All posts tagged: controllers

Valve Steam Controller Review (2026): Wait for the Steam Machine

Valve Steam Controller Review (2026): Wait for the Steam Machine

Published by skeptic

In terms of inputs, it takes almost every control method from the Steam Deck, short of the touchscreen, and crams it into an 11 x 16 x 6 cm design. Valve tries to have it both ways when it comes to the more familiar controls, using Xbox’s ABXY face buttons and broad design aesthetic but PlayStation’s symmetrical thumbstick layout, plus the twin shoulder buttons and pair of analog triggers. Players accustomed to either will soon adapt to this hybrid approach. The Steam Controller goes beyond either of its console cousins, though, with a whole fleet of inputs that neither Sony nor Microsoft has on their default pads. A quadrant of extra buttons sits on the underside of the grip, and the thumbsticks are clickable, feature capacitive touch sensors, and are built on tunnel magnetoresistance sensors (TMR), which offer even greater precision and durability than Hall effect systems. Photograph: Matt Kamen There is also an accelerometer and a gyroscope for motion controls, and advanced rumble engines for nuanced haptics—it can pull off the same audio tricks …

The Best Mobile Gaming Controllers for iPhone and Android (2026)

The Best Mobile Gaming Controllers for iPhone and Android (2026)

Published by skeptic

The best mobile gaming controllers are excellent tools that allow you to play compatible games for hours on end. Whether you’re looking for an iPhone or Android controller, we’ve tested all the top picks (aka we’ve played a bunch of games on our phones) and have opinions on them all. Backbone makes the best mobile gaming controllers we’ve tried that’ll work for most people, but we also have solid recommendations for specific uses, like for pairing with smart glasses or a tablet. Make sure to check out our related buying guides, including the Best Cheap Phones, Best Android Phones, Best Gaming Controllers, and Best MagSafe Accessories. Our Top Picks Best Mobile Gaming Controller Backbone One Read more Best Upgrade Mobile Gaming Controller Backbone Pro Read more Best Magnetic Mobile Gaming Controller ohsnap! Mcon Mobile Gaming Controller Read more Best Hall-Effect Mobile Gaming Controller GameSir G8 Galileo Read more Jump to Section AccordionItemContainerButton Best Mobile Gaming Controller The Backbone One is as easy to recommend as it is to use. Slot the connector—either USB-C or Lightning—into …

America Trembles as Transportation Secretary Announces Plans for Air Traffic Controllers to Lean on AI Tools

America Trembles as Transportation Secretary Announces Plans for Air Traffic Controllers to Lean on AI Tools

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech As if air travel in the United States wasn’t cursed enough, the Trump Administration wants to ease the burden of air traffic scheduling with the help of some private-market AI solutions. US Department of Transportation secretary Sean Duffy — the same guy who was briefly in charge of NASA, weirdly — recently confirmed that the government is working on integrating AI software into the air traffic management system. At a Semafor event last week, Duffy said the software, called Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (SMART), is being tooled by three competing companies. Later, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg the Federal Aviation Administration had brought on Palantir, Thales SA, and Air Space Intelligence to compete for the SMART contract. Palantir then released a statement to investors confirming the company was contracted by the FAA to “provide a data analytics tool that will help advance the agency’s modernization objectives for aviation safety.” Then on Tuesday, Duffy …

Duffy: Effort to recruit gamers as air traffic controllers ‘wildly successful’

Duffy: Effort to recruit gamers as air traffic controllers ‘wildly successful’

Published by Sam Flores

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is targeting video gamers to serve in air traffic controller roles, an effort Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described as “wildly successful.”  “This has been wildly successful, and if you think just what these gamers are doing on screens, they’re talking and there’s a lot of things going on,” Duffy said… Source link

Best Game Controllers for PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox

Best Game Controllers for PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox

Published by skeptic

Other Game Controllers to Consider There are so many game controllers out there, but not all of them are good enough to make the list above. These are the other controllers we have tested recently. Photograph: Simon Hill Nacon Revolution 5 Pro: This highly customizable PS5 controller boasts Hall Effect sticks and triggers, programmable back paddles, and a great D-pad. You can tweak the weight, stick length and grips, and even the trigger actuation. It boasts a 10-hour battery life, and you can connect your headset via Bluetooth or plug-in. Unfortunately, it’s expensive, and you don’t get the haptic feedback or adaptive triggers that you’ll find in Sony’s excellent DualSense controllers. Courtesy of Logitech Logitech G Pro Racing Wheel: WIRED editor Parker Hall raved about Logitech’s racing wheel accessory, and racing game fans with deep pockets will love it. It adds a layer of reality to your in-game driving with force feedback and vibrations that help you feel every surface. The gear shift paddles have Hall Effect sensors. There is also an OLED display that …

LaGuardia’s Air Traffic Controllers Had Too Much to Do

LaGuardia’s Air Traffic Controllers Had Too Much to Do

Published by Daniella Wilson

In 20 seconds on the night of March 22, the seamless sequence of arrivals, departures, and holds at LaGuardia Airport—along with all their required calls and responses—was upended. In that brief period, a Port Authority fire truck was cleared to cross runway 4, Frontier Flight 4195 was told to stop taxiing, Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was landing, and the fire truck was frantically told to stop—before it collided with the Air Canada flight, killing the pilot and co-pilot. In air-traffic-control audio, the same controller is heard communicating with the aircraft and with the ground vehicles. Yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a news conference that two controllers were in the tower at the time of collision: a controller who was assigned to handle communications within the immediate airspace and for operations on the active runways, and a controller-in-charge who was providing clearance instructions for all departing aircraft. This was standard operating procedure for LaGuardia and other airports for the midnight shift—but which of the two controllers was responsible for ground-control duties, and …

The Best MIDI Controllers for Synths, Guitars, and More (2026)

The Best MIDI Controllers for Synths, Guitars, and More (2026)

Published by skeptic

One needn’t enjoy the music of Rush to respect the multitasking that happens while the Canadian prog trio (RIP Neil Peart) was onstage spinning impeccable note-for-note re-creations of their studio work. A key component of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee’s workflow was the Moog Taurus, which is an archaic monophonic synthesizer that’s controlled by an octave’s worth of organ-like foot pedals that sit on the ground under his rack of synthesizers, which he later transitioned to a MIDI-controlled Ableton-enabled computer. Newer, heavier bands like Brutus and Russian Circles have carried the torch, the latter utilizing a vintage Taurus up until a band of tweakers ransacked their trailer in 2021. Brian Cook, the bassist of the instrumental metal trio, has since been reunited with his beloved Taurus, but in the meantime he utilized a Keith McMillen Instruments 12 Step paired with a Moog Minotaur Model to re-create the squelching, thundering low-end he’s famous for wielding while he plays a baritone guitar with his hands. The 12 Step 2 expands on the original with five-pin DIN input and output, …

TMR vs. Hall Effect Controllers: Battle of the Magnetic Sensing Tech

TMR vs. Hall Effect Controllers: Battle of the Magnetic Sensing Tech

Published by skeptic

Competitive gamers look for every advantage they can get, and that drive has spawned some of the zaniest gaming peripherals under the sun. There are plenty of hardware components that actually offer meaningful edges when implemented properly. Hall effect and TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance) sensors are two such technologies. Hall effect sensors have found their way into a wide variety of devices, including keyboards and gaming controllers, including some of our favorites like the GameSir Super Nova.  More recently, TMR sensors have started to appear in these devices as well. Is it a better technology for gaming? With multiple options vying for your lunch money, it’s worth understanding the differences to decide which is more worthy of living inside your next game controller or keyboard.  How Hall effect joysticks work GameSir incorporates Hall effect sticks into many of its game controllers. GameSir We’ve previously broken down the difference between Hall effect tech and traditional potentiometers in controller joysticks, but here’s a quick rundown on how Hall effect sensors work. A Hall effect joystick …

Best Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories (2026): Controllers, Cases, and More

Best Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories (2026): Controllers, Cases, and More

Published by skeptic

Other Switch 2 Accessories to Consider Photograph: Matt Kamen iMP Tech DLEX+LED Multi-Function Charger Stand for £35: Perfect for streamers or desk-bound players, this will keep your gaming space tidy and your controllers fully juiced. It has charging slots for four Joy-Con 2s and four original Joy-Cons on the main base unit, all with charge indicators, while two pop-out USB-C cables at the rear allow you to connect more conventional joypads, like the Switch 2 Pro Controller. Power is provided through the charging adapter you already plug into your console’s dock, which is in turn locked in place on the DLX2 with a dual USB-A block that feeds the power through. It’s compatible with the Switch 2, original Switch, and the Switch OLED, and the two USB slots you lose on the dock itself are replaced with pass-through ports on the left of the base for other accessories. Organizationally, the stand gives you somewhere to hang your headset, while a spring-loaded tray on the right holds and hides up to nine Game Carts. It can …

Razer gaming gear is on sale at Amazon right now—keyboards, headsets, mics, and controllers up to 50% off

Razer gaming gear is on sale at Amazon right now—keyboards, headsets, mics, and controllers up to 50% off

Published by Jenni Sidey

Sign Up For Goods 🛍️ Product news, reviews, and must-have deals. This is the year you stop blaming your lackluster gaming skills on your setup. Right now, Amazon has a solid spread of Razer gear discounted, including compact keyboards, lightweight headsets, streamer-friendly mics, and a couple of legit controllers for console and mobile play. If you want to sanity-check categories before you click, PopSci’s guides to the best mechanical keyboards, best gaming headsets, and the best mics for streaming are a good place to start. Editor’s picks For the person who wants cleaner voice chat Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless PlayStation Gaming Headset (White) $99 Sound plays a surprisingly large role in competitive game sessions. Razer This headset includes a detachable mic, runs wirelessly via a USB-C dongle, and also supports Bluetooth—handy if you bounce between PS5 and a laptop. Razer claims up to 70 hours of battery life, so you can go a long time before you’re hunting for a charging cable. For the person who keeps running out of mouse room Razer BlackWidow …