The BEACN Mix Sound Controller — a basic hardware mixer which provides convenient control over up to four audio inputs/outputs on a connected PC — showed up in August 2021 to critical streamer and podcaster acclaim alongside its slightly bigger, yet far more advanced sibling, the BEACN Mix Create. MMORPG’s Joseph Bradford noted its ease of use and great-feeling controls, though it’s up in the air whether or not the baseline BEACN Mix controller is worth its $149 MSRP when placed so close to the Mix Create (at $199 MSRP). Meanwhile, both controllers compete against the Elgato Stream Deck ($199) in both functionality and price.
But now the tables are turning, thanks to a 33.5% markdown ($99, down from $149) on the BEACN Mix. For the limited time this offer is active, the BEACN Mix is one of the best cost-performing audio mixers you can buy, and it even has a few major design advantages over the Elgato Stream Deck — particularly where accessibility is concerned.
Designer: BEACN
Buy it now on Drop $99 $149
BEACN’s design features two colorways: Dark Blue and White, and they’re both attractive yet functional thanks to the mixer’s four large (and evidently, quite comfortable) knobs and 5-inch full-color display. These are a departure from the Elgato Stream Deck’s much tinier display, function buttons, and knobs, and that’s possible due to its larger dimensions. Comparing the two side-by-side, the BEACN Mix Sound Controller measures in at 7.4 x 14.3 x 14.2 inches, whereas the Stream Deck is 4.6 x 3.3 x 0.8 inches, and despite the BEACN’s added comfort, that’s worth considering when determining whether your desk has enough space to fit it.
The BEACN Mix is a simple solution for podcasters and streamers who want a solid, high-quality mixer without breaking the bank, though you’ll want to grab it at its current price before the deal ends, though it’s unclear when that’ll be. Drop’s estimated ship date is December 29, 2023.
Before mobile gaming became the lucrative industry that it is today, the gaming industry was traditionally split between PCs and consoles, with each side having its preferred input device. The reality, however, is that this line between camps has always been blurry. Console players lack the precision of a mouse of aiming, while PC gamers sometimes grab a controller for titles that are sometimes better played with a joystick and buttons. Unfortunately, the latter also sacrifices the precision of a mouse and the versatility of having so many keys to use.
The best of both worlds would definitely give any gamer a winning edge, which is exactly what this one-of-a-kind controller is offering, letting you put away your keyboard while keeping your mouse and still have access to 22 buttons that you can customize to your gaming needs.
Designer: Nicolas Franco
Click Here to Buy Now: $84$119 (29% off). Hurry, only 30 left! Raised over $100,000.
There are pros and cons to the different input methods that gamers use. Of course, there is no perfect device, and users unfortunately have to compromise when picking one over the other. If only you could combine keyboard, mouse, and controller without sacrificing any of them and still have a compact and portable setup. That might sound like a pipe dream, but that’s exactly what the Hex Evo brings to the table, offering a no-compromise way of combining the precision of a mouse with the flexibility and comfort of a gaming controller.
Fully Repairable Controller – Buy official replacement modules (joystick, battery, motherboard, and more) and easily swap out damaged parts for brand new ones. No soldering required.
Compatible with consoles, PCs, and Macs, the Hex Evo Left Hand Gaming Controller completely changes the game to give you the edge that you need for comfortable gaming and glorious victory. Best of all, the controller is built for easy repair, with replacement parts available to make it possible to do on your own, and never have to suffer the pain of joystick drift or using an old, degraded battery.
Combine the Best of Both Worlds – Gain an edge over your opponents by combining the precision of mouse aim with the freedom of controller movement.
Fully Replace the Keyboard – You can perform all the in-game actions that you would do with the keyboard with a true analog stick and 22 mappable inputs.
At first glance, the Hex Evo looks like the left half of a typical game controller. It allows you to precisely aim with the mouse while moving with the convenience of an analog joystick, something that feels awkward and unnatural with the typical combination of keyboard and mouse. That’s just scratching the surface, though, because the Hex Evo is fully customizable, enabling you to set it to controller or keyboard mode, and grants you access to no less than 22 “buttons” that you can map to any function. You can even assign macros, combo presses, or even assign buttons to a combination of keypresses, making it appealing not only to gamers, but also to those looking to upgrade their setup in the productivity space.
Game Comfortably – Hold the Hex Evo wherever you feel most comfortable.
The ingenious secret to this feat is the Shift key that practically doubles the number of buttons available. There’s also the fact that you can press two buttons together to create a different action, which can also be combined with the Shift key to expand the available options. And with a motion sensor, which you can again pair with the Shift key, you have two more inputs to use for any purpose you can think of. No other controller can ever match this level of customization, and that’s not even counting the programmable buttons you might have on your gaming mouse.
Ultra-portable Setup – The Hex Evo takes a fraction of the space any keyboard does, which means you can easily take it and your mouse anywhere you go, and never miss a chance to game.
The Hex Evo isn’t just a marvel of technology, it’s also an example of great product design. From its ergonomic form and high performance, to the use of durable materials and injection molding process, the controller was designed right from the start to cater to gamers’ needs and tastes. It even comes with an Evo Case that has removable foam inserts to fit both the Hex Evo and your favorite gaming mouse, letting you take your powerful gaming weapons anywhere. So step up your game and take your productivity to new heights with the revolutionary Hex Evo Left Hand Gaming Controller.
Click Here to Buy Now: $84$119 (29% off). Hurry, only 30 left! Raised over $100,000.
The PlayStation 5 Access Controller, which Yanko Design featured when it was first unveiled on World Disability Day, is now in the hands of several key voices in the disabled gaming community as previews began rolling out earlier today. So far, its reception is skewing positive across the board as Sony simultaneously revealed the controller’s packaging and peripheral Logitech G Adaptive Gaming Kit – with the latter available sometime in January 2024, at least one month after the global release of the PlayStation 5 Access Controller on December 6.
In fact, Grant Stoner, one of the most outspoken accessibility-focused video game journalists in the field, called the Access Controller “one of the five accessibility successes of 2023 so far” in a recent report on IGN.
On a broader note, we had great things to say about Microsoft’s widening array of accessibility accessories for Xbox and PC gamers in 2022. It’s safe to say that Sony’s recent push into making its own games and controllers more accessible can only bode well for a future where all gamers are included in the excitement and zeitgeist of new game releases as the gaming hobby continues growing in popularity.
Designer: Sony
Disabled reviewer Dynamic Reactions had the chance to go hands-on with the new Access Controller in IGN’s official preview of the new hardware, commending everything from the customizability of the buttons to the intuitiveness of its design – both from a hardware perspective, as well as in terms of how easy it was to set up and calibrate/recalibrate in the PlayStation 5’s internal menu.
Evidently, the Access Controller unlocks entirely new styles of play for those who struggle to play with standard controllers, such as in fighting games or action-heavy games where many buttons need to be pushed or held together in close succession, such as when doling out combos. Dynamic Reactions chimed in on how the Access Controller made that possible for her, saying, “Combos can be extremely tedious at best and incredibly painful at worst when you’re gaming with dexterity issues.”
“On a regular dualsense if the combo is reachable I often find myself moving my left hand over to the other side of the controller stretching my fingers trying to hit every button at the right moment. The access controller eliminates this problem by allowing you to map two actions to one button of your choice in the profile section with the assign simultaneous press menu.”
The new PlayStation 5 Access Controller is set to release on December 6 for an MSRP of $89.99 USD/$119.99 CAD/¥12,980 JPY/€89.99/£79.99 according to a recent PlayStation Blog post. Logitech’s G Adaptive Gaming Kit will expand the controller’s functionality with even more plug-and-play buttons and triggers, gaming mats with a hook and loop system to arrange buttons, and velcro ties for mounting. It will launch sometime in January 2024 for an MSRP of $79.99 or equivalent.
Sony’s next big gaming console is in works under the wraps and will not be revealed any time soon. This development came to light when two job listings from Sony (now removed from the job board) hinted about their future intent. They were looking for someone who could help the company in “contributing to identifying and developing the technology portfolio of future PlayStation platforms.”
Backed by the fact that PlayStation 6 is going to be a living reality in the coming years, the concept design world couldn’t help but reignite their imagination. The PS6 concept with a streamlined design and the minimalistic one are the prime examples. Pretty futile exercise if you look from a neutral perspective but ask any gamer out there, and it is in fact not!
Designer: Darko DARMAR Markovic
Slated for 2027 release, the next-gen Sony gaming console will give the PS5 a solid stint of seven years before presenting gamers with the next big graduation of the world’s most famous gaming console. When the PS5 was released back in 2020 it was already a very futuristic design compared to the likes of Xbox. That trait will most definitely carry onto the PS6, and this concept design with a very industrial look could be a very good starting point for the in-house Sony designers.
Taking a leap to a very Cyberpunk aesthetic with the wireless controller slot on the sides makes more sense than ever. It looks like an introverted Cyborg Mecha, ready to reveal its furious side. While the console unit has a futuristic DNA to it, the controller seems like a nostalgic mix of classic controllers graduated into the next-gen Metaverse world. That said, it is very sleek and the buttons are ergonomically positioned for tactical in-game advantage.
The vertical design approach gives this PlayStation 6 a staunch character much like the current generation console. Combined with the cool color options (Pristine White, Cool Blue and Military Green) that Darko has proposed, the PS6 could continue its dominance in this form.
As Apple revealed the latest fleet of the Apple Watch collection, one feature stood out as the most remarkable as well as the most intriguing. The Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 both boasted of a new gesture input – being able to tap your fingers twice to register a button press. This would work remarkably well if your hands were occupied or dirty, letting you answer/end calls, snooze alarms, play/pause music, and even trigger your iPhone shutter simply by tapping your index finger and thumb together… without touching your Apple Watch at all. Sounds impressive, but also sounds extremely familiar, doesn’t it? Because tapping your fingers is exactly how the Apple Vision Pro registers click inputs too.
Designer: Apple
When Apple debuted the Vision Pro at WWDC in June, their biggest claim was that the Vision Pro was an entirely controller-free AR/VR headset, letting you manipulate virtual objects using just your hands. However, news emerged that Apple was, indeed, figuring out a traditional controller substitute that would be much more reliable than just human hands. It seems like the Apple Watch could be that perfect alternative.
The Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra Series 2 were unveiled this year, with a few standout upgrades. Both watches now come with 2000 Nits peak brightness, doubling last year’s capabilities. They both also rely on the new S9 SiP (the watch’s dedicated chipset) which now runs Siri locally on the device, without relying on the internet. The watches are also accompanied by new bands, including the FineWoven fabric that now replaces all leather accessories in Apple’s catalog… but more importantly, both the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra Series 2 accept the new finger-tapping gesture that does what the home button on both watches would do. The feature’s due to roll out next month as Apple calibrates how it works… but the implications of the feature go beyond just the watch. In fact, the Watch could be the secret controller the Vision Pro truly needs to enhance its Spatial Computing Experience.
Sure, the Vision Pro has multiple cameras that track your environment, also keeping an eye on your hands to see where you’re pointing, tapping, and pinching. The big caveat, however, is any situation where the Vision Pro CAN’T see your hands. If you’ve got your hands under a table, in your pocket, or behind your back, the Vision Pro potentially wouldn’t be able to recognize your fingers clicking away… and that’s a pretty massive drawback for the $3500 device. Potentially though, the Apple Watch helps solve that problem by being able to detect finger taps… although only on one hand.
The way the ‘Double Tap’ feature works on the watch is by relying on the S9 SiP. The chipset uses machine learning to interpret data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and optical heart sensor to detect when you tap your fingers twice. The feature only works with the hand that’s wearing the Watch (you can’t tap your right-hand fingers while the Watch is on your left hand), but even that’s enough to solve the Vision Pro’s big problem. Moreover, the new Ultra Wide Band chip on the watch can help with spatial tracking, letting your Vision Pro when your hands are in sight and when they aren’t. While Apple hasn’t formally announced compatibility between the Watch and the Vision Pro, we can expect more details when Apple’s spatial-computing headset formally launches next year. The Vision Pro could get its own dedicated keynote event, or even be clubbed along with the new iPad/MacBook announcements that often happen at the beginning of the calendar year.
