Latest news with #Playstation2
WIRED
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Feeling Is Believing With Razer's Freyja Haptic Gaming Cushion
I remember the first time I played a first-person shooter. It was Star Wars: Battlefront 2 , the 2005 version, on the Playstation 2 in my friend's basement, when I was a kid. I felt like I was right there. The frigid winds of Hoth ripped across my face, and the chatter of comms was right up against my ear. I felt the heat of blaster bolts zipping through the air, and heard them crackling as they shot past my face. I brought the scope up to my eye, aimed, steadied my breath, and pulled the trigger. A stormtrooper fell to the ground, and I felt like I'd earned a small victory for the Rebellion. As a child, games felt immersive to me. They felt real, like I was in that world. A large part of that was my suspension of disbelief—I wanted the game to be real, and I was willing to accept it as real, so I overlooked the low-resolution textures, the polygons that I could count, and the compressed 32-bit audio. The scan lines of the CRT television in my friend's basement faded away, and the controller felt less like a tool and more like an extension of myself. It's an experience that slowly slipped away as I got older, one I've been chasing ever since. In chasing that feeling, I've tweaked my setup with fine-tuned keyboards, open-back headphones, ultrawide monitors, racing wheels, and even virtual reality headsets. They help, but they're still external to my senses. The Razer Freyja, on the other hand, is a $300 haptic gaming cushion that brings gaming a step closer to a full-body experience. Sounds and actions rumble through my body and make the game world feel just a bit more like I'm sitting inside of it, instead of being an external force looking in through a window. It doesn't suspend my disbelief like when I was a kid, but it makes it much easier for all the details of the external world to disappear. Gaming Seat Photograph: Henri Robbins The Freyja can strap onto nearly any gaming or office chair to create physical feedback while you game. The system can either directly connect to some games or it can vibrate based on the audio coming from your computer. It's exactly what you might think a gaming cushion looks like, and unlike some pricier alternatives, it means you don't have to replace your current chair. It is entirely dependent on the software it works with and how developers implement it. To connect the Freyja, you'll need both a nearby electrical socket and a free USB-A port on your system for Razer's 2.4-GHz wireless dongle. The cushion doesn't have any batteries, so your chair will lose some mobility whenever the Freyja is connected. If you need to roll around, disconnect the barrel jack connector on the side of the cushion. It's robust, with vibration zones that react quickly. It could get to the point where I was being shaken in my chair, without ever eliciting a slight rattling or a stray noise. The integration into Razer's Chroma software never had any issues and worked well. However, I ran into a few hiccups, especially with intermediary software like SimHub. The game I was playing would lose connection with SimHub, and I would have to restart my system or spend some time troubleshooting to get it working again. The Freyja didn't have connectivity issues itself, but some outlets in my house didn't want to keep it powered. I suspect that's a voltage issue more than anything else. As of publication, the Freyja has full native support for 12 games and one simulation racing app, SimHub, which opens it up to countless racing games. During my testing, I focused mainly on racing games: Assetto Corsa , Forza Horizon 4 , Forza Horizon 5 , and DiRT Rally 2.0 , all of which used SimHub's built-in telemetry to create haptic feedback for pretty much every aspect of a car.
Irish Independent
01-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Nothing founder Carl Pei slams tech as 'boring' as Headphone (1) and Phone (3) are launched
'Tech today feels more like a trap than a tool,' he says, showing media headlines about the ill effects of doomscrolling and soulless digital gadgets. The stage background changes to a picture of an iPod, Nintendo Gameboy and a Playstation 2. 'We remember what tech used to feel like,' he says, pointing to the iPod. 'Fun, optimistic and full of possibility. What if we could feel that way again?' His company's answer is a new flagship smartphone and a new pair of headphones which, he claims, are instantly recognisable 'from 10 metres away'. He's right about the headphones, although time will tell whether that's a good thing. The company's new flagship noise-cancelling 'Headphone (1)' (€299) abandons the sleek look of most premium-priced over-ear headphones, choosing an aesthetic that's a little busier, modular-looking and button-heavy. At first glance, the headphones appear as children's headphones, with large buttons on each side to allow for more basic controls. Closer inspection shows a more sophisticated construction, including soft earcups. Wearing them feels a little like other premium headphones from companies such as Sony or Bose, By the time I've gotten to them, though, the glassy sides are somewhat smudged by fingerprints. The sound quality from Headphone (1) seems clear, although there isn't enough time to really judge properly. The specifications of Headphone (1) are decent. It has 40mm dynamic drivers and spatial audio that supports head-tracking. It also has four HD-mics that (it is claimed) also use AI enhancement for clear phone calls. AI is also used to help its active noise cancellation, while it supports Bluetooth 5.3, as well as LDAC and Hi-Res Audio formats. ADVERTISEMENT IP52 dust and water resistance gives it some durability, while it claims to have 35 hours of listening time with noise cancellation on. As Pei, who founded the OnePlus phone brand before creating Nothing's line of phones, earbuds and headphones, hopes, the Headphone (1) will probably be distinctive from some distance way, just as Apple's AirPods Max and maybe some Beats headphones are today. But will people buy them for €299, the same price as many Bose, Sony or Sennheiser rivals? A similar question will apply to the Phone (3), described by Pei as Nothing's 'first true flagship' phone. What he means is that this is the first Nothing phone to very nearly throw the kitchen sink, in components and features terms, at a handset. So the Phone (3) — which costs €799 for 256GB and €899 for 512GB — has a 6.7-inch, 1.5k Amoled display that can reach 4,500 nits in brightness, which is way higher than its previous models and matches anything on the market today. It also has a massive 5,150mAh battery under the hood but is still slimmer than previous models, thanks to a new battery technology (silicon carbon) that looks set to extend most new smartphones' power reserves over the next few years. And it has a new, more powerful triple-camera setup, with bigger, brighter lenses and a 3x optical zoom lens that can digitally zoom to 60x. The only area where it has compromised is in its chip: the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite — it's positioned more as a 'flagship killer' chip. It's certainly good enough for anything that the vast majority of people will need from a phone, but it's a level below that absolute flagship standard. The Phone (3)'s reception, so far, has generally been positive. 'The general consensus was that it was going to be almost impossible for this company to succeed in this kind of David and Goliath moment against massive phone companies like Apple and Samsung, who have made a habit out of putting smaller upstarts like this out of business,' said Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insights, in conversation with the Irish Independent. 'So to see Carl Pei on stage today announcing shipments of millions of phones and a billion dollars of revenue is quite something. One of the challenges that Carl Pei faced was that the supply chain was nervous about committing new technology to him. I think that the inclusion of silicon carbon battery technology indicates that Nothing has reached a critical mass, that it is able to go into the supply chain and say that it wants access to the latest and greatest technology in a timely manner.' Both Headphone (1) and Phone (3) will go on sale later this month.
The Courier
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Why Newport dad Michal is learning to skate at 40
Michal Winiarski is no stranger to a set of wheels. But the Newport-on-Tay driving instructor, owner of Working Way driving school, is used to being the teacher – not the student. Michal emigrated from Poland in 2006 and lives in Newport-on-Tay with his 'Dundee born and bred' wife Diane, and their sons Jan, 11, and Hubert, 6. Now, thanks to skateboard-mad Jan, Michal has become a 'learner' once again. The pair have been taking skateboarding lessons together at Passion Park, an indoor skatepark in Dundee, since February. At age 40, it's Michal's first ever foray into the skate scene. Michal Winiarski and Jan Winiarski are a father-son skating duo from Newport. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'I am very, very, sore,' laughs Michal when I meet him and Jan at a Passion Park beginners session. 'But I'm trying!' Jan's life 'was taken over by skateboarding' Kitted out in matching black, stickered helmets and black baggy T-shirts, the pair certainly look the part. They stand at the foot of a steep wooden ramp; it seems I've saved Michal from 'dropping in' at the top for a moment. Meanwhile Jan, at his side, is torn by his excitement to share his love of skateboarding with me and his palpable desire to get back to it. This is why Michal is here. When skating took over Jan's world last year, the devoted dad decided to get on board, literally. 'Jan's life was taken over by skateboarding,' Michal smiles. 'Everything in the room, all the video games, the YouTube.' Michal Winiarski, 40, gets some encouragement from son Jan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. Jan pipes up to tell me all about his 'Tony Hawk Pro Skater' skateboarding game; a moment which catapults me back to a Playstation 2 childhood, and has me marvelling at the fact Tony Hawk remains the most famous professional skater on Earth, 25 years later. But impossible 'vert' tricks and death-defying moves don't come close to Jan's favourite thing about skating. Which is? 'Doing it with my dad.' How did Jan get dad to skate at 40? And while some of the other parents in the room were skaters in their youth, Michal is following his son's lead. Since taking on 1:1 lessons in February, Jan has quickly become a dedicated and fairly fearless skater. 'He was here 10 hours yesterday, for a skate camp during the day and then back after dinner until they closed at 10pm,' Michal grins. Passion Park, an indoor skate park in Dundee, is Michal and Jan's favourite spot. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'We are here every week, sometimes twice a week. 'It's fun, because Jan's learning stuff and then he's challenging me, and I'm following. Like this, he showed me this yesterday,' he continues as Jan takes off up a mini ramp. 'My first three tries? I went flat on the face. But when I manage to do it, it's a lot of fun.' Building confidence ahead of high school For Michal, seeing Jan throwing himself into something so physical – and persevering through skint knees and frustration – is comforting. After summer, Jan will make the transition from Newport Primary to S1 at Madras College, and Michal wants to encourage him to grow his confidence ahead of the move to secondary school. 'Jan, he was very premature,' explains Michal. 'He was born a few weeks early, 1lb 4oz. So he's 11 now but doesn't look it. 'So it's really good he's trying this new thing, and he really, really likes it. His co-ordination and everything has been so improved. Which is relaxing for me.' Jan says he tried other activities before, like football and Scouts, but never found his place in big team environments. Since taking up skating, he's found role models and a community he feels at home in. The Winiarskis get some pointers from park owner Lewis Allan. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson. 'He did not enjoy himself then at those things,' says Michal. 'But here, he is so happy. And the older skaters here, they give him advice. So yeah, he's alone, but he's never really alone.' It's also important to Michal that Jan spends time out in the world, not absorbed in a screen. 'This is what we do all the time, up and out,' he says. 'The amount of computers and everything for the young kids now, it's too much.' Jan doesn't mind that at all. 'I only like being online or using my screens when it's raining,' he says. 'I don't like gaming and stuff that much. I'd rather be skating.' Balancing passion with family life For now, coming to Passion Park is special one-on-one time for Jan and his dad. Younger brother Hubert is 'still at the age where he prefers sliding down the ramp on his bum', but Jan is teaching him how to skate at home in the garden so he can join in next summer. 'We go a lot of walks, and go cycling, play in the garden with the kids,' Michal explains. 'But it's quite a big age difference and we need to make sure they're both satisfied, so every spare moment, we bring Jan to skate.' Michal 'absolutely loves' the quality time with his eldest son, and makes it a priority to 'find the time around work'. Skater Jan is teaching his dad 'how to fall' Whether skating is a flash-in-the-pan obsession or a lifelong hobby for Jan, Michal doesn't mind. He's just happy his pre-teen son is bringing him along for the ride. 'I'm obviously not going to force him to do something I enjoy more than him,' he says. 'He's the youth, he's passionate. This is his time to flourish and develop skills. Skate-mad Jan with his dad Michal. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson 'If you can enjoy it with them, why not try it? I'm not going to become a professional, but at least we get to spend a little time together.' As for Michal's own skate skills, he's holding his own. At 40, the prospect of a bone-breaking fall is a bit more intimidating for him than young Jan, but he's still giving it his all – including learning how to fall without being scared. 'We tried that big ramp yesterday, I got Dad to try it with me,' Jan sidles up to tell me in a conspiratorial whisper. How did they get on? 'We fell,' he giggles. 'But,' adds Michal, 'we fell together.'
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'We do boss fights for a living' - Gamers, brothers, champions
For as long as brothers George and Harry Hardwick can remember, they have enjoyed boss this interview takes place, the camera is balanced on an old pile of Playstation 2 games at the brothers' home in the games are Killer 7, the Thing and Half-Life, but it is the fighting game Tekken which has fuelled the Hardwick's rivalry over the is a healthy rivalry which has spread from gaming to mixed martial arts, with the pair now flourishing in reaching the pinnacle of UK-based MMA promotion, Cage the oldest of the two siblings at 30, is the featherweight champion while George, 28, holds the lightweight title."There's always been something geared in our brains towards games and actually for a job now, we do boss fights," Harry tells BBC Sport."That's essentially what we do for a living - we have boss fights."George, meanwhile, credits video games with having a positive effect on the brothers' fighting will defend his title against Lucas Clay in Manchester on 14 March, with Harry putting his belt on the line against Javier Garcia a week later in London on 21 March."Don't underestimate video games - they are so good on the brain," adds George."Anyone who does mixed martial arts or any sport give this a try - don't go on social media when you're chilling, play some video games. "Play some Ninja Gaiden, Tekken, Dark Souls, whatever it is. And when you train, your mind is so much sharper. "There's a reason why [former UFC champions] Demetrius Johnson, Sean O'Malley and Max Holloway clock so many hours in video games."American Holloway has said he learned some striking combinations from playing the UFC video game early in his career, which he later implemented in his fights - something which the Hardwicks can relate to."There's times we'll say Demon's Wrath on pads - it's a move from the command list on Tekken. It's left high kick to jab, to right low kick to left body shot," says George. 'Around 9000 calories - my real talent is eating' The Hardwicks grew up on Teesside, where they were introduced to mixed martial arts as teenagers after initially training in Muay started the sport on exactly the same day and before long were hooked, with both deciding they wanted to pursue it as a brothers' enjoy a competitive but constructive relationship, but this only blossomed after they started training together."Training was what actually fixed us, we'd be in the house scrapping, constantly having fights," said George. "When we actually started going to the gym and doing it in a controlled environment and a productive way, this channelled it into something useful rather than just breaking the furniture."The pair's bond has played a big part in their success, with both admitting one has inspired the other to stay committed to the sport during difficult moments over the years."I remember when I was going to start university, I got an elbow dislocation and then a problem with my scalp and it put me off martial arts for a while, said George."If Harry wasn't doing it I probably wouldn't have got back into it."Inside the cage they have been compared to former UFC stars Nick and Nate Diaz, because of the pressure and body shots they inflict on their jokes they both similar in ways, joking about their "neanderthal eyebrows" and stubbornness, especially when they biggest difference between the pair, however, is their says that his "real talent would have been competitive eating", referencing a time he ate two "Teesside Parmos, two bags of chips and a salted caramel cheesecake" - a haul totalling "around 9000 calories"."That's the reason he's in the heavier weight class than me," Harry quips. Much of Cage Warriors' talent over the years have progressed to the UFC, and Harry and George have similar missed out on a UFC contract in 2023, losing to Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady in Dana White's Contender Series, but is eyeing another shot in the near future."I'm fighting soon then I want to fight in Newcastle and then towards the back end of the year my dream is to go back through the Contender Series and get redemption," says George."There are so many mistakes I made, and I just can't wait to right them."Harry echoes the sentiment."UFC is the ideal but I'm a very content individual with the life I live now," he says. "The UFC would be good because I'd be getting more money for the life I live, more exposure, the gym would be busier, but we've got really good students and training partners here."
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manufacturers, non-profit push students to opportunities in trade industries
Dan Yousett is trying to engineer a way to get more Niagara County high schoolers into the trades. As a manager at Voss Manufacturing in Sanborn, and advisor to committees for skilled trade and workforce organizations, Yousett has been spreading the word that many career opportunities in manufacturing don't require a college education and these jobs are often not presented to students. This includes presenting skilled trades as career options for girls. Yousett has teamed up with the non-profit Dream It Do It to spread the word about the need for workers in machining, tool and die making, mechanical assembly, electrical assembly, welding, and building trades. Their educational efforts include a Girls In Manufacturing half-day workshop on March 22 on the SUNY Niagara campus, that will teach participants the stages of the manufacturing process, and let them use welding tools to create a take-home project. Students can also meet women who are leaders in manufacturing. 'Women excel at welding because they have the artistic touch,' Yousett said. 'Welding is like using a paintbrush and the paint is metal.' Voss Manufacturing employs three women in welding who have made presentations to local students. 'One of them is quick to say, 'I'm a welder because someone said a girl couldn't do it,' ' Yousett said. Decades of schools focusing on college readiness, a stigma that manufacturing is 'dark and dirty,' combined with large numbers of skilled tradespeople retiring, has created a void in the manufacturing workforce, Yousett said. The shortage is nationwide. For every five workers leaving manufacturing, there's only one worker entering the industry. Students can not only avoid college loan debt, Yousett said, but they can quickly progress to earning $75,000 to 85,000 a year. 'The highest need right now is for CNC machining. It's subtractive manufacturing, where you start with a block of steel and cut away from it with a cutting tool. That trade is good for young people because they grew up with Playstation 2,' Yousett said. 'That's the same mechanism that drives these machines. Lots of students are naturals at programming these machines.' Learning CNC machining and other skilled trades can position the next round of high school graduates for a hiring boom, according to Yousett. 'There's going to be a dramatic uptick and demand for that with all the semi-conductor industry coming to New York state,' Yousett said Voss Manufacturing is already gearing up with a recent purchase of a property for expansion space. The solution is for more students to enroll in BOCES. 'If kids are thinking they don't want to spend their time in college, they should pursue BOCES and other trade school opportunities. Dream It Do It, a non-profit funded in part by the Niagara Economic Development Center, launched last month in Niagara County after years of success in Chautauqua, Alleghany, and Cattaraugus counties. The organization collaborates with BOCES programs and enrolls students in free skills camps, employer tours, and technology build-and-battle programs. 'There was a growing need in bridging the connection between schools and manufacturing,' said Allison Sharpe, Dream It Do It's director for Niagara County. The organization offers enrolled students access to a tool called Tallo, which is similar to LinkedIn, allowing them to upload resumes that are seen by hiring manufacturers. Dream It Do It is also planning an event for teachers and counselors in May. 'They get to talk to different manufacturers in the area to understand manufacturing and embed it in curriculum,' Sharpe said. For more information on Girls In Manufacturing, go to .
