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Nintendo Switch becomes best-selling console in U.S. history in 1 year
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The NPD Group, an American market research company, told Mashable this week that Nintendo became the most installed video game console in U.S. history in its first 12 months of existence. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Mar 25, 2018, 3:40 AM
The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling console in U.S. history over the course of a full year, according to Mashable.

The NPD Group, an American market research company, released a report this week that stated that Nintendo became the most installed video game console in U.S. history in its first 12 months of existence.

That means Nintendo sold more consoles in its first 12 months than any other video game system, including the PlayStation 2 and the Wii.

Official sales numbers are only released from corporate press releases.

However, according to Comicbook.com, handheld devices arent included in these rankings.

If they were, the Switch wouldn't be the best-seller, another Nintendo product would be: the Game Boy Advance, according to Comicbook.com.

Back in January, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo Switch was the fastest-selling game console in its first 10 months by selling 4.8 million units, surpassing PlayStation 2s record for the fastest-selling console ever, the Deseret News reported.

Nintendo expected to reach 17 million units sold by April.

If the Switch maintains its current pace, it will sell close to 30 million copies in two years, which is more than double the Wii U units sold in five years time, Comicbook.com reported.

However, dont make the Switch out to be the sales king. The PlayStation 4 sold more than any other console in February, outselling the Switch by 30 percent, according to Comicbook.com.

Still, the Switch continues to have widespread appeal to gamers, kids and parents alike. The device is a mix of a handheld and a stationary console, which gives people the full gaming experience, TechCrunch reported.

The video game news site Polygon said that the systems price, $299.99, is a bargain compared to other systems, too.

The Switch has games parents want to play and feel comfortable letting kids play, and those that kids want to play and double as a fun distraction on long car rides, according to Polygon. Plenty of parents use these as excuses to get a toy they want to play with, and I dont blame them. Nintendo has mastered the art of making hardware and games that work with your family.

Tech website T3 said the Nintendo Switch followup console, the Switch 2, will probably launch around 2022 since Nintendo systems have a five- to six-year life cycle.

A Nintendo Switch 2 is the furthest out of any next-gen console Nintendo can ride the first Switch wave for a while yet but you can bet the finest minds in Nintendo are already thinking about what might be next, according to T3.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.