News

RØDE’s Low-Profile Studio Arm Is Designed To Stay Out Of Shot

The $139 LPA1 carries up to 2kg, more than any other RØDE studio arm, and can hold cameras and lights as well as microphones.

Published

4 days ago

October 2, 2026

Nour Nasir

RØDE

On a video podcast, the arm holding the microphone can easily end up in the shot. Announced on September 29, the LPA1 from Sydney-based audio company RØDE is designed to avoid that. The low-profile studio arm sits below the camera’s line of sight, so it stays out of frame without pushing the microphone away from the speaker.

RØDE says the arm fits discreetly into any recording, broadcast or video podcast setup, and that its low profile makes it well suited to video podcasting, live streaming and other on-camera work. In those settings, the company argues, the hardware should serve the person on screen rather than distract from them.

At 2kg, the LPA1’s payload capacity is the highest of any studio arm RØDE makes. The arm supports both end-address and side-address microphones, from dynamic models such as RØDE’s PodMic, PodMic USB and Procaster to large-diaphragm condensers including the Broadcaster and the NT1 range. Its all-metal build is meant to handle heavier professional microphones and studio equipment, while universal 1/4″, 3/8″ and 5/8″ threads extend compatibility to cameras, lights and other accessories. According to RØDE, everything needed to mount microphones and other creator gear is included in the box.

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The LPA1 reaches 750mm horizontally and adjusts 90° up and 60° down, while 360-degree articulation and an integrated ball mount allow a microphone to be set at almost any angle, above or below desk level. The included clamp allows it to be attached to desks up to 70mm thick.

As with the arm itself, the cabling is meant to stay out of the shot. Integrated cable management routes XLR and USB cables along the arm, keeping them hidden and cutting desk clutter.

The LPA1 is available now in black for US$139 and ships worldwide. A white edition is coming soon, though no release date for that particular version has been announced.

News

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

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NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.