Category: Technologies

Slack Is Helping You Up Your GIF Game in Latest Update

Slack, the communications platform used by millions of people every day, announced on Monday it’s introducing new ways to pick and send GIFs to others in your organization. This new feature is the latest in a string of improvements Slack has introduced to its users over the past few years.

Read more: Everything you need to know about Slack’s redesign

GIFs have been a popular way to communicate with friends and colleagues for years. According to research published in Sage Journal in 2017, GIFs are useful in communicating a range of emotions or feelings about a given situation. GIFs also make it easy to communicate inside jokes to people in digital spaces.

If you want to show your enthusiasm or disdain over Slack with a GIF, here’s how to do it when the new options roll out to you.

New ways to find GIFs in Slack

1. In Slack, click either the emoji icon — the smiley button — or the plus (+) button near your text box.
2. Click GIFs.
3. Type your search term in the search bar and hit Enter.

You’ll see a handful of GIF’s you can scroll through to find the right one to send. So if you want to say, “Don’t look at me,” to your friend when a manager asks for someone to work an extra shift, search for Homer Simpson and send the GIF of the cartoon character slowly retreating into the bushes.

These new ways to find GIFs in Slack are similar to how you would find GIFs in other messaging apps, like Messages on your iPhone.

Slack said it’s rolling out the new ways to find GIFs now, and everyone should have access to them by the end of March. However, an administrator may need to enable the features from their workspace.

To send GIFs in Slack prior to these new features, you would have to add the Giphy app to your Slack, type /giphy followed by your search term into your text box and then click Shuffle countless times until you found the right GIF. The new ways to find GIFs remove all these extra steps and also makes it easy to view all the GIFs at once, rather than one at a time.

For more on Slack, here are the Slack features you need to be using now, what to know about its latest AI feature and more about the tool’s latest revamped design.

12.03.2024
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Play SpongeBob Now, MLB 24 and More Soon
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the Resident Evil 3 remake — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

In February, Microsoft added a game based on the lovable cartoon dog Bluey and the dark humor zombie title Dead Island 2 to Game Pass Ultimate. Here are the titles Xbox will add to the game service soon.

PAW Patrol World

Available now.

Get ready to use your paws to save the day in this action-adventure game based on the ubiquitous children’s cartoon. You can play as your favorite pup, drive vehicles from the show and take on rescue missions to help animals in need. You can play on your own in single-player mode or compete with your family in co-op mode for a fun spin on playtime.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom — Rehydrated

Available now.

If the Krusty Krab pizza is the pizza for you and me, then it stands to reason that this game is the game for you and me too. Play as SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy as you try to stop Plankton from taking over Bikini Bottom. And if you bought the SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Xbox Series X, what better game to play first on your new console?

NBA 2K24 (Console and Cloud)

Available now.

We’re more than a month away from the start of the NBA playoffs, but you can play NBA 2K24 on Game Pass Ultimate now to hold yourself over until then. The latest installment in the sports game franchise features new ProPlay technology that brings more realistic animations and movements to every player. However, you won’t be able to play this title with Game Pass Ultimate on a PC. But Xbox could add this title to PC in the future like it did with Madden NFL 24.

Control: Ultimate Edition

Available: March 13

If you haven’t experienced this award-winning title from the creators of the Alan Wake series, now’s your chance. This supernatural action game takes place in an expansive government office building that has been corrupted by an unknown entity. You have to find out what happened in this unpredictable world all while avoiding the absurd obstacles in your way — sometimes that means flying over them.

No More Heroes 3

Available: March 14

World-renowned assassin Travis Touchdown is back in the saddle in this hack-and-slash adventure game. Take control of Travis and his trusty beam katana — don’t say lightsaber — as he defends his hometown from an alien invasion. And the only way to do that is to climb the ranks of the deadliest fighters in the galaxy. It’s like an anime made into a video game.

Lightyear Frontier

Available: March 19

If you’ve ever thought, “Yeah, farm life games like Stardew Valley are fun, but they need more Gundams,” then this one is for you. In this game, you’re a farmer building an interstellar homestead full of alien crops and fauna, all with the help of your trusty mech suit.

“Use combat-focused tools in a violence-free way, such as a chainsaw and machine gun loaded with seeds, as instead of fighting the wildlife, you’ll use your arsenal to gather resources, shoot seeds into the ground, water crops, and clean up the environment, making it habitable for you and your friends,” Anita Stenholm, marketing and events manager of Frame Break, told Xbox.com.

MLB The Show 24

Available: March 19

Xbox added Madden NFL 24 to Game Pass Ultimate in February, and now Xbox is adding MLB The Show 24 to the service on Day 1. You can play as your favorite baseball team, get them to the World Series and make them a dynasty. This installment in the baseball series also includes new pitcher animations to keep runners on their toes, enhanced pitching mechanics and more.

And if you can’t wait for March 19, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can purchase the digital deluxe add-on bundle version of the game for $40 and get the title four days early on March 15.

Titles leaving Game Pass

While you can play the above titles on Game Pass Ultimate, three games are leaving the service on March 15. So finish up any side quests or you’ll have to purchase these titles separately.

Shredders

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Xbox previously said Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered would also leave Game Pass Ultimate on March 15. The company has since said the title will stay on service.

For more on Xbox, here’s what Diablo 4 coming to Game Pass likely means for the service, other titles available on Game Pass Ultimate now and everything to know about the gaming service.
12.03.2024
Best PC Gaming Headset for 2024

Our Experts

Written by

Lori Grunin

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice

I’ve been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I’m currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I’ve also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.

Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories

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A great gaming headset has to have high-quality sound. But when you’re using it for gaming, many other features can greatly improve your experience. Directional audio offers a more immersive experience, allowing players to actually hear enemies moving nearby and tell where the sound came from. Microphones allow for easier communication when playing multiplayer. Make sure you’re getting these in the best quality by choosing from the best gaming headsets.

Plus, you may already be spending a ton of time on video calls, so treating yourself to a new headset can be a way to satisfy your work brain — yes, be that person wearing the huge headset in meetings — and your play brain without blowing a ton of money.

Keep in mind that analog gaming headsets, which connect via 3.5mm jacks, can work with almost any device — a gaming PC, a PS5, an Xbox Series X or Series S, a Nintendo Switch and so on — in addition to regular Windows PCs. But depending on the hardware you may not get the full set of features, such as surround sound, mic monitoring (aka sidetone) and other capabilities that rely on software and a USB connection to function. To get console-specific features, you might need to check out headsets designed specifically for them; for instance, the Xbox Series X and S require Microsoft-sanctioned dongles (but Bluetooth works, too). You can find specific recommendations on our Best Xbox Gaming Headset and Best PS5 Gaming Headset lists.

$70 at Best Buy $60 at Amazon

$70 at Best Buy

Analog wired headset pick

Nacon Rig 500 Pro HX

$70 at Best Buy $60 at Amazon

The first time I saw the Rig series of gaming headsets — well before the brand was bought by gaming and accessory company Nacon — I was so turned off by the aesthetic that I didn’t even take the headset out of the box. I powered through this time, and although I’m still not fond of the appearance, it’s turned out to be one of my go-to headsets in why-doesn’t-my-PC-see-my-wireless-headset emergencies.

You get a lot for the money. It’s comfortable and relatively light with good 3D audio, pretty decent mic quality, good noise isolation and an inline volume control that’s neither too far down the cable or too far up. The mic is both removable and flip-up, which you rarely see at this price.

The last generation of the headset got complaints about build quality, but I’ve been using it for months with no issues. Its flat rubber cable is a step up from competitors: Flatness makes it tangle-free and less susceptible to damage when I roll over it with my chair. To adjust size, there’s a combination of three notches on the headband — you basically pop out the earcup to move it, so if it comes under stress it just pops out — and a basic suspension band.

It doesn’t come with a headphone/mic splitter cable, a common omission in budget headsets, and the shortish cable isn’t removable, but it’s a good length if you’re going to plug it into a controller for use with the Xbox. You do get a two-year activation card for a Dolby Atmos subscription (at least the last time I looked) for Windows 10/11 and Xbox One or later.

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$192 at Amazon

$192 at Amazon

Top wireless gaming headset for PC and Xbox

SteelSeries Arctis 9 and 9X

$192 at Amazon

This excellent wireless headset supports both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections for simultaneous lag-free gaming and audio monitoring, with a bunch of excellent features. You can use it wired or while it charges over USB, and it’s got a Discord-certified noise-canceling retractable microphone, swivel earcups so it can sit on your shoulders and support for DTS Headphone:X v2.0 and Windows Spatial audio. Its pucklike dongle has an analog 3.5mm input for game audio and a line out to the headset, which expands its usefulness. My only significant quibble with the Arctis 9X is it feels a little too tight on my head (which is odd, since all the other Arctis models feel fine). Its big brother, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, gets rave reviews as well, but it’s significantly more expensive as well as relatively old; it’s due for an upgrade and I think it’s a bit overkill for many gamers, anyway.

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$160 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy

$160 at Amazon

Most comfortable wired headset about $100

Razer BlackShark V2

$160 at Amazon $100 at Best Buy

These aren’t the absolute best in gaming headsets, but the newest generation of Razer’s BlackShark headsets — the wired Razer BlackShark V2 ($100) and V2 X ($60) and the Wireless V2 Pro ($180) — are well-rounded options if you need a single headset for both work and play. I prefer the V2 over the V2 X for its extra PC features, like support for THX Spatial Audio, microphone settings in Razer’s Synapse utility and a USB dongle. Plus, it has a better cord, a removable mic with foam cover and breathable fabric on the earcup padding. If you’re on a tighter budget, the analog-only V2 X has all your platforms covered for half the price.

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$169 at Amazon $170 at Best Buy

$169 at Amazon

Longest battery life and comfort winner

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

$169 at Amazon $170 at Best Buy

This PC- and PS5-compatible wireless headset not only features HyperX’s superb comfort and excellent sound, its actual battery life runs into the hundreds of hours, even if you discount the company’s 300-hour rating. And it supports DTS Headphone:X for virtual surround. The wireless range didn’t test as well as the Cloud II Wireless and the lack of other connection types disappoints for the money, but if your top three criteria are battery life, comfort and sound quality, this hits the trifecta.

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$94 at Amazon $94 at Walmart

$94 at Amazon

Top gaming headset with Bluetooth under $100

Corsair HS70

$94 at Amazon $94 at Walmart

It’s useful to be able to monitor your phone (or other audio) via Bluetooth with your headset while simultaneously using a separate, lag-free connection for gaming, but that capability frequently adds a premium onto the price. By adding Bluetooth to an otherwise wired headset — usually it’s only available in wireless models — Corsair manages to avoid that trap. The stereo HS70 supports USB for laptops and desktops, along with 3.5mm analog cabling to connect to all consoles. The battery is rated for about 30 hours, and the noise-canceling microphone is detachable. The company’s iCue app for Windows or MacOS to access EQ presets or adjust mic and sidetone levels. Though it’s not as pricey as most gaming headsets with Bluetooth on the side, it is relatively expensive for an otherwise basic model. And oddly, the HS70 Wireless, which lacks Bluetooth but incorporates a 2.4GHz connection, is the same price.

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$50 at Amazon $68 at B&H Photo-Video

$50 at Amazon

Wired gaming headset that’s a little different

Meters Level Up

$50 at Amazon $68 at B&H Photo-Video

The Level Up’s comfy, retro-ish style — with on-earcup illuminated VU meters, full-bodied stereo and 7.1 virtual surround sound for music and gaming — leads me to recommend it for people who aren’t necessarily looking for cutting-edge gaming features, but who want something cool and different. You can use it with any 3.5mm-jack-bearing console or system, but you don’t get the customizable surround setup unless you’re connected via USB on Windows, since it requires a proprietary app.

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$132 at Amazon $135 at Best Buy

$132 at Amazon

Wireless headset for champion chatters under $150

Logitech G733 LightSpeed

$132 at Amazon $135 at Best Buy

The G733’s generally an above-average lightweight wireless gaming headset, but it’s got one advantage over much of the competition: an excellent mic backed by a high level of customizability via Blue Yeti-powered software.

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Reasonably priced dual-wireless headset pick for PC and Xbox

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset

Even though it has some design and feature quirks, for $90, the Xbox Wireless Headset is a good deal. Simultaneous wireless and Bluetooth and chat-mix balance are usually only found in more expensive models, so here the performance and sound quality are worth the money.

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$250 at Best Buy $248 at Walmart

$250 at Best Buy

The pricey choice for PC and PS5

Sony InZone H9

$250 at Best Buy $248 at Walmart

If you feel like spending almost as much on a headset as you did for your console, Sony’s own InZone H9 (the new PC-targeted line from its electronics division rather than the PlayStation folks) delivers great audio quality in an exceptionally comfortable design that matches the materials of the PS5. It has decent, non-fatiguing noise cancellation, a natural-sounding mic, solid battery life and simultaneous Bluetooth and dongle connections on both platforms. Bluetooth behaved a bit wonkily when I tested it, so if it matters to you, check user reviews before you buy to see if other people have encountered it.

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Other notable gaming headsets we’ve tested

HyperX Cloud II Wireless ($154): This is an excellent 7.1 surround headset that features HyperX’s signature comfortable fit, which I ended up bumping from the list in favor of the Cloud Alpha Wireless because the Alpha’s battery life is a huge distinguishing feature. The Cloud II Wireless does have a better signal range as tested, though, and you can use it wirelessly with a PS4/PS5 and Nintendo Switch as well as a PC. Read our HyperX Cloud 2 Wireless review.

Razer Barracuda X ($80): The performance, audio quality, and design of the Barracuda X make it an excellent choice for cross-platform players. I wouldn’t recommend the headset for cloud gaming, though. Razer refreshed it in 2022, boosting battery life to a rated 50 hours and adding Bluetooth for the same price. I haven’t tested the updated model. Read our Razer Barracuda X review.

SteelSeries Arctis Prime ($43): The budget, cross-platform wireless Arctis Prime performs well, but if you’re sensitive to fit, weight and other design-related considerations, I suggest you give it a heads-on before buying. Read our SteelSeries Arctis Prime review.

Razer Kraken V3 HyperSense ($100): Razer’s updated haptic feedback debuted in this gaming headset — it basically vibrates when the signal contains certain frequencies, in order to provide positional information and a more immersive experience. The new version improves upon its predecessor found in the Razer Nari line by being able to work without specific support within a game and the ability to choose from two intensities. It has the same great sound quality as the other Razer headsets with the TriForce Titanium drivers. But I suspect the haptic feedback is an acquired taste, though. Thus far, I’ve found it more distracting than immersive. And without game support it’s too random; for instance, bass-voiced narration rumbles in a disconcerting way and it kicks in when I have mic monitoring on. Other issues I’ve had include it being a little too tight (especially with glasses), its THX Spatial Surround falling a bit short of other virtual surround technologies I’ve used, and the braided but thick cable tends to kink. I haven’t given up on it, though, and am giving it another shot with its higher-end sibling, the Kraken V3 Pro.

EPOS Audio H3Pro Hybrid ($150): This former top-lister is a somewhat controversial choice overall, but even a lot of people who don’t like the Epos gaming headsets in general tend to agree that they have great stereo audiophile-quality sound. Given Epos’ kinship with audio veteran Sennheiser — and unfortunately, the Sennheiser-level high prices — one expects no less. I really like the H3Pro Hybrid headset, though, for gamers who don’t need surround sound. The biggest problem with it is the barely adequate range the dongle gives it (about 16 feet in my testing) which may be a deal-killer for a lot of people. The software’s kind of lackluster as well. But it’s comfortable, sleeker than your usual gaming headset, has solid ANC and supports simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections.

More recently reviewed models:

See at

Why do I want a ‘wireless’ headset rather than a Bluetooth gaming headset?

Bluetooth lets you connect to most mobile devices as well as PCs and laptops, which makes it really convenient. But it’s also low-bandwidth and slow, which means it may compress the audio (and thus make it sound worse) and introduce delays between the device and the headset. The delays, referred to as latency, can range from just annoying to game-ruining, depending upon how important the audio and your chat is to responding quickly.

Bluetooth also requires that there be a pretty small distance between the headset and device it’s connected to. The best wireless gaming headsets come with a USB wireless adapter, usually 2.4GHz, to create a dedicated, fast, high-bandwidth channel between the headset and the system, and one that can maintain the connection over a larger distance.

See at

How do I hear myself talk?

The ability to hear yourself talk while you chat is referred to as “mic monitoring” or “sidetone,” and some people find it essential for more natural conversation; I find that without it I tend to shout, especially if the earcups suppress a lot of external noise. You generally need to have a USB connection — either a wireless dongle or wired — in order to get mic monitoring to work, and many times it’s dependent on the software utility that’s provided by the manufacturer, at the very least to control the volume of the monitoring so you don’t blast yourself with your own voice.

More gaming recommendations

The great thing about wireless headphones is that there isn’t much setup required to start listening to music from your phone. If you’ve got AirPods and an iPhone, you can quickly pair the two and you’re pretty much good to go.

Not everyone will enjoy the same listening experience though.

Don’t miss: Best Apple AirPods for 2024

If you find it increasingly difficult to understand others when you’re on a phone call or music just doesn’t right to you, you may have to adjust your settings to make the audio better for you. Your iPhone has EQs, which can boost vocals or reduce treble. Your AirPods also have settings, like spatial audio and transparency mode, to help with tailoring audio to your liking.

However, if those don’t fix the issues you’re having, your iPhone has a hidden feature that makes it really easy customize your headphone audio levels. All you need to do is take a test and listen to a few audio samples and you can get better audio tailored specifically to you. Here’s what you need to know.

For more, check out these 17 hidden iOS 17 features and settings on your iPhone and how to use your iPhone’s hidden trackpad feature.

Which headphones support Headphone Accommodations on iOS?

The setting to easily customize your audio, known as the Headphone Accommodations setting, is available only on supported headphones, like the most recent AirPods, EarPods and Beats. As long as you have iOS 14 and later (or iPadOS 14+), you can use Headphone Accommodations with the following:

The AirPods Pro 2 now feature a USB-C port

Before you continue…

Under Headphone Accommodations, you have the option to manually configure audio settings, but the way we’re going to do this is through Custom Audio Setup, which runs a series of listening tests and provides you with suggested settings to configure based on choices you make after listening to a few audio samples.

But before you run the test, you must do a few things:

Update to the latest version of iOS, especially if you don’t see Headphone Accommodations in your settings. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to update to the latest iOS (currently iOS 17.4).
Turn on Headphone Accommodations. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations and toggle the feature on.
Choose how you want Headphone Accommodations to work. At the bottom of the setting’s page, you can toggle on your recommended audio settings for phone (phone calls, FaceTime and third-party video calls) and/or media (music, movies, podcasts, audiobooks, Siri and voicemails).
Next, disable any EQ you might have. Go to Settings > Music > EQ and select Off.
Pair and connect your compatible headphones to your iPhone. The two devices must be connected for Custom Audio Setup to work.
Finally, find a quiet environment before taking the test.

Run Custom Audio Setup to your customized audio settings results

Now that your AirPods or other supported headphones are connected to your iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio & Visual > Headphone Accommodations and hit Custom Audio Setup.

First, you’ll see a see a brief summary as to what Headphone Accommodations can do for you. You can also upload an audiogram, which shows you how loud sounds need to be for you to hear them, but if you don’t have one, you can just skip that section.

The test will start with an audio sample of someone speaking very softly. If you can hear it, hit Yes. If you can’t, tap No. The next few audio samples will be of the same music, in different tunings, with soft sounds being boosted. You’ll have two versions to choose from each time. If they sound the same, choose the first version. You may also be asked to customize transparency mode so that you can better hear what’s around you when the feature is enabled.

At the end of the test, the audio settings recommended for you will automatically selected. You may see optimizations for boosting middle frequencies to improve vocal range or boosting of high frequencies for optimizing brightness in the audio you heard. You may also see the boosting of soft sounds, either slightly, moderately or strong.

For more, check out Apple Music’s monthly version of Replay Recaps.

Category: Technologies

New ways to find GIFs in Slack

PAW Patrol World

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom — Rehydrated

NBA 2K24 (Console and Cloud)

Control: Ultimate Edition

No More Heroes 3

Lightyear Frontier

MLB The Show 24

Titles leaving Game Pass

Our Experts

Analog wired headset pick

Nacon Rig 500 Pro HX

Top wireless gaming headset for PC and Xbox

SteelSeries Arctis 9 and 9X

Most comfortable wired headset about $100

Razer BlackShark V2

Longest battery life and comfort winner

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

Top gaming headset with Bluetooth under $100

Corsair HS70

Wired gaming headset that’s a little different

Meters Level Up

Wireless headset for champion chatters under $150

Logitech G733 LightSpeed