June 22, 2022
Pico’s first consumer headset to release in the west is still a work in progress, but it suggests Meta has some serious competition in its future. Read on for our Pico Neo 3 Link review. Note: Please keep in mind that the Pico Neo 3 Link is described as a beta product and is still getting software updates with new features and fixes. What’s written below was accurate at the time of publication, but may soon change. I’ll just come right out and say it: unless you’re a diehard VR enthusiast desperately in search of a standalone VR headset not owned by Meta, you probably shouldn’t buy a Pico Neo 3 Link. This isn’t because the headset itself is necessarily bad — it’s actually a very decent device that’s comparable to Quest 2 in many areas including price at €450 — but simply because the Neo 3 Link is still a work in progress, and may have less than a year of shelf life before it’s replaced. Newly acquired by TikTok owner ByteDance, Pico has dropped some big hints that its next-generation VR standalone is around 12 months out. In fact, anyone that does buy the Neo 3 Link will get a discount on that hypothetical new device when it releases. Make no mistake then, the Neo 3 Link is very much a beta product in search of guinea pigs. This limited release is intended to both test the waters of the consumer VR market and help prove out the company’s software and hardware offerings as it plots new devices and expansions to the US . That said, as we’ll discuss later, the Neo Link 3 does actually have some big advantages over Quest 2 if you’re looking to also use the device with a PC. Design, Comfort & Specs
Whichever angle you look at it from, the Neo 3 Link looks a lot like a Quest 2. Literally, yes, it’s a similar design with four cameras for tracking and a bulky front visor that stores all of the headset’s compute. Charging’s done via USB-C and Pico even borrows Quest 2’s three-point lens adjustment covering a range of eye distances by reaching inside and moving them. One nice advantage that the Neo 3 Link does have over Quest 2 is that it basically comes with the Elite Strap already integrated into the device. There’s a back dial that allows you to quickly adjust your fit and provides a little better weight distribution than the Quest 2 with its basic headstrap, even if it overall makes it the heavier of the two headsets. Combined with the soft fabric lining and stretchy rubber top strap, the headset’s pretty comfortable to wear for long stretches of time without getting much fatigue on your face and head. Even on the inside, though, things are mostly identical to Quest 2: the Neo 3 Link runs on Qualcomm’s XR2 chipset and offers the same 1832×1920 per-eye resolution. There’s also a limited 120Hz mode for some less demanding games, but most content will run at 90Hz. In other words, the games and apps the Neo 3 Link 3 can run are exactly the same as those you see on Quest 2; don’t expect any significant leaps in graphical fidelity and performance. Two speakers located in the headset’s side straps provide serviceable audio, with a headphone jack for those that want it and easily-reachable volume buttons. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Neo 3 Link is the second USB-C port it has, hidden underneath a rubber cap. This is essential for the headset’s PC VR offerings, but we’ll get to those in a bit. Controllers & Tracking
Again, if you’ve held a Quest 2 controller you’ll know what to expect from the Neo 3 Link’s two motion controllers. They’re the tried-and-true mix of a single trigger, side grip button, two face buttons with an analog stick each. The tracking ring runs on top and, interestingly, both controllers have a Home and Menu button each, which is a nice inclusion for anyone that ever forgets which is which on the left and right Touch controllers. The controllers are certainly light and fit comfortably in your hand, though they don’t have quite the same premium feel as the Quest 2 controllers and they also both run on a pair of AA batteries each. When it comes to the actual tracking itself I’ve been pretty pleased with the accuracy and consistency in well over 15 hours of playtime. The Standalone Experience
As far as the content library goes, the Neo 3 Link currently does a decent job of bringing Quest 2’s best third-party games to a new ecosystem, where they look and play practically identical. That includes all-timer releases like Superhot VR and Eleven: Table Tennis as well as recent hits like Demeo and After The Fall, with some notable omissions like Job Simulator. I’d expect the list of missing games to narrow by the week as more titles launch on the device, though (you can keep up with a list of all Neo 3 Link support games here ). The Neo 3 Link also isn’t as strictly curated as the Quest store, which means you get front-and-center access to some great indie titles like Crisis VRigade 1 and 2, as well as some not so great titles you’ll scroll right on past. With that said, you’re still essentially getting a pared back version of the Quest 2 line-up with the Neo 3 Link, without any of the big exclusives like Beat Saber, Echo VR and Resident Evil 4 VR. Pico is really going to have to double down on investment to make this library much more compelling; it’ll need not just parity with third-party Quest releases but some hits to call its own and help differentiate it from the Quest ecosystem. I’ll be very interested to see how it goes about achieving this in the months to come. You’re also missing a wealth of features Meta has implemented into Quest 2 over its 18 or so months on the market. That includes hugely important input options like hand-tracking. The Neo 3 only supports this with the enterprise-level Pro model and that’s only with an externally-mounted Ultraleap sensor. Plus there’s an an ever-increasing suite of social and productivity enhancements like sensing when someone has stepped into your play space or inviting others into your home environment. The list goes on: marking out virtual desks and couches, multitasking on 2D windows, tracked bluetooth keyboard recognition and more. There’s a lot to catch up on here. This is, crucially, where the word ‘beta’ really comes into play. Pico is essentially only just starting out on the same journey Meta began with the release of the first Quest, and we’d expect many of these features to eventually find their way into the Neo series. The big question is if the Neo 3 Link will continue to be supported with those new features once its successor arrives because, if not, it’s even harder to recommend the device to more casual VR users. PC Integration
But, while the Neo 3 Link might be missing a lot of the features you can currently enjoy on a Quest 2, it also boasts one big feature Meta doesn’t have. Packed inside every box alongside the headset is a USB-C to DisplayPort cable. You can use this to connect directly to your PC and experience clean, uncompressed PC VR. Meta’s USB-C to USB-A Link, meanwhile, offers a stable connection but compresses the image, and it’s very noticable. Pico also features an AirLink option for wire-free streaming, but it adds that compression back in. I’ve been using the wired connection to try out demos from Steam Next Fest, and as I’ve reviewed Green Hell VR’s PC version, I found the clarity on offer with the wired connection easily makes the Neo 3 Link my prefered hybrid headset. Until now, I’d kept a Rift S handy at all times because it offered the right mix of ease of use and clarity. The Neo 3 Link will allow me to finally shelve that headset. That said there are some issues to iron out. For starters, the Neo 3 Link humorously comes with its own screwdriver to secure the USB-C connection to your headset without risk of detachment. It certainly works, but it’s not exactly practical to keep a screwdriver around at all times as you go between modes. The actual SteamVR integration, meanwhile, has worked well for me in terms of performance and controller compatibility though I have seen some strange issues. For example, the virtual controllers shown in SteamVR have always resembled the Oculus Rift CV1 Touch controllers, and not Pico’s designs. I recieved an update earlier this week that said that issue was fixed but, even after that update, it’s still there. Button prompts to exit streaming also don’t really seem to work. Hopefully Pico can work with Steam to further improve implementation in future updates and products. Privacy
Presumably many people would be interested in the Pico Neo 3 Link as an alternative to the Quest 2 because it isn’t associated with Meta. You don’t need a Facebook account to setup the device (though Meta still says it will be removing this requirement for Quest in the future) and you won’t lose access to games and apps if that account is banned for any reason. But, just because you don’t need a social media account, doesn’t mean the Neo 3 Link doesn’t raise privacy concerns. TikTok itself has been at the center of this debate for some time, though the company has always claimed that US users’ data does not leave the country, save for “backup redundancy in Singapore.” But this hasn’t silenced concerns; just last week a Buzzfeed News report claimed ByteDance employees had access to “nonpublic data about US TikTok users”. In my 2020 Quest 2 review I said that “the ball’s kind of in your court” when it comes to deciding how much of an issue these concerns are for you. “You don’t need me to tell you that Facebook doesn’t have a great reputation on data privacy. You can see the obvious benefits the company might see in a technology platform that could literally tell where you’re looking at all times, then.”
You should consider this statement relevant to ByteDance, too. Pico Neo 3 Link Review: Final Impressions
The Pico Neo 3 Link marks a decent start for ByteDance’s consumer VR ambitions with a headset that’s comparable to the Quest 2 in a lot of important ways — some even favorably — even if this beta release is missing some vital features and software. Crucially, being able to offer the headset for €450 with a DisplayPort cable included suggests that Meta’s iron grip on VR value might be about to get some serious, much-needed competition. But it’s hard to recommend the Neo 3 Link to many VR fans simply because the device is so obviously testing the waters for what comes next. With a Neo 4 looking increasingly likely in the near future, the Neo 3 Link’s purpose is mainly to prove out features for what comes next. A discount on the Neo 3 Link’s successor isn’t much of an incentive to dive in now when you could simply save a lot more money by waiting 12 months for that next device. Still, if you’re strictly looking to buy a headset now that offers a compression-free PC VR experience and a taste of standalone as well, the Pico Neo Link 3 is a decent Quest 2 alternative. Related Posts

Pico Neo 3 Link Review: A Decent Quest 2 Alternative That Signals Bigger Things To Come

Mastercard  debuted its Pay by Link payments feature at Money 20/20 Europe, leaning on European open banking platform Aiia to allow businesses to send their customers a link so they can pay instantly from anywhere, according to a Monday (June 6) company press release . The new payments feature “ties directly into Mastercard’s open banking vision of ushering in a new era of choice, simplicity and personalization in a safe and secure manner,” the press release said. Based on open banking payments, Mastercard’s Pay by Link feature offers users dealing with accounting, insurance and telecom companies, as well as social commerce, payment service providers and utility firms. “We’re in the process of transforming the way people pay bills,” said Rune Mai , co-founder and CEO of Aiia, a Mastercard company. “With a simple link, we make it easy and secure to pay a bill on the go with a bank account without having to enter or remember payment details. Pay by Link is being rolled out in the Nordics and is expected to be available across Europe by the end of the year. Aiia’s new feature is live with Nordic accounting software provider Dinero, streamlining invoice payments for more than 77,000 small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. In other banking news, open banking platform Tink and FinTech app Revolut are teaming up on a strategic plan to expand open banking technology to more people across Europe, with Tink’s payment initiation services (PIS) technology allowing Revolut users across Europe to move money into their Revolut accounts. Tink’s PIS technology gives users the ability to authorize transfers from any bank account without leaving the Revolut app. ——————————

Mastercard Debuts Open Banking Feature ‘Pay By Link’

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Co-stars Yeo Jin-goo and Moon Ga-young pose before an online press conference for “Link: Eat, Love, Kill” on Thursday. (tvN)
Yeo Jin-goo and Moon Ga-young, who first worked together in SBS period drama “Jamyunggo” (2009), are certain that their chemistry in upcoming rom-com “Link: Eat, Love, Kill” will be unmatched, as they have known each other since 2009. “We have worked together in two historical dramas as child actors and shared a lot of memories. Our reunion definitely helped me and Ga-young play a couple in a romance series, making our characters more emotional,” Yeo said in an online press conference Thursday. Helmed by director Hong Jong-chan, who has been behind hit series including “Master’s Sun” (2013), “Live Up To Your Name, Dr. Heo” (2017) and “Juvenile Justice,” tvN’s upcoming series “Link: Eat, Love, Kill” revolves around a man, whose feelings are connected to others to share the same emotions. “I thought my role as the young chef Eun Kye-hoon, who can ‘link’ and feel another person‘s emotions, was pretty fascinating. At the same time, I was worried about how to perform the link phenomenon and present it to the viewers. I had many discussions with the director and the staff. They helped me a lot,” Yeo said. Yeo Jin-goo plays chef Eun Kye-hoon in “Link: Eat, Love, Kill.” (tvN)
The director, for his part, dismissed Yeo’s praise and complimented the actor, saying the performance was solely to his own credit. “There are some performances with which I can help as a director. But Yeo’s link-related performances were something that I could only step back and watch. After witnessing the actor’s ability to play such a wide range of emotions in a single series, it was understandable why many directors, actors and viewers praise him as the go-to actor,” the director said. When asked about how he created the TV drama, Hong said that “emotional link” was something he had had in mind for a long time. “Many people say that if you have a friend who can sincerely understand you, you can overcome any obstacle. I wanted to ask the viewers if they have such a close person next to them or if they are trying to understand their loved ones,” Hong added. Returning to drama after starring in tvN series “True Beauty” (2020), Moon hoped viewers would feel the same excitement she had when she read the script. Moon Ga-young stars as job seeker Noh Da-hyun in “Link: Eat, Love, Kill.” (tvN)
“Having someone who understands my feelings without saying a word was a special experience. I think the link phenomenon is what makes our drama more special compared to other romance series,” Moon said. “While many characters misunderstand their partners’ intentions and take the time to realize their true feelings, these things are unnecessary in our drama. I think the ‘link’ is excellent to use in a melodrama,” the actor added. The 16-part series premieres 10:30 p.m. Monday on tvN. “Link: Eat, Love, Kill” is also available via local streaming platform Tving. By Lee Si-jin ( sj_lee@heraldcorp.com )

Yeo Jin-goo, Moon Ga-young reunite in ‘Link: Eat, Love, Kill’

Australian author and academic David Tuffley challenges bold claims that a neuroprosthetic device developed by Elon Musk’s Neuralink start-up company could “cure tinnitus” within five years, in an article on The Conversation website. According to Tuffley’s description, the coin-sized, brain–computer interface from Neuralink known simply as a “Link,” is implanted flush with the skull by a precision surgical robot. A thousand miniature threads then connect Link to certain neurons; Link is also connected to an external computer via Bluetooth for communication, Tuffley explains in the article. Though the neuroprosthetic device may be useful in the future for those with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy where a disconnect exists between the brain and nerves, Tuffley says, it is unknown how long clinical data indicating it is safe for human use to garner FDA approval, will take. He goes on to say that neuroscientists seem “broadly optimistic” that the device has the potential to treat tinnitus, given that the Link prothesis connects to the cerebral cortex (surface layer) of the brain where it could treat damage to the brain’s ability to process motor sensory input or output. According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) , there are several theories as to why the brain perceives sound when there is none, including that the brain’s neural circuits are adapting to the loss of sensory cells by increasing sensitivity to sound; abnormal interactions between neural circuits involved in hearing (which are not only involved in processing sound) ; or a neural circuitry imbalance caused by a change in signal activity in the auditory cortex. Neural implants like cochlear implants that stimulate the cochlear nerve have been around for decades. Given that the Neuralink neuroprosthetic device is currently classified as an FDA class III medical device in the riskiest category, it may be some time before the Link is available to the general public. To read the article in its entirety, please click here. Source: The Conversation, NIDCD

Could Neuralink Neuroprosthetic Device Help Tinnitus?

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Almost four years ago, Microsoft announced "Your Phone", an app to seamlessly connect your Windows PC to your Android phone allowing you to share content, calls, and notifications between the two devices and switch between them with ease. A couple of weeks ago, the company rebranded this app to "Phone Link", and today's guide walks you through how to connect your Android smartphone to your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with Phone Link. It is important to note that in order to take advantage of this capability, the Phone Link app should be installed on your Windows PC and the "Link to Windows" app should be installed on your Android phone. Although Phone Link supports smartphones with Android 7.0 or above, it offers tighter integration with Samsung, Surface Duo, and Honor handsets. In fact, the notification panel of my Samsung Galaxy A51 already has a dedicated button for Link to Windows as well as the app installed by default. This guide uses screenshots from Windows 10 but it should work exactly the same way on Windows 11 too. With that out of the way, let's begin! Make sure you have the Link to Windows app installed on your smartphone with Android 7.0 or above
Ensure that Phone Link is installed on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC
Make sure that both your devices are relatively nearby and connected to the same Wi-Fi network
Launch both apps on their respective devices and sign in with your Microsoft account when prompted
You will now be asked to pair your devices, check the "I have the Link to Windows app already" toggle, this will enable the two options at the bottom, as shown below:
You can choose either "Pair with QR code" or "Pair manually". I chose the latter, which essentially generates a 9-digit PIN code and then asks you to enter the same in the Phone Link app as can be seen below:
The PIN code generated on my PC (left) versus the PIN code input screen on my phone (right)
Once you have done this, it will take a couple of seconds for the connection to establish. On successful connection, you will asked to give permissions on your phone to allow access to photos, calls, and other content that can be accessed by Phone Link. Give permissions accordingly. After you are done giving permissions, the following screen will be shown to you; you can choose to uncheck the option if you don't plan to use Phone Link regularly:
Now you can use your Windows PC to see your messages, make phone calls, use your apps, stream your phone's screen, and more. It is important to note that some of these functionalities require capable hardware and software. For example, in order to stream your phone's screen, drag and drop content, and access all apps, you need at least Android 11 on your Surface Duo, Samsung, or Honor handset and at least 8GB of RAM on your PC. In the same vein, making a call from your PC (screenshot below) requires you to first establish a connection between your two devices via Bluetooth:
After you are done using Phone Link on your PC, just close the app on your PC and also close the Link to Windows app on your phone. That's pretty much all there is to it. I should emphasize that the usefulness of Phone Link depends highly upon your workflows. For example, I don't see a huge need to connect my phone to my PC to stream apps or make calls since my phone is almost always next to my laptop anyway. Similarly, in order to transfer content, I can just grab the USB-C cable on my desk and migrate content with relative ease. However, Phone Link may be useful for people who don't always have their phone on hand or prefer to focus on a single screen (that being their PC) while working. Do you use Phone Link in your workflows? If "yes", let us know how, and if "no", let us know if you intend to use it at some point via the comments section below! Tags

Guide: How to connect your Android phone to your Windows PC with Phone Link

BYD offers electronics, automobiles, new energy, and rail transportation. It is a supplier of electronics and provides precision metal, glass, complete machine design, and manufacturing solutions. It is based in Shenzhen, Guangdong.

`` We 're thankful for our partnership with Link Transit and to have the opportunity to provide their community with state-of-the-art clean-technology vehicles that are redefining public transportation , '' said Patrick Duan , BYD 's Senior Vice President of Operations .

Link Transit Acquiring Eight More Byd Battery-Electric Buses for Central Washington Community

NYCE Payments Network, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FIS, helps its clients grow with its products and alliances that allow them to capitalize on the efficiency, consumer convenience, and security of electronic real-time payments.

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