Razer Teases a New Handheld Gaming Console

Razer wants to Switch it up. The maximalist manufacturer of gaming hardware announced this week that it is developing a new handheld gaming device with 5G connectivity. The creation is the result of a partnership between Razer, Verizon, and Qualcomm. Verizon execs announced the partnership at the Mobile World Conference event in Las Vegas, Nevada, this week.

The handheld will be called the Razer Edge 5G, a name that suggests it is an update to the original Razer Edge that came out in 2013. This new Edge lets users play mobile games locally as well as stream console games and cloud games. The device will use 5G connectivity, which will make it more competitive among handhelds. Regardless, the device will be going up against some big players like the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and even Logitech’s newly announced G Cloud handheld. That’s a crowded market. After all, you can already play mobile games or stream console titles via Xbox and PlayStation online services on your phone. But maybe Razer’s trademark less-than-subtle aesthetics will give it an … edge.

No details about price or release date were made public yet. Razer says it will reveal more about the console on October 15. Until then, one can only imagine how bright the RGB lighting will be.

Here’s some more gadget news.

Intel Syncs Up

Mac computers have had the ability to sync with iPhones for years. Now, some PCs will be able to do the same.

Intel’s upcoming Unison app will allow users to access mobile iPhone and Android operating systems on desktop PCs. You can text, make phone calls, and transfer photos or other files between the devices using the software. For now, Intel’s app will only be available on certain newer Lenovo, HP, and Acer laptops, though it could expand out to other brands and models next year.

Speaking of Apple …

Apple Slows iPhone Production

Bloomberg reports that Apple is slowing down production of its flagship product just a few weeks after it announced the newest crop of iPhones.

Don’t feel too bad for Apple. The company still plans to make and sell around 90 million iPhones this year. It’s a staggering number, and one that’s in line with sales in years past. Apple just won’t see the sales bump it was hoping for.

The rollout of iPhone 14 has been more subdued than expected, perhaps due to the fact that all new iPhones are starting to feel a little samey. The iPhone 14 models are good, they’re just nothing special in a long line of iterative updates from a company that has largely figured out how to do the whole “phones” thing pretty well. It seems Apple’s dynamic island, while being among the most innovative features to come to the product line in years, hasn’t enticed as many customers as Apple wanted.

Yes, Chef

The people who make smart kitchen tech want you to think that all you need to cook better is an app-connected gadget. But being able to tweet from your fridge or use a touchscreen to tweak your toaster isn’t really a substitute for the good old fashioned practice and patience it takes to make decent food.

This week on WIRED’s Gadget Lab podcast, food writer and WIRED contributor Joe Ray joins the show to discuss high tech kitchen gadgets and why the single most useful button in the kitchen is your microwave’s “Add 30 seconds” button.