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Amazon discounts the Xbox One controller to its lowest price in months
It's a rare sale on a popular piece of gaming hardware.
Daily Roundup: The Pixar of VR, Apple Watch ship date and more!
In today's Daily Roundup, we look at Oculus Story Studio, the new film-innovation lab creating cinematic content to take advantage of VR devices. Meanwhile, Apple continues to crush it and announces when the Apple Watch will ship, and we learn more about how a drone landed on the White House grounds at 3 AM. Head past the break to get your fill of today's technology news.
Xbox One gamepads are getting updated, again
If you've been experiencing random disconnection with your Xbox One's controller, there may be relief in sight, according to a Major Nelson blog post. The latest preview features another (number three, if we're counting it right) controller update that's supposed to fix "(stability) issues submitted by customers and preview participants." We're not sure if that means it specifically addresses the disconnection problem, but we've asked Microsoft for more info. Meanwhile, the controller will also connect to the Xbox in around two seconds now instead of five, a boon only to the truly impatient. Preview members can get the fix by downloading the console update, then connecting their controller to the console with a USB cable and following the instructions here.
Microsoft's new accessories include a wired Xbox One controller for PCs
If yesterday was Microsoft's day for announcing big news (read: a $2.5 billion acquisition), today is the day it moves on to less pressing topics. The company's hardware team just unveiled a few new accessories, including a wired Xbox One controller for PC gaming, and a portable Bluetooth keyboard that can pair with three different devices at once. Starting with the controller, this is basically the same one that already ships with the Xbox. In fact, because it comes with a battery pack in the box, you could use it wirelessly with the Xbone, in case you need a second controller. Heck, even the price is the same, at $60. The only difference? It includes a USB cable, allowing you to play on a Windows PC. Unfortunately, for now, at least, the controller can't be used wirelessly with a PC. Then again, the last-gen Xbox 360 controller started as wired-only, but later got a dongle, allowing you to use it wirelessly with Windows machines. So maybe Microsoft will follow a similar timetable here as well.
How to make your Xbox One controller work with a PC, unofficially
Microsoft hasn't yet released the official drivers to make Xbox One controllers compatible with a PC, but with a bit of finagling, those so inclined can make the two pieces of hardware play nice, and use an Xbox One controller on PC. Modder Lucas Assis has a step-by-step tutorial for view on YouTube, where he explains how the magic happens: basically, what he's doing is making his computer think that the One controller is an Xbox 360 controller. Microsoft's controller wasn't drastically altered between console generations, so the buttons, triggers and bumpers all line up just fine. That being said, this is still an unofficial modification, and those don't always work out. The video's comments are filled with people running into complications. If you choose to follow in Assis's footsteps, know that you risk damaging your hardware. If you'd rather not chance it and want to wait, Microsoft's official drivers are expected later this year. [Image: Microsoft]
Xbox One controllers, headsets available for pre-order
The Xbox One controller is available for pre-order on the Microsoft Store for $59.99. The store is also offering the controller with a Play and Charge kit for $74.99, with the kit priced at $24.99 on its own. Lastly, Microsoft's Store lists its "must-have" wired headset for $24.99. Amazon also has the Xbox One controller available for pre-order, listed for a Wednesday, November 27 release, just one day before Thanksgiving. The Microsoft Store still has the "Day One" edition of the Xbox One console listed as being available in November. Whether Amazon's date holds up remains to be seen, but the controller is also available for pre-order at GameStop and Best Buy. Sony's DualShock 4 controller for the PlayStation 4 is also available for pre-order, and is also around $60. [Thanks, Eoin!]
