Razer Leviathan V2: Multi-Driver PC Gaming Soundbar with Subwoofer	SAMSUNG HW-B650 3.1ch Soundbar w/Dolby 5.1 DTS	Bose Smart Soundbar 300	Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2	Creative Stage V2 2.1 Soundbar with Subwoofer	Klipsch Cinema 600 Sound Bar 3.1 Home Theater System	VIZIO V-Series 2.0 Compact Home Theater Sound Bar	Sonos Playbar - Sound Bar
4.3	4.5	4.3	3.9	4.1	4.3	4.6	4.6
$249.99$202.99	$397.99$367.99	$449.00	$259.99	$109.99$99.99	$549.00$403.99	$119.99$99.88	$599.00$349.99
Check Availability	Check Availability	See at Amazon	See at Amazon	See at Amazon	See at Amazon	See at Amazon	See at Amazon

Razer Leviathan V2: Multi-Driver PC Gaming Soundbar with Subwoofer

4.3

$249.99$202.99

Check Availability

SAMSUNG HW-B650 3.1ch Soundbar w/Dolby 5.1 DTS

4.5

$397.99$367.99

Check Availability

Bose Smart Soundbar 300

4.3

$449.00

See at Amazon

Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2

3.9

$259.99

See at Amazon

Creative Stage V2 2.1 Soundbar with Subwoofer

4.1

$109.99$99.99

See at Amazon

Klipsch Cinema 600 Sound Bar 3.1 Home Theater System

4.3

$549.00$403.99

See at Amazon

VIZIO V-Series 2.0 Compact Home Theater Sound Bar

4.6

$119.99$99.88

See at Amazon

Sonos Playbar - Sound Bar

4.6

$599.00$349.99

See at Amazon

It’s expensive to be a high-end gamer in 2023. You have to buy a console, your yearly subscription, expensive games, and all of the accessories.

But that only gets you the basic requirements. Once you start talking TVs and audio, you’re getting in over your head.

We’re here to help alleviate a small portion of that right now. We’ve compiled the best affordable soundbars for your Xbox Series X that you can buy today.

Why should I get an affordable soundbar?

Most sound systems are bulky and don’t leave space for anything else. Soundbars are a fantastic way to upgrade your TV’s audio without taking up much room.

Not only will it enhance any shows or movies that you want to watch, the built-in audio on TVs for gaming just kind of sucks to begin with. It’s time to hear what the game developers really intended for you to hear.

To keep your bank account from being angry, we’re looking at nothing over $499.99. That might seem like a lot, but soundbars can get way more expensive than that.

Don’t worry, though. We’re keeping your budget in mind here with more affordable soundbars than not. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Razer Leviathan V2

The Razer Leviathan line shows up on these types of lists nearly every time. We’re including it because of its versatility with both PC and mobile devices and the rad RGB Chroma lighting.

It also works great for the Xbox Series X, even though it isn’t actually designed for console gaming. It’s actually designed for a PC.

Utilizing this soundbar for your Xbox would mean plugging it through whatever monitor or TV you’re using to play on, just like most options on this list.

It has THX Spatial Audio, offering 7.1 surround sound, which the Xbox can take advantage of. But, as mentioned, you’re not directly connecting to the console itself.

The original Leviathan model rated 4.3 on Best Buy’s website. The newer V2 model sits at the same 4.3 ratings, making this a solid option. It’s a great “bang for your buck” system.

Razer Leviathan V2: Multi-Driver PC Gaming Soundbar with Subwoofer

4.3

$249.99 $202.99

Experience audio excellence with the Razer Leviathan V2 Multi-Driver PC Gaming Soundbar and Subwoofer. Equipped with 2 full-range drivers and a down-firing subwoofer, it delivers high-fidelity sound.

What We Like:

• Impressive Audio Performance: Equipped with full-range drivers and a powerful subwoofer, delivering rich and full-range sound for an immersive gaming and entertainment experience.
• THX Spatial Audio: Enjoy advanced 7.1 surround sound that provides pinpoint accuracy, enhancing realism and immersion in movies, games, and music.
• Compact Design: Fits neatly under your monitor, minimizing clutter on your desktop while providing clear, unobstructed audio.
• Bluetooth 5.2 Connectivity: Seamlessly switch between devices with low-latency Bluetooth connection, and manage multiple pairings easily through the Razer Audio App.
• Dynamic Lighting: Powered by Razer Chroma, featuring 18 customizable lighting zones that synchronize with your gaming setup for a captivating visual experience.

Check Availability See at Best Buy

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08/08/2023 10:58 pm GMT

Samsung – HW-B650/ZA

For better or worse, Samsung generally makes notable tech pieces. Their soundbars tend to be hit-or-miss. But, the moderately priced HW-B650/ZA is sitting at a 4.6-star rating on the Samsung website with well over 1,000 reviews.

Since the Xbox Series X offers Dolby Digital 5.1, this Samsung soundbar feels like it was designed with modern consoles more in mind. With a “Game Mode” built-in, this affordable soundbar may be one of your best options on this list.

SAMSUNG HW-B650 3.1ch Soundbar w/Dolby 5.1 DTS

4.5

$397.99 $367.99

The SAMSUNG HW-B650 3.1ch Soundbar enriches your audio experience with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual:X, immersing you in multi-directional sound. Elevate dialogue clarity with the built-in center speaker and intensify your entertainment with the included subwoofer's powerful bass.

What We Like:

• Captivating Multi-Directional Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Virtual:X immerse you in a dynamic audio experience.
• Enhanced Dialogue Clarity: The built-in center speaker ensures clear and impactful dialogue.
• Powerful Bass Boost: Elevate your entertainment with a touch of a button for intensified bass.
• Cinematic Intensity: The included subwoofer adds depth and vibrancy to action-packed scenes.
• Optimized Audio: Adaptive Sound Lite technology delivers enhanced voice clarity for favorite video content.

Check Availability See at Samsung

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08/08/2023 10:58 pm GMT

Bose Smart Soundbar 300

The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 brings the quality that Bose is known for along with it. If you ask any audiophile, Bose will be on their list.

This soundbar may be higher on our pricing. But it’s sleek and can also be mounted on a wall. Like most others, it also offers Spotify and Apple AirPlay 2 connection.

If you want to connect it through the television, you can, with the optical cable. But it also offers HDMI connectivity as well.

The great part about this one is that it’s compatible to hook up with the Bose Bass Module 500 and 700, the Bose Surround Speakers, and the Bose Surround Speakers 700.

Seriously, it’s like the sexiest audio Megazord you can put together. Or it works as a stand-alone beast too. It sits at 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with over 2,000 reviews, which totally makes sense.

Bose Smart Soundbar 300

4.3

$449.00

The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 redefines your entertainment experience. Delivering spacious sound, rich bass, and exceptional clarity through 5 full-range drivers, it's perfect for TV, movies, and games. With built-in Alexa and Google Assistant, hands-free control is seamless.

What We Like:

• Exceptional Audio Quality: Spacious sound, clear dialogue, and rich bass create an immersive experience.
• Enhanced TV Control: Bose Voice for Video technology expands Alexa capabilities, managing soundbar and devices.
• Versatile Connectivity: Stream wirelessly via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, or Spotify Connect.
• Sleek Design: Slim profile and flexible placement enhance any space.
• Expandable Ecosystem: Pair with other Bose products for multiroom listening or add-ons.
• Easy Setup: Guided installation through the Bose Music app.
• Voice Pickup Technology: Noise-rejecting microphones capture clear voice commands.

See at Amazon See at Lenovo

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08/08/2023 11:02 pm GMT

Panasonic SoundSlayer

This 2.1-channel Panasonic SoundSlayer was designed with gaming in mind.

Panasonic partnered with Square Enix as part of their “features” to make a speaker optimized for both games and movies.

A discontinued version of this affordable soundbar even has the Final Fantasy XIV logo plastered all over it. Three gaming modes come equipped with the robust lineup of modes it already packs.

These include RPG mode, First Person Shooter mode, and Voice mode. Considering it was built with Final Fantasy in mind, these modes make sense. This Panasonic sits at a nice 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon and seems to go on sale occasionally.

Panasonic SoundSlayer Dolby Atmos Soundbar

4.5

$297.00 $249.00

The Panasonic SoundSlayer Dolby Atmos Soundbar redefines home audio. Experience cinematic 3D sound realism through Dolby Atmos and DTS technology, immersing you in a world of detail and depth. Enjoy high-definition 4K content without image quality loss and optimize your experience with customizable sound settings.

What We Like:

• Cinematic Realism: Revolutionary Dolby Atmos and DTS technology deliver 3D sound with astonishing detail and depth, enhancing movies and TV shows.
• Mind-Blowing Sound: Compact design partnered with Final Fantasy XIV (FFIXV) Online sound team for immersive audio in movies, music, and games.
• Preserved Image Quality: High-definition 4K content with zero loss in image quality through 2.1 Channel 3-Way Speaker System and 4K HDR passthrough.
• Customizable Sound: Tailor your experience with dedicated modes for movies, music, and gaming genres, enhancing intensity and realism.
• Seamless Connectivity: Connect to TV, Blu-ray player, PC, USB hard disk, or smart devices via HDMI and Bluetooth. Included remote for easy control.
• Elevated Gaming: Experience RPG, FPS, or Voice Mode for different game styles, immersing you further into the virtual world.

See at Amazon See at BestBuy

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08/08/2023 11:04 pm GMT

Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2

Creative Sound looked at the Razer Leviathan on this list and said, “bet.” This 5.1 channel surround sound, Dolby Audio, RGB lit soundbar is designed for gamers, through and through.

This one is one of the only soundbars on this list to boast being able to connect to all of the current generation consoles.

The Katana V2 also offers enhanced sound with your headphones, specifically for gaming. The “Super X-Fi” options are for action games that require listening to gunshots and footsteps.

And yes, the Katana has fully customizable RGB lighting with programmable settings. This affordable soundbar is rocking a 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, making it one of the highest rated on this entire list.

Compared to the Razer Leviathan, it is slightly bulkier and only offers 5.1 surround sound, unlike the Razer’s 7.1 surround sound.

However, the Katana has more connectivity options and is designed for consoles, including our Xbox Series X via HDMI.

Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2

3.9

$259.99

The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2X offers powerful audio in a compact package. With tri-amplified amps and a proprietary DSP chip, it delivers stunning clarity. The discreet subwoofer, 40% smaller than the Katana V2, suits smaller rooms without compromising quality. Experience immersive 5.1 channel playback, up to 180W peak power, and Dolby Audio certification.

What We Like:

• Powerful Audio: Tri-amplified amps and proprietary DSP chip deliver clarity.
• Compact Subwoofer: 40% smaller than Katana V2, ideal for smaller rooms.
• Immersive Playback: 5.1 channel with up to 180W peak power, Dolby Audio certification.
• Super X-Fi Technology: Personalize headphone experience for realism.
• SXFI Battle Mode: Accurately pinpoint enemy locations in FPS games.
• Versatile Connectivity: USB, HDMI ARC, optical port, wireless Bluetooth 5.0.
• Built-in Microphone: Conduct calls directly from the soundbar.
• Customizable Controls: Access functions through remote buttons, fine-tune audio with Sound Blaster's technologies, RGB presets, and EQ settings.

See at Amazon See at Best Buy

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08/08/2023 11:11 pm GMT

Creative Stage V2 ($109.99)

Coming in at a 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon, the Creative Stage V2 is a cheap option for anyone looking to stay on a hardcore budget while enjoying the audio of their TV. Running a 2.1 system, you get what you pay for.

It’s not designed with gaming as the priority, but it rates well among gamers. You’ll just have to plug it into the TV instead of the Xbox.

In any case, it’s the most affordable soundbar on this list and isn’t half bad. Also, it comes with a remote. There are soundbars on this list that are double to triple this price that doesn’t even come with a remote.

Creative Stage V2 2.1 Soundbar with Subwoofer

4.1

$109.99 $99.99

Experience enhanced vocal clarity and immersive surround sound with Clear Dialog and Surround technologies powered by Sound Blaster expertise. Creative Stage V2's 2.1 speaker system boasts custom-tuned mid-range drivers and a powerful subwoofer for captivating audio.

What We Like:

• Enhanced Audio Experience: Clear Dialog and Surround technologies provide improved vocal intelligibility and wider surround sound, delivering a cinematic experience at home.
• Immersive Sound: Custom-tuned mid-range drivers and a powerful subwoofer create captivating, room-filling audio with deep bass.
• Versatile Connectivity: TV ARC, optical, AUX, Bluetooth, and USB audio options make it a comprehensive audio entertainment system for various devices.
• Convenient Controls: The included remote allows easy playback control, treble and bass adjustment, audio mode selection, and input switching.
• - Sleek Design: Minimalist and wall-mountable, the Creative Stage V2 complements your TV and interior design seamlessly, enhancing your entertainment without distraction.

See at Amazon See at B&H

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08/08/2023 11:14 pm GMT

Klipsch Cinema 600 ($549)

This Klipsch Cinema is the priciest soundbar on this list. But, as mentioned, they get a heck of a lot more expensive than this. This beast is at a 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon with over 2,600 reviews, so you know it’ll be good.

Honestly, you’re paying for the length of this thing. It’s the longest piece of tech on this list at 45 inches long. That’s nearly four feet for those bad at math.

It may only have a 3.1 system built in, but it virtualizes as 5.1. It also blasts with a 600W peak power.

The top question about it on Amazon is, “How do you unpack this product?” The answer given is “Like a kid on Christmas morning.” If you want power, you have to pay for power. This Klipsch will do the trick.

Klipsch Cinema 600 Sound Bar 3.1 Home Theater System

4.3

$549.00 $403.99

The Klipsch Cinema 600 3.1 Sound Bar offers a cinematic experience. With a wireless 10" subwoofer, dedicated center channel speaker for enhanced vocals, and horn-loaded tweeters, it delivers dynamic power and clarity. Enjoy easy setup, custom-tuned dialog modes, and a motion-sensing remote for immersive sound.

What We Like:

• Cinematic Audio: Wireless 10" subwoofer, dedicated center channel, and horn-loaded tweeters provide dynamic power and clarity, reminiscent of legendary cinema speakers.
• Effortless Setup: Plug-and-play with included HDMI cable (or optical), HDMI-ARC for single remote control, and easy connection to the wireless subwoofer.
• Enhanced Dialog: Custom-tuned dialog modes optimize EQ settings for crisp, clear, and intelligible sound, ensuring every word is heard.
• Intuitive Control: Motion-sensing remote adjusts subwoofer level, surround level, and sound mode for a personalized listening experience.
• Powerful Subwoofer: The largest in its class, the 10" wireless subwoofer delivers impactful sound with minimal latency, perfect for any location.
• Dolby Audio®: Built-in Dolby Audio® enhances your audio experience, bringing cinematic quality to your home entertainment.

See at Amazon See at Best Buy

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08/08/2023 11:15 pm GMT

VIZIO V-Series 2.0 ($119.99)

We promised some cheaper alternatives than the pricier superpowers from Klipsch and Bose. Enter: VIZIO V-Series 2.0.

For being one of the cheapest soundbars that work, it’s running with a 4.5 out of 5 on Best Buy. If you aren’t looking for a 45-inch baseball bat like the one from Klipsch, you’re in luck here.

The VIZIO doesn’t have a subwoofer, only offering a 2.0 channel system using DTS Virtual: X. But, if you’re looking for something that works without breaking the bank, the V-Series will get you gaming on a budget.

VIZIO V-Series 2.0 Compact Home Theater Sound Bar

4.6

$119.99 $99.88

The VIZIO V-Series 2.0 Compact Home Theater Sound Bar delivers enhanced audio with its sleek design and DTS Virtual:X technology, providing room-filling virtualized sound. Full-range speakers, wide frequency response, and impressive loudness ensure coherent, clear, and dynamic audio.

What We Like:

• Sleek and Versatile Design: The compact all-black finish with an easy-to-clean textured surface complements small to medium-sized rooms.
• Immersive Sound: DTS Virtual:X technology delivers room-filling, floor-to-ceiling virtualized sound.
• Clear and Coherent Audio: 2 full-range speakers provide brilliant clarity and coherent sound for an immersive experience.
• Wide Frequency Response: A natural 70Hz – 20kHz frequency response captures the artist's intended audio details.
• Remarkable Loudness: With 95dB loudness, experience dynamic, room-shaking sound with minimal distortion or compression.

See at Amazon See at Best Buy

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

08/08/2023 11:17 pm GMT

Sonos Playbar ($489.99)

Sonos is another brand that shows up on every list of audiophiles. This soundbar, like the Bose, hooks up with your other Sonos equipment like a melodic Voltron.

It sounds great as a stand-alone, but the more you add, such as the separate subwoofer, the higher quality you get.

The Sonos Playbar can be mounted and will tune itself based on necessity. They also boast that Oscar-winning sound engineers helped tune the system. So, that’s cool too.

Of course, it’s a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with nearly 2,000 ratings. If you’re looking for some of the highest quality sounds without spending a grand on a single item, Sonos is the way to go.

If you want to spend a grand, the good news is that they have many options to help you do that.

Sonos Playbar - Sound Bar

4.6

$599.00 $349.99

The Sonos Playbar, a mountable soundbar, enriches your TV, movie, and music experience. Crisp dialogue and impressive bass span the room. Control via Sonos app, remote, and more. Whether wall-mounted or on a stand, Playbar self-tunes for optimal sound. It's tuned by Oscar-winning engineers to emphasize human voices, ensuring an engaging storytelling experience.

What We Like:

• Versatile Sound Enhancement: The Sonos Playbar elevates TV, movie, and music experiences with its mountable design and impressive bass.
• Intuitive Control: Manage Playbar effortlessly through the Sonos app, remote control, and more, offering convenience and flexibility.
• Adaptive Sound: Whether wall-mounted or on a stand, Playbar automatically optimizes its audio for the best possible sound in any setup.
• Enhanced Dialogue: Tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers, Playbar emphasizes human voices, ensuring captivating storytelling.
• Whole-Home Sound System: Seamlessly connect Sonos speakers across different rooms via WiFi, creating a unified home sound system that brings everyone together.

See at Amazon See at Sonos

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08/08/2023 11:26 pm GMT

Final thoughts

Once you get your soundbar, you need to know the best way to hook it up to your Xbox Series X. The newest systems don’t have optical ports, so you must buy accordingly and know what your TV offers.

If you’re looking for more options, you can see our slightly older thoughts about soundbars for gaming here. You might find something you like there if you’re looking for something a little more substantial.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Budget-friendly expandable storage cards are coming to Xbox
• How to connect a soundbar to your Xbox Series X
• The best Xbox controllers
• The best JBL speakers (2023)

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post The best soundbars for Xbox Series X under $500 (2023) appeared first on KnowTechie.

She seems just as intelligent and capable as Elon himself. However, she decided to change her long-time username on the platform and asked the public what she should choose. She had the account @lindayaccs.

In the end, she went with @lindayaX as a play on the words of her old username and new position. What she didn’t take into account, somehow, is that someone was going to snag that username the second it was available.

And snag it, they did. Some relatively non-malicious trolls grabbed the username and have been having a field day with it.

In order to keep compliant with Twitter/X rules, they immediately put the word “PARODY” in multiple places. Linda’s new parody title is “Future Chief Executive Officer of XVideos Parody Official.” But, the X is the Unicode version to match the actual logo of the site.

Then, the troll(s) pro]ceeded to make hilarious posts. “Hello fellow Reptilians!” adorns one of the few posts.

The link in the bio now points to the porn site xvideos.com. Yes, it’s NSFW if you click on it. It’s a porn site.

Parody Linda even offered a poll to start the joke. “Let’s revert back to Twitter! Who’s with me?” with two options of “Yes” and “Yes.”

It’s highly likely that this account could be confiscated at any point. But it isn’t actually breaking any of X’s rules.

It’s a parody account under the parody account rules. It’s not the account owner’s fault that the username was available and left unlocked when Yaccarino changed her username.

This is such a small misstep for Musk and his new X brand that it barely makes the radar. But, it follows a much longer string of missteps across the past several months. We will keep you posted as news unfolds.

And to answer Parody Linda’s poll question: Yes, we do think that it should revert back to Twitter.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Elon Musk’s investment in Twitter is almost entirely gone
• Elon Musk’s new regime reinstates Kanye West’s Twitter account
• Meta’s new Twitter clone, Threads, is now out in the wild
• What is Bluesky? And does it have the potential to be a Twitter killer?

The post Twitter X CEO changes username; trolls immediately snag it appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: If you have an Apple device, get Arcade. If you have an Android device, get Play Pass. Google has way more content, but Apple has more quality games by comparison.

Some people are console gamers. Others may prefer to game on their PC. But, there’s an entire demographic that prefers to play on their phone or tablet. Sure, you can play free games to your heart’s content. But, what about the games with a little more meat on their bones? That’s where subscription services like the Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade really shine.

What exactly are Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade?

These subscription services offer people a wide array of games, for a monthly fee, without the need to continue to pay for them each. Generally, that would remove all advertisements and in-app purchases from the game. This allow players to enjoy the game without being bombarded over and over.

Apple Arcade, as the name entails, is for Apple products, such as your iPhone or iPad. It also works on your Mac or Apple TV.

This subscription service focuses on the value of higher end games, boasting over 200 games total. The base price is $4.99 per month, after a 1-month free trial.

Google Play Pass, on the other hand, is for Android devices. This brand can range from Samsung to HTC to Google’s very own Pixel line. Google Play Pass seems to take a more carpet bomb approach in terms of content.

They offer “unlimited access to 1,000+ apps & games”, according to the Google Play version of the page. However, the browser-based website claims that it “includes hundreds of games and apps, with new additions every month”.

Where Apple only has games on the Arcade platform, Google offers apps as well. These vary from things like premium versions of photo-editing software, white noise generators, and PDF scanners.

The base price for Google Play Pass is, like Apple, $4.99 per month. This also gives your a free month to try it out first.

Quality or quantity?

Developers and games looking to get in on Apple Arcade are likely scrutinized quite a bit, just like any other aspect of Apple. This becomes obvious when comparing to the higher level of slosh that Google offers.

They may offer apps and a larger variety, but Google’s quality control sucks when it comes to the Play Pass, among other things.

The pricing, on the surface, is pretty identical. However, additional options may be where things really diverge. Google Play Pass offers a yearly subscription, which halves the price for a full year. This places a full year at only $29.99, a fantastic deal.

Apple takes a different approach, wanting users to eventually be a part of their bigger fan club. They don’t offer as good of a deal on a yearly subscription, only offering $10 off at $49.99.

However, you can get Arcade through a paid Apple One membership. The lowest pricing for this offers iCloud+ 50GB, tv+, Music, and Arcade for $16.95, monthly.

The highest tier jumps to $32.95, monthly, but offers much more to it, including up to 2TB of storage with iCloud+.

If you want to soak up 3-months of free Apple Arcade, you can always purchase a brand new Apple device to save you that $14.97. But, obviously, that’s just a throw in.

As for the verdict, they both have their pros and cons. Apple users will obviously say that Apple Arcade is way more worth the price in terms of quality headliners.

But, as for the bang for the buck, Google Play Pass has the most content per dollar utilizing the yearly subscription, even if you have to wade through a lot of junk to get to it.

If all else fails, give them both a try, if you have the right devices. It’s not like you don’t get a free month trial. Apple Arcade can be found here and Google Play Pass can be found here. Just make sure to cancel your sub before it starts charging you.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Google Play Store apps are lying about your data privacy
• Google Play reveals its most popular apps and games of 2022
• How to cancel Apple Arcade
• Can Apple Vision Pro play games?

The post Apple Arcade vs. Google Play Pass: Is there any difference? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: To connect an Xbox controller to PC, you can use an Xbox Wireless adapter, Bluetooth, or directly wiring it with a cord.

Some people play games with a good old-fashioned keyboard and mouse – they will die on that hill. For the majority of people, however, a game controller is an absolute necessity.

Sure, you could head to a local thrift store and buy some knockoff brand controller, but most people will connect an Xbox controller to their PC and hit the ground running.

In the modern era of gaming and computing, it’s not too difficult to do. But how do you connect an Xbox controller to your PC? There’s a handful of answers to that question. So, we’ll break it down here in this article.

This how-to will directly be talking about both the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X|S controllers. In some situations, if you’re still rolling with your old Xbox 360 controller, it may work. But, no promises.

Methods to Connect an Xbox Controller to PC

Using a Wired Connection to Connect Xbox Controller to PC

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get gaming without a lot of technical needs, plugging the controller directly into your PC’s USB port is the best way.

All you need for this method is to get the compatible cord into the top of your Xbox controller. This could be a micro-USB or USB-C.

• Step 1. Plug the controller into the cord.
• Step 2. Plug in the cord’s USB end to the PC.
• Step 3. Give Windows a moment to identify it.
• Step 4. Enjoy your game! Seriously, it’s that easy.

When directly plugged in, you also get the benefit of the PC powering the controller. Although you deal with a cord in this method, you also save a ton on batteries and recharge time.

If you use the other two methods and your battery drains out while you’re in the middle of a game, use this method, and it’ll get you back into the game immediately.

Using Bluetooth to Connect Xbox Controller to PC

Cords are messy and get in the way. You want a permanent solution that doesn’t have a dangling piece of plastic. We get it. The good news is that most of the modern Xbox controllers have built-in Bluetooth. If your controller and your PC both do, you’re in luck.

The easy way to tell, if you’re using an Xbox-branded controller, is to look at the plastic around the Xbox button. If the Xbox button is part of the same face of the controller it terms of color, you have Bluetooth.

Windows 8, 10, and 11 all have similar ways to do this. So, it shouldn’t be too different between the three offerings in terms of steps.

Step 1. Open up your Windows system Settings and head to the “Bluetooth & devices” option.

Step 2. Ensure you have Bluetooth built-into your PC or as a separate dongle and make sure it’s turned “on” in the settings.

Step 3. Click “Add Device”.

Step 4. Choose “Bluetooth”.

Step 5. Turn the controller on with the Xbox button on the controller and it’ll turn on a solid light. Hold the top tiny button on your Xbox controller until the Xbox button on the controller starts to blink.

Step 6. Your controller should pop up as an option on the list of Bluetooth items on your PC. Choose it to pair and give it a moment to start working.

Step 7. The blinking Xbox button should be solid by now. Enjoy your game.

Also, we’d like to note that if you don’t unpair the controller from your PC, you don’t have to do this step-by-step every time. Just turn on the controller with the Xbox button and you’re good to go. If you take your controller to another PC or Xbox console, you’ll have to redo this, though.

Using Xbox Wireless Adapter to Connect Xbox Controller to PC

Let’s say you hate cords, but your PC doesn’t have Bluetooth. Or maybe you’re still rocking an older Xbox controller before they added the built-in Bluetooth. There’s still one last option for you. You can get yourself an Xbox Wireless Adapter!

The good news here is that this method is pretty similar to the Bluetooth method above.

Step 1. Open up your Windows system Settings and head to the “Bluetooth & devices” option.

Step 2. Plug in the Xbox Wireless Adapter dongle into your USB port and give it a moment to make sure it’s got the drivers set correctly. Hold the button on it until the light flashes.

Step 3. Click “Add Device”.

Step 4. Choose “Everything Else”. Generally, it also mentions “Xbox controllers with an Xbox Wireless Adapter” directly below it. Again, they’ve laid it all out for you once you get this far.

Step 5. Turn the controller on with the Xbox button on the controller and it’ll turn on a solid light. Hold the top tiny button on your Xbox controller until the Xbox button on the controller starts to blink.

Step 6. Your controller should pop up as an option on the list of pairable items on your PC. Choose it to pair and give it a moment to start working.

Step 7. The blinking Xbox button should be solid by now. Enjoy your game.

This method is the tried and true method that’s been around for years. But, it seems that Windows 11 doesn’t “officially” support this. It still should work either way.

Troubleshooting Xbox Controller Connection Issues

There are times that your controller may not fully work when connecting. The best troubleshooting for each method is pretty simple. For a more intense breakdown of troubleshooting your situation, check out our article on fixing a connection from a controller to a PC. For a simple layout, based on the different pairing methods, try our ideas

I’m having trouble connecting my Xbox controller via USB

If you’re plugging your controller in directly via USB and having trouble connecting, it’s definitely the USB cord itself. Ensure that the controller is turned on, then try unplugging both ends and reconnecting them. If that doesn’t work, try another USB cable. As long as the controller itself is working properly, that should solve your connection problems.

I’m having trouble connecting my Xbox controller via Bluetooth

If you’re connecting to your PC via Bluetooth, try going into your Bluetooth settings. You might have built-in Bluetooth and you’ll have to configure it in the “Bluetooth and devices” settings tab. If you’re using an add-on Bluetooth dongle, try unplugging it and re-plugging it back in. There could be drivers involved with a third party device.

You’re going to have to ensure that Bluetooth is on and searching for something to pair with, which can be slightly different for various brands and options out there.

You also need to make sure that your controller even has Bluetooth capabilities. Microsoft added the Bluetooth functionality in 2017, so early Xbox One controllers didn’t have it built-in at all. This goes with many alternate brands, such as various older Scuf or Turtle Beach models.

I’m having trouble connecting my Xbox controller via Xbox Wireless Dongle

We recommend removing the dongle from your USB port and re-plugging it back in. Hold the button on the dongle until it starts blinking the light. Then, as it’s blinking, grab your controller and turn it on. Hold the top small button near the USB port until the Xbox icon button starts blinking. They will both stop blinking after a moment and it’s connected now.

Frequently Asked Questions on Connecting Xbox Controller to PC

Can I Connect Xbox One Controller to PC without a Wireless Adapter?

In 2017, Microsoft started adding Bluetooth support built into their controllers. If you own a controller made prior to then, you’re locked out of using the Bluetooth method. But, the other two methods are still viable and perfectly accessible.

How Many Xbox Controllers Can You Connect to PC?

This answer depends on your method of connection. Using Bluetooth, only one. Using the Xbox Wireless Adapter, it can support up to eight. By plugging in with a USB, infinite as long as you have USB ports that can power it.

Can you connect controllers that are not Xbox branded to a PC?

In a word, yes. If it’s designed for an Xbox system at all, use the methods above. Some controllers, such as the Turtle Beach Recon controller, only support wired USB connections, so each controller is different. Make sure you’re reading the individual capabilities before you buy.

You might not want to use an Xbox controller at all. You might use a Sony DualSense or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Both of those can be connected using the USB plug-in option or the Bluetooth options.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post How do I connect an Xbox controller to PC? appeared first on KnowTechie.

Aria was added to the Opera browser in beta back in May. But this ChatGPT-powered sidebar feature is already looking pretty good.

If you’re looking for some basic information or how to use features on the Opera browser, it can help put you in the right direction. But, it goes a little further if utilized right.

Aria AI on Opera One is now available, so I tried it

I downloaded the Opera One browser to try it out, as I use Opera GX for some of its features on one of my computers. Aria works as well as any current ChatGPT app. With that said, it’s not perfect. But it isn’t terrible.

Booting it up, it acts like any other ChatGPT app. This one has you sign in to your Opera account, which syncs across your browsers.

I asked it to give me the best video game-related news from today, and it spits out a fine mixture of older news, a headline from years ago, a listicle title, free advertising for Best Buy, and a few directly-copied headlines from today.

When I asked if I could have links to these headlines, Aria told me that it was not within its capabilities. So, it seems we’re still in a situation where AI isn’t fully reliable just yet.

One thing that the Opera browsers have had available since May is the AI Prompt feature. It works together with our search engine to help you find more information on stuff you highlight or right-click.

It’s nice for quick information, translations, or search capabilities focused on the highlighted text. If you ask for more through the “explain further,” Aria does its job integrating into your browser experience pretty well, from what I see.

Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before AI, like Aria on the Opera One browser, tries to take our jobs (even us as journalists). But, based on the conversation I just had with Aria, that’s going to be a while away.

You can grab the Opera One browser and check it (and Aria) out for yourself. If you’re looking for a clean, solid browser, I highly recommend Opera any day. It runs smoothly and has a lot of fun bells and whistles.

If you’re grabbing any of the Opera browsers for the AI capabilities, expect it to run about as well as any other AI currently out.

For now, AI should do what it does best: stick to being a basic tool for nerds to tinker with and give out free Windows keys while pretending to be your grandmother.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Delete these fake ChatGPT apps; they’re ripping you off
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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Opera’s new AI browser, Opera One, makes you feel like Tony Stark appeared first on KnowTechie.

It’s another story when Apple wants to own the rights to images of real apples.

According to Wired UK, this has the Switzerland-based Fruit Union Suisse up in arms. Fruit Union Suisse is a 111-year-old fruit company that uses an apple as its logo with the Swiss flag on it.

While Apple hasn’t yet directly gone after the firm, they fear it’s only a matter of time.

The Apple logo is very distinct, but they pretend it isn’t

Back in 2017, Apple filed copyright over the black-and-white image of a granny smith apple in Switzerland, sans Apple’s iconic bite. Literally, just an apple.

While the idea was that it was for specific products in the region, the idea is that putting the logo in black-and-white enables much more nefarious possibilities.

Fruit Union Suisse believes that by having the rights to a generic apple, they can then go after companies using any apple, even if it doesn’t have the iconic Apple logo’s bite.

“We have a hard time understanding this,” Fruit Union Suisse director Jimmy Mariéthoz explained, “because it’s not like they’re trying to protect their bitten apple. Their objective here is really to own the rights to an actual apple, which, for us, is something that is really almost universal … that should be free for everyone to use.”

Unfortunately, this is nothing new. They’ve gone after other companies for less, like a pear logo that wasn’t anywhere close to the Apple logo. So, only time will tell if they ever decide to go after the Swiss fruit company.

Wired UK goes way more into the legal battle that Apple has faced in Switzerland and the companies it’s gone after to protect its IP.

If you’re an Apple fan, you probably already know about the Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset coming eventually. Or maybe you’ve Googled something at some point in which Google might owe you a little bit of money.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Apple wants to own the rights to images of real apples appeared first on KnowTechie.

I’m a generally extroverted, chatty person. But no words came to mind. None, at least, that I could put into a coherent thought.

Should it just be a short, newsy post? I could mention the news about GAMURS Group and AI Editors, then move on, right?

Should I write about my personal experiences with shitty corporations? Or should I go into deep detail about AI and the underlying fear that robots will ultimately supplant jobs across all industries?

When I read about the GAMURS group looking to hire an AI Editor after dumping 50 staff members not a full three months ago, my brain shut off.

I’ve been a journalist, off and on, for well over a decade and a half, and I couldn’t fathom a need to replace real humans doing any creative work. But here we are.

What is the GAMURS Group?

For a little background on the situation, the GAMURS Group is a corporation that buys up blogs and websites.

On their own website, they explain what they do:

GAMURS Group owns and operates a network of publications and social media communities. Our content focuses on both breaking news and timeless content. We pride ourselves on the trustworthy and reliable information we publish and the communities that it helps thrive. We help connect brands to these hard-to-reach audiences
– GAMURS Group

If you’ve enjoyed video game content from sites like Prima Games, Destructoid, or Dot Esports, you’ve been to a GAMURS Group site. They even own non-gaming sites like The Mary Sue, and We Got This Covered.

There’s a lot more than just those, though.

Back in March, The GAMURS Group laid off a large portion of its staff. There were at least 50 members of staff that had lost their jobs due to, what GAMURS Group claimed, was the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.

I won’t bore you with all of the details here, as they aren’t important, but Silicon Valley Bank is a lender for a lot of companies.

Only two and a half months later, on June 13th, a listing appeared on the GAMURS Group website for an “AI Editor.”

Now hiring?

Now, what exactly does an ‘AI Editor’ do? Essentially, they handle an extensive range of tasks for a relatively small compensation. Given that AI has not yet attained even a dog’s level of intelligence, this job would demand a great deal for minimal pay.

According to the listing, they “work in tandem” with an “AI Content and SEO Strategist” for AI-created content. They also are expected to put out an outrageous “200 to 250 articles per week.”

For those not good at math, that’s a fully completed article every 12 minutes on the low end and less than 10 minutes on the upper end.

Not only did it have a ridiculous amount of output in the listing and offend every creative out there, but it also paid insultingly low. They called it an “entry level position,” and pay was between $40,000 and $55,000, “depending on experience.”

Why have a staff of writers and editors when you can get away with paying a single person to use ChatGPT to handle the work of twenty?

Once they saw how negative the reception was, they deleted the entire post. As of right now, the position is “closed” on the original link to the listing.

Don’t worry; we have all of the receipts. However, the original link that could be accessed on the Wayback Machine on June 15th has been scrubbed in the time it took to publish this article.

Yes, you can have instances or information removed from the Internet Archive, and it seems they may have done just that.

Let’s see what the people on the ground have to say about GAMURS Group

But that’s enough background. After considering how to write this piece, I realized that there’s one thing that AI can’t replace: human emotion. I’m really here to give a voice to those directly affected or who work in game journalism as a whole.

I reached out to several people I know within the industry. One of those people is the wonderful Morgan Shaver. They used to be the Editor in Chief at Prima Games.

When GAMURS Group acquired Prima Games, Shaver was on the front line. They soon left afterward to greener pastures but had some compelling things to say about GAMURS Group.

“I’ll say it doesn’t surprise me,” says Shaver, “given GAMURS stance of getting as many page views as possible, at any cost.”

They went on to explain that people working under GAMURS Group has some experience in treating their staff badly.

When working at Prima Games during their acquisition by the GAMURS Group, Shaver dealt with situations of misgendering, misogyny, and general rudeness. So, GAMURS has precedence for mistreating workers.

Pay rates are not generally high either. Shaver explained that the freelance rates that GAMURS “have set across all its sites are are as low as $10 per whole article.”

“100% this role will lead to more layoffs,” Shaver went further. “GAMURS does not value people, it values profit.”

More game journalists speak up

I spoke with another prominent game industry writer that wished to remain anonymous.

“I was never in contact with GAMURS when I worked in the network they now control,” the former editor-in-chief and content creator at sites now under GAMURS ownership said. “So, I’ve kind of remained vague in my knowledge of who they are and what they do besides buy up outlets.”

“However,” they continued, “the idea of laying off writers to consolidate content down to an AI with just a few handlers and editors sounds like the epitome of shovelware journalism pushed by shortsighted executives who don’t care about quality or their reputation, or at least not enough to put integrity over profits.”

I had conversations with several writers currently employed by GAMURS Group websites, who preferred to stay anonymous. We have personally verified their identities, but we aim to shield them from potential backlash.

“If you give this company an inch they will take a mile,” the first anonymous GAMURS writer said. “AI will snowball and no matter how hard the company tries to say ‘trust us’, after the layoffs why would we ever trust them on anything. AI will never and should never replace writers. Even if it means doing the grunt work no one ‘supposedly’ wants to do.”

A more comprehensive look into the digital writer’s room at GAMURS

The second anonymous GAMURS Group writer had a lot more to say about the matter. They explained that their time with the company has been positive thus far:

“Haven’t been working for them for long, but I’ve highly enjoyed my time working with other amazing and talented writers, to the point where finding out this news was heart breaking.”

They went on to explain the concern that spread across the entire company when the post happened:

“Experienced the layoffs as well, but this news somehow was worse. None of the writers knew about this decision, we found out through a tweet sent to our main discussion chat with everyone under the company. You don’t want to know the outrage that even happened, it was quite stressing but also I commend every writer who stuck up for themselves and each other in that chat.”

Right now, people under the GAMURS Group banner are all stressed.

“We’re all just worried at the idea of 200+ articles being posted weekly/monthly by someone who isn’t an actual writer,” the anonymous writer continued. “We know this has already hurt our reputation, we’ve seen the chatter on Twitter and that makes us even more scared that this decision which didn’t include our feedback could deal irreparable damage to the company. For now, it seems that the project is on hold, and we hope that it doesn’t go through.”

They had some advice for those looking at the websites under a more magnified glance this week:

“The only other thing I’d say is to anyone who feels that blacklisting our sites is a good way of protest, it’s not. It’ll only actually hurt us, the writers who make a living writing these articles that we do because we love it. A good form of protest is speaking up about it, not ignoring our sites. I’m surrounded by such amazing and talented writers that it’d be a shame to not have their work recognized because of a decision we didn’t make.”

Independent editors have a lot to say as well

I talked to the Editor-in-Chief over at Hey Poor Player, Francis DiPersio. As an independently owned website, Hey Poor Player may not have the same household grip that major sites do. But, they give a focus to a lot of games that might get swept under the rug by larger releases.

They always look out for the little guy. DiPersio explains why AI-generated content will never have the same soul as something written by a real human.

“At the end of the day,” DiPersio explains, “every games journalist wants nothing more than to share their enthusiasm and passion for this industry with their readers – two qualities walls of computer-generated word vomit could never hope to convey.”

“AI,” he continued, “cannot describe the exhilaration of taking down an especially towering boss because it knows nothing of excitement. A computer can’t describe the way a game’s story touched it on a personal level because it has no identity to speak of. Strip away the human element, and you’re all but ripping the still-beating heart out of the industry and doing a disservice to your readers.”

Aside from the video game and tech journalism, I spoke with Brett, the Blogger-in-Chief at Graphic Policy. Their primary focus is on comic books. But, if video game journalism is in trouble, other forms of multimedia journalism are likely as well.

“Can you call yourself media when you just publish AI articles?” Brett asks. “Isn’t that about one step away from just rewriting Wikipedia articles? Let’s ignore the fact these systems can’t function without the hard work from others they copy. The factual mistakes… just the ethics overall. This is about as low as you can get as a site. Might as well just swipe other people’s memes, pass them as your own, and not credit others. Less work and probably more clicks doing that.”

Even with all the tech in the world, KnowTechie prefers the human touch

With all of that in mind, I also hit up our own editor-in-chief, Kevin Raposo. With KnowTechie being a tech-focused site, I wanted to hear his take on AI Editors and the situation at GAMURS Group.

“After seeing that job listing,” he began, “my worst fears have been confirmed. I have so many thoughts, I don’t know where to begin. First, someone who gets paid $4.20 an article to essentially copy and paste isn’t an AI editor – that’s data entry. Secondly, given the infancy of generative AI, 250 articles in a week isn’t only irresponsible, it’s borderline criminal. Who over sees the editor?” At some point,” Raposo explained, “the well is going to run dry, and eventually, someone is going to be plagiarizing someone with better lawyers.

I have some thoughts about AI taking over for creatives

I think the real elephant in the room here is the AI itself.

When we talk about artificial intelligence taking over writing jobs, we’re likely talking about ChatGPT or one of its offshoots. There’s a lot of angles to discuss here, but I think it’d be smart here to boil it down to the important parts.

ChatGPT (and all the other AI out there), for what it’s worth, is a fascinating piece of technology. I definitely believe that it’s a stepping stone, though not anywhere close to an end product.

These programs really can do a lot, like generating recipes or doing people’s homework. However, as much as the fans of AI want to say otherwise, there’s a hard limit on what it can achieve.

I think Francis DePersio said it best in this regard: “It knows nothing of excitement”. AI, by definition, aren’t people. They aren’t creatives. They just read the internet and process some semblance of a combination of thoughts that seem coherent.

Even our own editor, Kevin Raposo, generated a single article using AI just to see how it would work a couple of years back. What he found was that it writes the article fairly well, but feels scattered and has plenty of grammatical errors to boot.

While AI could mimic what it thought was the way humans talk, it wasn’t perfect. It did explain a specific subject itself pretty well. But maybe they should stick to doing things like helping make websites or something.

Honestly, in a perfect world, AI would be the one to handle menial tasks, like press release regurgitation as news.

While still incredibly faulty, that seems to be what they’re best at. Then, the game journalist creatives would have all the freedom to do what they do best, like op-eds, evergreen features, and reviews.

But our world doesn’t work that way, at least not currently. Humans need to have their eyes and fingertips on the news to breathe life into a dull story.

They have to do the things that a robot can’t: humanize the world. So many people have written about this topic already, to varying degrees of pessimism.

You’re just a number to them

The problem we’re facing isn’t necessarily the AI programs. Those were always going to happen and exist.

The problem comes down to big companies looking at people as disposable. They look at their bottom lines and see people as just another paycheck, another problem.

Do you know who isn’t at fault here? The writers at GAMURS Group. They’re the victims in this situation. While the uproar may have got GAMURS Group to back down, for now, it’s only a matter of time before they or another company pops up with the same idea.

With so many layoffs going on across the industry, such as the recent Comic Book Resources layoff of three-quarters of their on-staff editors, people are scared for their jobs, their careers, and their livelihoods.

As someone that’s done this, off and on, for well over a decade and a half, I hope that companies that own game publications heed my advice here.

A robot doesn’t feel feelings, and no matter how much time you give it to learn, it never will. You’ll just have soulless entries on vacant websites.

You’re never going to reach your maximum potential without the creative people that bring your success. And everyone one of those people are looking at you right now, very closely. I suggest that you make your next move wisely, GAMURS Group.

KnowTechie contacted GAMURS Group for comment but didn’t receive a response at the time of this article’s publication.

Editor’s Note 6/17/2023 6:52 PM EST: A previous version of this article included a quote from the editor that made an unsubstantiated claim about the subject matter. We strive for accurate and fair reporting, and as such, the quote has been removed.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post GAMURS Group job ad ignites backlash in gaming/tech media appeared first on KnowTechie.

We assumed menial, labor-intensive jobs would be replaced, like flipping burgers. Instead, we’re looking at a world where AI does the jobs of creatives and artists, such as journalism, with humans being “AI Editors” for those synthetic works.

Back in March, GAMURS Group laid off a ton of people due to some vague reasoning given about the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank.

The layoffs indeed occurred, leading to approximately 50 employees across all their sites being let go. Following this, the company went quiet for several weeks.

However, just this week, they posted a new job listing on their website that has folks up in arms: a position for an AI Editor

An AI did not generate this heading

What is an AI editor, in this case? The job boils down to someone that uses AI, such as ChatGPT, to generate articles for websites owned by GAMURS Group.

They generate the article, then edit it to make sure it’s grammatically sound, not full of errors, and isn’t plagiarized. You know, three things that AI tend to have trouble with.

The position was considered “entry level” and offered a measly $40,000 to $55,000 yearly. However, the real shocker was the job description, which tasked the candidate with generating 200 to 250 articles weekly.

Let me just repeat that for the folks in the back.

Unfortunately, you can’t view the details on the Internet Archive anymore, as the original link (that was there not two days ago) has been scrubbed from it. Don’t worry, though: we have images of the entire listing.

Everyone disliked that

Once the cat was let out of the bag, the entire industry, and especially those directly working under GAMURS Group, lost their collective minds.

They quickly closed the position on their site and have not said a word publicly about it as of publication.

I suppose this is a to-be-continued situation now that this instance has spooked everyone. We contacted GAMURS Group for comment but didn’t receive a response at the time of this article’s publication.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post GAMURS Group is considering replacing human writers with AI appeared first on KnowTechie.

The new guidelines would ban sponsored advertising from streamers and would have only allowed 3% of screen space to be your logo.

After a backlash and threats of streamers abandoning the platform, they rolled it back. Now, this week, they’re announcing a new Partners Plus program.

The Partner Plus program will offer a 70/30 split (in favor of streamers) for those that maintain specific numbers. This new program effectively only really caters to the top streamers out there.

The Twitch Partner Plus program is for the top of the top streamers

In their post, Twitch chief monetization officer Mike Minton went into detail about how the new program works.

Streamers that can maintain a sub count of at least 350 recurring paid subscriptions qualify for the Partner Plus program.

However, they need to maintain this count for a minimum of three consecutive months. Those who qualify will receive a 70% share of their net subscription revenue, up to a maximum of $100,000 annually.

Anyone that can’t hit those numbers gets the same old 50/50 split that already exists. If the streamer under the program hits $100,000 in a year, any additional share gets the same 50/50 split.

There is another thing to note for smaller streamers and those that rely on people getting Amazon Prime gift subscriptions.

PC Gamer mentioned in their article that gift subscriptions and Twitch Prime subscriptions don’t count toward that 350 minimum.

If someone is unsure if they’re subscribing using a free Twitch Prime sub, they should check out our article on subbing using Amazon/Twitch Prime.

Read Here

The Partner Plus program officially kicks off on October 1st, 2023. Streamers who meet the qualifications in July, August, and September will be notified and enrolled in the program from the start of October.

While you’re here, if you’re just using Twitch to get all of your goodies, rewards, and games, you should check out our breakdown of how to cash in on the Twitch Prime Gaming rewards.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post New Twitch program boosts higher payouts, but there’s a catch appeared first on KnowTechie.

Back in 2010 (we’re talking 13 years ago), a lawsuit was filed against Google.

The allegation was that the tech giant breached user privacy by sharing information with third parties. This information reportedly included details on how users found their websites through searches.

Needless to say, the case went on for a while.

By 2015, they had settled for $8.5 million. But most of that money would go to privacy advocacy groups and the like. If you were to file for yourself, you’d have gotten four whole cents. Not even a nickel.

Luckily, that measly number was challenged. This action reopened the lawsuit, which eventually escalated to the Supreme Court in 2019.

Long story short, the settlement amount was revised to a substantial $23 million. This final decision was announced in January 2023.

Who qualifies for the Google class action settlement?

So, how does one get in on this?

First, you need to be a US resident. Then, you have to think back and try to remember if you searched Google and clicked on a link at any point between Oct. 26, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2013.

Unless you’re an avid Yahoo or DuckDuckGo user, and Bing didn’t exist until 2009. So, chances are, you’ve used Google for a search at least once.

How much will I get from the class action suit?

If you file multiple claims, it’s going to vary. But the settlement website estimates that each person will get around $7.70.

That’s enough to say Google bought you a large coffee and a cookie for breaching your privacy at some point over a decade ago.

What do I need to do to get my check?

Before you file the claim, you need a Member ID. You’ll need to register here to get that. Yes, it takes a bit of work to get your $7.70.

After that, you’ve got actually to file the claim. This comes in two flavors: You can either do it digitally through the website or go the traditional route – print out the claim form and mail it in.

How to get your money from Google’s settlement

If you’re looking to do this through the website, you can file your claim on the website.

If you need to print it out, grab the paperwork from the same website and then print them out. Fill it out, and then you’ll mail it off to:

If you plan to file your claim from this class action lawsuit, you have until July 31st, 2023, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. This deadline also applies if you wish to object to the lawsuit or request to be excluded from it.

The case will be finalized on October 12th, 2023. That date could change due to any appeals. As mentioned, this case started in 2010, so it’s not in any hurry.

If you’re here reading about a Google class action settlement, there’s a high possibility you’ve used Facebook in the past 16 years. If so, you might want to go check out their class action lawsuit also going on.

Similar to Google, you might get a payout.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post Google may owe you a class action settlement: here’s how to get it appeared first on KnowTechie.