Hasta La Gadget!

There are already plug-and-play third-party devices that let you play previous gen consoles or a PC using any of their controllers. For instance, you can use a Wiimote with your PS3 if you want. There’s no equivalent product for the PlayStation 4 just yet, but Marcos Mori de Siqueira of Softfactory is onto something here. He hacked a Dualshock 4 controller to send input from a mouse and keyboard to the PS 4.

I’m not even going to pretend that I fully understood what Marcos pulled off, but from what I grokked he used a microcontroller (plus two digital-to-analog converters for emulating the thumbsticks) to turn signals from his keyboard – in this case a Logitech Gameboard – and mouse into signals that the PS4 understands, sent via the Dualshock 4′s circuit board. All in all it took him about $50 (USD) of materials and a ton of solder to make the mod. Skip to about 1:55 in the video to see the mod in action.

Check out Marcos’ post on Softfactory for more details on his mod. Seeing as FPS and MMOs are still popular, I wonder why Sony and Microsoft don’t just add support for keyboards and mice on their consoles. They can probably earn extra from certifying third party hardware if they did that. It’ll make it way easier to search for content on their online stores too.

[via Hack A Day]

MOGA is a company that makes several portable video game controllers designed to add proper controls to your smartphone for gaming. The company has offerings that work for Android smartphones and the iPhone. The last product the company announced was the Ace Power controller for iOS 7 and Lightning port devices from Apple. The Ace […]

The ol’ keyboard and mouse combo have proven nearly as versatile as personal computers themselves, but there are still cases when a more responsive or intuitive physical interface is needed. For example, many musicians today use MIDI controllers and sequencers. Palette aims to be that alternative interface to computers, and one that adapts to your needs.

Palette is a nearly infinitely expandable control interface. It has a power module that connects to computers via USB and control modules – buttons, knobs and sliders – that connect to the power module and to each other. Each module has two RGB LEDs that shine through its perimeter, and you’ll be able to customize the way those LEDs light up. Speaking of customization, the power module also has an OLED screen that displays the profile you’re currently using for your setup.

When it launches, Palette will support only OS X and a few programs – the Adobe Creative Suite, DJ software like Ableton and Traktor plus a few “basic web apps” – but its inventors are working on an SDK so that developers can make their programs compatible with Palette. That will be crucial to the success of this system. And if Palette does take off, we can expect more modules to come out, such as joysticks, jog dials and more. I think this has the potential to be revolutionary. It can help not just professionals but non-techies and perhaps even disable people as well.

Pledge at least $89 (CAD) (~$84 USD) on Kickstarter to get a four module Palette kit as a reward. Higher pledges get you more control modules, and there’s even a reward tier for modules with wooden cases. I’d love for Palette to be compatible with mobile devices. Imagine playing a light DJ set using only your tablet and your Palette setup, or playing Spaceteam with real controls.

[via Digital Trends]

Like the MOGA Ace Power, Logitech’s PowerShell is part of the first generation of gaming controllers that make use of iOS 7′s controller API. While both controllers only work with a handful of games for now, their Apple’s long overdue API for third-party contorllers means the list of compatible games should easily grow in the future.

Seeing as the Ace Power and the PowerShell are the only horses in this race at the moment, early adopters can decide between the two based on a few factors. First off are the controls. The Ace Power has more input options than the PowerShell. In addition to the d-pad, four face buttons and two shoulder buttons that are also on the PowerShell, the Ace Power also has two analog sticks and two more shoulder buttons.

The second factor is portability. The Ace Power collapses into a smaller form, while the PowerShell is stuck in its elongated form. Third are their built-in batteries, which can also be used to charge the iOS device that’s docked into it. The Ace Power has an 1800 mAh battery while the PowerShell has a slightly smaller 1500 mAh battery.

So far it looks like the PowerShell is the inferior option, but one thing that’s sketchy about MOGA’s controller is it’s questionable build quality. Watch the hands-on videos of Kotaku and CNET and you’ll see what I mean. Granted, we’ve yet to see a similar test with Logitech’s offering, so I suggest you wait until multiple reviews are out there before choosing either one. Then there’s the fact that these controllers will only work with the iPhone 5, 5S, 5C and the fifth-generation iPod Touch.

I’ll wait for an iOS 7-compatible wireless controller so I can use it on my iPad. But if you really can’t wait, you can already place a pre-order for both the Logitech PowerShell and the MOGA Power ACE on the Apple Store. Both devices cost $100 (USD). The PowerShell is also available from Amazon and Best Buy.

[via Logitech, Kotaku & CNET]

Here’s a noodle-scratcher for you: you have an iOS device and love playing games on it, but you’ve grown weary of effetely pawing at a touchscreen. What do you do? Well, now that iOS 7 is out on and has already been installed on a veritable crap-ton of devices, the answer is to explore the wild and woolly world of iDevice game controllers like the one Logitech just officially unveiled this morning.

It’s called the PowerShell and the general thrust of the thing will look pretty familiar if you’re an avid @evleaks follower (much like our own Matthew Panzarino). A leaked image of the device first made the rounds back in early October, and very little seems to have changed between now and then. The same textured d-pad sits to the left of the screen, the same A, B, X, and Y buttons rest to the right, and a pair of shoulder buttons round out the package. Thankfully, said package doesn’t appear to add too much heft to the iDevice ensconced within and Logitech has tucked a 1,500 mAh hour battery in there to keep the action going. Just be warned – it’ll only latch onto a iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, or 5th gen iPod touch, so 5c owners should apparently look elsewhere.

Now in fairness, the folks at Moga (who themselves are no stranger to smartphone gaming gadgets) pulled back the curtain on its first iOS 7-compatible controller doodad just the other day. It’s a far more complex affair, replete with dual joysticks and a layout that’s more than a little reminiscent of Microsoft’s venerable Xbox 360 controller. Oh, and Moga’s take even sports a slightly more robust internal battery to go with its identical price tag – on paper it looks like Logitech’s already running in second place. Still, even though it was the first to publicly tout its iOS-friendly controller, Moga hasn’t mentioned a specific release date for the thing, and Logitech is gunning to lock up the first mover advantage by peddling its own version today.

Then again, one could argue that being first is overrated. It’s being the first to really nail a formula that really matters and Logitech has remained relevant all these years because they usually manage to do just that. That’s not to say this competition is already over though – the floodgates are only now beginning to open and I’d wager gewgaws like this are going to be everywhere within a few months. May the best controller win!