Latest news with #Hori
10-07-2025
Disaster and Disinformation: Spotting Fake News to Save Lives
Almost before the rumbling subsided from the Noto Peninsula earthquake on New Year's Day 2024, disinformation began to spread across social media. 'My family is trapped under a collapsed building and desperately needs help,' cried one post. Ishikawa prefectural police were alerted to the request and dispatched a rescue crew to the scene only to discover that they had been sent on a wild goose chase. The man who posted the false cry for help, a company employee from Saitama Prefecture, was later arrested by Ishikawa police for obstructing rescue efforts. He admitted to making the fake request, saying that he hoped it would get a big reaction online. This is one of many incidents journalist Hori Jun deals with in his recently published book Saigai to dema (Disaster and Disinformation), a work that draws needed attention to the consequences disinformation has during the critical hours immediately following a catastrophe. Hori, a former NHK announcer who has covered major calamities across Japan, describes how the deluge of fake news unleashed in the wake of the Noto earthquake brought attention to 'impression zombies' ( inpure zombi ), a Japanese internet slang term for accounts, particularly on X, making nonsensical comments on popular threads or posting misinformation to increase visibility with the goal of earning advertising revenue. He is strongly critical of users who capitalize on disasters, saying that 'it takes a few million views for a poster to earn a meager reward of ¥10,000. Putting others' lives at risk like that is more than reprehensible.' Lion on the Loose Hori uses the string of earthquakes that rattled Kumamoto and Ōita in 2016 as an example of the speed at which disinformation spreads on social media post-disaster. In around a half hour after the initial 6.5-magnitude temblor struck, a photo of a lion standing on a street corner was shared on Twitter with a caption exclaiming that the animal had escaped from the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens and was on the loose in the city. The claim stoked the flames of panic already gripping residents, and within an hour the post had been shared over 20,000 times. People worried about dangerous beasts roaming the streets phoned the zoo in droves while others vented their fears online, with one user exclaiming that they were too terrified to evacuate their home. To make matters worse, the quake had knocked the zoo's webpage offline, hampering its ability to refute the claim and quell public concern. It was not until two days later, when a local newspaper ran an article debunking the post, that the story finally subsided. Three months later, Kumamoto prefectural police apprehended a 20-year-old Kanagawa man for posting the false tweet, marking the first time in Japan an individual was arrested for spreading fake information on social media. The suspect admitted to having made the post as a joke, but charges were eventually dropped after he and his parents apologized in person to the zoo. In yet another case, Hori describes interviewing a man who posted an AI-generated image of homes purportedly inundated by a typhoon that struck Shizuoka in 2022. The individual had no specialized knowledge of flooding but was still able to generate a convincing image using AI in around one minute, illustrating the power of such tools to spread disinformation. Forms of False Information Hori emphasizes how greater public awareness along with the establishment of fact-checking organizations have played a vital role in stemming the flow of fake news. He points to work by the Japan Fact-Check Center, which after the Noto earthquake established five categories to help authorities and residents better identify misinformation. The first type is a post that uses photos or footage from previous disasters to distort the actual situation on the ground. The second is false calls for help, followed by fake donation drives, unsubstantiated reports of crime, and conspiracy theories (such as unscientific claims of manmade earthquakes or massive radiation leaks). Hori says that the uneasy mental state of people during disasters makes them more susceptible to the pull of false rumors, stressing that the terrifying power of misinformation is its ability to sow suspicion and distrust by warping the truth. In extreme cases this can lead to persecution of and violence against innocent individuals, such as occurred in Japan when panic fueled the massacre of Koreans in the aftermath of the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake. Far-Reaching Impact Hori warns that such atrocities are not a thing of the past but that the toxic mixture of fear and rumors that arise in times of crisis remain a looming threat, especially when amplified through the megaphone of today's social media. Malicious actors are able to take advantage of social upheaval to spread disinformation on platforms, influencing public perceptions and behavior and undermining social order. Social media users themselves play a central role in this process by sharing or reacting to fake news posts. At the same time, they are also subject to the impact of disinformation, making them both accomplices and victims. Hori declares that the propagation of misinformation constitutes a secondary disaster by amplifying the effects of the initial event, stressing that 'we as individuals need to be acutely aware that we aren't just consumers of information but are the ones spreading it.' After the work's publication, Japan became awash in rumors of an imminent megaquake based on a 1999 manga. While Japanese authorities assured the public that there was no scientific evidence for such a disaster, the prophecy spread on social media and even deterred people in Hong Kong from visiting Japan. The purported date for the megaquake, July 5, passed without incident. In a society bombarded by nonstop media, Hori's book is a reminder that more than ever, the public as both consumers and transmitters of information needs to prevent the spread of rumors and fake news so as to limit their impact on the world we all share. Saigai to dema (Disaster and Disinformation) By Hori JunPublished by Shūeisha in 2025 ISBN: 978-4-7976-8154-3
Deccan Herald
09-07-2025
- Deccan Herald
3 persons charged in nurse Swati Byadagi murder case
Haveri: Police at Kumarapatna station have completed their investigation into the murder of 22-year-old nurse Swati Byadagi from Ranebennur and filed a detailed 250-page chargesheet in court against the three accused involved in the a resident of Masur village in Rattihalli taluk, was murdered on March 3. Her decomposed body was discovered on March 6 in the Tungabhadra River near Pattepur in Ranebennur a complaint from her parents, police arrested three persons, Swati's acquaintances Nayaz Imamsab Bennigeri (28) from Hale Veerapur in Hirekerur taluk, Durgachari Basavarajachari Badiger (25) from Masur, and Vinayak Nagappa Pujari (27).After interrogating the trio and gathering substantial evidence, police prepared and submitted the comprehensive chargesheet to the court. Trial proceedings are expected to begin blooms at 'Hori' festivalThe chargesheet reveals that Swati, known for her academic excellence, also had a deep fondness for the traditional 'Hori' (bull-chasing) festival. It was through these festivals that she first came into contact with Durgachari and Vinayak, both of whom later introduced her to four would attend the festivals together. Nayaz, who worked at a shop near Masur, eventually developed a close friendship with Swati. As their bond grew, they exchanged phone numbers and began regularly communicating, which later developed into a romantic knowing that they belonged to different religions, Swati and Nayaz were in a committed relationship for several years and often travelled together. The turning point came when Swati learned that Nayaz was engaged to another woman. Upset, she reportedly insisted that he marry her refused to marry her. He discussed the matter with his friends Durgachari and Vinayak. The trio planned to meet Swati and resolve the issue to the chargesheet, Nayaz lured Swati to Rattihalli and took her to Suvarna Udyan park in Ranebennur in a rented car. Durgachari and Vinayak arrived there in a separate vehicle. Following a heated argument at the park, they all went to an abandoned school near Kabbinkantimath in the argument intensified. Swati allegedly confronted Nayaz, saying, 'You ruined my life. Now you are marrying someone else? I won't allow it. You must marry me.' During this confrontation, the accused executed their plan, strangling her with a towel and killing then placed her body in the boot space of the car and later dumped it in the Tungabhadra River near Nandigudi village. The body eventually floated to Pattepur, where it was discovered. A senior police officer stated: 'We took this case very seriously, and the investigation has produced strong evidence. All relevant materials have been submitted to the court.'Swati's missing mobile phone'After the murder, the accused took Swati's mobile phone and threw it into the river along with the body,' police said.'Search operations were conducted in the river for several days along with the accused in an effort to recover the phone, but it has not been found. This detail has also been included in the charge sheet,' they added.
Gizmodo
26-06-2025
- Gizmodo
The Crappier Your Webcam, the More Likely It'll Work on Switch 2
Since Nintendo launched its Switch 2 three weeks ago (time flies when you're playing Mario Kart World), the one lingering question about its hardware is which webcams it supports. Multiple users found that a whole slew of modern webcams were simply incompatible with Nintendo's new handheld. We suspected that the Switch 2 was better at supporting worse-quality cameras compared to your expensive 4K streaming cam, and now multiple brands have effectively confirmed it. Cameras attached to the Switch 2 need to perform multiple functions. They allow for video in GameChat—Nintendo's Discord-like feature that lets users talk to friends, see each other's gameplay live, and stream their faces at the same time. The camera is also able to capture a room full of people sitting around the couch together. In games like Mario Kart World and an upcoming update to Super Mario Party Jamboree, you should be able to see your compatriots' expressions as you trounce them in local multiplayer. Julian Fest, the general manager of streamer equipment maker Elgato, wrote on Wednesday that several incompatible webcams, like the Facecam MK.2 and Facecam Neo would soon receive firmware updates to allow compatibility with Switch 2. Fest then speculated that Nintendo's system would only reliably allow for its multiple faces on screen at 'very low resolution.' The Mario maker sells its own $55 1080p Switch 2 Camera, but it also promotes licensed products from Hori for a $65 480p webcam that can attach like a barnacle to the Switch 2 in handheld mode. There's even a version shaped like a Piranha Plant. As Fest said, Nintendo, 'being Nintendo,' hasn't revealed what other specifications third-party cameras need to adjust for compatibility. On the resolution – I think this is just Nintendo being Nintendo. They've never cared about tech specs, only about creating very specific experiences. In this case it's putting multiple tiny facecams on screen and I can imagine that only works reliably at very low resolution. — Julian (@JFest) June 25, 2025 The majority of cameras that work with the Switch 2 are usually older, less capable cameras. A thread on Reddit shares a crowdsourced tally of which webcams are compatible, though I wouldn't trust it completely. While the DJI Action and Osmo 4K cameras aren't compatible, other devices like the Logitech Brio 4K have reportedly experienced issues. You can force some cameras to connect with Nintendo's handheld, but that doesn't mean you'll see a better-quality image higher than 1080p. Earlier this week, Chinese brand EMEET launched its PIXY PTZ 4K webcam with the promise that it was also compatible with Switch 2. It's not a cheap device by any standard at $160 for a dual-camera setup that supports both 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps. The Switch 2 has routinely proved it won't output 4K video, so most likely any such camera would default to 1080p. We reached out to EMEET for clarification on its device, and we'll update this post when we hear back. In a statement to The Verge, camera maker Ugreen laid out what it found in its own tests for Switch 2 camera compatibility. As it stands, it seems cameras can't use a HID protocol USB connection. The device must work with isochronous transfer mode, which provides a steady stream of data compared to batch transfer, and it can't support framerates below 30 fps. These aren't hard and fast rules. It seems some cameras that are confirmed to be compatible with Switch 2 break the third point about frame rates below 30. The Switch 2 is encoding your own video and decoding up to three other streams at once. The console can only support so much data and still play your own game. The point is, you're better off getting something cheap if you intend to only use it with Switch 2. At this point, we can definitely say that if you have an older, cheaper webcam available, the more likely it will play nice with Switch 2. A webcam outputting 480p will be better if it's closer to your face, while the 1080p sensors are more versatile and will be better off set up on your TV cabinet to capture from further away. However, the Switch 2 uses its own software to cut out backgrounds and center the image on a user's face. These background cutouts created a pixelated, wobbly effect that isn't very pleasant to look at up close. If you intend to use it with GameChat, you won't see too much of your friend's mugs anyway, especially if you play your own game at the same time. Your audio through the Switch 2's built-in mic isn't going to be that great, either. Switch 2 users will have to accept that the lower-quality cameras and mics will be standard going forward. At least we can get creative with it. The Verge's Sean Hollister previously proved the Switch 2 is compatible with a cheap endoscope. Other hardware hackers have shown you can get an old Game Boy Camera to connect with Switch 2, made easier if you have an Analogue Pocket, a dock, and a Genki Shadowcast to transform the HDMI signal to USB-C. The lower-quality, black and white image is somehow more appealing than the blurry, washed-out view of the official Switch 2 camera. Now I just need some device that will let me attach it directly to the top of my own handheld.
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
'Switch 2 launch inspired me to dust off my old console'
Changing the handheld controller has made a huge difference to my Switch playing experience The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived with much fanfare and excitement. An upgrade on the exceptionally popular original Switch and OLED versions, the sparkling new console quickly sold out at major retailers thanks to huge demand. I'm one of those people who bought one of the original Switch consoles during the peak covid lockdown period, had a few games of Mario Kart and put a few hours into Animal Crossing, then basically forgot about it, spending much of my gaming hours on the PS5 instead. But the launch of the Switch 2 inspired me to fire up my original Switch to give it another go. I have to say I've been thrilled, with one thing making a huge difference. When I set up the handheld version of the console, I was quickly reminded of what I dislike about the Switch, I find it so uncomfortable to hold and play with. I have quite big hands and find the joy cons that slide on the sides are far too small to comfortably hold for any prolonged period, while I find the small buttons are also pretty unpleasant to press. Searching for a solution, I came across the Hori Switch Pad Pro Controller (£39.99 at Argos) and decided to give it a try. There are quite a few similar options out there that I considered, like the HASACOOL One-Piece Switch Pro Controller, sold by Amazon for £29.99. That one comes with a selection of fancy lighting options that look pretty cool, though I opted for the Hori due to it being licensed by Nintendo. Currys also currently has an offer on the CRKD Nitro Deck Wired Controller for Nintendo Switch that has £15 off to take the price down to £34.99 instead of the usual £49.99. And what a decision going for the Hori has proved to be. The controller is an absolute game-changer when it comes to how comfortable the console feels in my hand and how much easier I find it to use the controls. It's obviously a bit of an expense, but well worth it, in my opinion. The buttons and sticks are noticeably bigger, while the triggers are again much more akin to PlayStation and Xbox controllers. It makes the whole handheld experience (the main thing I enjoy with the Switch) so much more enjoyable. As a first-time dad, spare time is something I have in short supply, but I'm now finding myself firing up the Switch whenever I have the chance, with its compact nature and portability brilliant on that front. As a big fan of westerns, I picked up a couple of bargains on the NIntendo eshop, Call of Juarez Gunslinger was reduced to £2 and Red Dead Redemption down to £23.99. It did mean I ran into an issue with the amount of storage space the console has, though buying this SanDisk 256mb memory card for £26.99 from Argos quickly solved that problem. What about the Switch 2? Now I have my original Switch back up and running, I think I'm happy with that for now, though the lure of more advanced games like Cyberpunk 2077 is very tempting to make the upgrade to a Switch 2. If you're curious about the new console, Nathan Bliss, editor of Mirror Gaming tried it out and was impressed. He said: "This console is now powerful enough that it can support some of the biggest third-party titles that, historically, Nintendo hasn't wanted to, or simply couldn't. Whether you want to play the latest AAA games like Elden Ring (coming this year), or you want to play a bit of Mario Kart World, or a family-oriented co-op game like Survival Kids, this console now seems to have the power to handle it all. "It's not a revolutionary console, as it's too similar in terms of design and form factor to its predecessor to call it that, but it seems to be a statement evolution of one of Nintendo's most popular consoles. " The Switch 2 is largely backwards compatible with Switch games, so it's unlikely that any of your previous game purchases would go to waste. Although I need to do more testing, it seems to handle them pretty well, too. "Whether all of that makes it worth shelling out £400 for is the big question, especially if you already have the original Nintendo Switch. There are still so many features, games and experiences to test, but on first impressions, it's probably worth the upgrade, especially with all of the potential AAA games that could come to this console in the future, as well as the Nintendo games we all know and love."
Tom's Guide
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I tried playing Mario Kart World with this racing wheel for the original Switch — and it works like a charm on Switch 2
After waiting in line at midnight without a pre-order and successfully picking up a Nintendo Switch 2, I've been testing out my new console and finally putting it through its paces. Back in April, I had a chance to try out the Switch 2 early at a Nintendo event in New York. While it was great going hands-on with the console right after its reveal and getting to play some games that aren't even out yet like Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, there were so many things I couldn't test out at that time. Now with my Switch 2 unboxed and set up in my living room, I'm slowly working my way through the long list of different devices I want to test to see if they're compatible with the new console. From a few of the best webcams for Game Chat to the best Nintendo Switch controllers, I have plenty of gadgets and original Switch accessories I want to try out. With Mario Kart World being a Switch 2 launch game, there was one accessory in particular I couldn't wait to use in Nintendo's new open world kart racer. Keep in mind that this was an accessory I had gone back and forth on for years, debating whether it was truly worth the investment. Well, after playing Mario Kart World with it, I'm certainly glad I got it when I did. Back in 2019 when you could finally find the original Nintendo Switch on store shelves, Hori released two racing wheels for the console: the full-size Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe and the smaller Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Mini. Unlike other Switch accessories that ended up being discontinued over the years, these ones remain in production and on store shelves. In fact, you could probably find one or even both of them at any big local retailer right now. I don't know about you but when I'm dragged to Target on a family shopping trip, I often find myself killing time in the video game section. While the Switch games and Amiibos have certainly changed over the years, I can always find either Hori's Pro Deluxe or Pro Mini racing wheel on the shelf. I've lost count of how many times I've come this close to buying them over the years. Ahead of the launch of the Switch 2, both of Hori's Mario Kart racing wheels were heavily discounted on Amazon and I figured it was time to test them out for myself. Not exactly by myself though, as I picked them both up to play together with my son. He's still too young for video games but he knows his way around a controller and sure loves pressing buttons. Given that people were still playing Mario Kart 8 over a decade after its release in the runup to the Switch 2, I figure he'll probably be able to start on the Pro Mini and then grow into the Pro Deluxe well before we're talking about the follow-up to Mario Kart World. My son is getting a bit short changed with the simpler buttons on Hori's Pro Mini racing wheel but the Pro Deluxe one lives up to its name with a full suite of buttons and even some useful extra ones. Built into the wheel itself, you have ZL and ZR buttons and around back, you have paddle shifters for the L and R buttons. Then on the face of the racing wheel, you have almost every button you'd find on a standard Switch controller. There's also an Assign button on the top right which can be used to remap the ZL and ZR buttons, the left and right stick buttons (the ones you press when you click in a thumbstick), the left and right paddles and even the racing wheel's pedals on the floor. All of this gives you plenty of options when it comes to customizing Hori's Pro Deluxe racing wheel to your heart's content. Even without assigning buttons though, Mario Kart World makes things easy for you since the ZL button and L paddle both can be used for items while you can drift using either the ZR button or the R paddle. I tried out the Hori Pro Deluxe and Pro Mini racing wheels while playing Mario Kart 8 a few weeks ago when I first got the controllers. Everything worked well out of the box then but after setting up my Switch 2, it was time to see if Nintendo had made Switch controllers backwards compatible with its new console. This wired racing wheel from Hori is fully compatible with both the Switch and Switch 2. Along with a set of foot pedals, you get pro-style controls like paddle shifters and customizable buttons right on the wheel. It also has a sleek Mario-inspired design and works on PC too. Both of Hori's Switch racing wheels come with suction cups to attach them to a coffee table but personally, I like using the included clamp that only comes with the Pro Deluxe version for a stronger mount. After getting the racing wheel mounted, I plugged it into my Switch 2 dock and ran the cable for its pedals behind my desk and down to the floor. We really hadn't heard much about Switch 2 compatibility with third-party Switch controllers ahead of launch which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I turned on the console and the Hori racing wheel instantly worked without any issues. If, like me, you're testing out original Switch controllers on the new console, one thing worth noting is that Switch 1 controllers aren't able to wake the Switch 2 from sleep. All of their buttons and everything else should work as intended though. The same was true with the racing wheels' floor pedals which connect at the back using a connector similar to the ones you'd find on a wired telephone. I like how there are some small circles on both pedals to provide some much needed grip. However, the same can't be said for its base which slid around quite a bit on my wood floors. Back when I tested it out in the game room where we have a carpet underneath the coffee table, this wasn't a problem though. I started out testing the Hori Pro Deluxe racing wheel in the Mushroom Cup Grand Prix in Mario Kart World. Compared to a traditional controller, there was certainly a learning curve, particularly when it came to turning the wheel and engaging the right paddle shifter for drifting around curves. I also appreciated the fact that I wasn't stuck with doing things this way due to Mario Kart World's controls and the fact that Hori gives you multiple ways to use the same button on the racing wheel. For instance, when I needed to quickly use an item, I used the left paddle shifter but when the timing of using an item was more important, I found myself pressing the Item button on the left side of the wheel's hub. One other big difference between the Hori Pro Deluxe and the Hori Mini racing wheels is that while mine has a Mario logo front and center, my son's racing wheel has a ZL button in the middle. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, using this button is a bit more fun as it does double duty as a horn when you don't have items. With Mario Kart World though, your character still honks their cart's horn but they also perform a short wave when you press it. This miniature-sized racing wheel works on both the Switch and Switch 2 and is a great way to let your kids get in on the action when you're playing Mario Kart. It's smaller size and simpler button layout makes it easier for kids to get the hang of using a racing wheel and like the larger Pro Deluxe version, it also works on PC After realizing I still had a ways to go when it came to using a racing wheel in an actual race, I switched over to playing Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode. This was a lot of fun with the racing wheel, especially when just cruising around. I really liked having all of the standard controller buttons right there on the hub. The D-pad on the left side certainly came in handy when looking at Mario Kart World's overworld map and choosing which course I wanted to fast travel to next. Now is it worth it to pick up the Hori Pro Deluxe racing wheel if you want to get better at Mario Kart World? Well, after trying it out for myself, I'd say probably not. Playing with a controller is always going to be the best way to play Mario Kart and this is certainly true if you're racing online or playing against your friends and family in split screen mode on your TV. Still, I had a blast playing both Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and especially Mario Kart World with this accessory. It almost feels like it was made for the latter's Free Roam mode, even though its initial release came a few years after the former had launched. Another great thing about Hori's Pro Deluxe and Pro Mini racing wheels is that they both work on PC too and after I finish this story, I'm going to give the larger one a try on my new triple monitor setup. Serious racing sim fans will likely scoff at the idea of using a more basic racing wheel like this one. However, I feel like at the price, it's a good way to see if using a wheel while playing racing games is something you're really interested in. Dedicated sim racing setups can get expensive real fast and you definitely don't want to invest all that money and put one together before knowing whether or not you'll actually use it. Given that the Hori Pro Deluxe and Pro Mini racing wheels came out back in 2019, I wouldn't be surprised if a wireless version, specifically for the Switch 2, was already in the works. This would make a lot of sense as the company already put out its wireless Racing Wheel Apex for the PlayStation 5 and PC. Only time will tell though. Even though I plan on primarily using a controller as I work my way through all of the courses in Mario Kart World, I can't wait to break out my Hori Pro Deluxe racing wheel and especially my son's Pro Mini one every now and again to mix things up. Given we'll probably be playing Mario Kart World all the way up till the release of the Switch 3, it's always good to have options.
