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Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2015 nominees

digital trends top tech of ces 2015 nominees dtawards physicalmockup2
Fashionistas have New York Fashion week, car nuts have the Detroit Auto Show, and tech enthusiasts have the International Consumer Electronics in Las Vegas.

But you don’t have to pilot drones or develop Android apps in your spare time to appreciate the shiny stuff bedecking 2.2 million (yes, million) square feet of convention space right now. From monolithic TVs that literally bend like playing cards on demand, to sci-fi devices that can scan any material and tell you what it is, CES has it all.

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Which makes the job of finding the best of the best a bit like finding the brightest neon, most obnoxious club or cheesiest theme hotel in Vegas … but a lot more fun. For the second year in a row, Digital Trends dispatched a crack team of 18 editorial staffers to Las Vegas to fan out, get grabby with gadgets, and try everything we could. And we’ve sifted out the best of everything for our Top Tech of CES 2015 awards.

Looking for highlights from all the hottest product categories? Look no further. We hand-picked four nominees in every category based on a combination of innovation, practicality, and just plain “wow” factor. And when there weren’t four that floored us, we picked three, because who needs fluff?

Check our nominees in every category below, and make sure to return Thursday morning when we reveal the winners in every category, and what it was about each incredible gadget that sealed its supremacy this year. Plus, we’ll award one outstanding product our coveted Best in Show award.

Automotive

Home Audio

GoldenEar Technology Triton Five Loudspeaker

GoldenEar Technology Triton Five

Philips Fidelio B5 Wireless Surround Sound Bar

Philips Fidelio B5 Wireless Surround Sound Bar

Home Video

Home

Lowe’s Holoroom

holoroom

Brother Dream Machine

Brother Dream Machine

Smart Home

Vigilant Lily Pad Pool UV Sensor/Thermometer

lilypad

Keen Smart Vent

Keen-event

Sengled Snap Bulb

Sengled Snap Bulb

Home Appliance

Mobile

Computing

Photography

Gaming

Oculus Rift

oculus-rift-ces-2015

The Sulon Cortex

cortex

Headphones

Wearable

Sports & Fitness

Skulpt Aim

Skulpt-2

Connected Cycle Pedal

Connected Cycle Pedal

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How to connect a PS5 controller to a PC
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The PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller is one of the biggest leaps in controller design ever, adding advanced haptic feedback to Sony’s new console. For games that take full advantage of it, like Astro’s Playroom, the effect it has on the play experience can be truly game-changing. Like most other console controllers, the DualSense can also be used to play games on PC, though without the full benefit of features like variable-resistance triggers.

For those who want to get a little more mileage out of their DualSense, here’s how to connect the PS5 controller to a PC. While the good news is that the DualSense works just like any other controller on a PC, the bad news is that, well, the DualSense works just like any other controller. It may lack the PS5-specific features that make it such a standout when connected to a PC, but it’s also simple to set up and use, whether you want to connect using a USB cable or Bluetooth.
How to connect a PS5 controller to PC with USB
Connecting the PS5 controller to a PC with a USB cable will likely be the go-to option for most people, as it’s extremely easy to do and won’t run the risk of draining the DualSense’s battery during a play session. Just connect the DualSense to a USB-C to USB-A cable (like the one that comes with the PS5), and plug the other end into your PC. If your PC has a USB-C port, you can also use a regular USB-C cable. If you’re purchasing a new DualSense on its own, as opposed to using one that comes with the console, just be aware that it won’t come with its own cable.
How to connect a PS5 controller to PC with Bluetooth
If your computer has built-in Bluetooth capability or you have a separate Bluetooth adapter, you can also connect the DualSense wirelessly. The process is the same as connecting any wireless controller. Just hold the PS button and the Create button on the DualSense to start pairing. On your PC, navigate to the Bluetooth & Other Devices menu and click Add Bluetooth or other device, then select the Bluetooth option. When the connection is made, the PS5 controller will show up as Wireless Controller in the menu.
How to use a PS5 controller on PC with Steam
The major caveat to using a PS5 controller on PC is that not all games will recognize it natively. Fortunately, Valve added limited DualSense support to Steam almost as soon as the PS5 was released and is continuing to add features. All the Steam games with controller support are playable with the DualSense, and functions like motion controls, rumble, and the light bar should work just like they did for the PS4’s controller, though new features like adaptive triggers still aren’t working.

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MacBook Pro battery replacement: everything you need to know
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A common issue that a lot of MacBook Pro owners run into once they’ve had their laptop for a few years is a bad battery. Your MacBook Pro might seem like it needs to charge all the time or you’re experiencing random shutdowns. Before you replace the entire laptop, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier on your wallet to replace the internal battery. The good news is that there are several options for swapping an old battery out for a new one. Let's take a look at your options. 
Built-in batteries (2009 and forward)

If you have a MacBook Pro that's a mid-2009 model or newer, your battery is built-in. It's very inadvisable to try to replace these glued-in batteries by yourself. There's not even an easy way to reach the battery without taking your MacBook apart. Bottom line? This is a job best left to the professionals.

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How to use Bing Image Creator to generate AI images for free
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Bing search made a giant leap forward in popularity and gained new conversational abilities when Microsoft added OpenAI's GPT-4 technology with the new ChatGPT-based Bing Chat tab. Now. another mode of operation is available with Bing Image Creator, which turns your written description into a picture.

According to Microsoft's blog post, Bing Image Creator uses a more advanced version of OpenAI's Dall-E. That means it can produce high-quality, photorealistic digital pictures, drawings, and paintings for you based on the text prompts you supply.
How to get access to Bing Image Creator
There are two ways to use Bing Image Creator. The simplest is to go to bing.com/create, which brings up Image Creator in preview right in your browser. This is available to everyone, and is a good place to try it out, even on mobile.

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