Technologies
These 5 Things Helped Me Survive 2 Massive Power Outages
I pressed my kid’s frog flashlight into service, but the real lifesaver was a huge battery.

My family was among the 367,000 PG&E customers hit by a massive power outage in the San Francisco Bay Area last week, and now we’ve lost power in a second outage affecting about 90,000 of us. High winds brought down trees and power lines, leaving us without electricity, internet access and heat for exactly 24 hours the first time, and the second outage likely will last even longer.
It sucks.
The outages made me appreciate just how awesome electricity and internet access are, and how critical they are for modern living. Working from home, hearing from schools and the power company, coordinating with my wife — squeezing it all through a woefully insufficient mobile phone network connection.
But a few things helped me through this rough patch. Some of them were pretty high tech, but there’s still a place for pre-internet products in your emergency kit. Here’s what I turned to.
Anker 535 PowerHouse battery
The Anker 535 PowerHouse is one of a host of hulking batteries that, although expensive, is really useful in a power outage. I used it to charge my laptop and phone, to use an LED lamp, and most crucially, to run my broadband modem when I needed my fast network. The display helpfully told me that my network equipment requires 26 watts of power.


The Anker 535 PowerHouse has a bright LED light on its front face along with four USB ports and four power plugs.
Stephen Shankland/CNETDuring the first outage, I didn’t use the PowerHouse enough. I was trying to husband our resources. But the battery is big enough to power my modem and router for hours.
It’s also got a built-in LED light strip. It’s pretty bright, and I’d have preferred a dimmer option.
This model comes with conventional AC power plugs along with one USB-C port (not enough) and three USB-A ports (too many). You’re better off charging your devices directly from the USB ports if you can: plugging a charger into one of the battery’s power plugs means you’ll suffer efficiency losses converting from direct current to alternating current and back.
Tethering
Connecting my laptop to my phone to take advantage of its mobile network was crucial to getting through the power outages. I’m amazed how much a person can get done with a smartphone these days, but in my case, everything seems to go at least two times slower than with a laptop. Some tasks, like complex photo editing, require a laptop. So for me, tethering is essential.
Unfortunately, the networks my phones use (I have a Google Pixel 7 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro) aren’t terribly fast, and with so many others’ internet access down during the power outages, I suspect the networks were overtaxed. I remember the crushing feeling when my browser estimated it would take 40 minutes to download a 4.2MB photo file.
Pro tip: On Android, you can tether with a USB-C cable that can be more reliable than Wi-Fi and that keeps the phone charged, too. It works with iPhones and Lightning cables as well. This approach is where the term «tether» came from, of course, but mostly I tether with Wi-Fi these days because it’s simpler and more flexible.
That said, tethering was slow enough that I often preferred to use my phone directly for tasks like email and messaging.


I used the extreme battery saver mode on my Google Pixel 7 Pro to dramatically cut down on its power usage during a power outage.
Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNETPhone battery saver modes
I love my phones’ battery saving modes and use them often when I’m at all-day conferences, out on a long hike, or am uncertain when I’ll be able to charge. I long ago customized my iPhone’s Control Center with the low power mode toggle.
I like my Pixel phone’s approach better, where you can set battery saver mode to engage automatically when the battery charge reaches a particular percentage. I have it set to turn on at 60%, but during the first power outage, I just left it on all the time.
Android goes a step farther with extreme battery saver, which shuts down all apps except some core ones and the ones you specify. You can launch anything and use it, but unless you add it to the exceptions list, extreme battery saver will shut it down again. Overnight, my Pixel’s battery charge dropped only 2% during the first power outage.
During the second outage, I just left my phone in extreme battery saver mode almost the entire time, occasionally waking up apps as needed. After a few minutes, the phone puts them back to sleep.


This fiber optic flashlight toy proved useful during a power outage.
Stephen Shankland/CNETMy kid’s frog flashlight and other LED-lit toys
Our kid likes little toys as much as any other elementary school-age child does, and I was delighted when he realized at night that he’d brought home a couple of LED-lit party favors. I’m not sure what to call them, but they have a glowing cylindrical handle with a brush of plastic fiber optic strands sprouting from one end. They’re novelty products but turned out to be handy flashlights, too.


My kid’s frog flashlight.
Stephen Shankland/CNETI was happier with another gimmick, though, the frog flashlight we got him at REI to try to cajole him into camping trips. Its carabiner design let me clip it to my belt loop, and it was great for quick lighting at bedtime.
A candle
Candles are millennia-old technology, and you know what? They still work. More than 10 hours into the power outage and with no idea when it might end, I was eager to save any battery power I had left.
I pulled some mushy ice cream out of our not cold enough freezer, lit a candle from our emergency kit and had a late night dessert.


I dripped some wax onto this tomato can to give this candle a safe, sturdy perch.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Technologies
We Played Nintendo Switch 2: Mario, Donkey Kong, Mouse, Camera and a Lot More
Technologies
Nintendo Switch 2: Every Reveal About the Console, New Games, Price, Release Date
The $450 console launches June 5, with Mario Kart World the highlight of its launch day game lineup.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday as part of the company’s latest Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026.
The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities.
Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Editions and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them.
- I Played the Nintendo Switch 2: Is It Worth It?
- Nintendo Switch 2 Direct Live Recap: Launches June 5, $450 and More
- Nintendo Switch 2 Priced at $450, Coming June 5
- How to Preorder Nintendo Switch 2: All Store Links
- All Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Games Coming Day One
- Nintendo Is Taking on Scalpers With a Genius Switch 2 Purchase Rule
- What You Need to Know About Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Games
- Switch 2 Specs vs. Switch 1 Specs: How Nintendo’s Consoles Compare
- Every New Feature in Switch 2 Joy-Cons and Pro Controller
- GameCube Games Are Coming to Switch Online: Here’s the List
- Nintendo Switch 2: What We Didn’t Get During Nintendo Direct 2025
- Mario Kart Goes Open-World With Mario Kart World
- The Duskbloods Is New FromSoftware Gaming Action Coming to Switch 2 in 2026
- The Nintendo Switch 2 Is Almost Here, Grab Some Games From Just $20 to Celebrate
- Yes, Silksong Is Coming in 2025, as Revealed in Switch 2 Nintendo Direct
- Mario, Pokemon and More Will Get Free Nintendo Switch 2 Updates
- Switch 2’s Zelda Notes Could Revolutionize Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Wait for the Switch 2 Before Playing These 3 Nintendo Games
- Nintendo Switch 2: Here’s Why I Won’t Be Upgrading as a Fan of Cozy Games
- The Switch 2 Is Almost Here and You Need a Specific Type of MicroSD Card — Here’s Where to Find Them
Nintendo Switch 2 console
The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.
The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.
The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.
The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.
Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.
Mario Kart World
Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.
Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.
Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat
Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode.
In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles
The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.
Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.
Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:
- Arms
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Game Builder Garage
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Pokemon Scarlet
- Pokemon Violet
- Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.
Nintendo Switch 2 games
Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.
An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.
The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:
- Borderlands 4
- Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
- Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
- Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
- Deltarune
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Drag x Drive
- EA Sports FC
- EA Sports Madden NFL
- Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
- Enter the Gungeon 2
- Fast Fusion
- Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
- Fortnite
- Hades 2
- Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Kirby Air Riders
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
- Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
- Mario Kart World
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- NBA 2K
- Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
- Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Project 007
- Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Split Fiction
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
- Street Fighter 6
- Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
- Survival Kids
- The Duskbloods
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
- WWE 2K
- Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition
Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.
Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.
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