The US Federal Aviation Administration said that it may require all passenger and cargo aircraft to have 5G-safe equipment by next year, according to an agency statement provided to CNET
This would potentially end the years-long struggle between US carriers activating 5G mobile service in the C-band range and an aviation industry concerned that flights could be endangered by overlapping frequencies. Early in 2022, carriers agreed to temporarily block 5G signals around airports until July 2023 to give airlines time to upgrade their fleet’s equipment. Now the FAA is proposing a directive that would require all aircraft carrying passengers or cargo to have their equipment upgraded by 2024, as Reuters first spotted.
Aircraft need to upgrade to 5G C-band-tolerant radio altimeters, which operate on frequencies near the C-band range to help planes make low-visibility landings in inclement weather, or install an acceptable radio frequency filter. The directive would require aircraft operators to update their flight manuals to prohibit low-visibility landings after June 30, 2023, if planes haven’t updated their equipment.
Over 90% of aircraft flying into and out of all major airports in the US have either had their old altimeters upgraded or verified as safe to fly amid 5G C-band signal, according to an FAA page tracking the issue.
The directive will be open for public comments for 30 days after it’s posted in the Federal Register.
I put my hands out flat and loaded them into a pair of gloves loaded with joints, cables, pumps and tightening straps. All of this was connected to a backpack-size box that helped pump pressure around my fingers and create sensations of touching things. I was about to play Jenga in VR using an $80,000 pair of haptic gloves made by HaptX.
The future of the metaverse, or how we’ll dip into virtual worlds, seems to involve VR and AR, sometimes. If it does, it’ll also mean solving what we do with our hands. While companies like Meta are already researching ways that neural input bands and haptic gloves could replace controllers, none of that is coming for years. In the meantime, is there anything better than the VR game controllers already out there or basic camera-based hand tracking? I’ve tried a couple of haptic gloves before, but I was ready to try more.
I poked around CES 2023 in Las Vegas to get some experiences with devices I hadn’t tried before, and it suddenly hit me that there’s already a spectrum of options. Each of them was a little revelation.
Now playing:Watch this:Jenga With HaptX Gloves Threw My Hands Into Virtual Reality
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High end: Massive power gloves
HaptX has been recognized for years as one of the best haptic gloves products on the market, but I’d never had a chance to experience them. The hardware is highly specialized and also extremely large and expensive. I wish I’d gotten a chance to see them at the last CES I attended before this, in 2020. Finally, in 2023, I got a chance.
The gloves use microfluidics, pumping air into small bladders that create touch sensations in 133 zones per hand across the fingers and palm. At the same time, cables on the backs of the fingers pull back to simulate up to 8 pounds of force feedback. Used with apps that support them, you can reach out, grab things and actually feel them.
A closeup of the mechanisms on HaptX’s gloves.
Scott Stein/CNET
I’ve tried lower-cost haptic gloves at home that didn’t have the air bladders but did have cables to apply resistance. The HaptX gloves are a big step forward and the most eerily realistic ones I’ve ever tried. I wouldn’t say everything “felt real,” but the poking finger-feelings I had in my fingers and palms let me feel shapes of things, while the resistance gave me a sense of grabbing and holding stuff.
The most amazing moments were when I placed objects on my palm and seemed to feel their weight. Also, when another person’s finger virtually touched mine. Another journalist was in another VR headset with haptic gloves playing Jenga next to me. We never made contact, but occasionally we shook hands virtually or gave high-fives. Our fingers touching felt… well, oddly real, like sensing someone’s finger touching your glove.
HaptX is making another pair of smaller, more mobile gloves later this year that cost less (about $5,000) while still promising the same level of feedback, plus tactile vibrations like the haptic buzzes you might feel with game controllers. I didn’t get to demo that, but I can’t wait.
While HaptX’s tech is wild, it’s meant for industrial purposes and simulations. It represents actual reality, but it’s so massive that it wouldn’t let me do anything else other than live in its simulated world. For instance, how would I type or pull out my phone? Still, I’ll dream of interfaces that let me feel as immersed as these gloves can accomplish.
Now playing:Watch this:We Wore Really Portable VR Haptic Gloves
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Budget gloves: bHaptics’ TactGloves
At $300, bHaptics‘ yellow haptic gloves are far, far less expensive than HaptX. They’re also completely different. Instead of creating pressure or resistance, all they really do is have various zones inside that electrically buzz, like your phone, watch or game controller, to sync up with moments when your fingers in VR would virtually touch something. Strangely, it’s very effective. In a few demos I tried, pushing buttons and touching objects provided enough feedback to feel like I was really “clicking” a thing. Another demo, which had me hug a virtual avatar mirroring my movements or shake hands, gave enough contact to fool me into feeling I was touching them.
Someone trying the TactGloves and TactSuit with a Meta Quest 2. I demoed the tech as well (watch the video).
Scott Stein/CNET
bHaptics also makes a haptic vest I tried called the TactSuit that vibrates with feedback with supported games and apps. There aren’t many apps that work ideally with haptic gloves right now, because no one’s using haptic gloves. But bHaptics’ support of the standalone Meta Quest 2, and its wireless Bluetooth pairing, means they’re actually portable… even if they look like giant janitorial cleaning gloves. The tradeoff with being so small and wireless is their range is short. I had to keep the gloves within about two feet of the headset, otherwise they’d lose connection.
The buzzing feedback didn’t prove to me that I could absolutely reach into other worlds, but they offered enough sensation to make hand tracking feel more precise, Instead of wondering whether my hand gestures had actually contacted a virtual object, I could get a buzzing confirmation. The whole experience reminded me of some sort of game controller feedback I could wear on my fingers, in a good way.
Holding a hand over Ultraleap’s ultrasonics to feel air vibrations that can provide a motion-controlled buzz.
Scott Stein/CNET
No gloves at all: Ultraleap’s Ultrasonics
Ultraleap, a company that’s specialized in hand tracking for years, has a different approach to haptics: sensations you can feel in the air. I waved my hand above a large rectangular panel and felt ripples and buzzes beneath my fingers. The feelings are created with ultrasonic waves, high-powered sound bursts that move air almost like super-precise fans against your fingers. I tried Ultraleap’s tech back in 2020, but trying the latest and more compact arrays this year made me think about a whole new use case. It was easy to make this logic leap, since Ultraleap’s booth also demonstrated hand tracking (without haptic feedback) on Pico Neo 3 and Lynx R1 VR and mixed reality headsets.
What if… this air vibration could be used for headsets? Ultraleap is already dreaming and planning for this solution, but right now ultrasonic tech is too power hungry, and the panels too large, for headgear. The tech is mainly being used in car interface concepts, where the hand gestures and feedback could make adjusting car controls while driving easier to use and less dangerous or awkward. The range of the sensations, at least several feet, seem ideal for the arm length and radius of most existing camera-based hand-tracking tech being used right now on devices like the Meta Quest 2.
I tried a demo where I adjusted a virtual volume slider by pinching and raising the volume up and down, while feeling discrete clicks to let me know I was doing something. I could feel a virtual “bar” in the air that I could feel and perhaps even move. The rippling, subtle buzzes are far more faint than those on haptic gloves or game controllers (or your smartwatch), but they could be just enough to give that extra sense that a virtual button press, for instance, actually succeeded…or that a gesture to turn something on or off was registered.
If these interfaces move to VR and AR, Ultreleap’s representatives said they’d likely end up in larger installations first: maybe theme park rides. Ultraleap’s tech is already in experiences like the hands-free Ninjago ride at Legoland, which I’ve tried with my kids. The 3D hand-tracking ride lets me throw stars at enemies, but sometimes I’m not sure my gestures were registered. What if buzzing let me know I was making successful hits?
The Apple Watch, and other smartwatches, already have haptics. When will they work with AR and VR?
James Martin/CNET
Haptics are likely to come from stuff we already wear
Of course, I skipped the most obvious step for AR and VR haptic feedback: smartwatches and rings. We wear buzzing things on our wrists already. Apple’s future VR/AR device might work with the Apple Watch this way, and Meta, Google, Samsung, Qualcomm and others could follow a similar path with dovetailing products. I didn’t come across any wearable watch or ring VR/AR haptics at CES 2023 (unless I missed them). But I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re coming soon. If AR and VR are ever going to get small enough to wear more often, we’re going to need controls that are far smaller than game controllers… and ways to make gesture inputs feel far less weird. Believe the buzz: Haptics is better than you think.
Xbox is partnering with Oreo to create a limited-edition Xbox-themed pack of Oreos. The new snacks will launch exclusively in Europe this month in Oreo’s original chocolate wafer, cream-filled cookie, according to an announcement made on Monday. The tops of the wafer will be embossed with six custom designs including the Xbox logo, as well as the A, B, X, Y, of the Xbox Series X|S controller buttons.
Gamers can scan the packaging of the Oreos to play a mini-game where they try to crack cookie combinations in order to unlock Oreo-themed content in Forza Horizon 5, Sea of Thieves and Halo Infinite. These include a black-and-white ship in Sea of Thieves, a blue, white and black striped convertible to use in Forza Horizon 5 and an armor pack in Halo Infinite that looks like cookies and cream mixed with blue.
The cookies will be available in 22 countries, but only for as long as supplies last. Alternatively, you can attempt to get the skins without purchasing the Oreos by playing online.
Sadly, Microsoft confirmed that this is a European-only promotion for now and is currently unavailable in the US.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
The most recent version of the Microsoft Office suite, Microsoft 365, includes tools that you probably use at home, school or on the job. The most popular way to access these apps is by buying a Microsoft 365 membership, but those fees mount over time and can discourage you from using Word, Excel, PowerPoint or other products. Fortunately, you can snag Microsoft 365 at no cost.
Microsoft’s suite of productivity software consists of classics like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, as well as newer apps like Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint. The Microsoft 365 collection typically costs between $70 and $100 every year for subscription access across devices and family members. Microsoft also released a new stand-alone version of Microsoft Office for Windows and Mac, called Office Home and Student 2021, for a flat $150 — no subscription required.
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Here are the versions of Office 365, Microsoft 365 and their apps that you can find online for free right now.
Get Microsoft Office 365 free if you’re a student or a teacher
If you’re a student, teacher or faculty member with an active school email address, you’re likely eligible to get access to Office 365 for free through Microsoft, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Microsoft Teams and additional classroom tools.
All you have to do is enter your school email address on this page on Microsoft’s website: Get started with Office 365 for free. In many cases, you’ll be instantly granted access thanks to an automated verification process. If you attend an institution that needs to be verified, it might take up to a month to confirm your eligibility.
How to get Microsoft Office suite free if you’re anyone else
Anyone can get a one-month free trial of Microsoft 365. However, it does require you to enter a credit card number, and if you don’t cancel before the month is up, you’ll be charged $100 for a one-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Family (formerly called Office 365 Home).
The good news is if you don’t need the full suite of Microsoft 365 tools, you can access a number of its apps online for free — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Calendar and Skype. Here’s how to get them:
2. Click Sign up for the free version of Office under the “Sign in” button.
3. Log in to your Microsoft account or create one for free. If you already have a Windows, Skype or Xbox Live login, you have an active Microsoft account.
4. Select the app you want to use, and save your work in the cloud with OneDrive.
Use the browser-based version of the Microsoft Word app for free.
Screenshot by Alison DeNisco Rayome/CNET
So what’s the catch for the free version?
You may be saying, “Wait a minute, if I can get all of those apps for free, why pay for Microsoft 365 in the first place?” Well, the functionality of the free apps is limited: They only run in your web browser and you can only use them while you’re actively connected to the internet. They also have fewer features than the full Microsoft 365 versions.
There are still a number of benefits, however, including the ability to share links to your work and collaborate in real time, similar to what G Suite tools allow. If you’re looking for basic versions of each of these apps, the free version should work well for you.
Gaming headsets are often overlooked by the masses when their television speakers get the job done, but headsets are actually an essential accessory. The best Xbox headsets even give you an edge in multiplayer, being able to hear enemies close in on you. They’re also integral in allowing players to immerse themselves like never before. With the Xbox Series X|S’s backward compatibility with all Xbox One accessories, you have a huge selection to choose from. There are also a number of great headsets that have released in the past couple years as well. So read on if you’re looking for the best Xbox headsets 2023 has to offer.
If you want to eliminate the cord that goes from the controller to your headphones, however, there are plenty of wireless headset options too. The nice thing about them is that most don’t require a USB dongle to connect wirelessly (most PS4 wireless headsets do, for example). Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless technology allows you to quickly pair with your Xbox sans dongle. Wireless models that require dongles are specifically noted below.
In making these picks, we focused mainly on a few key variables, including design and build quality, comfort and sound quality, as well as extra features — think noise cancellation, noise isolation, surround sound, detachable microphone and Bluetooth connectivity — along with price. We also took mic quality into consideration, because that’s especially important if your gaming session requires group coordination. If you can’t be heard, you can’t strategize.
Finally, so far as we know, all of the Xbox One wireless headsets listed here will also work with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
With those basics established, let’s talk about the wireless gaming headsets on this list. These are the results of our own home-based testing, updated periodically, as well as some of the other most popular gaming headsets on the market at the moment. Any of these picks for the best Xbox headset 2023 has to offer can greatly enhance your gaming experience, especially when settling in for a long gaming session.
If you’re looking for a really solid wired headset with an affordable price tag, the HyperX Cloud X is an excellent choice. It’s sturdily built, has good sound with strong microphone performance and most importantly, it’s comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. It’s designed to work with the Xbox One and the Series S and X, but isalso compatible with the PS4 and PS5, as well as the Nintendo Switch and PCs.
The Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox is a beast of wireless headset, at least in terms of size. That said, it’s not heavy and its auto-adjusting headband makes this one of the most comfortable gaming headsets you can buy; just note that its ear cups really stick out from your head. The ear pads are equipped with cooling gel-infused cushions, and the Razer logo lights up.
Aside from excellent sound quality and comfort, the other signature feature is the built-in HyperSense haptic feedback technology that lets you feel the game while you’re playing. One might call it a gimmick but it does add another dimension to the gaming experience. The only downside is that battery life takes a hit when you engage it. It’s 6 hours with HyperSense on and 20 hours with it turned off.
It’s worth pointing out that this is an open-back headset, which does help open up the soundstage and give the audio a more airy quality, but the sound will leak out of the headphones, which could annoy others around you. I found the microphone performance to be good but not stellar.
On the PlayStation and PC side, Arctis has its high-end Pro Wireless ($330), which some say is the best all-around headset for both those platforms. But for Xbox, the Arctis 9X Wireless is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more premium wireless headset. It connects directly to the Xbox wirelessly without a dongle and can also be used with your phone with a Bluetooth connection. It delivers 20 hours of battery life.
If you want a much more affordable alternative to the 9X, check out the Arctis 1, a well-designed (but less swanky) wireless model that sells for about $100. While you need to use a dongle (included), it works when connected to Xbox, Switch, PlayStation or even Android (the USB-C dongle includes a USB-A adapter cable). It’s a good value, with a detachable Discord-certified microphone, and battery life is rated at up to 20 hours, which is pretty decent.
As far as basic wired gaming headsets go, you can’t go wrong with the HyperX’s Cloud Stinger Core. It’s comfortable and has good audio quality and microphone performance. The build quality isn’t as good as some of HyperX’s step-up models, but you can’t expect everything for its affordable price point.
The Quantum 100 is the entry-level model in JBL’s line of Quantum gaming headsets, which run from $40 to $300. There’s nothing fancy about this model, but it’s pretty lightweight and comfortable with nicely padded ear cups, plus it has a detachable boom microphone. On the left ear cup there’s a volume control dial along with a microphone mute button. It also works with other game consoles and is pretty decent for music, though it’s a touch bright.
While some of JBL’s higher-end models feature wireless connectivity and even noise canceling, the Quantum 100 is just a basic gaming headphone that will appeal to more casual gamers on a tight budget.
Turtle Beach has upgraded its popular Stealth 700 headset, improving both its performance and comfort. The build quality is solid and I liked the “cooling gel-infused” memory foam ear cushions, which really fit my head nicely and play well with glasses. The headband is also sturdy and well-padded.
Turtle Beach says this Gen 2 model has improved 50mm Nanoclear drivers — the sound is more detailed and “precise” — there’s a redesigned metal-reinforced headband and a larger, high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic. Its engineers tuned it to deliver even “more detailed and precisesound.” I thought it sounded quite good, and the headset pairs to your phone and is also good for music listening and taking calls while you’re gaming. There’s an “all-new” Turtle Beach Hub app for iOS and Android that allows you to tweak the audio and remap buttons.
This headset will work with older Xbox One consoles as well as the next-gen Series consoles. Battery life is now up to 20 hours — the headset charges via USB-C — and thanks to Xbox Wireless technology, you can connect wirelessly to the Xbox without using a dongle like you have to do with the PS4.
If you’re looking at this versus the step-down Stealth 600 Gen 2, which retails for $100, that model is also good but the Stealth 700 Gen definitely has a more premium feel to it. It’s really a good Xbox wireless headset for around $160.
If you can’t quite afford Turtle Beach’s Stealth 700 Gen 2, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a good alternative at under $100. While it doesn’t have the more premium build quality of the Stealth 700, it’s a very comfortable headset with good sound and performance. The audio quality has been improved slightly, and like the Stealth 700, it’s equipped with a largerhigh-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that seamlessly integrates into the headset when retracted (muted).
An audio preset button on the left ear cup allows you to quickly customize your audio, and thanks to Xbox Wireless technology, it’s easy to connect to your Xbox. Battery life is rated at 15 hours, and the headset recharges via USB-C.
The headset is pictured in white but is more readily available in black. The PlayStation version includes a dongle for wireless connectivity with the PS4 and PS5.
Like the Steel Series Arctis 1 above, the HyperX Cloud X Flight uses a low-latency 2.4GHz USB dongle for its wireless connection to your Xbox instead of connecting directly sans dongle. This is a very comfortable headset with excellent sound and good microphone performance (the mic is detachable). It also has very good battery life (up to 30 hours), though you’ll need to turn off the LEDs on the ear cups to maximize battery life. Hopefully the next-generation version will move to USB-C charging (it uses Micro-USB).
Whether you’re an avid photographer or someone who just enjoys taking photos on your phone, using photo editing software can be a huge help in creating the pictures that you want. There are great apps for your phone and software for your computer that are available out there.
One of my favorite photo editing software is Adobe Photoshop. Adobe is constantly expanding its products and services, and right now you can grab Adobe Photoshop Elements for just $44 on Woot.
Adobe Photoshop Elements integrates artificial intelligence technology that allows you to turn photos into art, warp photos into any shape, reframe your video subjects and more. You can add moving overlays for 3D camera motion to photos and save them for easy sharing on social media.
With 60 guided edits, you can easily create pictures by extending, removing or replacing photo backgrounds. The software also includes the ability to create dynamic photo slideshows with new styles, inspirational quote graphics and animated social posts. All of these can be transformed into unique keepsakes that will make memories last a lifetime.
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In the market for a premium pair of earbuds but don’t want to break the bank? While the original Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro are no longer the newest model in their lineup, these sleek noise-canceling true-wireless earbud are packed with features, and thanks to the release of the newer Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, you can even find them at a discount. Right now, Amazon has the phantom black color variant on sale for just $137, which saves you $63 compared to the usual price. There’s no set expiration on this deal, so we’d reccomend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
The original Galaxy Buds Pro have 11 mm woofers and 6.5mm tweeters, which deliver high-quality sound from each bud. Plus, intelligent Active Noise Cancellation allow a truly immersive experience when listening to music, podcasts and more. Ambient Sound mode will let in sounds that matter, and these earbuds will automatically switch from ANC to Ambient Sound mode when it hears your voice. And with four levels to choose from, you can customize these earbuds to fit your needs. An IPX7 water-resistance rating keeps them safe from sweat, rain and spills. And Galaxy Buds Pro come a wireless charging case, so you can easily store, charge and stay connected on the go.
Apple makes some of the best tablets on the market, but they don’t come cheap. While budget tablets from Amazon and others might plug the gap for some folks, the user experience is often lacking when it comes to performance, app availability or build quality. Right now at Best Buy, you have the opportunity to score a recent iPad model for just $250. Over there, the ninth-generation iPad is $79 off its retail price and down to a new record low.
If you’ve been eyeing a new tablet to help you stay productive on the go (or entertained on a comfortable couch), now’s the time to pull the trigger on what is one of the best iPad deals available right now. Apple’s 10.2-inch tablet may not be the latest model anymore — having been superseded by the 10th-gen iPad, which ditched the home button — or the most capable when it comes to raw power, but it has plenty of great features. It’s equipped with the still-capable A13 Bionic chip, an 8-megapixel wide-angle rear camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide front camera with Center Stage technology and more. The Retina display has been upgraded from previous models and now has True Tone technology, which adjusts the screen for comfortable viewing in any light.
It also features a Lightning connector and gets up to 10 hours of battery life per charge. Plus, this 2021 iPad supports the first-gen Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, which are sold separately, but can help you create and work with ease and may be worth the investment.
Apple has begun hiring employees for upcoming physical stores in India.
The tech giant currently has a dozen live job listings for brick-and-mortar stores at “various locations” across the South Asian country. According to a Financial Times report at least five people confirmed that they’ve been hired to work at upcoming stores via posts on LinkedIn.
The timing of Apple’s hiring effort seems to lend credence to earlier reports, which said the company’s inaugural brick-and-mortar store is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2023 following several delays. A July ETTelecom report said India’s teeming financial capital of Mumbai will be the home of Apple’s flagship store, which is reported to be a 22,000-square-foot store at an upscale shopping mall.
Apple declined to comment on a timeline for the opening of its first brick-and-mortar store in India.
Apple’s flagship store in Singapore takes the form of a floating glass orb.
Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images
The opening of Apple’s first India store would be part of the company’s broader retail push in the country, where its market share is relatively small compared to the country’s size and population. India is one of the largest smartphone markets in the world, but it’s also price-sensitive and dominated by Chinese companies such as Xiaomi and Vivo.
In recent years, Apple has been moving more production to India as it seeks to reduce its supply chain dependence from China. It started making iPhones in India in 2017, and it began manufacturing the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 in the South Asian country last year.
Apple opened an online store for India last September, which brought the company’s full range of products and support directly to the country for the first time. The online store was opened as the pandemic forced many physical retail stores to shut.
