Month: August 2022

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Technology

The 5 Best Controllers For PC Gaming

The 5 Best Controllers For PC Gaming

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While some of us are perfectly content with using a mouse and keyboard when PC gaming, sometimes a controller is just better. There’s something about playing Halo on PC without a controller that just doesn’t feel right.

There are some great controllers out there that have been made for PC gaming, along with console controllers that can be used cross-platform. If you’ve been looking to add a controller to your PC gaming set-up, we’ve got a few suggestions for you.

Before we dive in, we should note that this article is only focusing on traditional controllers. If you’re in the market for something a bit more niche, you can head over here to check out our guides for racing wheels, flight sticks and fight pads, as most of those controllers are compatible with PC.

Here are our picks for the best PC gaming controllers.

8BitDo Pro 2 Controller

8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth gamepad
Image: 8BitDo

We’ve sung the praises of 8BitDo gamepads a lot in the past, and we’ll take any excuse we can to do it again. In our review of the 8BitDo Pro 2, we called it one of the best third-party controllers around (and the best one you can pick up for your Nintendo Switch). It looks great, feels great and works great.

If you play a lot of retro games, the 8BitDo Pro 2 is a solid controller. It’s been designed with a “classic” feel in mind and includes two “Pro-Level” buttons on its back. This controller comes bundled with the 8BitDo Ultimate Software, which gives you a lot of options when it comes to customizing your button mapping, joystick sensitivity, vibration control and creating macros.

Where to buy it: eBay ($69.99) | Kōgan ($79) | Amazon Australia ($84.90)

Logitech G F310 Gamepad

logitech g gamepad f310
Image: Logitech

Looking for a more affordable option? Logitech is another one of those brands that have a pretty strong track record when it comes to PC gaming peripherals, and the F310 is one of the best controllers you can get for under $60 (or less, if you can nab it on sale).

The Logitech F310 is a fairly no-frills PC controller – plug it into a USB-A port and you’re ready to go. Its form factor is close to the PlayStation’s controller, so there’s a nice familiarity when holding it. The Logitech F310 is a wired controller, which might be a deal breaker for some. Its shoulder buttons are also a bit thin, so you might need to adjust how you’d normally hold it to compensate for that.

Where to buy it: Amazon Australia ($38) | eBay ($48.90) | Logitech ($59.95)

Razer Wolverine V2 Wired Gaming Controller

Razer Wolverine V2 Wired Gaming Controller
Image: Razer

In terms of form factor, the Razer Wolverine V2 has everything you’d want in a good PC controller. It’s lightweight, has nicely textured side grips, solid mechanical switches with nice feedback and fits comfortably in your hands. It also includes two reappable multi-function buttons, along with the ability to customize its button mapping, stick sensitivity and vibration levels.

The only major drawback of the Wolverine is that it’s a wired controller – although that might not be much of an issue if you’re gaming while sitting at your desk. The Razer Wolverine V2 is also compatible with the Xbox Series X/S (which explains why its design is so similar to the console’s native controller).

If you’re someone who needs all of their PC accessories to have an RGB function, there is a Chroma variant of the Wolverine V2 available. But at $254.95 a pop, you’d really want to love your RGB peripherals.

Where to buy it: eBay ($129) | Microsoft ($169.95) | Razer ($169.95)

Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller

DualSense Wireless Controller - PlayStation 5
Image: Sony

If you already own a PlayStation 5, then good news, you’ve already got yourself a fantastic PC controller on hand. The PS5’s DualSense controller is fantastic – it’s sturdy and comfortable with precise feedback. “Pushing buttons feels good” seems like such an obvious metric for a controller, but the DualSense really does feel good to use.

To use your PS5 controller with your PC, you’ve got two options: plug-and-play or Bluetooth. For the former, all you need is either a USB-C to USB-A or USB-C cable to simply plug it directly into your PC. It’s important that the USB cable can carry data, not just power.

If you want to keep things wireless, access your PC’s Bluetooth settings. Now grab your disconnected and power off PS5 controller and hold down the PS Button and Create button at the same time. After holding those buttons for a few seconds, the touchpad’s light bar should be blinking and you’ll be able to select the controller from the list of available Bluetooth devices. Congratulations, your PS5 controller is now a PC controller.

Where to buy it: Amazon Australia ($89) | eBay ($99) | Kōgan ($99.95)

xbox wireless controller

xbox wireless controller
Image: Microsoft

Much like the PS5, the controller that comes with your Xbox Series X/S is a great option for a PC peripheral. In Kotaku Australia’s review of the Xbox Series X/S Wireless Controller, we praised how well it improved upon the Xbox One controller’s already great design. It has improved tactility and is more comfortable to hold and use.

The Xbox Wireless Controller can be either connected to your PC directly via USB cable or via Bluetooth.

To pair your controller with Bluetooth, you need to hold the Pair button for three seconds until the Xbox button starts flashing. Once you’ve done that, open your PC’s Bluetooth settings and you should be able to select the Xbox Wireless Controller from the list of available devices. Unfortunately, the controller’s rumble feature won’t work when connected via Bluetooth.

Where to buy it: Amazon Australia ($89) | eBay ($89) | Microsoft ($89.95)

Categories
US

Multiple injured, including two police officers after vehicle drives through New Mexico parade

Multiple injured, including two police officers after vehicle drives through New Mexico parade

Several people were being treated on the scene, where people were enjoying the Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration, the New Mexico State Police said in a Twitter post. The extent of their injuries is unknown.

The driver and passengers are in custody, officials said, and state police are investigating the incident.

Thursday night’s ceremonial parade was scheduled to begin at 7 pm in downtown Gallup, according to the event website. The parade was part of a days-long celebration of Native American culture and heritage, according to a news release on the event.
A video taken by witness Sean Justice shows a group of people performing in the street when the crowd bursts into screams, with people leaping up and rushing in the opposite direction of what appears to be a moving car.

Another video captured by witness Keisha Joe shows what appears to be the SUV that was driven through the parade. In front of the SUV is a damaged car on the sidewalk, its front door crumpled in.

Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon released a statement saying, “The Navajo Nation stands with resilience against any acts of violence and sends prayers of protection to those affected. This was a traumatic and triggering event for many, especially for our youth, elders, and our veterans who acted quickly.”

“Hold Gallup in your prayers tonight as we come together in faith and strength for one another. May the Creator and Holy People bless you all tonight as we move forward together,” he said.

CNN’s Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.

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Categories
Business

Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar’s Atlassian surges following annual earnings

Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar's Atlassian surges following annual earnings

The company ended the 2022 fiscal year with roughly the same amount of free cash flow as the previous year, of $US763.8 million.

In a shareholder letter, co-chief executives Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes said they had hired 634 new employees in the quarter, mostly in research and development roles and over 2,300 new staff members in the 2022 fiscal year.

Co-CEO and founder Mike Cannon-Brookes. Atlassian doesn’t expect to lose customers as companies cut costs. Oscar Coleman

“We firmly believe that Atlassian is uniquely positioned, having deep-seated momentum and a differentiated business model. This gives us the confidence to make incremental investments – despite the current environment,” the CEOs wrote.

“That will fuel even more durable growth over the long term and deepen our strategic advantages. We know this is an unconventional choice right now and want to be open with our investors about it.”

Atlassian’s bosses believe it is somewhat insulated from tightening economic conditions as its products are targeted at technology developers, who they say are typically the last roles businesses cut back when they are tightening their belts, especially with many companies working on digital transformation plans.

“While our products punch above their weight in terms of value, Atlassian is a relatively small line item in overall IT budgets and likely not where customers look to reduce costs,” the CEOs said.

New CFO

The company has flagged “line of sight” to $US10 billion in annual revenue and has a new executive in charge of marshalling the numbers in former Microsoft finance president Joe Binz, who will become chief financial officer in September.

Mr Farquhar had acted as an interim CFO for the current earnings period.

The company said Mr Binz was responsible for Microsoft’s financial planning and analysis, investor relations, acquisition integration, and procurement functions across a 20-year stint at the tech giant.

It is the second earnings call in a row where Atlassian has unveiled a new senior executive hire, having announced Rajeev Rajan as his chief technology officer – hired from Facebook parent Meta – in April.

In guidance for the next quarter, Atlassian forecast revenue in the range of $US795 million to $US810 million, and a widening loss per share of $US1.17 to $US1.16 – compared to a loss of $US0.41 in the fourth quarter.

“We believe our investments will propel us past this [$US10 billion revenue] milestone faster, while further strengthening our strategic position,” the CEOs said.

“History shows that turbulent economic environments offer a chance for companies to gain market share – to shake up the leaderboard. Atlassian intends to seize this moment.”

‘tech wreck’

With reference to the broader “tech wreck” that is seeing job losses and valuation mark-downs at tech companies around the globe, the co-founders reiterated remarks made by Scott Farquhar earlier this year about the current downturn and potential recession not being Atlassian’s “ first rodeo.”

“We seized opportunities during the economic turbulence of 2008-2009 to scoop up talent that wouldn’t have been available otherwise and broadened our customer base by offering $10 starter licenses for our products,” they wrote.

“Today we’re echoing that approach with free editions of our cloud products and ambitions to more than double our headcount over the next few years. Playing offense when others were throwing off their back foot worked for us then, and we’re confident it will work for us now.

From a commercial perspective, Atlassian said the ongoing transition of customers to its cloud-based products was continuing well, with a focus on driving a growth rate on sales of third-party cloud apps on its marketplace, greater than that of its own products.

It said it closed the financial year with over 200,000 cloud customers and cloud revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 55 per cent year-over-year.

Atlassian also confirmed that its parent holding company would shift from the United Kingdom to be domiciled in the United States, pending shareholder approval at two special shareholder meetings to be held on August 22. If shareholders agree the company will become based, as well as listed in the US from September 30.

“We believe moving our parent entity to the United States will increase our access to a broader set of investors, support inclusion in additional stock indices, improve financial reporting comparability with our industry peers, streamline our corporate structure, and provide more flexibility in accessing capital. ,” the co-CEOs wrote.

Categories
Australia

Father-of-six denied bail in Darwin after fight ends in the death of his brother in Jingili

The suburb sign of Jingili located next to a busy arterial road.

A punch-up between brothers has ended in tragedy, with one dead and the other set to remain in custody for now, after being denied bail.

Peter Kinthari, a 39-year-old father-of-six, has been charged with a manslaughter after the death of his brother in the northern Darwin suburb of Jingili on Wednesday night.

Northern Territory Police have described the death as a “domestic violence incident”.

During a bail application on Friday afternoon, the court heard the brothers, who hailed from the remote community of Wadeye, had “engaged in a fair fight” during a prolonged drinking session.

Lawyer John Blackley, from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, said the accused’s brother and his wife had “flown in from Wadeye that day”, before they met with their family members and started drinking heavily.

The two brothers began arguing, with witnesses alleging that verbal taunts soon spilled over into physical violence, with an ensuing altercation lasting at least two hours.

Mr Blackley said, at one stage, the fighting was interrupted by an “intermission” where “both the accused and the deceased were hugging each other and were in good spirits”.

The entrance of the Darwin Local Court, on a sunny day. There are palm trees and blue sky in the background.
A witness statement alleges they saw Peter Kinthari “absolutely belt” someone else during the altercation.(ABC News: Che Chorley)

Accused could face retribution in prison, court hears

The then escalated once more, with the court hearing allegations read by the prosecutor from a “sober, independent” eyewitness that the accused king had hit his brother to the face.

“I saw the father fellow [Peter Kinthari] absolutely belt the skinnier guy, knocking him from a standing position to the ground,” the witness statement read.

Crown prosecutor Marty Aust said the witness had watched the victim “completely out of it, sitting on the road by himself” when he was approached by his brother, who was yelling at him aggressively.

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Categories
US

What Kyrsten Sinema’s Tax Provision Cut Means for Rich Investors

What Kyrsten Sinema's Tax Provision Cut Means for Rich Investors

  • Sen. Kyrsten Sinema reached a deal on Thursday to back the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
  • A carried interest tax provision was cut from the bill.
  • The provision sought to narrow a loophole that allows wealthy investors to pay lower taxes.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has agreed to back the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, meaning the bill now has the support of all 50 Democrats in the US Senate.

Her cooperation came with the removal of a carried interest tax provision, a small portion of the bill that targeted a tax break for the wealthy.

“We have agreed to remove the carried interest tax provision, protect advanced manufacturing, and boost our clean energy economy in the Senate’s budget reconciliation legislation,” Sinema said in a statement on Thursday.

It represents a momentary win for some of America’s richest individuals. The provision targets a loophole that can be used to reduce taxes for hedge fund managers and other people who manage money for a living. When fund managers make money for their clients through their investments, they receive a cut of those profits. They’re allowed to classify that payment as capital gains, which are subject to lower tax rates than those for salary paychecks and bonuses. With the removal of the provision, fund managers have dodged restrictions that would have made it harder for them to keep paying the same low tax rates on their income.

Republicans and Democrats alike have advocated for eliminating the tax break ever since it was brought to the attention of Congress in 2007 by a law professor’s journal article. They have so far failed to close the loophole.

A Trump-era policy added a caveat to the loophole through a three-year holding period, which means that private equity funds have to hold on to their portfolio companies for at least three years before cashing out.

The Inflation Reduction Act’s provision would have extended that holding period to five years — meaning that even if it had been discussed with Sinema, it wouldn’t have closed the loophole completely.

According to a 2021 report by financial software company eFront, the average length of a private-equity fund’s holding period in 2020 was already 5.4 years.

Still, the carried interest tax provision is a relatively small part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Lawmakers estimated the provision would generate about $14 billion over the next 10 years, compared to the total $790 billion they said would be produced as a result of the bill .

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumeralso reiterated on Thursdaand that the bill still involves a new hard minimum on the taxes that America’s largest corporations have to pay.

“The agreement preserves the major components of the Inflation Reduction Act, including reducing prescription drug costs, fighting climate change, closing tax loopholes exploited by big corporations and the wealthy, and reducing the deficit by $300 billion,” Schumer said. The final version of the bill will be released on Saturday, he added.

President Joe Biden on Thursday evening praised Sinema’s cooperation as “another critical step toward reducing inflation and the cost of living for America’s families.”

Sinema’s opposition to the provision had opened the possibility that either she or Sen. Joe Manchin of Virginia — who agreed to a surprise deal on the bill last week — might upend the Inflation Reduction Act because of it. Both lawmakers helped shut down President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan.

However, the pair disagrees on carried interest, a tax loophole that allows wealthy investors and hedge fund managers to pay less taxes. While closing the loophole has been a priority for Manchin, Sinema is opposed to eliminating the tax break.

Sinema’s announcement on Thursday confirmed that her concerns for the bill prevailed, and that the provision would be cut.

Manchin and Sinema did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.

Categories
Business

Who will buy The Oaks Hotel Neutral Bay? Laundy family, Rich Listers, fund managers among possible buyers of Sydney pub for sale

Who will buy The Oaks Hotel Neutral Bay? Laundy family, Rich Listers, fund managers among possible buyers of Sydney pub for sale

Regarding The Oaks and other big-ticket hotel offerings, Musca says these properties and businesses have benefited from decades of planning, licensing, gaming and capacity approvals in premier locations that would be almost impossible to replicate as new developments.

“Fundamentally the very best hotels in the premier locations are simply going to enjoy perpetual, unimpeded earnings growth without competition.”

$175m would set a record

Stuart Laundy, son of billionaire pub owner and Rich Lister Arthur Laundy, confirmed his family would be among those looking closely at The Oaks as a potential acquisition opportunity.

He said he couldn’t comment on whether it was worth $175 million as he had “no idea” yet of its turnover or other performance figures but said, “if someone paid $175 million tomorrow, it would not surprise me”.

“Pubs are a safe option. People have always enjoyed a drink and had a punt, it’s not a bad business to be in. Even during the Great Depression, pubs were still pouring beers,” he told AFR Weekend.

The Oaks is best known for its beer garden.

Whether The Oaks is worth as much as selling agent JLL is quoting will be determined by the market – should it fetch $175 million it would set a land rate record across both residential and commercial property on the Lower North Shore.

Generating about $23 million in annual revenue, The Oaks comes with multiple bars, including Taffy’s Sports Bar, the Bar & Grill restaurant, a gaming room with 30 poker machines, extensive first floor function spaces and high-end retail bottle shop. There’s also the potential for a five-storey development.

The Crossroads Hotel sold with 30 electronic gaming machines that bring in over $300,000 a week, a restaurant serving over 4000 meals a week and a large accommodation component across a 1.28-hectare site, six times as big as The Oaks.

“Assets such as Crossroads Hotel and Strathfield Hotel are frankly inimitable, and have separately enjoyed robust earnings platforms for decades,” said HTL Property’s Andrew Jolliffe, who brokered the record sale of both properties.

That does not mean the sector is immune to a crash, as occurred during the global financial crisis, when a mountain of debt brought down big pub giants like National Leisure and Gaming and the Hedley Group.

However, this time around owners are far less leveraged and good operators are generating healthy operating margins exceeding 20 per cent.

“When compared to other periods, loan-to-values ​​are actually at an industry low point, with the average sitting below 50 per cent. Accordingly, the capitalization of Australian pubs has rarely been more balanced,” says Jolliffe.

Categories
Sports

Commonwealth Games 2022: Fans cruelled by semi-final scheduling, New Zealand vs Australia start time, cricket news

Commonwealth Games 2022: Fans cruelled by semi-final scheduling, New Zealand vs Australia start time, cricket news

The Australian women’s cricket team will face New Zealand in the Commonwealth Games semi-finals this weekend, but most Aussie supporters won’t be awake for the must-win contest in Birmingham.

The semi-final fixtures were unveiled on Friday morning AEST, with hosts England scheduled to take on powerhouse nation India on Saturday at 11am local time.

Watch The Hundred. Every Match Live & Exclusive to Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Meanwhile, world champions Australia will battle their trans-Tasman rivals in the evening timeslot, meaning fans back home hoping to cheer on Meg Lanning’s side will need to set an alarm for 3am AEST on Sunday morning.

Kiwi viewers have been treated to a slightly less painful 5am start time.

Swapping the fixtures would have given three of the competing nations a prime broadcast timeslot for their respective audiences, but accommodating India’s massive fanbase has seemingly been prioritized.

Australia was undefeated in the group stage, defeating India, Barbados and Pakistan to cruise through the knockouts.

New Zealand, meanwhile, suffered a horror collapse in their final group stage match against England on Thursday, managing just 9/71 from their 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat first at Edgbaston.

Maddy Green top-scored for the Kiwis with 19 as veteran seamer Katherine Brunt rattled the New Zealanders with a classy spell of 2/4 from three overs in the Powerplay.

“We were well below par and it wasn’t through lack of effort or lack of planning or anything like that, I think you just get days like that,” New Zealand captain Sophie Devine said.

“It’s never nice to be a part of but we’ve got to flush it down the dunny pretty quickly and move on to something that’s actually really exciting for us, playing in a semi-final against Australia at a Commonwealth Games.”

England chased the 72-run target with more than eight overs to spare and seven wickets in hand.

Regardless, Australia remain firm favorites to return home with the coveted gold medal around their necks, having not lost a 20-over match since March 2021.

“I think a lot of the pressure is going to be on Australia,” Devine said.

“They’ve certainly come into this competition as favorites and hopeful of taking that gold medal whereas a lot of people didn’t think we’d maybe make the semi-finals.

“We can really take that on board and just play with a bit of freedom and take it to the Aussies. We obviously know them really well, so I think our plans are going to be pretty spot on and likewise they know us really well too. It’s always just a great battle against the Australians.”

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Categories
Australia

University of New England vice chancellor Brigid Heywood resigns after being charged with assault

A photo of the UNE Vice Chancellor Brigid Heywood, sitting on a desk.

The vice-chancellor and chief executive of an Australian university has resigned but will defend charges against her, according to her former employer.

Brigid Heywood had been with the University of New England, based in Armidale in regional New South Wales, for three years before she was formally charged on Monday.

Police allege Professor Heywood assaulted a 16-year-old girl at a licensed venue in Armidale in March and that the teenager was not physically injured.

In addition to one charge of common assault, Professor Heywood has also been charged with behaving in an offensive manner near a public place or school.

In a statement, University of New England chancellor James Harris said Professor Heywood “strenuously denies there is any truth to the charges and will defend them.”

The National Tertiary Education Union had called for Professor Heywood to stand down while the matter was before the court.

“Professor Heywood and the University Council acknowledges the deep hurt felt by many on hearing of the charges and thanks the community for the patience shown as we worked through these matters,” Mr Harris said in his statement.

“The University Council wants to clearly state that it remains deeply committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for its students, staff and community at all times.”

Professor Heywood is due to face an Armidale court on September 26.

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Categories
US

Republican push to overturn Biden permitting rules passes Senate, with Manchin’s support

Republican push to overturn Biden permitting rules passes Senate, with Manchin's support

Nonetheless, the symbolic gesture by Manchin comes as the West Virginia Democrat has sought to advance legislation in the coming months that would ease permitting requirements to make it easier to build pipelines and clean energy infrastructure projects such as transmission lines that can take up to a decade to build due to cumbersome environmental rules.

Manchin secured a commitment from Democrats leaders on that legislation as under a deal that revived the party-line climate reconciliation bill last week.

Republicans had warned ahead of the vote that they were unlikely to work with Manchin on permitting unless he voted for their CRA resolution.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), the lead sponsor of the resolution, told POLITICO earlier this week that it “would be a lack of demonstration of seriousness if my resolution goes down on a party-line vote.”

Manchin praised the resolution in a statement as a “step in the right direction.” But he also put the onus back on Republicans, saying, “I hope every Republican that voted for this legislation today will support the bipartisan permitting reform bill when it comes before the Senate in September.”

Biden is expected to unveil a second broader rule making additional changes to NEPA as early later this year.

Categories
Business

Adamantem Capital caps off CardiologyCo acquisition

Adamantem Capital caps off CardiologyCo acquisition

Private equity firm Adamantem Capital has locked in a deal to buy KKR-backed GenesisCare’s cardiology business, CardiologyCo, after about six weeks of exclusive talks.

GenesisCare CEO Dan Collins had Record Point and Morgan Stanley running the auction for his cardiology care business, CardiologyCo. James Alcock

Adamantem is understood to have paid between $200 million and $250 million. It would own the lion’s share of the CardiologyCo, while the doctors would keep a minority shareholding, under a deal that was signed this morning.

It gives the PE firm exposure to the aging thematic, while CardiologyCo gets to lighten its debt load.

CardiologyCo has more than 100 cardiologists and 700 odd technicians who see 200,000 plus patients a year. It would make two bolt-on acquisitions and expand into Sydney and diagnostics, concurrent to the Admantem deal.

Adamantem dealmakers Angus Stuart, Gunjan Goel and Georgina Varley led the investment for the firm. It joins its other healthcare bets like Zenitas and NZ aged care business Heritage Lifecare. It is the fourth investment in Adamantem’s $800 million Fund II after Climate Friendly, Linen Services and Nak Hair.

The PE firm used Grant Samuel, Skye Capital, EY and Gilbert + Tobin for advice. GenesisCare was advised by Record Point, Morgan Stanley, PwC and Herbert Smith Freehills.