News

Razer Reveals New Products, Including Leviathan V2 Pro Soundbar

The gaming PC company has announced a raft of new hardware, including a head cushion with haptic feedback and near-field 7.1 surround sound.

Published

4 years ago

January 6, 2023

Nour Nasir

Razer

The 2023 CES event has already seen plenty of amazing product unveils, and now Razer has added to the excitement with a brand new lineup for the coming year. The gaming-focused company has just introduced a range of new laptops, as well as the much-anticipated Leviathan V2 Pro soundbar. The company says that the new audio device boasts an infrared camera that can detect where a user is seated, before adjusting the audio using real-time 3D beamforming technology.

The Leviathan V2 Pro uses two modes for the 3D audio — THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset and THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers. Razer claims the technology will deliver “crisp, clear treble and deep, punchy bass” using multiple drivers and an included subwoofer. If you’re in the market for an audio upgrade, the new Leviathan V2 Pro should hit the shelves by the end of the month, priced at around $400.

razer kiyo pro ultra webcam

Next up in the Razer lineup is a new webcam called the Kiyo Pro Ultra, featuring the largest sensor ever used in a device of its type (a Sony 1/1.2″ STARVIS 2, for those interested). Razer says the new device will achieve DSLR levels of optical quality, along with fantastic low-light performance and a host of features, including auto tracking and background blurring.

Also Read: Nanoleaf Sense+ Control Lighting Handles Automation By Itself

Razer also used CES 2023 to reveal Project Carol, a head cushion with “near-field 7.1 surround sound and HyperSense haptic feedback”. Razer explained that the cushion should fit onto any gaming chair and will convert in-game audio into haptic feedback. Although still at the concept stage, the head cushion is an interesting idea and will hopefully offer a deeper level of immersion when gaming.

Last but by no means least, Razer also confirmed the release date for its new cloud gaming device, known as the Razer Edge. The Android-based handheld will utilize a Snapdragon G3x and will be available for purchase on January 26th, with prices starting at $400.

News

Microsoft Plans $10 Billion-Plus Gulf Expansion Despite Iran Conflict

Security is shaping Microsoft’s approach, from resilience work with governments to what it will say about how the money splits by country.

Published

4 days ago

September 24, 2026

Nour Nasir

Microsoft

Microsoft is planning more than $10 billion of investment across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait through 2030, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith told Reuters, calling the spending schedule aggressive. The Iranian conflict that began on February 28 has not persuaded the company to scale back.

“We’re sustaining all the investments we planned to make before this conflict started, and we are in fact adding to them,” Smith said. The $10 billion-plus total does not, however, show how large those additions are.

The investment, which Smith described as part of Microsoft’s continued infrastructure expansion, is aimed at cloud and AI infrastructure and at the company’s growing regional operations. Microsoft also intends to put more than $400 million into subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030.

The spending fits the region’s own ambitions too. Gulf governments have been investing heavily in AI infrastructure as part of a push to diversify their economies beyond oil and gas and turn themselves into global technology hubs. Major cloud and AI providers have been drawn in part by the land and relatively low-cost energy on offer.

Microsoft is widening its partnerships with regional AI companies, though not on identical terms. In 2024, it invested $1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi-based G42 for a minority stake, and Smith currently sits on G42’s board. Saudi Arabia’s Humain and Qatar’s Qai are working with Microsoft on selected priority areas, but Smith said the company does not plan to make capital investments in either.

Also Read: Egypt’s Mobile Wallets Are Booming, But Cash Still Has Power

The conflict has added another strand to Microsoft’s work in the region. Since it began, Smith said, the company has supported regional partners with digital resilience assessments, and it is now working with Gulf countries through a digital resilience initiative focused on preparedness and the protection of critical data.

So far, the company has given no country-by-country breakdown of the investment, citing security among other factors. So while the headline figure is public, how Microsoft divides the spending among the four countries is not.