Four years after unleashing the Switch upon the world, Nintendo is releasing an upgraded version of its phenomenally successful console. After years of rumors, the company has at last confirmed the existence of a new Switch model with an OLED display. It'll cost $349.99 and arrive on October 10th.

As expected, the latest model has a larger, seven-inch screen. The 720p OLED display is a step up from the 6.2-inch LCD screen on the original Switch, and has significantly reduced bezels, as well. It also comes with 64 GB of storage and a wired LAN port, and it works with all existing Joy-Con controllers. Nintendo is offering it in the traditional neon red/blue color scheme with a black dock, or in a white/black color scheme with a white dock.

The new Switch also has what looks like a massively improved kickstand that spans the entire width of the back of the console. It can be propped up at any angle and looks far sturdier than the tiny, fragile piece of plastic that propped up the old Switch.

The original Switch is still selling like hot cakes, so there’s a case to be made that Nintendo didn't need to upgrade the console just yet. But the original Switch's display and huge bezels are starting to look a little bit dated in 2021; this OLED screen should modernize the experience significantly. That said, for people who want to save some cash, Nintendo will continue selling the original Switch, at least for now.

It's highly likely that demand will far exceed supply. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa told investors in a call in May that the company was still contending with shortages and production issues. The current global scarcity of semiconductors will also limit production capacity. So, the new Switch might be even harder to find than the current console has been at various points.

Since it released the original Switch in 2017, Nintendo has issued a revised model with a battery upgrade. It also released the handheld-only Switch Lite in 2019. Two years later, moving in the other direction with an upgraded Switch is a logical move. Good luck getting your hands on one any time soon, though.

With more and more people getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19, many single folks are ditching virtual dates for in-person ones. Those looking for love in New York City will soon have a new spot where they can meet up for dates, a café/restaurant/wine bar from dating app Bumble.

Bumble Brew is scheduled to open for breakfast service on July 24th. Lunch and dinner service will start at the Nolita spot in the coming weeks. Along with an 80-seat dining room, there will be a cocktail bar, patio dining and private dining space.

The restaurant, which is decked out in the app's recognizable shade of yellow, can be used for events as well. It has an Italian-inspired menu with pickup and delivery options, and the music is primarily from female artists.

The new venture builds on the Bumble Hive pop-up community spaces where people can hang out, eat and drink and meet others. Bumble Brew doesn't have a direct tie-in with the Bumble app, at least for now. Still, it's easy to imagine Bumble adding a reservation system that pops up when NYC users try to arrange a date.

Recent changes to the Audacity privacy policy have led to some users calling the audio-editing app spyware. The open-source software is now collecting user data for "app analytics" and "improving our app" as well as "for legal enforcement."

The privacy policy was updated on July 2nd, following Muse Group's acquisition of Audacity in April — Muse Group also owns Ultimate Guitar and notation app MuseScore. As reported by Foss Post, the policy notes Muse Group is collecting details about users' operating system version, processor, country based on IP address, crash reports and non-fatal error codes and messages. According to the policy, processing that data is in the "legitimate interest" of the company "to offer and ensure the proper functioning of the app."

The data it collects on law enforcement grounds is more vague. The policy says Muse Group will capture "data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities' requests (if any)." It may share personal data with "any competent law enforcement body, regulatory, government agency, court or other third party where we believe disclosure is necessary." Data may be shared with potential buyers too.

Users' personal data is stored on servers in the European Economic Area (EEA). However, Muse Group is "occasionally required to share your personal data with our main office in Russia and our external counsel in the USA." Muse Group noted that whenever personal data is "transferred outside the EEA to countries that are not deemed adequate by the European Commission, your Personal Data receives an adequate level of protection in accordance with [the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation]."

The policy states users' IP addresses are "stored in an identifiable way" for a day before they're hashed. That leaves users open to identification through law enforcement or government data requests.

Several other points in the privacy policy have raised some eyebrows, including a ban on under-13s using Audacity. That, as Foss Post notes, violates the license under which Audacity is distributed. The General Public License prohibits restrictions on software use. Engadget has contacted Muse Group for comment.

All is not lost for Audacity users who value their privacy and pre-teens who tinker with audio in the app. Some users have been calling for a fork of the software, a new version of the app based on the source code. It wouldn't be surprising to see the community take Audacity in that direction.

Until that fork arrives, privacy-conscious users might want to find alternative software, or at least block Audacity from accessing the internet. After all, it's a desktop app that doesn't have any tangible online functions.

Electric hypercar company Rimac is taking control of Volkswagen’s supercar brand Bugatti as part of a joint venture with Porsche (which VW owns). Bugatti and Rimac will share resources and expertise but remain separate brands with their own production and distribution setups as part of the new company, which will be called Bugatti Rimac. 

Once the joint venture is up and running, which is expected to happen later this year, Bugatti will be able to harness Rimac's EV knowhow and perhaps carry on its legacy of making electric vehicles. Rimac, meanwhile, can tap into the knowledge of Bugatti, which makes the second-fastest street-legal car on the planet in the Bugatti Veyron. 

Rimac will own 55 percent of Bugatti Rimac and Porsche will hold the remainder. As of March, Porsche directly owns 24 percent of Rimac, following an initial investment for a 10 percent stake in 2018. 

Meanwhile, the Rimac Group is creating a new company, Rimac Technology, to handle "development, production and supply of battery systems, drivetrains and other EV components."

Bugatti Rimac's headquarters will be in Zagreb, Croatia, where Rimac is based. A 200 million Euro ($237.3 million) Rimac Campus is scheduled to open in 2023 and it will be the research and development hub for both Rimac and Bugatti hypercars.

“We are combining Bugatti’s strong expertise in the hypercar business with Rimac’s tremendous innovative strength in the highly promising field of electromobility," Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said in a statement. "Bugatti is contributing a tradition-rich brand, iconic products, a loyal customer base and a global dealer network to the joint venture. In addition to technology, Rimac is contributing new development and organizational approaches.”

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart should now look smoother and feel more responsive if you play Sony's latest PS5 exclusive in fidelity mode on a 120Hz display. The latest patch bumps up the framerate from 30 fps to 40 fps in that mode.

The update slightly makes up for the lack of variable refresh rate (VRR) support on PS5 as things stand, though Sony plans to enable that through an update in the future. The fidelity mode prioritizes visuals over performance, offering ray tracing and up to 4K resolution, but the framerate was capped at 30 fps. The performance and performance RT modes have lower resolution, but run the game at 60 fps.

Aiming for 40 fps might seem like an odd number when we're so used to having 60Hz and 120 Hz displays. Because 40 divides neatly into 120, a 120Hz screen will show a new frame on every three refreshes. As The Verge notes, that will help ensure Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart looks smooth if you have a compatible display. It'll certainly seem slicker than a framerate that doesn't match up with how often a screen refreshes, which could cause screen tearing.

The framerate issue should become less complicated for PS5 developers once the VRR update arrives. Xbox Series X/S and many PC GPUs currently have VRR support, and more 120Hz+ monitors and TVs are hitting the market.

Meanwhile, Insomniac rolled out an update for its other PS5 blockbuster, Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The patch improved the quality of ray-traced reflections while using the Performance RT mode, according to the studio.

A little over a year after samurai adventure Ghost of Tsushima arrived on PlayStation 4, a Director's Cut will land on PS4 and PS5. Along with the original game and all of theupdates Sucker Punch Productions has released to date, there'll be a new island to explore and some much-requested additions.

Jin will be able to travel to Iki Island, which neighbors Tsushima, to look into rumors that Mongols are there. However, he'll need to deal with some traumatic issues from his earlier life as he faces challenges with "deeply personal stakes," according to a PlayStation blog post. You'll get to experience a new story and meet new characters, as well as fresh abilities, mini games, enemies, armor and animals to pet. 

Iki seems like a significant expansion that might help keep fans busy until the movie arrives. New players can unlock Iki once they reach the Toyotama region in Act 2 of Ghost of Tsushima.

The PS5 version will have a few exclusive features. Cutscenes on both Iki and Tsushima will now support lip sync for Japanese voice over. The developers will be able to add this feature by harnessing the PS5's real-time rendering ability for cinematics. There will be haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support for the DualSense controller, along with 3D audio, faster load times, resolution up to 4K and a target framerate of 60 fps.

Meanwhile, a patch with some useful features is on the way for all players. A target lock-on option, photo mode updates, more controller remapping and a way to hide the quiver during combat are coming soon. Additional updates are in the pipeline for the Ghost of Tsushima: Legends co-op experience are in the pipeline as well, including a new mode.

Sucker Punch Productions

Unfortunately, you won't get a free upgrade to the Director's Cut on either console. Current Ghost of Tsushima owners can upgrade to the PS4 version for $20. You can then upgrade again to the PS5 version for another $10. Alternatively, you can pay $30 to upgrade from the original game to the PS5 version of the Director's Cut. Phew.

Newcomers can buy Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut for $60 on PS4 and $70 on PS5. While there will be physical editions available, it's maybe best to pre-order from the PlayStation Store if you're planning to play any time soon. The current game costs $60, but if you preorder the upcoming edition at the same price, you'll be able to download and play the original PS4 game right away. You'll be able to transfer your progress over to Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut after it arrives in August.

Sixty years after excelling in the Mercury 13 program, Wally Funk is finally going to space. Amazon CEO and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos announced on Instagram that Funk will be on New Shepard's first crewed flight, which is scheduled for July 20th.

Funk will join Bezos, his brother Mark and an unidentified winner of an auction as passengers on Blue Origin's maiden space tourism flight. Bezos says the quartet will experience zero gravity for four minutes when they travel to the edge of space and that Funk is Blue Origin's "honored guest."

The 82-year-old Funk will become the oldest person to fly to space. The current record holder is John Glenn, who flew on Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission in 1998 at the age of 77. Glenn was one of the Mercury Seven, the astronauts who were selected for the United States' first spaceflight program.

Thirteen women went through the same tests as the Mercury Seven as part of the privately funded Women in Space Program. Although all of the Mercury Seven traveled to space, none of Mercury 13 have until now. Funk was the youngest participant in the program and rated third among the candidates.

Funk was the first female inspector in the Federal Aviation Administration and the first woman to become an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. She has logged more than 19,600 flying hours and has taught more than 3,000 people to fly. Funk applied three times to join NASA's astronaut program after the agency opened it to women in the late 1970s to no avail. Six decades after Funk's first attempts to venture to space, she'll finally get her chance.

Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter have committed to battle online abuse and improve women's safety on their platforms. The four tech giants made the promises during the UN Generation Equality Forum in Paris.

The pledge follows four consultations arranged by the Web Foundation that took place over 11 months. The organization then ran a few policy design workshops in April to "develop prototypes that center the experiences of women most impacted by online abuse." Two core themes emerged: Curation, with a broad recommendation to "build better ways for women to curate their safety online," and Reporting, with a call to "implement improvements to reporting systems."

The tech companies promised to offer users more granular settings over who can see, comment on, reply to or share posts. Easier navigation and access to safety features, simpler and more accessible language across the user interface and "proactively reducing the amount of abuse" that women encounter are also among the commitments.

As for reporting, Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter say they'll enable users to have the option of tracking and managing the reports they file as well, as having more ways for women to access support and help as they go through the reporting process. The other commitments include "enabling greater capacity to address context and/or language" and "providing more policy and product guidance when reporting abuse."

According to the Web Foundation, the companies pledged to implement their solutions within a certain time frame. They'll provide insights and data on how they're carrying out those commitments. The Web Foundation will publish annual reports on their progress as well.

More than 200 prominent figures have signed an open letter to the CEOs of the four companies, urging them to take action based on the promises. Among those who have signed the letter are actors Emma Watson and Gillian Anderson, UK Members of Parliament Diane Abbott and Jess Phillips, Creative Commons CEO Catherine Stihler and ex-Australia prime minister Julia Gillard.

The Web Foundation says 38 percent of those who identify as women have experienced online abuse. The figure rises to 45 percent for Gen Z and Millennial women. Women of color, and those in LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized communities often experience much worse abuse.

Meanwhile, Facebook just opened a Women's Safety Hub that explains the platform's tools for bolstering privacy and security. It will also run training sessions to help people harness those tools. In addition, the hub has resources for victims of abuse. Facebook developed the hub with the support of nonprofit partners around the globe. The hub's resources will soon be available in 55 languages.

Pinterest has announced a complete ban on weight-loss ads, which comes into effect today. The policy builds on previous rules that prohibited ads for weight-loss or appetite-suppressant pills and supplements, liposuction and fat-burning procedures and body shaming.

There's now a blanket ban on ads with any weight-loss language or images, and those that reference Body Mass Index (BMI) or similar indexes. Testimonials about weight loss or weight-loss products are prohibited, as are language and images that denigrate or idealize body types. Additionally, you'll no longer see ads for products that claim to enable weight loss through something that's worn or applied to the skin.

Ads related to fitness products and services, and those promoting healthy habits and lifestyles are still welcome. However, any that focus on weight loss won't be approved.

Pinterest developed the updated policy with the support of the National Eating Disorders Association. The organization said in March it had seen a 41 percent increase in helpline calls during the previous 12 months, and studies have suggested the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on many people with eating disorders. Whenever someone searches for content related to eating disorders on Pinterest, the company redirects that person to NEDA to provide them with helpful resources.

The company says its community has been embracing body neutrality, with searchers for that term, and quotes related to "healthy mindset," "stop body shaming" and "body acceptance" rising dramatically over the past year or so. Pinterest will highlight related pins from creators on the Today Tab "to showcase those reimagining the relationship with their bodies."

Pinterest says it's the first major platform to ban all weight loss ads and it urged others to do the same. Instagram and Facebook have restricted ads for diet products. Instagram also points users searching for eating disorder-related terms toward NEDA resources. Last year, TikTok prohibited ads for weight-loss supplements and those that “promote a harmful or negative body image.”

Opera has optimized its web browser for Chromebook, with the aim of giving users a full-featured alternative to Chrome. Opera for Chrome OS is based on the Android version of the browser. The company has made some laptop-focused tweaks, such as the addition of keyboard shortcuts.

The browser has a free, built-in VPN and ad and tracker blockers to bolster privacy. There are also baked-in messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Messenger. Opera can thwart those irritating cookie dialogs that pop up when you visit certain websites, too.

Opera

Additionally, there's a built-in cryptocurrency wallet and you can pick from one of five color themes (in both light and dark modes) to match your aesthetic. On top of that, the browser includes a night mode that reduces blue light to help you sleep better.

You can sync Opera for Chrome OS with versions of the browsers on other platforms — all you need to do is scan a QR code. You'll then be able to take notes, save images and small files and share links between your desktop and mobile versions of Opera.

Opera claims many people prefer to use separate browsers for different needs, one for work and another for leisure, for instance. So Chromebook users might welcome another option with all the bells and whistles one would expect from a modern browser. You can download Opera for Chrome OS now.