Xbox previews two new ways to control cloud games

Xbox Cloud Gaming is getting a phone controller and new direct Wi-Fi connectivity for the Xbox Nano.

byTom Warren

Nov 4, 2026, 7:00 PM UTC

Tom Warrenis a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.

I revealed yesterday that the new Xbox Nano controller supports a Wi-Fi connection directly to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and now Microsoft is making it official today. Two new Xbox previews will let players try out using a phone as a controller on smart TVs, as well as cloud connect on the Xbox Nano to connect directly to cloud servers.

“Instead of a Bluetooth connection to your TV, cloud connect uses your Wi-Fi to connect directly to the cloud server running your game,” says the Xbox team. “That can help reduce input latency, so gameplay may feel more responsive.”

The new phone controller feature.

Image: Microsoft

Players in the US will be able to preview the new cloud connect option for the Xbox Nano controller starting today. If you’re not in the US you will be able to preview a new phone controller option on smart TVs. The controller is available on the Xbox Cloud Gaming website, allowing people to use the streaming service without a dedicated Bluetooth controller.

Microsoft says “both experiences are still being tested” and that “availability and supported games or devices may be limited” during this beta phase. You’ll need to use the Xbox beta app for Android or the Xbox Accessories app on PC to set up cloud connect on the Nano controller, and the smart TV phone controller just requires a toggle of preview features from the Settings > Account section of Xbox Cloud Gaming.

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Tom Warren

CEO Carl Pei says Nothing’s first ‘AI-native’ device ‘couldn’t have been an app.’

byStevie Bonifield

Nov 4, 2026, 6:26 PM UTC

Stevie Bonifieldis a news writer covering all things consumer tech. Stevie started out at Laptop Mag writing news and reviews on hardware, gaming, and AI.

Nothing CEO Carl Pei said in a post on X that the company’s launching its first AI device in December. That’s just a little over a year after Pei announced plans for “AI-native” devices and an AI operating system. He didn’t give away much about what exactly the new device is, only that one feature it won’t have is a screen:

“Our first AI-native product ships next month. It’s a tool, but one built with the personality and care that have come to define a Nothing product. It has no new screen, and it couldn’t have been an app.”

Pei shared an image with the post that says “NOTHING(R)” in the top left corner, above an ambiguous black rounded corner. Last month, a rumor claimed Nothing is planning to launch two pairs of AI smart glasses, including one without cameras, and an earlier rumor said it’s “repositioning itself as an AI-first company” with a shift to AI accessories.

Image: Nothing

Nothing’s AI device wouldn’t be the first screen-free AI gadget, following the likes of the Humane AI pin, the Friend, and even AI stuffed animals. OpenAI is also reportedly working on an AI smart speaker with Jony Ive. Pei alluded to earlier AI devices, saying, “the whole industry is hunting for its iPhone moment: the pendant, the pin, the glasses, the companion, some magical consumer device that makes AI part of everyone’s life.” He added, “Looking for the iPhone of AI today is a dead end.”

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