Nintendo is Finally Launching a Joy-Con Charging Stand for Switch
- Written by Shipra Sanganeria Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
Nintendo announced the launch of its own charging station for Switch Joy-Con controllers on July 18, 2024. The charging stand will be available starting October 17, 2024, initially in Japan, Europe, and the US, according to Nintendo Life .
The two-way Joy-Con charger offers more flexibility than third-party alternatives from Hori and PowerA. The charging stand can charge two consoles simultaneously without needing them to be attached to the Switch handheld. It draws power from the Switch’s dock through the USB-C port or any other power adapter, and its vertical support can be removed for increased portability.
Charge your #NintendoSwitch Joy-Con controllers and Nintendo Entertainment System controllers with the Joy-Con Charging Stand (Two-Way) accessory, available October 17th. pic.twitter.com/ayNdvHTppL — Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) July 18, 2024
The charger is compatible with Switch Family Computer controllers (Famicom), and per the screenshots shared on X/Twitter, it can also be used for Switch Online NES consoles.
According to the product description on the Japanese store site, the charging stand is recommended for gamers who want to charge their Joy-Cons while playing in portable mode, as well as for those who own multiple Joy-Cons.
“[It is] recommended for those who have multiple Joy-Cons, such as when you want to charge the number of Joy-Cons for everyone to play games such as the Mario Party series or Nintendo Switch Sports together,” the description reads.
The charging accessory is available for pre-order on Nintendo’s Japanese My Nintendo Store for 3,300 yen, approximately $21. Pricing for the charger in the US and European markets has not yet been announced.
First revealed on the company’s X/Twitter page, this two-way charging stand surprised the gaming community. Many users took to social media to comment on its release more than 7 years after the Switch’s launch, particularly with the Switch 2 expected to arrive after March 2025. “[Seven] years after launch and maybe a year off new consoles being launched is crazy,” said a user on X.
According to IGN , the launch of the new charging stand may be driven by Nintendo’s strategy to extend the lifespan of the Switch and keep the console relevant, until the release of its successor in 2025 ( rumored ). This is underscored by the upcoming game titles for the Switch in 2024, including The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and the new Mario & Luigi: Brothership.
Photo by Shengchan Chiao on Unsplash
Massive Microsoft Outages Hit Global Airports, News Outlets, Banks And More
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
A major glitch in Microsoft Cloud is affecting airlines, train companies, media publications, police forces, banks, various businesses, and millions of people across the globe this Friday.
According to NBC News , major airlines in the United States—including Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines— have been affected by the IT problem, forcing them to temporarily stop services and delay flights. The issue was spotted on Windows PCs as users reported getting a blue screen when trying to turn on the computers and run the system.
“A third-party outage is impacting computer systems, including at United and many other organizations worldwide,” shared United Airlines on X, “As we work to fully restore these systems, some flights are resuming. Many customers traveling today may experience delays.”
A third-party outage is impacting computer systems, including at United and many other organizations worldwide. As we work to fully restore these systems, some flights are resuming. Many customers traveling today may experience delays. We have issued a waiver to make it easier… — United Airlines (@united) July 19, 2024
The same issue has been reported across Europe, Australia and Asia. Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport alerted passengers of delays, and the Spanish company Aena—in charge of 46 airports in Spain—announced “an incident in the computer system” as well.
According to Forbes , the problem has been linked to the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The firm has mentioned that they are aware of the problem and Microsoft has also announced that they have already fixed the issue
“CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack,” said George Kurtz, CrowdStrike’s CEO earlier on X.
Transportation services have been working on alternatives for customers from issuing waivers to writing boarding passes by hand. Akshay Kothari, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Notion, was traveling a few hours ago in India and shared a post on X of his experience: The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today.”
The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today 😅 pic.twitter.com/xsdnq1Pgjr — Akshay Kothari (@akothari) July 19, 2024
Multiple news outlets have not been able to air live news. David Rhodes, Sky News executive chairman, said on X the media company has been affected too: “Sky News have not been able to broadcast live TV this morning, currently telling viewers that we apologise for the interruption. Much of our news report is still available online, and we are working hard to restore all services.”
Among the banks affected, Australian and New Zealand banks—NAB, Commonwealth, Bendigo, ASB, and Kiwibank—have also reported issues according to TIME .
It is uncertain at the moment when businesses and organizations affected will entirely restore their services and go back to normal, nor the full impact and consequences of this major global glitch. More details, information, and official announcements should come in soon.
