Most things that are powered have microcontrollers in them these days, and that usually means firmware of some kind - it's not always "field updatable". A product I was involved in the development of used a fairly standard li-ion battery pack, and part of the manufacturing process involved making sure the firmware on the batteries had been updated correctly
i mean, is it hardware?
if yes, then it has software that translates physical actions to software. that requires firmware.
Holy shit, you just helped me realize why it's called firmware.
The layer between hard and soft. It shouldn't be, but my mind is blown.
Dafuq? How didn‘t i think about it in that way before? I always associated „firm“ with company. Makes much more sense now, lol
Not all hardware involves a microcontroller.
All new (first party) controllers have firmware updates these days. Sony has almost identical prompts and used to require you to plug them in via USB to update before they eventually figured out how to do it through Bluetooth. Even PS4 controllers going back almost 11 years now used to prompt for firmware updates from time to time. And Switch controllers will update as well, but usually very subtly.
This doesn't look like Arch Linux.
Archwiki says install windows :)
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Gamepad#xpadneo
For this controller to work wirelessly, you need a windows vm for the first pairing, if you are already there, you can update the firmware
Who'd have guessed a Microsoft hardware product works like garbage in Linux.
Actually besides this first pairing it works flawlessly. I remember with windows 10 I met with bugs frequently: the system couldn't see battery level, so it just died after a while, I had to repair after some days of use, I never met any bug with it on Linux, in Gnome settings it correctly reports its battery level.
Yeah, but contrast that with the PS controllers that have an official driver in the kernel written and maintained by Sony employees. It's a world of difference in official support.
I wish.... Very tempting to completely wipe my Xbox and install a Linux distro (Arch obviously) but there's just a few games that I can only get on Xbox, plus the multiplayer aspect of the few remaining local multiplayer games.
Damn, now I want to know what’s worth hiding in your garden
(that's what he calls his penis.)
Weird… “edible friend” is what I call mine
Pretty sure he just doesn't want to get doxxed...
Yes, thanks for killing the joke
For Steam Deck users, my Xbox controller worked like shit on it until I updated it, but to update it I had to use either an Xbox (didn't own one) or a Windows computer (also didn't have one), so I had to borrow a mate's laptop just to update it and play some multiplayer games.
Of course! It's too hard to write the firmware correctly the first time.
That’s not stopping most car manufacturers from never fixing bugs in their software.
My vape has firmware updates.
I had to install a firmware update in my Nike trainers not long after I got them. Welcome to the future.
Damn that sounds pretty dystopian to me. I don't think I would ever let a company literally track my every footstep.
And yet, we all have smartphones in our pocket tracking our every footstep.
Phones are generally able to do that, right?
To what end? Why is there a computer in your shoes?
To teach the computers who's boss with each step
Yes they can, and I updated it mine, which I bought only to play with my Android phone (I don't have an xbox) and then Call of Duty Mobile didn't detect it anymore.
My TV remote had an update the other week! Sony Bravia Android TV
What's the benefit of updating a controller?
The triggers now go to eleven.
But, why not just update them so that 10 is higher?
ITT: Marketing specialist vs engineer
Or a rock star vs a reporter
The same as any other piece of hardware+software:
-
New features
-
Vulnerability patching
-
Bug fixes
You forgot:
° bricking the device when the manufacturer feels like you should buy the new thing
Yes, thanks... for nothing?
Obviously speaking specifically to the case of a controller here (whereas the typical had been a fixed product that more or less functioned as expected for a lifetime).
"New features" is meaningless drivel on its own... what are the "New features" that can and have been delivered to main platform game controllers solely from OTA firmware updates? What are the bugs that have been fixed, specifics amigo...
Had to do it recently, because my Steamdeck couldn't use it. One firmware uodate and it worked like butter.
I would really hate if my controller worked like butter.
Guess it depends on the game.
Compatibility to newer consoles or other hardware in general, for example.
Updating to BLE and breaking old wireless adapter support, looking at you Xbox
Xbox controllers may need a firmware update to work on Linux.
Did this to my GameSir hall effect pad too on the very first day.
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