MICROSOFT XBOX SERIES S

£249, microsoft.com

Many expected it to happen, but most presumed Microsoft’s sort-of next-gen console would hit some time after the main launch of the Xbox Series X. Nope: looks like the slimline Series S, the compact successor to the Xbox One S (not a confusing name scheme in the slightest) will be landing at the same time as the Series X in November. No concrete details on specs as yet, but leaks suggest 120fps at 1440p, meaning the digital-only Series S will hit a power mark around that of the current-gen Xbox One X, only with access to Microsoft’s forthcoming game library. A definite upgrade for most, but a step down from the all-powerful Series X. What’s most interesting is the price: Microsoft is offering an affordable step on the next-gen ladder, placing this firmly within Christmas present territory.

T3 SAYS: Will this place Sony on the back foot? Only time will tell.

TECH-O-METER

COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

DROPLABS EP 01

$299 (around £230), droplabs.com

When you’re at a concert, the experience is made up of much more than just the sound of the music reaching your ears: there’s the on-stage performance, the thump of the bass in your chest, and the rumble of those frequencies going through the ground to your feet. The Droplabs EP 01, a shoe which has somehow been in development for a few years now, solves that latter problem for personal listening, projecting certain frequencies up into your body through your soles. It’s a fundamentally rather silly idea, certainly, but the EP 01 has practical

benefits beyond just vibrating your feet: you can add a little rumble to movies as well as music, and if you’re playing twitchy games you may well be able to detect the enemy sneaking up on you thanks to that extra sense you’ve added to the mix.

T3 SAYS: A cute concept – and these kicks look pretty sharp, too.

TECH-O-METER

COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES