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NASA’s Perseverance rover has yet to collect any rock and soil on the red planet, but the space agency already is working hard on the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission so it can bring any samples it collects to Earth. The space agency this week announced it has awarded the Mars Ascent Propulsion System (MAPS) contract to Virginia-based Northrop Grumman for the development of a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), a critical part of the effort to bring samples collected by Perseverance to Earth. Worth up to $84.5 million, the contract will see Northrop Grumman provide mission apparatus for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, which is responsible for the MSR mission’s MAV element. Perseverance, which arrived on the Martian surface a couple of weeks ago, will spend the next two years exploring inside Jezero Crater for signs of past life . Should the rover come across any rock and soil samples of interest, the plan is to cache them for transportation to Earth as … [Read more...] about NASA lays groundwork for ambitious Mars Sample Return mission

Jeep’s upcoming Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs will offer Amazon’s Fire TV streaming platform as part of the package when the vehicles hit the road in 2022. It means occupants of the upcoming luxury SUVs will be able to kick back and enjoy Fire TV’s entertainment offerings via a plethora of screens. The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will be the first vehicles in the auto industry to integrate Amazon Fire TV for Auto, and the news comes just over a year after the e-commerce giant announced the vehicle-based version of its system . Fire TV for Auto will hook up with the Uconnect 5 infotainment software to allow users to sync the system with their Amazon account. It means, for example, you’ll be able to pause a show in the car and carry on from where you left off when you get home. Passengers will be able to watch Fire TV in HD from the rear seats and the front passenger screen. A privacy filter will prevent drivers from watching the content while motoring along the highway, … [Read more...] about Jeep’s new Wagoneer will be first car with Amazon Fire TV

After years of speculation, a Nintendo Switch Pro model may finally hit shelves this year. According to a report from Bloomberg , a new version of the console is set to enter production this summer. The new unnamed Switch 2.0 will reportedly feature a 7-inch OLED screen, giving the handheld higher contrast. Other rumored features include better battery life and the ability to play games in 4K when the console is docked. With a possible 2021 release date looming, fans are left wondering if any big games will launch alongside it. When the news broke on Wednesday night, Breath of the Wild was trending on Twitter right under Switch Pro. Fans have long speculated that the sequel to the Switch launch title will come alongside a new model, despite there being no evidence to support that. Players might want to keep their expectations in check when it comes to any big holiday game releases to usher in the console. A quick browse through the history of mid-generation hardware … [Read more...] about Will Nintendo’s Switch Pro bring Breath of the Wild 2? Look at history

Presidents Day sales are upon us and that means this is the perfect time to snap up some great tech-based bargains. At the moment, Best Buy is offering some fantastic discounts on everything from smart displays to air fryers, earphones, TVs, monitors, Chromebooks, and much more. With so many different options out there, we thought we’d help you out by narrowing things down to the 10 best tech deals currently available at Best Buy as part of its President Day deals. Amazon Echo Show — $60, was $90 The Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display gives you all the power of Alexa along with a 5.5-inch display so you can do a little more. You can watch the news, get traffic updates, and even chat to friends via video conferencing within seconds. Alongside that are all the useful features of Alexa including the ability to control your smart home via your voice, ask Alexa questions, set alarms and timers, or even receive step-by-step recipe instructions. It’s the kind of gadget that’s perfect … [Read more...] about Best Buy Presidents Day Sale 2021: The 10 best tech deals