Hasta La Gadget!

We just wrapped up the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and, while the hardware of the phone itself held few surprises, this accessory did. Samsung doesn’t have a formal name for it just yet, but this concept device is expected to launch sometime this summer. It’s basically a first-party Bluetooth controller with a full complement of face buttons, dual analog sticks, a D-pad and even shoulder buttons on the back. It’s powered by dual AAA batteries and connects wirelessly, the phone held in place by an expanding clamp up top that looks plenty big enough to support a Note II (we tried, it fit fine) and maybe even something like the Note 8.0!

Again, no pricing or details at this point, but it certainly felt nicer than your average Bluetooth controller. And, hopefully, that it’s made by Samsung means we’ll see widespread support.

Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 event.

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What defines ambition? Maybe it’s building an Android tablet after first setting out to build a Bluetooth gaming controller. That seems to be the backstory behind the Unu, a pair of seven and 10-inch gaming tablets that started life as the Snakebyte gamepad. The German made tablet is built to take the role of game console, music player, internet device and Smart TV, packing in a TV docking station, a whitewashed variation of the original Snakebyte game controller and a qwerty-equipped air mouse. The tablet is also said to include a proprietary UI for easy navigation and a button mapping app for games without native controller support. Technical specifications, availability and price details are scarce, but Sunflex CEO Mike Steup seems confident it’ll impress. “It’s the entertainment center of tomorrow,” he says, explaining that the Unu will be available sometime in 2013. Luckily, the slab seems to be making an appearance at CES – we’ll let you know if we can scrounge up some more info on the show floor.

Continue reading Snakebyte gamepad evolves into Unu Android tablet, promises to replace your Smart TV

Filed under: Gaming, Tablets

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Source: Unu

Chances are you know someone who takes their CoD a little too seriously — well, this peripheral is for them. The Delta Six controller is the latest brainchild of Avenger inventor David Kotkin, made to please hardcore FPS gamers with immersive and responsive input. A built-in accelerometer is used for aiming, while the faux recoil and acting out a reload will put you closer to real combat than an appearance on Stars Earn Stripes. The hardware also features a scattering of pressure sensors — allowing you, for example, to bring up the sights by meeting cheek with gun body, or if you’re feeling lazy, squeezing the side of it instead. Depending on your class bias, you can add and retract plastic from the main frame for an SMG, assault or sniper rifle form factor (see below for the gist). There’s no word on availability, or if it will actually improve your game, but the price is slated as $89 at launch. After the break is a short product demo in video form, although we suggest you skip straight to 1:30 to avoid the awkward live-action CTF scene.

Continue reading Delta Six controller brings fragging to life, worries your friends

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Delta Six controller brings fragging to life, worries your friends originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 04:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a wrap! Suffice it to say, it’s a been a relatively short, yet astoundingly fruitful — and initially record-breaking — funding run for OUYA, the hackable, Android-based gaming console. With just 29 days to work with since being announced, the Yves Behar-designed system has raked in over $8.58 million thanks to just under 63,300 backers on Kickstarter as of its official 1AM ET funding deadline today (You’ll find the final tally below).

Those who opted for developer editions will be able to start tinkering with their own units around December, while the majority of backers should receive the console as early as March 2013. Missed the Kickstarter bandwagon? Don’t fret, because OUYA plans to take pre-orders from the general public over the web soon, expecting those units to arrive at doorsteps near April.

The numbers are only part of the picture, of course. If you’ll recall, OUYA swiftly acquired a slew of partnerships from companies like OnLive, Square Enix, XBMC, Vevo, and Robotoki — and as if that wasn’t enough, just yesterday Namco Bandai and Plex officially joined the content-providing party as well. What’s more, we now know that each console will support up to four of those touchpad-equipped controllers for local multiplayer action. Even with all that, this story is far from over, as Joystiq points out that Julie Uhrman and company “promise” to have more updates before its official launch. Naturally, it still remains to be seen how OUYA’s (literally) tiny, Tegra 3-powered footprint will fare against the big three in gaming, but we’re cautiously optimistic.

So, while the final, mass-produced product is still months away, in the meantime you’ll find a recap of all the highlights from OUYA in the nifty saga module below. You can also hit up our friends at Joystiq here for extra insight from the company about its successes so far.

Update (1:15AM): Despite the timer hitting zero, it appears that pledges are still being accepted past the 1AM deadline — better be quick! We’ll be sure to update the numbers again as soon pledging is officially halted.

Update 2 (7:30AM): It took a bit of time, but OUYA’s Kickstarter is officially not accepting any more pledges. The final numbers? 63,416 backers helped to raise a final sum of $8,596,475.

Filed under: Gaming

OUYA’s Kickstarter funding is complete: over $8.59 million raised, starts shipping in March originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A handful of details briefly slipped out about the project earlier, but now it’s here: the Ouya, an attempt not just to delve into the cutthroat world of TV game consoles but to try and shift the goal posts. At its heart, the design sounds more like a smartphone than a gaming rig with a quad-core Tegra 3 and 8GB of storage running Android 4.0. The upscale, RF wireless gamepad’s standout is a built-in trackpad for playing mobile games alongside the familiar sticks and buttons — clever, though not entirely new. But with completely open hardware and software, an emphasis on free-to-play gaming and an all-important $99 price, the system is a gamble by a handful of game industry luminaries that at least a subset of players are frustrated with the status quo enough to want a real break. Read on for the full details, including a Kickstarter project as well as added details from our chat with Ouya (and Jambox) designer Yves Behar.

Continue reading Ouya’s Android-based, hackable game console now official: we chat with designer Yves Behar

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Ouya’s Android-based, hackable game console now official: we chat with designer Yves Behar originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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