Hasta La Gadget!

MadCatz isn’t ready to divulge all it has in store for CES, but it’s given us a taste of what’s to come by teasing its new GameSmart initiative, which offers an alternative to futzing with a cornucopia of device-specific peripherals. Hardware carrying the GameSmart moniker uses Bluetooth Smart tech to pair with devices ranging from smartphones to tablets — and presumably other Bluetooth-equipped hardware. The firm says it’ll include an app to add functionality to peripherals and it expects the tech will help game developers bridge differences between platforms by offering standardized controllers. Though MadCatz is waiting for CES to pull the curtains back on a raft of GameSmart gamepads, keyboards, mice and headsets, it says the hardware will launch shortly after it’s unveiled.

Continue reading MadCatz teases GameSmart peripherals: hardware that plays nice with multiple devices

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Ever since Batman popularized the matte finish with his snazzy Batsuit, product designers have gone Bat-crazy over the finish choice. Today, Mad Catz pushes back on that new normal, re-introducing its R.A.T. line of gaming mice in three new, glossy colors: white, red, and (yes, another) black. That includes the entire R.A.T. line, from the R.A.T.³ to the M.M.O.⁷ and everything in between. And those new colors are already available from Mad Catz, anxiously awaiting wrapped boxes and new computers equipped with XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Oh the sectoids you’ll kill!

Continue reading Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays

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Mad Catz R.A.T. mice get three new paint schemes just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are keyboards, and then there are Mad Catz keyboards… and now, the company’s constructed a new pro peripheral to rest your wrists on — the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5. Just like the other mission control center we saw a few months ago, it features a modular design allowing various layouts, high-performance keys with customized backlighting, and 21 programmable macro buttons. The main difference here is the touchscreen component of the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 has been substituted for the “E.Y.E. OLED Command Module,” which is used for easy access to keyboard functions, quick-launch triggers, and can display respawn timers for coordinating those second-specific attacks. Cash-strapped pros will be pleased to hear the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 is cheaper than its predecessor, and you can head to the source link to sacrifice $200 on a pre-order now. Mad Catz won’t tell us what alien race is supplying the keyboards, nor an exact shipping date — all we know is that they’re expected “very soon.”

Continue reading Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200

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Mad Catz announces the S.T.R.I.K.E. 5 keyboard for pro gamers, pre-order now for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lately, it seems like few weeks go by without Tritton announcing a new gaming headset. Now that its full range of Xbox-licensed cans has reached shelves, the company seems focused on updating its former corded stars. Following the recently announced Ax Pro+ “true 5.1” headset ($200), Tritton has unveiled the 720+ 7.1 surround sound headset ($150) — the successor to the venerable AX 720. Aside from sporting the Pro+’s edgier aesthetics, the 720+ has been gifted with beefier 50mm drivers (up from 40 on the 720) for improved fidelity and the same selective microphone monitoring found on the Warhead. As expected, an included Dolby decoder box handles the audio processing and connections, while an inline remote lets you set your levels. Rather than having multiple drivers dedicated for each audio channel crammed in both earcups like the Pro+, the 720+ takes a virtual route with Dolby Headphone — a method that’s generally produced better results to our ears for owning, and clearly hearing the virtual battlefield. The 720+ is set to arrive this September, and it’s currently up pre-order direct from Tritton.

Continue reading Tritton’s $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound

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Tritton’s $150 720+ gaming headset helps you pwn newbs with 7.1 virtual surround sound originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thought Tritton was satisfied with only pumping out Xbox-licensed gaming headsets in the last year? Fret not ye’ PS3 and PC gamers, instead, say hello to its latest cross-platform unit, the AX Pro+. Although its color scheme is similar to the Dolby Headphone-enabled AX 720 virtual surround sound headset, the moniker pits it as a follow up to the AX Pro. Like its predecessor, the Pro+ sports a trio of drivers and one subwoofer in each of its earcups, aiming to offer “true 5.1 surround sound.” Among other design tweaks, its cups can rotate flat for added comfort (a sorely missed feature on the original), and the drivers have been repositioned for “superior surround sound separation and improved bass response.” An included Dolby decoder box handles its connections, while the headset’s inline remote allows you to adjust each driver’s individual volume level, the balance of game / voice audio, and enable voice monitoring through its detachable mic. Better yet, the whole setup is powered by one wall plug, rather than two as was the annoyance with the older model. Discrete 5.1 headsets haven’t impressed us in the past, but you can pre-order the Pro+ for $200 from Tritton if you’re willing to give its cramped surround sound setup a try during Call of Duty fragging sessions come this September.

Continue reading Tritton’s Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers ‘true 5.1’ for $200

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Tritton’s Pro+ 5.1 headset goes up for pre-order, promises gamers ‘true 5.1’ for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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