TechPowerUp

TDM., the innovative audio company that designs products to move with the rhythm of daily life, today announced Neo, the world's first high-fidelity headphones that transform into a portable speaker with a single twist. Already recognised as the most awarded headphones of CES 2026, Neo has been designed for people who move between solo and social listening throughout the day, enabling an immediate transition from private audio to shared sound without switching devices or carrying additional hardware. Neo is available now in black and white for £249.00, with a carrying case included. Customers can purchase Neo on the TDM. website (Ships Oct 16th), wider availability on Amazon and Walmart coming soon. Neo has been engineered for moments when listening habits change quickly—from commuting with headphones to arriving at a gathering, or from taking a private call to joining a group conversation. Its patented twist mechanism is built directly into the headband, allowing the device to shift from headphone mode to speaker mode in one motion. The audio system uses four 40 mm drivers: two inward-facing drivers for balanced, detailed headphone playback, and two outward-facing drivers that deliver energetic, room-filling sound when used as a speaker. Five watts of power per side give Neo an output level that is notable for a device that fits in the palm of a hand. Read full story

The next-generation Xbox Elite Series 3 controller has been revealed by none other than Microsoft. Within the Design Lab service, where gamers can customize their Xbox controllers and order them directly, Microsoft recorded a controller named "Edessa," which is linked to an accessory or customization product called "Beatrice." Today, we learn that Microsoft is preparing a more customizable controller than the current Elite Series 2. Thumbstick options reportedly include Hall effect modules with standard, loose, and tight tensions, along with a TMR-based option. This could allow users to choose both the sensing technology and the feel of the sticks. There is also a low-friction "silent" stick option, available in standard and longer neck designs. Haptic feedback may also receive an upgrade. One listed motor configuration combines impulse trigger motors with voice-coil haptics, potentially delivering more advanced feedback than the existing Elite controller. Another feature mentioned is an "Audio Scroll Wheel," which seems to indicate a dedicated physical dial for controlling audio. Faceplates include metal finishes, predefined designs, multiple colors, and engraving options. Paddle configurations are similarly extensive, covering standard, classic, and doublewide shapes, with different lengths and layouts, including a Butterfly arrangement or no upper paddles. Several D-pad designs are also listed, with separate cosmetic and performance variants. The Beatrice platform alone reportedly contains 27 topper and paddle combinations. Read full story

In early 2026, Valve started giving developers more information about the systems playing their games, starting with optional frame rate reporting for games on the Steam Deck and system specifications in user reviews. It now seems to be expanding that program, according to a new blog post on the Steamworks developer news blog. The update expands Steam Deck frame rate data to show player experience. With the new data, developers who publish on Steam will be able to access frame rate data as a distribution, effectively showing developers what percentage of the game runs at certain frame rates. Valve says that it is starting with the Steam Deck as a known system configuration, which makes the data easier to interpret and gives Steam a basis to start iterating on the sort of data it collects about game performance. The data itself will be anonymized averages and distribution, in conjunction with the previously available Steam Verified feedback. Read full story

Staff at Ninja Theory, the Cambridge studio behind Hellblade, have started posting on LinkedIn that they have been laid off or that their jobs are at risk. The posts were first spotted by journalist Chris Kerr, and they come from a technical director, a gameplay programmer, sound designers, and technical artists, among others. Senua, the third Hellblade game, was revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June with a 2027 release window on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. Xbox hasn't officially canceled it; however, gameplay programmer Katrin Mair wrote in her post that it was sad knowing "we won't get to finish what we were working on." Ninja Theory was supposed to survive the 3,200-job Xbox "reset" announced in July. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said at the time that the studio had entered terms to join new ownership, with funding to finish Senua. That plan fell apart in September, when Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty told staff that "two separate agreements for Ninja Theory fell through" and that a consultation on a proposed closure would begin. He did add that Xbox would keep looking at other options for the studio, though there has been no update on that since. Neither Xbox nor Ninja Theory has said how many people are affected, and the closure itself is still officially a proposal. Xbox has an all-hands town hall scheduled for October 6, so more details may follow.

Google Japan has revealed the 15th entry in its joke keyboard series, the Gboard Conveyor Belt Version, and it is not a real product. The Gboard team used to publish these gag designs on April Fools' Day, and moved the tradition to October 1 a few years ago as a nod to 101-key keyboards. The device stands upright and carries its keys on four belts with 29 keys each. The belts keep rotating, so the user rests one hand at the base and presses each key as it rolls past. Waiting for each letter to come around, of course, makes it far slower than a regular keyboard, and that seems to be the whole gag. Google's tongue-in-cheek blog post even suggests building a second unit for two-handed typing. Color variants, a high-speed mode, and longer or shorter versions are said to be under consideration. As expected, there are no plans to sell it, and the project's GitHub page states that it is not an official Google product. The prank is at least meant to be buildable, as Google has posted 3D-printable STL files, KiCad board data, and firmware. The build guide lists 157 printed parts, 116 Kailh Choc V1 low-profile switches, an M5Stack AtomS3 Lite controller, and a single 6 V N20 gear motor that drives all four belts. The repository still looks unfinished, however. Only the motorized "Moving Keys Edition" is documented so far, while the board documentation and a "functional Bluetooth keyboard" edition are both marked as coming soon. It's not clear whether a fully working unit can be built from the files just yet, but it's a fun bit regardless. Read full story