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2252. New Nintendo not huge Switch, billionaire space race and crypto craze continues.

Plus: What was it like in Nokia when Apple launched the iPhone?

Author

Cam Wilson
January 17, 2025

Issue 2252 - Friday 17 January, 2025

Hey Sizzlers, TGIF! This will be the last day of the two week free trial for many of you. If you have enjoyed your time, may I recommend signing up here?

Over on the forum, I made another Behind the Sizzle post about this newsletter’s business model and why it fits with going good independent tech journalism.

Have a great weekend!

In Today’s Issue

  • New Nintendo console not a huge Switch

  • Billionaire space race is cool, actually

  • Crypto craze continues

  • What was it like in Nokia when Apple launched the iPhone?

  • Cheap Anko powerpack, SoundPEATS GoFree2 headphones, Apple Airtag 4 pack, Logitech MX Keys wireless keyboard, Garmin Epix Pro smart watch, DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly and Apple MacBook Pro M4 14’’.

The News

New Nintendo console not a huge Switch (although it is bigger)

The long-awaited successor to one of the best-selling game consoles of all time, the Nintendo Switch, has been officially “teased” and it looks… pretty similar!

Set to be released this year, the beloved gaming company’s decision to name it the Switch 2 tells you everything you need to know about its approach. The Switch 2 is an iterative new design with a bigger screen and a few other design changes but really isn’t hugely different. If you want all the nitty-gritty details, here’s the Verge’s live-blog (The Verge).

I haven’t had a console from the past few generations but I have always had a respect for Nintendo. Rather than dick-swinging by cramming in more expensive hardware to power graphics for games that milk more money out of you with micro-transactions, Nintendo has stuck to its guns of focusing on fun, unique games with good design — which has made them a much better business than their competitors. (But don’t mistake this playful image for them being all around good guys. I’m docking points from Nintendo for its campaign to crack down on emulators (Android Authority) of their old devices even though the company has admitted they’re legal).

Billionaire space race is good, actually

Are we in a new golden age for cool space stuff? The Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin had an impressive successful maiden launch for its 98 metre New Glenn rocket overnight (The Guardian). Although it didn’t land on its booster as hoped, the rocket successfully reached orbit on its first ever attempt and released its “pathfinder”, which is a vehicle that can move satellites orbiting Earth. Elon Musk’s SpaceX didn’t have the same luck when its Starship satellite lost communications a few minutes after lifting off (ABC News). Gotta say, “sending stuff into space” is one of my preferred ways for how billionaires spend their time and money. This space-fever continues to make its way here as the Australian Space Agency calls for more external help (aka consultants) ahead of “a growing number of launches and recoveries expected in the coming years”. (InnovationAus, $)

Crypto craze continues

Bitcoin is up over US$100,000 again, fuelled by Wall Street betting that the Trump administration will create a “more favorable regulatory environment” (Forbes). It’s their way of saying the new adults in the room ain’t going to do anything about the crime and scams that are endemic to cryptocurrency. Just this week, the US, Japan and South Korea warned that North Korean hackers had stolen more than a billion AU dollars in crypto in 2024 (US State Department) and a Washington pastor was indicted on 26 counts of fraud for allegedly defrauding investors of millions using an “idea that came to him in a dream” (BleepingComputer). Despite all this, increasingly institutional investors are deciding to get into crypto (ArsTechnica).

Last month, Australia’s financial watchdog ASIC released some guides for how companies should be responsibly handling crypto (guidelines from ASIC if you want to nerd out, a less-dense breakdown by law firm King & Wood Mallesons). But crypto companies are demanding that Australia “look to successful international models” (The Australian, $). “Successful” for whom? I’d bet success isn’t defined by how they can protect the little guy, but how rich it will make some people.

Oh, Also

What was it like in Nokia when Apple launched the iPhone?

Imagine what it’s like seeing history made… from inside a competing company. Someone has surfaced an internal presentation from Nokia about the release of the iPhone (repo.aalto.fi).

The document gives a very cool insight into why Nokia ended up losing the phone market and functions as a time capsule in that short moment between launch and the world-changing success of the iPhone. Things like identifying the iPhone’s weaknesses as “little mention of security” and not being able to “even change the battery” seem so quaint and misplaced now. And, as one Hacker News commenter who says they used to work for Palm points out (Hacker News), the ultimately revolutionary idea of having “WLAN and inbuilt services” was only briefly mentioned.

Bargains

The End

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The Sizzle is created on Gadigal land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.

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