PS5 voice commands finally make the DualSenses microphone worthwhile

Date:
Sat, 19 Feb 2022 15:30:52 +0000

Description:
The new PS5 beta update adds voice commands to PlayStation 5, and theyre actually more useful than I thought.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

PS5 voice commands are coming to Sonys console as part of a new system
update which is currently in beta. Ive been playing around with them in
recent days and found myself using them more than I thought. Not only do they work rather well (hurray!), theyve also helped me rediscover a DualSense feature that Id almost forgotten about: the controllers microphone.

You see, Ive had the PS5 DualSense controller s microphone on mute for as
long as I can remember. After subjecting some online strangers to the sound
of me demolishing a bag of delicious Haribo, Ive been extra cautious about making sure I would never be caught broadcasting my private conversations
(and eating habits) to the world again.

Ive had the DualSenses microphone on mute for so long, in fact, that I forgot it was there. It took me a while to realize, then, that I could use the pads in-built mic to activate the PS5 s new voice commands, something which it handles with aplomb. Chatty man (Image credit: Sony)

Every voice command I tried registered loud and clear using the DualSenses mic, provided I properly enunciated some troublesome words. From finding
Knack to putting the PS5 into Rest Mode , the voice commands made navigating and controlling my console a little more exciting than before.

They could be better, though. As the video below shows, the PS5 errs on the side of caution by showing you a selection of search results when you ask it to find a game. Instead of taking me straight to Knack, it also brought in Knack 2, a game that Im sadly yet to own. That takes away the immediacy you want when using voice commands, but its something Im sure can be fixed as the feature is fleshed out. The new PS5 voice commands work pretty well! This is using the DualSense's microphone pic.twitter.com/9boiVLkjK9 February 10, 2022 See more

The DualSenses mic also helped me get out of a rather unique situation that some of you may also encounter. Ive recently started to game on PS5 using a pair of Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee open-back headphones, and they sound absolutely phenomenal especially in games that take full advantage of 3D audio like Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection .

The problem is, my favorite pair of headphones doesnt have a microphone, making voice communication a no-go. However, instead of reaching for one of
my many gamer-focused headsets , I simply pressed the little mic button on
the DualSense and reeled off some voice commands, quick as a flash.

If youre comfortable leaving the mute button off, the voice commands also
make consuming media a more laid-back affair. With the DualSense resting on
my coffee table, I was able to tell the PS5 to stop and play media. While watching Netflixs Love is Blind Japan , this came in particularly handy as I didnt need to sit up and hit X each time I wanted to discuss each
tear-jerking proposal with my partner. Hey, PlayStation (Image credit: Shutterstock/SolidMaks)

Now, Im fully aware I may be in the minority here, but I still find talking
to technology and hearing it respond kind of magical even in 2022. Theres a real chance that some of you may never use them, and thats understandable. Voice commands still cant replace the speed and accuracy of pressing physical buttons, but for me, theres something undeniably cool about using your voice to communicate with an inanimate object.

It wont come as a surprise, then, that I was one of the few people who actually liked voice commands on Xbox One . Yes, Kinect had its many flaws (too many to get into here), but I never grew tired of shouting Xbox, record that during an awesome gaming moment or Xbox, on to wake the console from sleep though that did admittedly take numerous attempts.

Intuitive technology like voice commands will always be appealing to me as there are basically no barriers to entry (strong accents permitting).
Everyone immediately understands how to use voice commands, sort of like when you wave your hand under a tap, and it automatically turns on using a motion sensor. Technology that doesnt get in the way can be really magical when done right. Open mic night (Image credit: Shutterstock/Mohsen Vaziri)

The PS5s voice commands arent quite as varied or as fun as Kinects at least not yet but crucially, they work and make Sonys machine a little bit more accessible in the process. The chances of your voice registering isnt a lottery anymore as the DualSenses microphone is in close proximity, and Ive come to appreciate that having a mic to hand when you need one is actually rather nice.

Im still conscious about accidentally oversharing my love of sweets with the world, though. I was wrong about the PS5 DualSense controller, and I couldn't be happier



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/ps5-voice-commands-finally-make-the-dualsenses- microphone-worthwhile/


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