A patent for a video games controller filed by Nintendo last year has been unearthed online, prompting fans to speculate what new device the games giant may have in the pipeline.
First discovered on Twitter and reported by Nintendo Life , the patent was submitted in July 2021 and published publicly in January earlier this year.
It covers the design of a new controller but particularly concerns the device’s interior over its external body. According to the document, the design has been created with the aim of making “an internal structural body of a game controller more compact”. As such, most of the patent’s details concern the internal arrangement of its components and circuits.
However, it also includes several technical drawings of the controller’s exterior, showing a design that Nintendo hasn’t revealed before. The front of the gamepad features a D-pad, four buttons, and two shoulder pads on its side, while the back looks strikingly similar to the protruding top half of an N64 controller.
It doesn't feature the N64’s three-pronged grip, however, any analog sticks, or a Start or Menu button.
The patent also mentions a vibration system and the inclusion of a battery compartment, suggesting it’s wireless.
An NFC circuit is housed inside, too. That will let the device controller communicate with other devices across short distances without the need for an internet connection. NFC is the same system used to scan Amiibos with the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons.
Analysis: is an arcade controller on the way?
Several details of the patent hint at what the forthcoming design may be used for. Its emphasis on providing a compact internal structure, combined with a simple front that only includes a few buttons, suggests it’ll be a small, barebones controller - exactly the type of gamepad that would suit arcade systems.
Home arcade controllers have seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few years, with devices like the 8Bitdo Arcade Stick and the HORI Fighting Stick Mini letting you play classic arcade titles on the Nintendo Switch with era-appropriate hardware. Nintendo may be producing an arcade controller of its own, although the lack of a central joystick would suggest the controller’s targeting a different section of games than the existing devices.
While its design somewhat resembles the top of an N64 controller, the absence of any analog sticks and its missing grips indicate this design isn’t related to Nintendo’s classic console. Plus, an official N64 wireless controller has already been released, leaving little for Nintendo to improve upon.
It’s tempting to assume this patent gives us our first glimpse into the latest Nintendo controller, but it’s best to reserve your excitement. Patents are often secured on speculative grounds, allowing firms to claim intellectual property on a design that may never make it to market, or be radically redesigned by the time it does.
You need only look at the unused Nintendo Switch Joy-Con patents , which include everything from a hinged Joy-Con to a clip-on version, to see the extent to which designs can change.
Don't wait for Nintendo to reveal all, find the best Nintendo Switch accessories now.
Every James Bond film is coming to Prime Video very soon
The entire James Bond collection is coming to Prime Video, it was confirmed today (April 7).
On April 15, 007's array of films, from 1967's Dr. No all the way up to 2021's No Time To Die , will be able to stream on Prime Video in the UK only.
Reports had previously suggested that the films would be available to stream in every territory where Prime Video was available, however, a representative for Prime Video has now confirmed to TechRadar that the films will be available in the UK only.
Although a number of James Bond movies have appeared on streaming services for a short while in the past (Spectre was once available to watch on both Netflix and Hulu , for example), this will mark the first time that the entire selection has been made available to stream in one hit.
All 25 mainline Bond movies are coming to Prime Video, but the collection won't include the 1967 take on Casino Royale nor Never Say Never Again. Neither movies were produced by EON Productions, and so are not officially part of the James Bond canon.
Is Bond here to stay on Prime Video?
Unfortunately, he is not. The collection will be available to stream for two months on Prime Video, while No Time To Die will remain on the platform for 12 months.
So, if you're looking to watch them all, you'd better come prepared. Luckily, TechRadar's guide to help you watch the James Bond movies in order is the perfect resource.
The full list of James Bond movies available to stream on Prime Video from April 15 is as follows:
Why are the movies coming to Prime Video?
Simple. Amazon acquired MGM, the studio behind the likes of the Rocky franchise, Legally Blonde and Ben-Hur, in March of this year for a cool $8.5 billion.
MGM has co-ownership of the James Bond movie rights with Danjaq LLC, a holding company for the movie studio EON Productions. With this in mind, it seemed a matter of time before they ended up on Prime Video, though it is interesting that they are only coming for a short time, rather than remaining on the platform as we've seen with Star Wars ' back catalogue on Disney Plus .
Google Meet can now fix your most embarrassing meeting fail
Google has revealed a selection of tweaks and upgrades for Meet as it looks to help users improve their video conferencing experience.
The company has announced a centralized location for the controls used by hosts to manage a call, rather than splitting out various tools across the window, in a bid to simplify hosting duties.
Alongside this, Google Meet has also received a slightly sad-looking tool aimed at helping you leave a meeting if you're the only person present.
Google Meet empty calls
The new "leave empty call reminder" prompts users to leave a meeting if they're the only one to join a call, hopefully meaning an end to any awkward loitering if your co-workers have forgotten to join.
"Are you still there?" the prompt asks. "You've been waiting a long time. Do you want to keep waiting to join?"
"Now, when you’re the only person in a meeting for five minutes, you’ll receive a prompt asking whether you want to stay or leave the meeting," the official Google Workspace update blog for the feature noted. "If you don’t respond after two minutes, you will automatically leave the meeting."
Google says that it also hopes the feature will help prevent situations where your audio or video is unintentionally shared, so no-one should be able to eavesdrop on you just in case you do start up a call accidentally.
The feature is available for Google Meet on desktop and iOS devices to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers and users with personal Google accounts now, with an Android launch also scheduled "soon".
The Host management menu updates are available for all Google Workspace users now, and can now be found under the “Host Controls” button located in the bottom bar in a Google Meet call.
The update is only for desktop versions of Google Meet, where the company says host and co-host controls are currently spread across multiple locations.
"We hope this change makes it easier to manage your meeting settings by reducing the need to switch between various menus," the company said.