Discord is rolling out new end-to-end encryption for both audio and video calls on its platform. The technology will be used to make calls from DMs, group DMs, voice channels, and go live streams. Discord explained the technology and its goals for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in detail in a blog post. Desktop and mobile clients already support the new upgrade, and the rest of the clients should get the feature next year.
The company has focused on transparency with its E2EE protocol, and has made a lot of information about it publicly available. Discord is also promising that there should be no sacrifice to call quality with the addition of E2EE. One notable exception to the encryption protocol will be messages. Discord said this is so that messages can still fall under the company’s content moderation rules.
This kind of deep encryption has become increasingly common over the past few years. It’s not uncommon to see it as an option or the new default for users on platforms like Signal, WhatsApp, and Zoom.
As the world changes, so do console generations. The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old, so it needs a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been circulating for years, but now we’re getting some hints. The company officially revealed the sequel to its most successful home console ever in a brief trailer on January 16.
The Switch 2 looks functionally the same as the original system, though with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons, and a sleeker design. The company also confirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
While the reveal confirmed some rumors and gave some interesting details for those who were paying attention, Nintendo is still keeping its cards close to its chest. We’ll have to wait until a special Nintendo Direct on April 2 for all the interesting details. Annoyingly, that date is Wednesday and not To-day.
The Nintendo Switch 2 was announced on January 16
The company hasn’t made any changes to the core form factor. It’s a portable console with detachable Joy-Cons. The Switch 2 can be placed into a dock for big-screen gaming. However, there are some key differences from the original console.
The most obvious difference is that the next-generation Joy-Con will no longer mechanically slide into place. Instead, they’ll magnetically attach to the main unit. There’s a small connector that’s presumably used to charge the controllers and perhaps removes the need to pair them via Bluetooth. It’s unclear at this point whether the Joy-Con from the original system will be compatible with the Switch 2.
Another big (and very welcome) change is the addition of a second USB-C port on the top of the device. This will make it much easier to plug in accessories when the Switch 2 is docked. It’s great to see that Nintendo has retained the headphone jack as well. Let’s just hope that this time Bluetooth headphone support is live from the start and Nintendo doesn’t make everyone wait four years for that feature.
The kickstand is also getting an upgrade. Like the Switch OLED, it extends the length of the console. But, according to the trailer, it looks to be fully adjustable, so you can change the viewing angle to suit you.
However, there are still a lot of unknowns about the upcoming console. We don’t yet know its specifications or what kind of display it uses. We also don’t know anything about battery life, UI, or launch games. We’ll likely find out a lot more on April 2.