Accessories

Haptic feedback is becoming a bigger part of entertainment. Now, a German startup is launching the Feelbelt, which adds the element of touch to games, music, movies, and basically any other device that outputs sound.

The 3dRudder, a kind of balance board that players steer with their feet, is making its way to PlayStation VR users in the US.

We’ve been singing the praises of the Nintendo Switch for years, but there are a couple of little things that could use some improvement. Now, a new accessory fills one of those holes – the Genki Covert Dock, a small device that charges the console and lets players plug it into TVs on the go.

VR has aced movement of the hands and head, but it’s still tricky to track the feet. Now games hardware company Kat is crowdfunding the Kat Loco, a set of three sensors that attach to a player’s feet and hip to translate movements in the real world into walking, running or strafing in the game.

It’s hard to hook up the analog outputs of the original Nintendo 64 to the digital inputs of a modern TV. Now a small company called Eon has stepped in to fill the void with the Super 64, an adapter that lets you plug the console into an HDMI port, and upscales the resolution.

The keyboard and mouse combo is the long-standing weapon of choice for players of first-person shooter games. Now a Chinese company called Ragnok is trying to ramp up the realism a bit with the Mousegun, a controller that’s designed to look and feel like the handle of a pistol.

With iPhones using Lightning ports, Android phones (and iPad Pros) using USB-C, laptops using a mixture of USB-A and USB-C, and chargers covering just about every base, getting your mobile devices juiced up can be a hassle. Enter the 5-in-1 charging cable, High Five.

Microsoft seems to be going all-in merging console and PC gaming, and last month announced that keyboard and mouse compatibility was coming to the Xbox One. Razer is the first manufacturer to come to the table, announcing a wireless keyboard-and-mouse combo called the Razer Turret for Xbox One.

Computer mice have seen some crazy innovations over the years but, arguably, the basic design was perfected decades ago. With that in mind Microsoft is now bringing back an updated version of its venerable IntelliMouse.

After a few weeks with the SwitchCharge, a beefy battery pack for the Nintendo Switch, we’re happy to report that it actively solves some of Nintendo’s niggles, earning its place in our bag basically every time we leave the house with the Switch.

To open up gaming to people with limited mobility who might normally miss out, Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Adaptive Controller, a versatile new device that can be connected to a range of different accessories to cater to different players’ specific needs.

No longer just tough shells for your noggin, the humble bicycle helmet has recently been kitted out with high-tech gadgets. Now an Australian startup named Cyclevision has revealed the Edge, a helmet sporting front- and back-facing cameras to let riders watch for danger or record their adventures.