Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2 Holiday Gift Guide for Parents

If a Switch 2 is on your child’s wishlist this year, this guide will answer all your questions.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be the hot gift this holiday season. As it’s a new console, parents may not know the ins and outs of what they should buy.

You don’t need to rely on a letter to Santa to know which games to give with the Switch 2. I created this guide to answer your most pressing Switch 2 questions and help make holiday shopping a breeze. Keep in mind, many of these items will likely be on sale throughout the holiday season, so get ready to score a deal, too.

Which Switch 2 bundle to buy

Which Switch 2 game to buy for the holidays

Even though the Switch 2 is less than six months old, there’s still a wealth of games available for it, thanks to the console being backward compatible with the original Switch. Figuring out which game to buy with the Switch 2, beyond Mario Kart World, comes down to what kind of gamer the console is for. Here are some of my favorite picks.

The Switch 2 also has a wealth of games from well-known franchises, including:

Star Wars Outlaws ($40)

Sonic X Shadow Generations ($50)

Hogwarts Legacy ($60)

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 ($70)

Gift ideas for family and friends

For the grandparents or other family members or friends who want to join in on the Switch 2 gift giving, there are plenty of options. One easy choice is more games, either for the Switch 2 games or the original Switch. Here’s CNET’s list of the Best Switch Games.

If the parents have the console and games covered, there are still some gifts that anyone with a Switch 2 will want.

FAQ

Do I need to buy any other cables for the Switch 2?

No. Inside the Switch 2 box is the power adapter for the console, as well as an HDMI cable and a dock to connect it to the TV. The HDMI cable is just shy of 5 feet long, so if you know the Switch 2 will be connected to a TV that’s farther away than that, you’ll need to get a longer cable.

Do I need to buy extra storage for the Switch 2?

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of built-in storage, and that can fill up quickly if you buy a lot of games. To upgrade the storage, you’ll need to buy microSD Express cards, which are newer and still a little pricey. They do frequently get discounted, though, so just keep an eye on the prices.

Do I need to buy any subscriptions?

If you know the person you’re buying the Switch 2 for wants to play games online with their friends, such as Mario Kart World or Fortnite, then you should also consider a Switch Online subscription. There are two subscription tiers, with the $20 tier providing online access and access to retro NES, SNES and Game Boy titles, while the $50 Switch Online plus Expansion Pack tier adds N64 and Gamecube games, along with upgrade packs to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

What are Switch 2 upgrade packs?

Original Switch games do work on the Switch 2, but they don’t make use of the additional graphical power offered in the newer console. For $10 to $20, a game for the original Switch can be upgraded to a Switch 2 game. Upgrading a game will increase its resolution, smooth out its frame rates, speed up loading times and add other features found only on the Switch 2. Not every game for the original Switch has an upgrade option, and it’s debatable whether some are worth the additional cost. This upgrade is available on the Nintendo eShop on the Switch 2 or Nintendo’s website, and games with the upgrade pack include Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Party Jamboree and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, April 8

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 8.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hint: It uses a lot of the letter Z for some reason. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___-Carlton (hotel chain)
Answer: RITZ

5A clue: Span of the alphabet
Answer: ATOZ

6A clue: Cable channel with an out-of-this-world name
Answer: STARZ

7A clue: Takes care of, as a squeaky wheel
Answer: OILS

8A clue: Toy on a string
Answer: YOYO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: When a post receives far more negative comments than likes, in social media slang
Answer: RATIO

2D clue: World’s leading wine producer
Answer: ITALY

3D clue: Middle of the human body
Answer: TORSO

4D clue: Sleeping sound
Answer: ZZZ

6D clue: Tofu base
Answer: SOY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 8, #562

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 8 No. 562.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Working out.

Green group hint: Cover your face.

Blue group hint: NFL players.

Purple group hint: Leap.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Exercises in singular form.

Green group: Sporting jobs that require masks.

Blue group: Hall of Fame defensive ends.

Purple group: ____ jump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises in singular form. The four answers are crunch, plank, situp and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sporting jobs that require masks. The four answers are catcher, fencer, football player and goaltender.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Hall of Fame defensive ends. The four answers are Dent, Peppers, Strahan and Youngblood.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ jump. The four answers are broad, high, long and triple.

Technologies

The $135M Google Data Settlement Site Is Live — See If You’re Eligible

Use the settlement website to select your preferred payment method, and you may end up $100 richer.

You can now file a claim in the $135 million Google data settlement. The case centers on claims that Android devices transmitted user data without consent. Specifically, the class action lawsuit Taylor v. Google LLC contends that Google’s Android devices passively transferred cellular data to Google without user permission, even when the devices were idle. While not admitting fault, Google reached a preliminary settlement in January, agreeing to pay $135 million to about 100 million US Android phone users.

The official settlement website for the lawsuit is now live. The final approval hearing won’t occur until June 23, when the court will consider whether Google’s settlement is fair and listen to objections. After that, the court will decide whether to approve the $135 million settlement.

In the meantime, if you qualify and want to be paid as part of the settlement, you can select your preferred payment method on the official website. There, you can find information on speaking at the June 23 court hearing and on how to exclude yourself or write to the court to object by May 29.

As part of the settlement, Google will update its Google Play terms of service to clarify that certain data transfers do occur passively even when you’re not using your Android device, and that cellular data may be relied upon when not connected to Wi-Fi. This can’t always be disabled, but users will be asked to consent to it when setting up their device.

Google will also fully stop collecting data when its «allow background data usage» option is toggled off.

Who can be part of the settlement?

In order to join the Taylor v. Google LLC settlement, you must meet four qualifications:

Be a living, individual human being in the US.
Have used an Android mobile device with a cellular data plan.
Have used the aforementioned device at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, to the date when the settlement receives final approval.
You’re not a class member in the Csupo v. Google LLC lawsuit, which is similar but specifically for California residents.

The final approval hearing is on June 23, so you can add your payment method until then. The hearing’s date and time may change, and any updates will be posted on the settlement website.

If you choose to do nothing, you will still be issued a settlement payment, but you may not receive it if you don’t select a payment method.

How much will I get paid?

It’s not currently known exactly how much each settlement class member will receive, but the cap is $100. Payments will be distributed after final court approval and after any appeals are resolved.

After all administrative, tax and attorney costs are paid, the settlement administrator will attempt to pay each member an equal amount. If any funds remain after payments are sent, and it’s economically feasible, they will be redistributed to members who were previously and successfully paid. If it’s not economically feasible, the funds will go to an organization approved by the court.