Technology News

Pulse Elite Headphones | All this for $199? ?

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The Pulse Elite headphones are great. For $199, this headset intended for the PS5 offers immersive sound with no latency and comes with charger support. And you can listen to two devices connected via PS Link and Bluetooth at the same time, although the configuration is tedious. It smells like it's out of stock.

Posted at 10:16 am.

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Like most PlayStation sound peripherals, the Pulse Elite, which officially launches on February 21, connects to a PS Link USB adapter. You plug this USB-A stick into your console or computer, carry out an initial pairing and the Pulse Elite headset can be connected quickly and easily.

This PS-Link protocol allows for minimal audio latency with no loss of quality, giving you that small fraction of a second head start that is so valued in a video game.

If this headset is presented as a PS5 peripheral, it is because it can be configured through this console. By triple-pressing the Pulse Elite's main control button, you'll get a PS5-displayed dashboard where you can adjust the equalizer, volume, left-right balance, and music-video balance.

The headphone volume can also be controlled via a mechanical button at the very bottom on the right side. On the left side there is an extendable microphone, which also has a mechanical switch.

Without emphasized bass like high-end headphones, the Pulse Elite offers good sound quality, very detailed. It also has the ability to play sound in 3D. The immersion here is remarkable and the effect is breathtaking, to the point that you will have the impression that sounds from your game's environment are coming from the room you are in.

But that's not all: the best is still ahead of us. The Pulse Elite also has a Bluetooth chip that allows it to simultaneously connect to and stream audio from a second device, such as your phone or computer. We say at the same time: it is not a question of two parallel connections like Bluetooth 5.0, where two devices follow each other and the one that emits sound gains the upper hand.

For example, the Pulse Elite's dual connection allows you to play your PS Link-connected video game on the PS5 while listening to music streamed from your phone. You can answer the phone at the same time during your gaming session. You will then hear the sound of your game and the person you are talking to. This one, we've checked, fortunately doesn't hear your game.

And when the extendable microphone reaches your mouth, the person you're talking to hears you as if you were in a studio. Terrific. This is the first time we have tested such a dual connection. If it is present on other devices, we could not find them.

There is also a 3.5mm jack for cable connection. The Pulse Elite has a good battery life of 30 hours. Of course, we initially have a USB-C socket available for charging and the battery can be charged quickly.

But we have another, more interesting option: the headset hangs on an included holder that also functions as a charger. The battery is therefore always at 100% when you remove the headset.

With these features, we thought we were wrong when we saw the $200 Canadian price tag for the Pulse Elite. It's the right price.

We like less

We only have one reservation: the unlikely diagram of the controls associated with the Pulse Elite's main button. This is why we had a lot of trouble pairing the headset with a PS5 and then with our phone: if you press too long, the Pulse Elite will reset, forget a device, or turn off.

To illustrate, here's part of what this little button does. Always keep the list handy when purchasing a Pulse Elite.

Short press before release : Turn on the headset
Briefly press three times : Displays the dashboard on PS5
Press for 2 seconds : Disables the current connection and connects to an already paired device
Press for 4 seconds : Turns off the headset
Press for 8 seconds : Pair with a new PS Link or Bluetooth device
Press for 8 seconds, release, press again for 8 seconds : deletes all connections
Press for 10 seconds : Resets the headset

You buy ?

It's hard to find a more recommended headset for a PS5 owner. The development has been enormous since the launch of the Pulse 3D headset, which appeared with this new generation console. In fact, the dual connection capabilities, minimal latency, and microphone quality make the Pulse Elite a worthwhile purchase for anyone who needs to manage two devices at the same time. But then we lose the dashboard reserved for the PS5.

Pulse Elite Headphones | All this for $199? ? Read More »

Google Engineers Discover Method to Convert PlayStation Portal into PSP

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The PlayStation Portal, that tablet sandwiched between two halves of a DualSense controller, has one function, and one function only: streaming games from the PS5 at home. But the Google tinkerers have managed to make the product much more interesting!

Strangely, Sony has decided to reduce the portal to a relatively small clientele, namely gamers who do not want to monopolize the TV in the living room to play the PS5. A niche that certainly has commercial potential, but it's a shame to limit the device to single use. Luckily, we can count on innovators to expand the capabilities of an Android tablet.

The PlayStation Portal, a PSP like any other

Andy Nguyen and Calle Svensson, two Google engineers, used their free time to do this Install PPSSPP, the very efficient PSP game emulator that works natively on the portal. The details are very poor, especially on the technical level. However, Andy Nguyen assures that the hack is entirely software and does not require any manipulation of the hardware (no addition of a special chip).

After more than a month of hard work, PPSSPP is running natively on PlayStation Portal. Yes, we hacked it. With the help of xyz and @ZetaTwo pic.twitter.com/AXuRROo6Ip
— Andy Nguyen (@theflow0) February 19, 2024

The engineer, known in the PlayStation hacker community as TheFlow, has uncovered several security flaws for the PS4 and PS5. Suffice it to say that he knows perfectly the software secrets of Sony consoles. Unfortunately, there are no plans to release a tool to unblock the portal, at least not for a while. “There is still a lot to do,” says Nguyen.

And if PPSSPP can be installed on the device, why not other apps and games? Sony could also allow games to be streamed from the PS Plus Premium, as the manufacturer suggested at the start of Portal (and which would justify the price of 219 euros a little better).

Read the PlayStation Portal review: Way too expensive for a simple accessory

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More autonomy at work. Good or bad thing?

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

When you are more autonomous in your work, you can better express your own talents. But… (Photo: Brooke Cagle for Unsplash)

DAMN JOB! is a section in which Olivier Schmouker answers your most exciting questions [et les plus pertinentes] about the modern business world… and of course its shortcomings. An appointment to read Tuesdays and that Thursdays. Would you like to participate? Send us your question to [email protected]

Q. – “Six months ago I made the decision to give members of my team more autonomy. You no longer have to ask me for advice on everything and everyone, but can make decisions for yourself. Their main task: to deliver the goods on time, no matter how they do it. The problem is that I'm noticing an increase in procrastination: a lot of people twiddle their thumbs for a while and then give 110% as the deadline approaches. It doesn't give good results. And it exhausts a lot of people to work like that. Should we go back and continue as before? –Alexander

A. – Dear Aleksandre, it is fashionable to lay off employees because it has many advantages. For example, the increased decision-making power alone is motivating, which has a positive effect on everyone's engagement at work. Being more responsible at work means that you have the opportunity to use your talents better and thus develop better in your everyday work. It can also be the source of greater well-being in the workplace; And as we know, a satisfied employee is often a successful employee.

But one thing is clear: More freedom at work entails certain risks. Often unknown risks. Risks clearly highlighted in a recent study signed by two law professors, Michael Frakes of Duke University in Durham (USA) and Melissa Wasserman of the University of Texas in Austin (USA). Let's look at this together.

The two researchers had access to a valuable database of tasks performed by employees of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an agency within the Department of Commerce that plays a critical role in protecting and promoting innovation in the United States . They were interested in a specific period, namely the turning point in management in 2011: At that time, everyone was asked to change the way they work.

Until then, each employee had to thoroughly analyze a certain quota of submitted patent applications within two weeks. Perfect, it seems: everyone works the way they want, as long as they meet their bi-weekly goals. The autonomy they enjoy allows them to combine well-being and performance in the office.

The problem? The data shows that this actually encourages procrastination.

– Most employees had the unfortunate tendency to postpone until tomorrow work that they could do the same day. As a result, they worked like crazy as the deadline approached, like cooks who don't know where to turn when they're in the middle of a fire.

– The overall performance was not optimal.

You should know that the analysis of a patent application takes place in two steps: First, it is checked whether the application meets all the eligibility criteria. Then it is a matter of confirming the fact that it is indeed an innovation (often the applications are just a minor improvement on an existing invention, which cannot constitute a real innovation).

However, since the first phase of the analysis had to be completed at high speed in order to meet the set deadline, errors were often made by employees who hesitated. Result? The error was eventually discovered in the second phase, which was a significant waste of time: many requests would have been rejected in the first phase and therefore should never have been considered in the second phase.

– The accumulation of errors led to such delays that many inventors who filed patent applications eventually lost patience and withdrew their applications. As a result, important inventions for the United States may not have seen the light of day due to a lack of patents. All this because of a work method that encourages procrastination.

What happened in 2011? A major change in leadership. The principle of biweekly quotas was retained, but a completely new restriction was added: the daily payment of bonuses based on the average time spent analyzing a patent application.

In other words, we took into account the time the employee spent on each file each day. And if that time was close to the average time that the task typically takes, the employee received a financial reward. The idea couldn't be simpler: encourage everyone to work consistently.

Results? Hold onto.

– Fast end of work in “Shot” mode. Shortly after implementing this measure, the number of patent applications analyzed in “shotgun mode” fell by half just before the deadline. And in the months that followed, he flirted with Null. Not less.

– Drastic reduction in errors. The mistakes in the first stage, which took up a lot of time in the second stage, also disappeared almost within a very short time. Which means a significant performance gain.

“The change is spectacular and complete at the same time,” emphasize the two researchers in their study.

Here you go, Aleksandr. It is not enough to give everyone more autonomy, it is necessary to accompany and support the change in the way we work so that it leads to good results. As far as the US Patent and Trademark Office is concerned, this involved a combination of bi-weekly quotas and bonuses for regularity of daily work. It's up to you to figure out what might work in your situation. Maybe the same, maybe a slight difference. Please let me know if you find it.

By the way, the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne said in his Essays: “Whatever can be done another day can be done today.”

More autonomy at work. Good or bad thing? Read More »

Objective Moon: How to follow the landing attempt of the American space probe Odysseus live

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

More than 50 years after the end of the Apollo program, this Thursday an American company will attempt to land a space probe on the moon. So far, the success rate, regardless of whether it is a space agency or a private actor, is less than 50%. A further failure on February 22nd cannot therefore be ruled out.

Follow full coverage

The moon in front of Mars: The conquest of space is picking up speed again

He is a new candidate in the race for the moon. The American space probe Odysseus from the Texas startup Intuitive Machines left Earth on February 16 and is scheduled to enter lunar orbit on Wednesday. The spacecraft will then orbit the star twelve times at an altitude of around 100 kilometers before attempting to land on the surface on February 22nd.

“The IM-1 lunar landing mission overcame numerous challenges and demonstrated exceptional resilience, innovation and teamwork. Intuitive Machines plans to land on the Moon on Thursday, February 22 at 4:49 p.m. CST”, which corresponds to 11:49 a.m. This was announced by the IM-1 mission team this Tuesday morning in a message published on the social network

also read
Lunar exhibition: A work by artist Jeff Koons took off towards the moon

Destination, a 69-kilometer-wide lunar crater, is located in the Malaper Massif region, about 300 kilometers from the Moon's south pole. It is one of the thirteen sites selected by NASA for the Artemis 3 manned mission scheduled for 2026. The lunar landing attempt will be broadcast live on the NASA web channel and also on NASA's YouTube channel.

The Malapert massif is located about 300 kilometers from the moon's south pole. -NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University

A success rate of less than 50%

If the mission is successful, the Texas startup would make history by becoming the first private actor to achieve the feat of softly landing a robotic vehicle on the Moon, following the unsuccessful attempts by Israeli startups SpaceIL (2019) and Japan's Ispace (2023) . After the bitter failure of the American company Astrobotic last month, this new attempt is being closely scrutinized by NASA officials.

also read
More than 50 years after Apollo, landing on the moon remains a dangerous undertaking despite all the progress

The space agency has decided to outsource the sending of payloads – particularly scientific instruments – to the moon to private partners, a program called CLPS (for Commercial Lunar Payload Services). NASA has signed contracts with fourteen suppliers, including Intuitive Machines. But even more than fifty years after the end of the Apollo lunar research program, landing on the moon remains a major challenge.

As a reminder, the success rate of robotic landing missions, whether by a space agency or a private actor, is less than 50%. A further outage on February 22nd cannot therefore be ruled out.

Matthieu DELACHARLERY

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Do not download these 5 apps from Play Store, they contain malware

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

A campaign is running in the Play Store that aims to infect smartphones via malware. 5 apps are affected. Do not download or uninstall it if you have already done so.

Photo credit: 123RF

Theoretically this is not possible Publish an app infected with malware on the Google Play Store. The Android Store is tightly controlled through automated processes and dedicated platform security teams. In fact, it happens that way Malware slips through the cracks and can be found on many people's smartphones. And that's not because changes were made to the Play Store to make the task more difficult for pirates.

Threat Fabric researchers have accurately identified the return of a TrojansOr Trojan horse on Android. It's called Anatsa and has already been used in several campaigns in summer 2023. The functionality is the same here: the malware is intended to escape Google's protective measures and steals your personal information. The program manages to make itself known List the applications it infects among the best new free applications.

Overall, Threat Fabric appreciates thisBetween 150,000 and 200,000 people in Europe are victims of Anatsa. The United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic are particularly affected.

These 5 applications available on Google Play Store contain malware, be careful

Here are the 5 applications that you may not want to download or uninstall right away:

Phone Cleaner – File Explorer
PDF Viewer – File Explorer
PDF Reader – Viewer and Editor
Phone Cleaner: File Explorer
PDF reader: file manager

Also read – Play Store: These new rules are intended to increase the quality of the applications

At the time of publishing this article, you should no longer be able to find four of these applications deleted by Google. PDF reader: The file manager is always available and you definitely shouldn't install it. It will also be removed quickly, but in the meantime, don't hesitate to warn those around you if you think someone you know may have downloaded one or more of these apps.

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essential to optimize your event

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The event badge: an essential element. In fact, with this tool you can easily identify your participants. You can also provide practical information. Beyond this functional aspect, the badge can become a real added value for your event. Let's take a look at this topic!

The badge, a means of communication

The badge is a excellent support for communication to the participants during your event. You can add the program, practical information, sitemap, etc. Opt for a removable back that you can update throughout the event.

With the badge you can do this too Highlight partner. Reserve a space for your logo or message. Good visibility of your brand, which will help you finance your event.

Event badges: a practical tool

The badge remains above all a practical toolThis enables the control of participant flows and safe access to different areas. In addition, the interface must clearly indicate:

the name,
First name,
Function,
the company logo.

But as technology develops, the ID card tends to become “smart” by, for example, integrating an RFID chip for access control.

Event badge: a design that serves the image of the event

Although it contains standard information, The badge must reflect the graphic identity of your event. You can choose among others:

form,
Colors,
the typography,
…

This allows you to create a design that fits the positioning of your event. The badge helps to convey a consistent, high-quality image of your brand.

Business card format, practical and compact

Over and beyond, The business card format has become indispensable for trade fair and conference passes. In fact, it is convenient to hang and saves space and contains important information about the participant. You can opt for a blank back or, for example, attach the floor plan of the room.

A personalized event badge holder

The badge holder (tip, ribbon, clip, etc.) also deserves your attention. Furthermore, it is you possible to personalize it with the colors of your event. You can also integrate the logo. Remember to add a touch of originality to your ID card with an unusual ID card holder.

A badge that will energize and enliven your event

The badge can go beyond its functional dimension become a real animation tool, which strengthens the participants' experience. Here are some trends that will give your event a boost.

The RFID ID card

Furthermore, the RFID technology allows data to be stored and retrieved remotely via chips and readers. With this in mind, you can control access by integrating them into badges. Additionally, you can manage payments, registrations, etc. This is an effective way to streamline and ease the management of your event.

The badge for social events

On the other hand, Include a QR code on event badges is an idea worth exploring. In particular, this tool allows your participants to easily find each other on social networks. In particular, they just need to scan the code to access the profile. This provides the opportunity to network before or after the event.

The fun and original badge

For an event with a humorous tone or for a young audience, Dare to have a fun badge design : unusual shape, humorous illustration, crazy badge holder… They will reinforce the festive dimension and memorization.

The souvenir event badge

Offer a souvenir dimension to your badge: badges made of wood, fabric or other original material… Participants will like to keep this collector's plaque as a souvenir of your event.

Customize speaker badges

The badges of organizers, speakers, journalists, VIPs, etc. deserve personalization Make them easily identifiable. Choose specific badge colors or shapes depending on your profile.

You can also integrate Pictograms : Microphone for speakers, pen for journalists… These small touches show your professionalism.

The collector badge brings the event to life on the networks

Why not Create a collector's badge to collect for your participants? Number the badges, create limited series… Participants play the game and share their findings on social networks, creating a buzz around your event. A great way to bring it to life online!

Personalize badges with participant names

Print participants' first name or even full name on their ID card brings a noticeable touch of personalization. This also makes the exchange more fluid, as everyone can easily name each other.

An advice : Make sure there is a sufficiently large text area To accommodate the names, choose a readable font. Your participants will thank you!

essential to optimize your event Read More »

This smartphone brand is definitely throwing in the towel

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

The Meizu brand has historically been known in the smartphone market for its very original and exceptional products. It couldn't compete with Xiaomi and Huawei. Now it is announcing the end of its smartphone activities.

Do you know Meizu? This Chinese smartphone brand has some credentials in France, but has never been able to reach the popularity of Xiaomi, Huawei or even OnePlus.

That's not because they've been short of brilliant coups over the years. We remember the Meizu Zero, the smartphone without holes and buttons, or the Meizu Pro 7, the smartphone with a screen on the back. Still different? Forget Android and look at the Meizu Pro 5, which comes with… Ubuntu Mobile, the system based on GNU/Linux. Finally, Meizu is one of the few manufacturers that equips some of its smartphones with Samsung Exynos chips instead of Qualcomm Snapdragon.

Now Meizu's story in the smartphone market is coming to an end. The brand announces the discontinuation of this activity to better focus on AI.

Preparing for the smartphone

On its official website in Chinese, Meizu announces this major change in strategy. The brand wants to go “all in” when it comes to AI and will therefore end its traditional smartphone projects. As 9To5Google noted, Meizu's interface, FlymeOS, should evolve to adapt to new types of devices and offer more features related to AI.

What does the future of Meizu look like? That's still pretty vague. Especially because several brands have announced products for AI, such as the Humane AI Pin or the Rabbit R1, which the head of Meizu mentioned in his announcement, it remains to be proven that the public wants devices for this technology.

The Meizu 20 is therefore likely to be the brand's latest smartphone. Meanwhile, the telephone market is still losing some of its originality.

This smartphone brand is definitely throwing in the towel Read More »

Forget the rice, here's what Apple says you should do

Technology News / By Ashley Cornell, email: [email protected]

Does drying a phone in rice work? According to Apple, this should be avoided.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro // Source: Frandroid

If your smartphone has fallen into water, you're probably wondering how to react. The truth is that there is no panacea. Most high-end smartphones have some level of water resistance thanks to their IPXX certification. However, this protection does not mean that it is advisable to voluntarily go into hiding. Let's assume it's more of a safety feature, just in case. In reality, this resistance is a bit like insurance: it's good to have it, but it's better not to have to use it.

Apple's advice

An often-mentioned tip for storing a wet electronic device is to place it in a bag of rice. The idea here is to avoid charging or turning on immediately after the incident. We've all heard or read about the rice bag trick. Except, no. Even Apple advises against it. In an update to their support page, they explain what to do if the humidity warning appears on your smartphone. And spoiler: rice is not on the list.

Source: Apple

As Apple explains, heating the smartphone with a hairdryer or dipping it in a bag of rice is risky. Heat can destroy your phone from the inside and rice can leave small particles of dirt that have no place there. BBC Science Focus even conducted a study on this: Rice helps a little with drying, but it can also do more harm than good.

So what to do? Apple recommends gently tapping your iPhone to squeeze out as much water as possible, then letting it air dry for half an hour. It's less radical than the bag of rice. And especially, Don't even think about charging it while it's still wet. Corrosion is your charging port's worst enemy. If you really need it, try wireless charging, but only if you have no other choice.

In any case, it's always good advice to follow.

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