Can the Nintendo Switch return the company to greatness?

Nintendo finally gave the world a glimpse of what its next gaming system, the Nintendo Switch (formerly known as NX), looks like on Thursday. And it's very weird; it's like nothing we've ever seen,  which is the main topic of this week's episode of MashTalk.

In addition to the Nintendo Switch, we talked about what we're expecting from the Apple event next Thursday and Tesla's new fully autonomous self-driving technology.

SEE ALSO: Meet Nintendo Switch, the system formerly known as 'NX'

Joining yours truly on MashTalk is our Deputy Tech Editor Damon Beres and special guest, Assistant Tech Editor Louise Matsakis, filling in for our fearless Tech Editor, Pete Pachal.

So Nintendo! Following the huge success of the Wii, Nintendo released the Wii U in 2012 hoping to build on its popularity. The Wii U touted a new gamepad with a touchscreen and a stylus. 

Problem is, the Wii U isn't as powerful as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, it doesn't have much third-party support with the best games from Nintendo, and many developers don't know what to do with the touchscreen.

The Nintendo Switch is a break from form and is both a home console and a handheld. It resembles a Wii U Gamepad, but its two controller halves break off. Slot it into a dock at home and it's a home console.

Nintendo hasn't provided full technical details on the Switch outside of a 3-minute-long video, showing some games that include the new Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, NBA 2K17, a new Super Mario and a new Mario Kart, since the system doesn't launch until March 2017.

So can the Switch return Nintendo back to greatness? It won't be an easy battle against the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox's "Project Scorpio," which are both approaching powerful PC-level performance.

Apple's holding an event in Cupertino on Oct. 27 to announce what's widely believed to be new Macs, including redesigned MacBook Pros. Damon thinks such hoopla for a new laptop is overrated. I disagree. Louise is just plain ecstatic for new MacBook Pros because they changed her life, she says.

Last up on this week's podcast is Tesla. Elon Musk, ever the overachiever, announced on Thursday all new Tesla cars will have level 5 autonomy, making them fully capable of self-driving across country through any weather conditions. 

Musk says he'll prove it with a Tesla that'll drive from Los Angeles to New York by the end of 2017. It's definitely a more realistic goal than trying to send 100 people to Mars by 2024.

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