News

RØDE’s New DS3 Studio Arm Is Built For Heavier Creator Setups

A weighted base, a near-silent ball head, and a 1.5kg payload: RØDE’s latest arm is aimed at desks that keep getting more crowded.

Published

2 months ago

August 26, 2026

Nour Nasir

rode's new ds3 studio arm is built for heavier content creator setups

RØDE

The desktop microphone arm has become one of the most crowded pieces of real estate in the home studio. As podcasters and streamers pile on broadcast microphones, cameras and lights, the humble boom has to hold more weight, move more quietly and take up less space. RØDE’s answer, announced yesterday in Sydney, is the DS3.

The Australian audio company positions the DS3 as the next generation of its professional desktop studio arm, succeeding the DS2. The headline feature is capacity: a 1.5kg payload rated for heavier equipment, from broadcast-grade XLR microphones such as RØDE’s own PodMic to other large-diaphragm microphones, cameras, lights and accessories.

The more interesting engineering is in the integrated ball head, which is designed to deliver smooth, controlled and virtually silent positioning. The result is that presenters can nudge a microphone mid-broadcast without the creak that betrays a cheaper arm. A central locking mechanism fixes the equipment at the chosen angle in a single motion.

RØDE has kept the design choice that distinguished the DS2: a weighted base rather than a desk clamp. That means the arm can sit anywhere on a flat surface rather than being tethered to an edge, and the company says the redesigned base delivers greater stability for heavier setups with no wobble or risk of tipping, while keeping a compact footprint.

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Each finish gets its own acoustic isolation pad, intended to dampen vibration as much as to look good. The Classic Black version uses a soft-touch silicone pad inlaid on and beneath the base; the Crisp White version uses natural cork on both sides. Cable clips route XLR and USB cables out of sight, and the box includes 3/8″, 1/4″ and 5/8″ thread adapters, so most microphones, cameras and lights should mount without an extra purchase.

The DS3 is available now in black for US$109 with shipping worldwide. The white finish, which retails at the same price, is coming soon.

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

4 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.