Samsung has officially confirmed that Ballie, its long-teased rolling smart home robot, will launch in the US this summer — and it’s getting a major intelligence upgrade courtesy of Google’s Gemini AI.
First introduced back in 2020, Ballie was pitched as a smart home companion capable of following users around, controlling devices, and even checking on pets. After a long period of silence, the robot resurfaced at CES 2024 with a sleeker design and a built-in projector, turning any nearby surface into a screen for video calls, reminders, or entertainment. But the latest announcement marks a critical evolution: Ballie now has a brain, and it’s powered by Google’s multimodal Gemini AI.
This means Ballie is no longer just a cute rolling gadget or glorified smart remote — it’s positioning itself as a full-fledged interactive home assistant. Thanks to Gemini’s ability to process audio, visuals, and environmental cues, Ballie will be able to tailor its behavior more intelligently. Whether it's giving fashion tips, suggesting ways to boost energy, or simply engaging in a natural back-and-forth conversation, Ballie is designed to anticipate needs, not just react to voice commands.
Samsung emphasizes that this deeper level of contextual awareness is what sets Ballie apart from traditional home automation devices. The robot is meant to learn your preferences and habits over time, creating a more personalized, assistant-like experience — one that might actually feel like having a helpful, sci-fi-inspired companion in your home.
Pricing details haven’t been shared yet, but Samsung confirmed that Ballie will debut in both the US and Korea in summer 2025. Given its combination of mobility, projection capabilities, and conversational AI, Ballie could represent one of the most ambitious smart home products yet — assuming it lives up to the promise.
Some good news for future Nintendo Switch 2 owners: the new game-key cards won’t be locked to the first console or account they’re used on.
Tetsuya Sasaki, general manager of Nintendo’s technology development division, confirmed to GameSpot that game-key cards “will start up on the console or system that it is slotted into, so it’s not tied to an account or anything.” This means players can freely share or resell these cards, similar to traditional game cartridges.
Game-key cards differ from standard physical cartridges. They don’t contain the full game data—instead, they act as a license key that unlocks a digital download of the game. According to Nintendo’s support page: “The game-key card is your ‘key’ to downloading the full game to your system via the internet. After it’s downloaded, you can play the game by inserting the game-key card into your system and starting it up like a standard physical game card.”
The move appears to be a practical solution to modern game sizes, which are increasingly too large to fit on the Switch 2’s 64 GB cartridges. It also caters to players who still prefer physical ownership over an all-digital model.
However, don’t expect game-key cards to be cheaper. Despite being a hybrid format that still requires a download, there’s no indication they’ll cost less than traditional cartridges. For example, Mario Kart World is already priced at $80—and that’s before any impact from new tariffs announced by the Trump administration.
Keep in mind: a stable internet connection will be required for the initial download. After that, the game can be launched as long as the game-key card is inserted.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is scheduled to launch globally on June 5.
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Chrome users are at risk from a "previously unknown and highly sophisticated malware," which prompted Google to release an emergency update last month. This malware triggered a warning from Google and led the U.S. government’s cybersecurity agency to mandate that all users update their browsers by April 17.
If you haven’t already, the update should now be downloaded to your device. However, you may need to check your settings and look for a prompt asking you to restart the browser to complete the installation. It’s crucial that you do this now—even if you have a large number of open tabs. While these should reopen after the restart, the update takes precedence.
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The mandate from CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) specifically applies to U.S. federal employees, but all users—whether at home or work—should take note. Kaspersky, the cybersecurity company that discovered the vulnerability, warns that until your browser is updated, users are vulnerable to a one-click attack. The malware can infect users simply by clicking on a malicious link in an email, with no additional action required.
Since the original warning, Google has pushed out another update, Chrome 135, which was released on April 1 for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This update addresses 13 security issues, though none are as critical as the vulnerability discovered last month.
Kaspersky has called this exploit one of the most "interesting" they have encountered, as it allowed attackers to bypass Chrome's sandbox protection without triggering obvious malicious behavior. This made it particularly tricky for security teams to detect.
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With just ten days left before the CISA deadline expires, risks are increasing as attackers have a limited window to exploit the vulnerability. The initial attacks targeted media outlets, educational institutions, and government agencies, but the scope could have broadened since then. Researchers also note that a second exploit is still unpatched, though it has not been fully isolated or resolved at this point. For now, the latest update should protect you from these risks.
To ensure you’re secure, go to your settings, click on “Help—About Google Chrome,” and then hit "Relaunch" to apply the update. You can choose to delay the restart by clicking “Not now,” but it's strongly recommended to update your browser today. Be aware that while your regular tabs will reopen after the restart, any private browsing (Incognito) windows will not.
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Nintendo has quietly dropped some slightly disappointing news—particularly for foreigners living in Japan. If you want the upcoming Switch 2 console to support your native language, you’ll need to pay a premium of ¥20,000, or roughly $133 USD.
As pointed out by Gabe Perez on Twitter, Nintendo’s official Japanese website lists two versions of the Switch 2 that will be available when the console launches on June 5. The base model, which only supports the Japanese language, is priced at ¥49,980 (about $337 USD, thanks to a strong dollar and weak yen). The other version, which includes multilingual support for 16 languages including Japanese, comes in at ¥69,980, or around $473 USD.
It’s worth noting that the original Nintendo Switch is region-free and offers full language support no matter where it's purchased. While the Switch 2 is expected to remain region-free globally, this pricing split seems to apply only in Japan, creating a rare distinction based on language support.
Nintendo hasn’t offered a clear explanation for the price difference, but it may be a response to the weak yen. By pricing the multilingual model higher, the company could be trying to discourage scalpers from buying consoles cheaply in Japan and reselling them abroad for profit.
On the flip side, the lower price of the Japanese-only model does offer a more affordable option for native Japanese speakers who don’t need additional language options. Still, for non-Japanese residents living in Japan—especially those still learning the language—this move imposes an extra financial hurdle.
Launch titles for the Switch 2 are also expected in June, though details remain limited.
When the OPPO Find N5 was launched, it proudly claimed the title of the world’s thinnest folding phone. But did OPPO sacrifice durability to achieve this slim design? To find out, the Find N5 has been subjected to a series of durability tests.
YouTuber JerryRigEverything is back with another durability test, this time putting the OPPO Find N5 through its paces. The video begins with a scratch test on the external screen. As JerryRigEverything points out, OPPO claims its foldable features a new micro-crystalline glass with 10% more crystallinity, which is intended to improve hardness and density. After removing the plastic screen protector, the Mohs scale of hardness reveals that the external screen scratches at level 6, with deeper grooves appearing at level 7.
Next, the test moves to the inner display, which proves to be much less scratch-resistant. This screen begins showing marks at level 2, similar to other folding phones on the market. JerryRigEverything notes that even fingernails can leave permanent indentations on the surface.
The phone is then subjected to an open flame heat test. The inner screen withstood the heat for about 10 seconds before showing permanent damage, while the external screen performed slightly better, lasting about 20 seconds before showing minor, irreversible damage.
While these initial tests don’t reveal anything particularly alarming, the bend test delivers some disappointing results. When bending the phone horizontally by pressing against the back panel, a vertical line of dead pixels appeared across the entire screen, along with a horizontal line of dead pixels halfway down the right side. In comparison, competitors like the OnePlus Fold, Pixel Fold, and Samsung’s foldables survived this test. Additionally, attempting to bend the device backward while open caused the inner screen to completely stop working.
Though the Find N5 is unlikely to face such extreme conditions in everyday use, these tests highlight that OPPO's device isn't quite as durable as some of its rivals. It’s best to avoid sitting on your phone or exposing it to open flames.