Welcome back to TechIn5, your weekly dose of tech news in five minutes or less — back from the dead and ready to cut through the chaos.

Yes, we know. The last time this show posted, your iPhone still had a home button and AI was just a fancy way to sort your email. But we’re here again, rebooted and refreshed, with fast, fun, and actually useful tech updates. Let’s dig into what happened in the tech world this week.

🎮 Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Orders Delayed Thanks to U.S. Tariffs

Nintendo’s next-gen console was supposed to hit pre-orders this coming Tuesday, April 9. But in a last-minute move, Nintendo announced it’s hitting pause — and it’s all thanks to new U.S. import tariffs.

The Biden administration introduced a 10% tariff on a broad swath of electronics as part of ongoing trade negotiations. For a company like Nintendo, which manufactures hardware overseas, this throws a wrench into pricing and shipping logistics. Nintendo says the June 5 launch date is still on, but that could change if the situation doesn’t stabilize.

What this means for you: Don’t be surprised if Switch 2 prices get bumped, especially for accessories. And don’t hold your breath on a preorder if you live in the U.S.

My take: If Nintendo does push the price higher, it’ll make the value proposition tough — especially if the rumored performance still isn’t quite PS5-level. This is one of those moments where global economics hits right at your wallet.

✈️ Airbus’ Wild New Plane Design Could Redefine the Skies

Airbus unveiled concepts this week for the aircraft that could replace its iconic A320 series — you know, the jet you’re probably crammed into on 90% of your domestic flights.

What’s new? A lot. The new design features:

• Open-fan engines that increase efficiency without needing full jet enclosures.
• Folding wings to maximize lift while still fitting at standard airport gates.
• A design focus on sustainability, with reduced emissions as a key metric.

But don’t expect to fly in one anytime soon — Airbus is targeting the late 2030s for commercial rollout.

My take: Love the ambition, and the folding wing idea is straight out of a sci-fi film. But these concepts rarely hit the market unchanged. Expect compromises, delays, and plenty of lobbying by airlines trying to keep costs down.

💸 Stablecoin Bill Could Let Big Tech Play Banker

The U.S. Congress is pushing forward a new piece of legislation — the GENIUS Act — designed to regulate stablecoins (cryptocurrencies tied to real-world assets like the U.S. dollar).

The goal? Make digital dollar payments faster, cheaper, and more globally competitive. The concern? Tech giants like Meta or Amazon could use this law to start issuing their own stablecoins, effectively turning themselves into banks — without needing a charter.

Consumer advocates are nervous, arguing it would give these already-massive companies too much influence over both your data and your money.

My take: There’s real potential for stablecoins to make financial systems better, but if this bill doesn’t include strong oversight, we’re basically handing Amazon your checking account. Yikes.

📵 Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Is Coming… Somehow

Australia just announced it plans to ban anyone under the age of 16 from accessing social media, starting December 2025. It’s one of the most aggressive digital safety laws proposed anywhere in the world.

But here’s the issue: How do you verify someone’s age without violating privacy? The government is testing out facial recognition and other “age assurance” tools, but none are foolproof — and many raise civil liberties concerns.

Social media companies haven’t fully responded yet, but this could turn into a major compliance headache globally.

My take: The goal makes sense — social media can be brutal for teens. But enforcement here seems borderline impossible. If the solution becomes invasive, we might be trading one problem for another.

🧠 Microsoft Turns 50, Shows Off AI Superpowers

To celebrate its 50th birthday, Microsoft pulled out the big guns at its Copilot event this week. The star of the show? A beefed-up version of Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant that now does more than just write your emails.

New features include:

• Visual understanding (Copilot can now “see” your screen and take actions accordingly)
• Clickable actions — Copilot can actually interact with your apps in real time
• More context awareness, making it feel more like a true assistant and less like a glorified chatbot

This is Microsoft leaning hard into “agentic AI” — software that not only helps you, but acts on your behalf.

My take: This is the kind of AI we’ve been promised for years, and it’s cool to see Microsoft making it real. That said, we’re still in early days — and giving software control over your files and actions raises all kinds of trust and security questions. Just don’t let it write your wedding vows yet.

🟢 Final Thoughts

That’s it for this week — and our big return! From AI assistants that click your screen to planes with origami wings, the future is wild. But it’s also messy. As always, we’ll be here to make sense of it — and call BS when we need to.

Thanks for reading the relaunch of TechIn5. Subscribe, share, and come back next week for more tech that matters (and a little that doesn’t, but is too fun to ignore).