Latest news with #controllers
The Verge
4 days ago
- The Verge
Dbrand admits it had a ‘spectacularly terrible response' to Killswitch Joy-Con grip detachment complaints
Dbrand will send replacement Killswitch Joy-Con Grips for the Switch 2 to buyers after admitting it had a 'spectacularly terrible response' to complaints that the controllers could detach from the console if held a certain way while the grips were on. The company is currently working on tweaks to the grips as well. A few days ago, some owners of the case noticed that the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers could pop off if you had the case and grips on and held the console primarily by a Joy-Con. This short video helps illustrate the issue. On Sunday, Dbrand posted a more than 4,000-word response on Reddit titled 'Killswitch Joy-Con Detachment Update' where it said that 'nobody routinely holds their Switch 2 like this.' Dbrand argued that the detachment only happened when all three of the following conditions were met: You are specifically holding onto the console from only the Joy-Cons, in such a way that your fingers are making no supportive contact with the main console, and you are holding the Switch 2 with only one hand, and your Switch 2 is held more parallel to the ground than not. Part of the issue is that the Killswitch case's Joy-Con grips wrap around the inner part of the Joy-Con, creating a small lip. 'By adding those lips, particularly the ones on the interior face of the Joy-Cons, we filled the 'air gap' between the Joy-Cons and the Main Case,' Dbrand said. This means that it's easier for the Joy-Con to create leverage against the main tablet part of the console so that detachment can occur 'when held under a very specific set of conditions.' In some 'particularly severe instances of detachment' highlighted on Reddit by Dbrand, the company also believed the Joy-Con grips had 'an inner attachment lip that's a hair thicker than desired.' Dbrand said that it had adjusted its tolerance guidelines for mass production to 'filter out any Joy-Cons that cross that 'lip is 0.12mm too thick' threshold.' For users who were worried that they were having issues, Dbrand asked them to reach out to support and 'describe the regular use scenario that is resulting in detachment' and the company would get them replacement grips in July. More than one commenter pointed out that Dbrand's post echoed Steve Jobs and Apple's famous response to iPhone 4 antenna issues caused by a way people could hold their phones. And yesterday, Dbrand published a new post where it said it would 'try out a new communication strategy where we both say fewer words and devote less of them to blaming you' and offered to send everyone, 'whether or not you're experiencing this issue,' a replacement set of Joy-Con Grips. 'As easy as it is to boil our original post down to 'you're holding it wrong,' what we're sober to now is the point that you should be allowed to hold it however the fuck you want, without detachment occurring,' Dbrand said. 'We get it. Please continue dunking on us for the next six to eight months for reincarnating Steve Jobs.' Dbrand is working on two new versions of the grips: one with 'an even thinner retaining lip compared to the 'good' stock we've already shipped' and one with a new retaining lip design that the company says 'fully resolves the detachment issue.' However, that second option won't be ready for a 'mass production trial' until July 10th, and 'at that point,' Dbrand will be able to tell if it will be using the first or second options for replacements. Dbrand says to expect its next update on July 10th.
Reuters
18-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
FAA air traffic overtime costs soar as hiring lags, report says
WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration's overtime costs for air traffic controllers have jumped by more than 300% since 2013 as the agency faces hiring constraints and a misallocated workforce, a report from the National Academies of Sciences released Wednesday said. The FAA air traffic control workforce in 2024 logged 2.2 million hours of overtime costing $200 million, according to the report, which added that "widespread overtime use may be partly due to inefficient scheduling of the controllers available at facilities." Annual overtime is up 308% per air traffic controller, or 126 hours per year since 2013, to 167 hours on average. The report also said the time controllers spend on position managing air traffic has declined despite a 4% increase in traffic. A 2024 report from an independent FAA panel assessing the risks of controller fatigue called for mandatory rest periods after raising "serious concerns." From 2013 to 2023, the FAA hired only two-thirds of the air traffic controllers called for by its staffing models as staffing fell by 13%, the report said, adding the agency has also been unable to implement a robust shift scheduling software package it acquired in 2012 that may be making the issue worse, the report said. Controllers in many locations must often work six-day workweeks and mandatory overtime. The FAA said it will analyze the study and its recommendations and noted it is on track to hire at least 2,000 controllers this year. The Trump administration wants at least $20 billion to modernize air traffic control, including new airport equipment to prevent near-miss incidents and new incentives to boost air traffic controller hiring and retention, which is 3,500 short of targeted staffing. By 2024, nearly a third of air traffic control facilities had fallen 10% below staffing targets and about 22% had fallen 15% below, citing hiring constraints in part from two government shutdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Academies report said the FAA should "critically evaluate its models and improve them where possible, and return to its practice of adjusting individual staffing targets as needed to reflect facility-specific factors."
Gizmodo
16-06-2025
- Gizmodo
If You Have a PS5, the PlayStation DualSense Controller Costs Peanuts on Amazon
This is the lowest price ever seen for a PS5 DualSense controller. If you own a PS5, having multiple controllers is almost a necessity as there's nothing better than sharing your favorite PlayStation games with friends or family in the same room. While it's always wise to have a spare controller ready for multi-player sessions or simply as a backup for you, genuine discounts on the PlayStation DualSense wireless controller are rare. Even during Black Friday, major promotions were hard to find which makes this moment the perfect opportunity to add another controller to your setup. Right now, the PlayStation DualSense controller is available on Amazon for just $54 which is a substantial 27% off its usual $74 price. This limited-time deal marks an all-time low, so it's an ideal time to buy. See at Amazon Why We Love It The biggest feature of the DualSense controler is haptic feedback which puts the feel of in-game action and environments right in your hands. Whether you're racing down rough roads, wielding guns or feeling the crash of a collision, the controller's next-gen vibration motors plunge you further into the game. Aside from the haptic feedback, adaptive triggers provide varying levels of force and tension so that you can feel the distinction between drawing back a bowstring or slamming on the brakes in a racing title. They work together to create a feeling of realism and immersion that was not achievable on previous PlayStation controllers. The built-in microphone allows you to chat online without a headset and the 3.5mm audio jack allows you to plug in your favorite headphones for individual use. The create button is convenient to use to capture and stream your most excellent gaming moments in case you're playing with buddies or capturing highlights to playback later. The controller's iconic appearance has been fine-tuned for comfort with enhanced sticks and an intuitive layout that feels great in your hand even after long gaming sessions. DualSense isn't only for PlayStation 5 gamers: With its USB Type-C and Bluetooth connectivity, you can easily play it on Windows desktops and Macs too which gives you even more gaming possibilities outside of the console. Most high-end PC games currently support advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which lets you experience the same immersive experience playing from your computer. With over 33,000 reviews and a lovely 4.6 out of 5-star rating, the PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller is a proven winner among gamers. Don't hesitate too much: These sales don't come around often, and the stock may not be here. See at Amazon
New York Times
16-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
Equipment Problems Vexed Newark Airport Controllers for Years
Earlier this year, air traffic controllers working a graveyard shift for Newark Liberty International Airport noticed a strange phenomenon. Phantom aircraft were populating one of their radar screens. 'False targets' kept showing up in one airspace map 'throughout the night,' one employee recounted in an incident report. Controllers for Newark have also experienced a spate of unnerving equipment outages this year. In one instance, the radio feed connecting pilots with the controllers was marred with static. When controllers tried to use a backup line, they found that it wasn't working at all. On another occasion, automatic alerts attached to a weather-detection system that flagged gusty and sometimes dangerous conditions known as 'wind shear' were not working. These incidents, which have not been previously reported and were discovered in a review of government documents by The New York Times, occurred over the months before and weeks after a massive outage took down both radar scopes and radio contact with pilots simultaneously on April 28 — scaring controllers, causing delays, canceling flights and frustrating the flying public. The records reviewed by The Times reveal previously unknown glitches this year that point to a more profound problem with air-traffic control technology in the Philadelphia tower that handles much of the traffic for Newark than even the outage in April and others in May have suggested. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Gizmodo
10-06-2025
- Gizmodo
If You Own a PS5, the PlayStation DualSense Controller Costs Peanuts on Amazon
If you own a PS5, having multiple controllers is almost a necessity as there's nothing better than sharing your favorite PlayStation games with friends or family in the same room. While it's always wise to have a spare controller ready for multiplayer sessions or simply as a backup for you, genuine discounts on the PlayStation DualSense wireless controller are rare. Even during Black Friday, major promotions were hard to find which makes this moment the perfect opportunity to add another controller to your setup. Right now, the PlayStation DualSense controller is available on Amazon for just $54 which is a substantial 27% off its usual $74 price. This limited-time deal marks an all-time low, so it's an ideal time to buy, especially if you missed out on previous sales. See at Amazon Why We Love It The biggest feature of the DualSense controler is haptic feedback which puts the feel of in-game action and environments right in your hands. Whether you're racing down rough roads, wielding guns or feeling the crash of a collision, the controller's next-gen vibration motors plunge you further into the game. Aside from the haptic feedback, adaptive triggers provide varying levels of force and tension so that you can feel the distinction between drawing back a bowstring or slamming on the brakes in a racing title. They work together to create a feeling of realism and immersion that was not achievable on previous PlayStation controllers. The built-in microphone allows you to chat online without a headset and the 3.5mm audio jack allows you to plug in your favorite headphones for individual use. The create button is convenient to use to capture and stream your most excellent gaming moments in case you're playing with buddies or capturing highlights to playback later. The controller's iconic appearance has been fine-tuned for comfort with enhanced sticks and an intuitive layout that feels great in your hand even after long gaming sessions. DualSense isn't only for PlayStation 5 gamers: With its USB Type-C and Bluetooth connectivity, you can easily play it on Windows desktops and Macs too which gives you even more gaming possibilities outside of the console. Most high-end PC games currently support advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which lets you experience the same immersive experience playing from your computer. With over 33,000 reviews and a lovely 4.6 out of 5-star rating, the PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller is a proven winner among gamers. Don't hesitate too much: These sales don't come around often, and the stock may not be here. See at Amazon
