Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 85, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, sorry in advance that this week is a tiny bit politics-y, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about Sean Evans and music fraud and ayahuasca, playing with the new Obsidian Bases feature, obsessing over every Cliche” more times than I’m proud of, installing some Elgato Key Lights to improve my WFH camera look, digging the latest beta of Artifacts, and downloading every podcast I can find because I have 20 hours of driving to do this weekend.I also have for you a very funny new movie about tech CEOs, a new place to WhatsApp, a great new accessory for your phone, a helpful crypto politics explainer, and much more. Short week this week, but still lots going on. Let’s do it.(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you reading / playing / watching / listening to / shopping for / doing with a Raspberry Pi this week? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here. And if you haven’t subscribed, you should! You’ll get every issue for free, a day early, in your inbox.)The DropMountainhead. I mean, is there a more me-coded pitch than “Succession vibes, but about tech bros?” It’s about a bunch of (pretty recognizable) billionaires who more or less run the world and are also more or less ruining it. You’ll either find this hilarious, way too close to home, or both. WhatsApp for iPad. I will never, ever understand why Meta hates building iPad apps. But it finally launched the most important one! The app itself is extremely fine and exactly what you’d think it would be, but whatever. It exists! DO INSTAGRAM NEXT.Post Games.Polygon, all about video games. It’s only a couple episodes deep, but so far I love the format: it’s really smart and extremely thoughtful, but it’s also very silly in spots. Big fan.The Popsockets Kick-Out Grip. I am a longtime, die-hard Popsockets user and evangelist, and the new model fixes my one gripe with the thing by working as both a landscape and portrait kickstand. $40 is highway robbery for a phone holder, but this is exactly the thing I wanted.“Dance with Sabrina.” A new, real-time competitive rhythm game inside of Fortnite, in which you try to do well enough to earn the right to actually help create the show itself. Super fun concept, though all these games are better with pads, guitars, or really anything but a normal controller.Lazy 2.0. Lazy is a stealthy but fascinating note-taking tool, and it does an unusually good job of integrating with files and apps. The new version is very AI-forward, basically bringing a personalized chatbot and all your notes to your whole computer. Neat!Elden Ring Nightreign. A multiplayer-heavy spinoff of the game that I cannot get my gamer friends to shut up about, even years after it came out. I’ve seen a few people call the game a bit small and repetitive, but next to Elden Ring I suppose most things are.The Tapo DL100 Smart Deadbolt Door Lock. A $70 door lock with, as far as I can tell, every feature I want in a smart lock: a keypad, physical keys, super long battery life, and lots of assistant integrations. It does look… huge? But it’s pretty bland-looking, which is a good thing.Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster. One of a few Titan-related documentaries coming this summer, meant to try and explain what led to the awful events of a couple years ago. I haven’t seen this one yet, but the reviews are solid — and the story seems even sadder and more infuriating than we thought.“The growing scandal of $TRUMP.” I love a good Zeke Faux take on crypto, whether it’s a book or a Search Engine episode. This interview with Ezra Klein is a great explainer of how the Trump family got so into crypto and how it’s being used to move money in deeply confusing and clearly corrupt ways. Cameron Faulkner isn’t technically new to The Verge, he’s just newly back at The Verge. In addition to being a commerce editor on our team, he also wrote one of the deepest dives into webcams you’ll ever find, plays a lot of games, has more thoughts about monitors than any reasonable person should, and is extremely my kind of person. Since he’s now so very back, I asked Cam to share his homescreen with us, as I always try to do with new people here. Here it is, plus some info on the apps he uses and why:The phone: Pixel 9 Pro.The wallpaper: It’s an “Emoji Workshop” creation, which is a feature that’s built into Android 14 and more recent updates. It mashes together emoji into the patterns and colors of your choosing. I picked this one because I like sushi, and I love melon / coral color tones.The apps: Google Keep, Settings, Clock, Phone, Chrome, Pocket Casts, Messages, Spotify.I haven’t downloaded a new app in ages. What’s shown on my homescreen has been there, unmoved, for longer than I can remember. I have digital light switches, a to-do list with the great (but paid) Stuff widget, a simple Google Fit widget to show me how much I moved today, and a couple Google Photos widgets of my lovely wife and son. I could probably function just fine if every app shuffled its location on my homescreen, except for the bottom row. That’s set in stone, never to be fiddled with.I also asked Cameron to share a few things he’s into right now. Here’s what he sent back:Righteous Gemstones on HBO Max. It’s a much smarter comedy than I had assumed (but it’s still dumb in the best ways), and I’m delighted to have four seasons to catch up on. I’m really digging Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which achieves the feat of breakneck pacing (the game equivalent of a page-turner) and a style that rivals Persona 5, which is high praise. I have accrued well over a dozen Switch 2 accessories, and I’m excited to put them to the test once I get a console on launch day.CrowdsourcedHere’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now, as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.“The Devil’s Plan. This Netflix original South Korean reality show locks 14 contestants in a windowless living space that’s part mansion, part prison, part room escape, and challenges them to eliminate each other in a series of complicated tabletop games. (If this sounds familiar, it’s a spiritual successor to the beloved series The Genius from the mid-2010s.)” — Travis“If you’re a fan of Drive to Survive, I’m happy to report that the latest season of Netflix’s series on NASCAR is finally good, and a reasonable substitute for that show once you’ve finished it.” — Christopher“I switched to a Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel Watch 3 from an iPhone and Apple Watch about 6 months ago and found Open Bubbles, an open source alternative to BlueBubbles that does need a Mac but doesn’t need that Mac to remain on, You just need a one-time hardware identifier from it, then it gives you full iMessage, Find My, FaceTime, and iCloud shared albums on Android and Windows using an email address. So long as you can get your contacts to iMessage your email instead of your number, it works great.” — Tim“Playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the last time before Mario Kart World arrives next week and takes over my life!” — Ravi“With Pocket being killed off I’ve started using my RSS reader — which is Inoreader — instead as a suitable replacement. I only switched over to Pocket after Omnivore shut down.” — James“I just got a Boox Go 10.3 for my birthday and love it. The lack of front lighting is the biggest downfall. It is also only on Android 12 so I cannot load a corporate profile. It feels good to write on just, almost as good as my cheaper fountain pen and paper. It is helping me organize multiple notebooks and scraps of paper.” — Sean“Giving Tweek a bit of a go, and for a lightweight weekly planner it’s beautiful. I also currently use Motion for project management of personal tasks and when I was doing my Master’s. I really like the Gantt view to map out long term personal and study projects. (I also got a student discount for Motion, but it’s still expensive.)” — Astrid“Might I suggest Elle Griffin’s work at The Elysian? How she’s thinking through speculative futures and a cooperative media system is fascinating.” — Zach“GeForce Now on Steam Deck!” — SteveSigning offOne of the reasons I like making this newsletter with all of you is that it’s a weekly reminder that, hey, actually, there’s a lot of awesome people doing awesome stuff out there on the internet. I spend a lot of my time talking to people who say AI is going to change everything, and we’re all going to just AI ourselves into oblivion and be thrilled about it — a theory I increasingly think is both wrong and horrifying.And then this week I read a blog post from the great Dan Sinker, who called this moment “the Who Cares Era, where completely disposable things are shoddily produced for people to mostly ignore.” You should read the whole thing, but here’s a bit I really loved:“Using extraordinary amounts of resources, it has the ability to create something good enough, a squint-and-it-looks-right simulacrum of normality. If you don’t care, it’s miraculous. If you do, the illusion falls apart pretty quickly. The fact that the userbase for AI chatbots has exploded exponentially demonstrates that good enough is, in fact, good enough for most people. Because most people don’t care.”I don’t think this describes everything and everyone, and neither does Sinker, but I do think it’s more true than it should be. And I increasingly think our job, maybe our method of rebellion, is to be people who care, who have taste, who like and share and look for good things, who read and watch and look at those things on purpose instead of just staring slackjawed at whatever slop is placed between the ads they hope we won’t really notice. I think there are a lot of fascinating ways that AI can be useful, but we can’t let it train us to accept slop just because it’s there. Sorry, this got more existential than I anticipated. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I’m going to try and point Installer even more at the stuff that matters, made by people who care. I hope you’ll hold me to that.See you next week!See More:

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 84, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, so psyched you found us, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about Mubi and Around The Horn and millennial tech, moving all my journals to Diarly, trying out Matt D’Avella’s workout routine, catching up on Clarkson’s Farm, wishing desperately that Philly Justice was a real show, watching a lot of Helper Cars with my toddler, testing the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, dusting off my Fortnite skills, and enjoying this unbelievably deep dive into the first Star Wars movie.I also have for you a new blockbuster movie, an old-new blockbuster mobile game, a new season of one of my all-time favorite shows, a cheap set-top box worth a look, and much more. Shockingly busy week! Let’s dig in.(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What are you playing / reading / listening to / watching / plugging into things / poking with a stick this week? Tell me everything: installer@theverge.com. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, tell them to subscribe here. Subscribers get every issue in their inbox, for free, a day before it hits the website.)The Dropkind of can’t believe it! I fell off the Fortnite wagon pretty hard over the last year or so, but this and my Backbone Pro are going to be very good friends going forward. Zero Build only for me, though, at least on mobile.Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. I am a forever fan of the M:I series, and as silly as I find the whole “AI is the bad guy” bit, I have had a good time watching every single movie in this series. I’ll be in a humungous theater for this one ASAP.Puzzmo for iOS. Puzzmo’s web app is great, so I haven’t exactly been thirsting for a better mobile experience. And, as far as I can tell, the mobile app is just exactly the same thing as the web app. But, hey, I like the icon, and I like any reason to play more Really Bad Chess.The Onn Google TV 4K Plus. “A weirdly named, super-cheap set-top box from Walmart” is not a great pitch. But for $30, you’re not beating this thing’s combination of Google TV, Dolby Vision, and 4K. Onn stuff has been pretty good in the past, so I suspect this one will be pretty compelling.NotebookLM for mobile. The Android and iOS versions are both fine and both useful for the same reason: you can send stuff to your notebooks via the share sheet. If you’re a fan of the podcast-y Audio Overviews, they’re also a great thing to have on the go.. We haven’t had a new season of my favorite unhinged animation sci-fi show in a year and a half, and I am so very excited to get back to some intergalactic and cross-universe shenanigans. I’ve been debating doing a full rewatch of the whole show and might just have to do it after this season.The Virtual Stream Deck. This is so clever: Elgato is turning its collection of smart buttons from a lineup of gadgets to a full-on platform that you can either build into other hardware or just run on a screen. I can’t recommend it enough — spend some time programming all your repetitive computer tasks into a Stream Deck system.Monster Train 2. I love the structure of this game: a deck-building game that is endlessly repeatable but also complex enough that you never quite play the same game twice. I somehow missed the first game in the series entirely, and I’m going to have to give that a whirl, too. Strava routes. Strava’s an Installerverse favorite, and it got a bunch of new features this week. But, for my money, the biggest upgrade is the routing system, which generates the best route between two points; I love a good “map me the run to this donut shop” feature.In all the time I’ve been covering and paying attention to tech, there have been very few companies as bizarre and intriguing as OpenAI. The company is doing impressive, culture-shaking work, but it also seems to have an endless supply of weird internal drama and a total inability to figure out, like, what in the world it’s doing.Karen Hao has been covering the company longer than almost anybody, and she has firsthand knowledge of a lot of OpenAI’s twists and turns. This week, she published a terrific book, called Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI, which is about the company’s history and its future. But the book is more than that, too. It’s a really good look at what AI is doing to us as people, to our societies and our planets, and to the brains of the people building what they hope will make them rich or gods — or both.I’ve been a fan of Karen’s work for a long time, so I asked her to share her homescreen with us. I figured she’d either have, like, 30 AI apps or none at all, and I wanted to know. Here’s her homescreen, plus some info on the apps she uses and why:The phone: iPhone XR.The wallpaper: It’s usually a photo of me and my husband laughing hysterically at an inside joke at our wedding. But you’ll just have to imagine it because we’re really big on privacy. Enjoy this orange gradient instead. Orange is the color of creativity, of fire, of the sunrise and sunset, of beginnings and transition.The apps: Messages, Google Calendar, Photos, Camera, Clock, Apple Notes, Contacts, Settings, FaceTime, Calculator, Weather, Reminders, App Store, Gmail, Proton Mail, Phone, Brave.I have a very boring homescreen! I try not to use too many apps. When I set up a phone, the first thing I do is delete as many of the default apps as possible. But probably the two notable apps to call out: a couple years ago, I switched completely to the Brave browser, which is the lion icon at the bottom right of the screen. It’s based on Chrome, so you can keep all your plug-ins, but it blocks sites from tracking you to serve you targeted ads. It’s a simple way to not give up so much of your data and preserve your privacy. Highly recommended. The second: under my Audio folder, I have a guitar-tuning app, GuitarTuna, for the rare moments I fiddle with my guitar at home. Music was a big part of my childhood, but I haven’t made nearly enough time for it as an adult. I keep the app on my homescreen as an aspiration to pick it back up more seriously.I also asked Karen to share a few things that she’s into right now. Here’s what she sent back:The Empire podcast, cohosted by historian William Dalrymple and Anita Anand.Late-night comedy YouTube.CrowdsourcedHere’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now, as well! Email installer@theverge.com or message me on Signal — @davidpierce.11 — with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on Threads and this post on Bluesky.“YouTube has recently radicalized me to digital minimalism and decentralized tech. What started as deleting ALL social media from my iPhone and relegating the apps to my iPad is now firmly in the realm of buying old iPods from eBay and repairing them with modern parts. I have some replacement parts on the way from Elite Obsolete Electronics and with what I know now I should soon have a functional 6th gen iPod Classic that I can install RockBox on. I also picked up the ToAuto DS90 Soldering Station with the hopes of installing the USB-C mod in the near future.” — Nicholas“I know it was in last week’s Installer but I got the Sony WH-1000XM6s and they’re incredible. The ‘background listening’ feature is such a clever spin on spatial audio, it really does sound like it’s coming from a distance!” — Jamie“What if you could add any plain old QR Code/barcode card to your Apple Wallet? Lucky for you, the greatest minds of our time have come together to solve this inconvenience. Try IntoWallet and get as blown away as I was when it just worked (also the level of customization and the price are great!).” — Teo“I’ve REALLY enjoyed the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds. For lovers of hard sci-fi space operas this is for you. Engaging, dark, wild ideas and concepts, plenty of real and imagined science and physics all weaved into interesting stories.” — Tyler“I’ve personally managed to seriously build my meditation practice in the last two years using both Happier and Calm. I especially enjoy the meditations by teacher Jeff Warren, who strikes the right balance with his light and playful tone.” — Jeroen“I’ve had the Casper Glow lamp since 2019 and it’s still going strong! Love the interaction, twisting it and flipping it to control the light, and I even helped sell two (unsponsored) to an old roommate when he moved to his own place.” — SingYu“Post Andor I’ve been reading through Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire.” — Allen“Setup is (90%) finished! Rocking a Teenage Engineering case, HP G4 Dock, UGREEN USB Switcher, and a $60 standing desk from Facebook Marketplace.” — Jeremy Signing offThe big Installer-y news of the week is that Mozilla is shutting down Pocket. Which, well, sucks. Pocket was a good and popular app that did good and useful things! I heard from a bunch of you who are now looking for a place to go post-Pocket. I only really have three recommendations:Instapaper: the OG of the read-later world and still the simplest and most straightforward app you’ll find for the purpose. Brian, the developer, is good people, and I have high hopes for the longevity of the app.Matter: it’s only for iOS and web, but it’s the best-looking app in this space, and it’s not even close. They’re doing some nifty stuff with AI-enhanced reading, too.Readwise Reader: the power-user tool of choice, and my favorite of the bunch. It just has so many organizational features, great highlighting, and tons of integrations. It just does everything I need. It’s also way too much for most people. I suppose I should give Wallabag an honorable mention, because you can host it yourself, but it’s a much more involved project. If I were just moving over from Pocket and just wanted a nice place to read without a long list of other feature requests, I’d start with Instapaper. But all three are solid options, and they all make it pretty painless to import your old articles. Or just delete them all, start over, and feel the rare freedom of an almost-empty reading list. It’s pretty nice.See you next week!See More:

We're taking home gold from #Computex2025 🏆🎖️ @TechPowerUp - Best of Computex 2025 + Editor's Choice - AIR 5400🎖️ @TweakTown - Best of Computex 2025 - AIR 5400🎖️ @techtesters - Best of Computex 2025 - AIR 5400🎖️ European Hardware Awards 2025 - Best Gaming Headset: Virtuoso MAX🎖️ @wccftech - Computex 2025 Innovation Award - SCIMITAR ELITE WL SE🎖️ @theshortcut - Computex 2025 Award - @elgato Stream Deck🎖️ Red Dot Design Award - Best of the Best 2025

A slew of new Elgato Stream Decks have been announced, aimed at everyone from the usual individuals, through network users and DIY fans, and even on to other manufacturers.A new version of the 15-key Stream Deck features scissor-keys instead of membrane onesElgato's Stream Deck may have begun as an accessory for gamers and streamers, but it's become a whole series of devices for Mac productivity. Now Elgato has announced four new variants designed to expand the Stream Deck's use and widen its appeal.The four new additions to the Stream Deck range are: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

RT Cam 🎮 (@CamXPetra)Re Thank you @CORSAIR, @elgato, @drop for hooking us up with all these awesome DOOM styled peripherals! We made a whole DOOM Battle Station! /AD

The Elgato Stream Deck is expanding into a hardware-agnostic platform. On Monday, the company unveiled a software version of the programmable shortcut device. Also on tap are a module for integration in third-party products and DIY projects, an Ethernet dock and an updated Stream Deck MK.2 with scissor-switch keys. Stream Deck MK.2 Scissor Keys There's a new version of the popular Stream Deck MK.2. The only difference is that this version ditches membrane keys in favor of scissor-switch ones. Scissor keys (found on many laptops, like modern MacBooks) have a shorter travel distance and sharper actuation than the mushy-feeling ones on the (still available) legacy MK.2. The Stream Deck MK.2 Scissor Keys costs $150. Shipments begin around the beginning of June. Virtual Stream Deck Virtual Stream Deck (VSD) is a software-only counterpart of the classic devices. Like the hardware versions, the VSD includes a familiar grid of programmable shortcut buttons. Anything you'd configure for a device like the Stream Deck MK.2 or XL, you can also do for the VSD. Place the interface anywhere on your desktop, pin it for quick access or trigger it with a mouse click or hotkey. Elgato Presumably to avoid cannibalizing its hardware business, Elgato is limiting the VSD to owners of its devices. Initially, it will only be available to people who have Stream Deck hardware or select Corsair peripherals (the Xeneon Edge and Scimitar Elite WE SE Mouse). The company says the VSD will soon be rolled out to owners of additional devices. The VSD has one frustrating requirement. It only works when one of those compatible accessories is connected to your computer. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use it as a virtual Stream Deck replacement, mirroring your shortcuts while you and your laptop are on the go. That seems like a missed opportunity. Instead, it’s more like a complement to Stream Deck hardware while it’s connected — a way to get more shortcuts than the accessory supports. It’s also a method for Corsair accessory owners to get Stream Deck functionality without buying one. Regardless, Virtual Stream Deck launches with the Stream Deck 7.0 beta software. Stream Deck Modules Elgato Stream Deck Modules can be built into hardware not made by Elgato. So, hobbyists, startups and manufacturers can incorporate the OLED shortcut buttons into their DIY projects or products. The only difference is their more flexible nature. Otherwise, they function the same as legacy Stream Deck products. Stream Deck Modules have an aluminum chassis that's "ready to drop straight into a custom mount, machine or product." They're available in six-, 15- and 32-key variants. The modules begin shipping today. You'll pay $50 for the six-key version, $130 for the 15-key one and $200 for the 32-key variant. (If you're providing them for an organization, Elgato offers volume discounts.) Elgato Network Dock Elgato The Elgato Network Dock gives Stream Deck devices their own Ethernet connections. This untethers the shortcuts from the desktop, allowing for "custom installations, remote stations and more." The Network Dock supports both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE networks. You can set up its IP configuration on-device. The dock costs $80 and ships in August.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/elgatos-stream-deck-breaks-free-from-the-companys-hardware-230052921.html?src=rss

Elgato announced a new “Stream Deck Everywhere” strategy at Computex, which includes a software-based virtual Stream Deck for PCs, an ethernet dock accessory, unbranded Stream Deck modules that can bring its keys into other products, and even new scissor-switch keys for a more precise, keyboard-like feel. “With these launches, we’re opening up Stream Deck to a world of new users, from developers and DIY builders to manufacturers seeking a field-proven interface for their products,” said Elgato general manager Julian Fest. “Because Stream Deck isn’t just a device—it’s a platform.Stream Deck Modules are designed for hobbyists and manufacturers to easily integrate into hardware projects instead of ripping apart the consumer version or developing their own custom macropad solutions. The modules are available in 6-, 15-, and 32-key variants and are housed in an aluminum chassis that can be built into custom bases, machines, and furniture, making it possible to actually create Elgato’s ridiculous 1,262-key April Fools’ desk.The Stream Deck Modules are available now starting at $49.99 for the six-key version, $129.99 for the 15-key, and $199.99 for the 32-key. Elgato technical marketing manager Philipp Eggebrecht told The Verge that discounts will be offered for bulk purchases.The Stream Deck modules even appear to lack the usual logo branding that the retail versions feature. Image: ElgatoUsers can mount them to desks for a built-in macropad solution or add them to custom stands. Image: ElgatoA new variant of the MK.2 Stream Deck has been introduced that replaces the membrane keys with scissor-style switches that provide “enhanced speed and precision,” according to Elgato. Eggebrecht says the scissor keys variant costs $149.99 and will be available in “around two weeks.” Stream Deck buttons that feel more like keyboard keys would make it easier for users to tell they’ve clicked something without having to look at the device. Elgato describes the scissor switch variant as something that “lends itself to typing-style interactions, paving the way for new use cases that benefit from rapid, multi-layered input and control,” which could be testing the waters for a Stream Deck keyboard or any other application requiring precise controls.“The idea of a full LCD-key based keyboard is interesting. We’ve explored it in the past and so far, what we’ve found is that the experience hasn’t been great, and there’s the cost question,” Eggebrecht told The Verge. “We’re getting closer to a keyboard feeling with Stream Deck Scissor Keys, and always looking at the technology and what is becoming possible. Stream Deck and keyboards are a natural fit.”The choice of new key switches will appeal to a niche audience that appreciates the enhanced stability. Image: ElgatoElgato is also rolling out a software-only Stream Deck for desktop devices, akin to the existing Stream Deck mobile app. The Virtual Stream Deck (VSD) can provide a permanent macro menu on computer screens or be summoned at will when users hit allocated hotkeys and mouse buttons. The VSD software will initially be available for people who own a Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless SE mouse, Xenon Edge touchscreen, or any Stream Deck model, before later rolling out to “more devices.”Custom layouts, virtual faceplates, and support for beyond six buttons require iPhone and Android Stream Deck users to pay for Pro access, which starts at $2.99 monthly or $49.99 as a one-time purchase. Eggebrecht says Elgato’s desktop VSD isn’t locked behind a subscription, but does require users to install the Stream Deck 7.0 beta.The VSD adds a taskbar of macro buttons directly to your desktop. Image: ElgatoA new $79.99 Stream Deck network dock accessory was also announced that includes support for power over Ethernet (PoE), which lets you place its buttons anywhere there’s a network jack, and with more flexibility than USB-C affords by itself. Eggebrecht says the Stream Deck network dock will start shipping in August.See More:

The annual Computex computing conference in Taipei, Taiwan, isn’t going to be filled to the brim with as many wacky gadgets as CES 2025, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing noteworthy. Nvidia tried to make the show about itself with the latest in its Blackwell series of GPUs, launching the GeForce RTX 5060 and expanding its AI software suite, and we also got new laptops via the Razer Blade 14 and Acer Predator Triton 14 AI. But amid those expected releases, we also got some quirkier releases, which may prove to be a lot more interesting than an entry-level graphics card. If you’re on the lookout for the fun stuff, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be keeping this post updated as we see more news from Computex, so stay tuned. Elgato’s Stream Deck ‘Modules’ Wants to Give Everybody Desktop Buttons © Elgato Content creators swear by Stream Decks, but the average layperson may not understand what all the fuss is about. These devices are control panels that are tied to commands on your PC. These keys could offer controls as simple as opening up Adobe Premiere, or as complex as exporting a finished program. Elgato, the maker of some of the more-popular decks, now imagines its Stream Decks as a “platform.” First up is a slew of modules that offer the most-barebones Stream Deck experience with variations that include six, 15, or 32 keys. There’s a separate dock that will let you network a Stream Deck directly through ethernet, as well, but the big push is with a Virtual Stream Deck. This is merely a program that lets you create custom hotkeys you can access with a single click on a desktop. Asus ROG’s Split Keyboard for Gamers Could Moonlight as a Pair of Nunchucks © Asus If Razer can give us an ergonomic vertical mouse, why shouldn’t Asus’ gamer-centric ROG brand hand us a split keyboard? The company said the Falcata 75% keyboard is good if you only need your WASD keys and need to free up desktop space. It’s using the company’s own ROG HFX V2 magnetic keyboard switches with a customizable 0.1 to 3.5mm travel. But better yet, the switches are hot swappable if you prefer a row of Cherry keys. The split design and removable angled palm rests should offer better ergonomics for people who have issues with carpal tunnel or wrist pain on a traditional singular keyboard. Asus would much rather talk about its 8,000Hz polling rate, which is a measure of how quickly the device can report its key presses to the PC. The Return of the Mouse With Too Many Keys is Now a Pseudo Stream Deck © Corsair Corsair’s Scimitar Elite WL SE was built for gamers who need to quickly hit innumerable hotkeys, and Corsair wants its gamer mouse to be a productivity device as well. The mouse sports a grand total of 16 programmable buttons, the majority of which are on a large “KeySlider” located on the left side of the mouse. This is the kind of mouse that’s ostensibly for competitive MMO gamers who want to have all their actions at easy reach on one hand. Combined with Elgato’s new Stream Deck features, the Scimitar can now bring up Virtual Stream Deck or even execute commands if you need to quickly access your work apps, open up web pages, or access stream controls. Oh, it also comes in white. This Is Where I’d Put an Xbox Handheld, if I Had One © Asus We were crossing our fingers, hoping to finally see the supposed Xbox-branded handheld PC being produced by Asus at this year’s Computex. Instead, in the first few days, the company dropped a peripheral that seems a little too on the nose if it’s still pretending that an ROG Ally 2 doesn’t exist. The ROG Bulwark Dock is like the many other official and third-party devices meant to keep your Steam Deck or whatever ROG Ally or Ally X you have on hand upright and on a charge. It’s a 7-in-1 dock that supports 4K at 144Hz output through HDMI 2.1. The nice thing about this dock is that the 90-degree USB-C cable isn’t married to any one spot on the device, making it easier to plug into the port of whatever handheld you’re using for power passthrough. Asus says this design, with its shallow cup, will work with phones and laptops as well, but we assume it should be good for an Xbox handheld, whenever that arrives. You Can Use AI to Make the Plugins for Nvidia’s AI © Nvidia Nvidia’s AI-ception now includes its own Project G-Assist, combined with a coding tool powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. G-Assist is the company’s chatbot integrated with the Nvidia app, and currently, it’s only capable of offering barebones PC diagnostics or suggesting changes to your graphics settings. The best aspect of the chatbot’s “small language model” is that it works fully on-device, but users themselves may be able to amend the AI’s limited feature set with a plugin builder. This could allow users to make G-Assist interact with other apps. But you don’t even need to know how to code well to build a plugin, as the plugin builder uses a separate AI chatbot to write it for you. Nvidia suggested this will work with apps like Spotify for music and volume control, but we’d much prefer to see it work as a legitimate PC assistant so we don’t need to access several competing apps just to change settings on our keyboards and mice. This Cute PC Case Wouldn’t Look Out of Place in a Field of Flowers © Hyte Judging by their name, Hyte’s X50 cases would seem like any other boxy PC case, but you can already tell by that image that the design is very, very different from the standard black boxes most people are willing to stick under their desk. Both the X50 and X50 Air are made with 1mm-thick steel frame alongside micro-mesh and 4mm laminated glass panels. These are all formed around the cases’ rounded design. The “Air” model only comes in white or black, but the X50 colorways, including “Cherry,” “Taro Milk,” “Strawberry Milk,” and “Matcha Milk” are all colors you would normally find at your local bubble tea spot. At $150, the X50 seems like the kind of case that will make your PC stand out from the pack of hard-edged fish tank designs you see from most companies. The case should arrive sometime this summer. Dell’s New AI-Centric Laptop Has the Worst Name Imaginable © Dell This is the Dell Pro Max Plus. It’s a name that squashes every rank of iPhone nomenclature into one. Beyond the company’s increasingly confusing naming conventions, the Pro Max Plus has one interesting component you won’t find on most other laptops. It contains a discrete NPU, namely the Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 chip. An NPU, or neural processing unit, is a dedicated portion of a chip or discrete processor for handling intensive AI processes. A typical PC with the latest AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor can support between 45 and 50 TOPS, or trillions of operations per second. That in itself is a derived value for generally comparing AI processing. The Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 hits around 350 TOPS. It’s not nearly the max TOPS of a discrete graphics processor (the lowest-level Blackwell GPU from Nvidia, the RTX 5060, can do 614 TOPS), but the Dell Pro Max Plus Ultra Premium Supreme, or whatever it’s called, won’t have to worry nearly as much about power consumption with an AI-specific chip.

RT TowellieeTomorrow The People's Slayer will be rocking @DOOM The Dark Ages! BUT before we do we got an entire battle station to unbox for the @CORSAIR @Elgato @Drop and DOOM collaboration! Join us tomorrow Friday starting at 8am PST!

RT DriggsyAbout to build the ultimate DOOMstation 😈Massive thank you to @drop @CORSAIR @elgato! #DOOM @DOOMStay tuned…