon on the main menu. After that,scroll down to System. On the following menu,scroll down to “System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2” and click on it. This will start the transferring process.
This process will vary depending on the amount of data you’re transferring, so keep that in mind.
5. Transfer complete
If you’ve followed all the steps above correctly, you should be all set!Click on OK to finish.
After this, you’ll see various pages explaining all of the Switch 2’s different play modes.You can select your preferred play mode, such as handheld or docked mode.
Note that it may take some time for all your games to download and install, so make sure your Switch 2 remains connected to the internet.
Now that theNintendo Switch2 is rolling out to gamers, we’re putting together more guides to help you make the most of Nintendo’s latest console. Stay tuned for more tips coming soon!
But Windows 11 was updated in 2022 to rip audio CDs without any extra tools.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
CD ripping tool CD2WAV32 has just been updated toversion 4.00jpafter 16 years in stasis (machine translated). Developer Moroboshi Ramu seems to have been prompted to issue the update to make the software fully compatible withWindows 1124H2, but there are several important changes under the hood compared to the ancient 3.X releases, too. Please excuse the rest of the linked developer’s page being mostly about dolls.
Ramu says that the last update to CD2WAV32 was 16 years ago, when a patch that was authored on a Windows 7 machine was released. Going forward, the dev (and doll enthusiast) says that only Windows 11 will be supported, as that is the only system they use now, though the tool has been casually tested on a Windows 10 PC.
With the compiler change to the latest Delphi 12.1 Community Edition, Ramu says the following changes were made to create CD2WAV32 for Windows 11 Revision 4.00jp:
The internal character code processing is now mostly Unicode.
ID3Tag related items have also been changed from Shift-JIS to Unicode.
The tool’s GUI, including common controls, has been updated to the latest Windows 11 style.
File size and other information related to the files is now processed in 64-bit format.
The 16-bit code call function of MSCDEX, which can no longer be used, has been pruned, as have TwinVQ compression, and code to alert users of ASPI errors.
Default compression is now provided by the Media Foundation API.
The Help file has been removed and is replaced by a PDF.
It is now possible to start this tool, even if you don’t have a CD-ROM attached.
And various changes have been implemented to get the CDDB service to run again so ripping can be done with meaningful file names, track titles, artist names, genres etc.
Overall, it looks like a capable tool with lots of options for the end-user. As a Japanese program, with no localized English version as far as we can tell, a quick poke around the UI revealed extensive options for CD-ROM support, file format, compression algorithm, and tagging. It did indeed run on my desktop system without an optical disc drive attached.
Nice tool, but Windows 11’s Media Player App can rip audio CDs
People still hold onto and collect audio CDs even if we are firmly into the age of streaming media, and fast internet connection options abound. Occasionally ripping an audio CD is thus still a useful task, andMicrosoftupdated its Media Player App to be able to rip your tunes back in 2022, with MP3 support added in 2023.
Microsoft’s app is very easy to use, though that is also its weak point – it has fewer configuration options. Nevertheless, settings for audio format (AAC, MP3, FLAC, and more, but no WAV) and quality (from 96Kbps to 320Kbps with lossy formats) are probably enough for most folks.
To use the built-in Media Player App with Windows 11 for ripping, click on the audio CD section to the left (you need to have an audio CD inserted). Then, looking to the right of the highlighted play button, you will see the ‘Rip CD’ option. A menu to the right of this is where you tweak the rip settings and bit rate. Ripped media files will appear in your music library, which is set up in the App’s general settings section.
(Image credit: Mahnoor Faisal)
