Hasta La Gadget!

Perhaps the worst, and least repairable, shortcoming of touchscreens is their failure to act as viable game controllers. Keyboard-equipped smartphones alleviate that pain a little (particularly if you pair them with a Game Gripper), but ultimately we’d all prefer real controllers for our real games. Such was clearly the thinking behind the homebrewed setup here, which combines an HTC EVO 4G — with Android and an NES emulator inside — with an Arduino board, a BlueSMiRF Bluetooth module, and a classic NES control pad. The result might look like a mess of wires, but who cares when you can rock Super Mario 3 the way Nintendo surely intended?

Continue reading NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video)

NES controller pressed into service to Android overlord (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Hack a Day  |  sketchsk3tch (YouTube)  | Email this | Comments

Microsoft seems to have caught the hardware tinkering bug. Having overhauled its Xbox 360 design, the software giant is now said to be keeping busy in the lab working on the console’s controller. Such is the word coming from our buddies over at Joystiq, whose reliable source indicates that Redmond will soon produce a new 360 controller with a redesigned D-pad. As the story goes, when you rotate the directional pad ninety degrees, it’ll rise up by about a quarter of an inch, making it more accessible for those that still care to use it (e.g. fighting game fans). No details on what sort of bundled or standalone retail fate this little guy may have, but the holidays are its unsurprising destination. We just hope the Bond-esque mechanism comes with an appropriately futuristic swooshing sound.

Xbox 360 to get fresh controller, better D-pad in time for the holidays? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Joystiq  | Email this | Comments

Because standard hues and anachronistic science fiction designs simply won’t mesh, Microsoft will be releasing this kingly limited edition Fable III Xbox 360 controller designed after the in-game Crown of Albion. Street date is October 5th, three weeks before the game itself decides to rear its royal head, and comes with a token for downloading an exclusive in-game tattoo. Look for it priced at $59.99, or about 15 boxes of Lucky Charms depending on your grocery store preferences. Video showcase after the break.

Continue reading Fable III’s special edition Xbox 360 controller, morally ambiguous and gold

Fable III’s special edition Xbox 360 controller, morally ambiguous and gold originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  Kotaku  | Email this | Comments

Seagate and Samsung — not exactly rivals in every facet, but certainly not buddy-buddy in the storage realm. These two have been attempting to one-up each other for as long as platters have been stacked within 3.5-inch HDD enclosures (and before, probably), but they’re putting their differences aside today and announcing a tag-team arrangement meant to jointly develop controller technology for enterprise SSDs. Under the newfangled agreement, the two mega-corps will work hand-in-hand and cross-license related controller technologies for solid state drive devices, with a goal to increase reliability and endurance for use in business environments. Curiously enough, the companies didn’t hand out any press imagery nor any specific details about what future devices would be emerging from the partnership; and yeah, we’re also wondering which logo is going to end up splashed across the packaging. While this may all seem distanced from you and your laptop at the moment, it’s surely just a matter of time before enterprise demands become consumer demands. Right, fellas?

Continue reading Samsung and Seagate to jointly improve SSDs, give each other noogies behind the barn

Samsung and Seagate to jointly improve SSDs, give each other noogies behind the barn originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Seagate  | Email this | Comments

Alright, gamers — time to fess up. Even if you’re a self-proclaimed new schooler, there’s no way you’re passing up the option to flash back to yesteryear in order to play GoldenEye 007 the way it was meant to be played. The Wii remake of the game actually doesn’t look all that different than the original when it comes to polygon count, but for those who aren’t keen on taking control of Pierce Brosnan (let us dream, okay?) with a Wiimote, there’s the gilded Classic Controller Pro. The limited run controller itself is a familiar beast, but rather than being coated in a standard black hue, this one will be doused in much the same color as 007’s Golden Gun. It’ll reportedly ship later this year within a “Classic Edition” game + accessory bundle for $69.99 (a $20 upcharge over the software alone), but it’s still unclear if it’ll be available as a standalone peripheral. Not like it matters — you know you’re buying this game, anyway.

Continue reading Wii Classic Controller Pro gets gilded for revamped GoldenEye 007

Wii Classic Controller Pro gets gilded for revamped GoldenEye 007 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MMOMFG  |  Pocket-lint, IGN  | Email this | Comments