iControlPad for iPhone
After the game demos shown at the iPhone SDK, event a lot of folks have been very eager to get their hands on some serious games for the iPhone. Most of the attention has been focused on the motion sensors and touchscreen, but Nintendo's consoles notwithstanding buttons are a mainstay of serious games and the iPhone's poverty of physical buttons has had some of us worried about the long term potential of the platform.Now a new accessory may go a long way towards alleviating those concerns. The iControlPad is an iPhone accessory that adds physical buttons and joypad. It slides onto the iPhone like a case (providing some protection) and offers a PSP-style form factor. The hardware interfaces via the Dock connector and is already supported by some of the emulators that run on jailbroken iPhones. They're also planning full SDK support once iPhone 2.0 ships, presumably next month.
The iControlPad is still in development and is not yet for sale. However, they are offering development kits to qualified developers.
[via Engadget]
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Source: http://www.icontrolpad.com/
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After the game demos shown at the iPhone SDK, event a lot of folks have been very eager to get their hands on some serious games for the...
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@Sam Gross
OK, now that definitely looks better. Thanks for pointing that out. That is something that would look cool on the phone.
it's too bad this thing makes your iPhone look like a crappy PSP that will fall apart any second.
May 26 2008 at 1:03 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis being the prototype, it should look hacked together. They came out with renderings this week of the final product: http://www.icontrolpad.com/pad1.png
June 05 2008 at 3:45 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDon't be naieve. It's not like whenever an update is released iTunes secretly downloads it then zaps your product with it removing all your apps. Jailbreak is safe because you as the user choose when you want to update the firmware, presumably when you are safe in the knowledge that the latest firmware has been hacked.
May 25 2008 at 4:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIdiots. I hope the SDK doesn't allow for this, because this is the single worst thing you could do for iphone game development. It fractures the platform, opens the door for a peripheral button arms-race, and even if it does become popular its most notable effect will be dramatically increasing the playability of legacy games, taking the focus away from developing actually new games that work well on the iphone. Its a lose lose lose situation.
Idiots.
This is gonna be SO Ueber !!! very cool.
But what do they mean with SDK Support? For "normal" games? Cause apple will never allow emulators, which are the coolest thing.
Eysiwyg.
Jailbreaking is easy, there are NO problems if you do it with the right software.
It's your decision, but i don't like people to whine about that they don't want to jailbreak in topics that are for people who WANT to jailbreak and did it.
Just ignore such posts.
The coolness is strong in this product... But would i spend some bucks on an accessory that requires the iphone to be in an unstable state that could be killed by the slightest update, rendering the cool add-on useless?
I don't know. Words fail me right now.
If you are smart about updating and installing software jailbroken iPhones and iPod touches are perfectly stable. I've had my iPod jailbroken literally since the day I got it back in October. I've never had a problem. I would totally buy this.
May 24 2008 at 12:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI thought the SDK had zero access to the dock connector. Are they hoping Apple will backpedal and stop requiring people to pay for its "made for iPod" hardware program?
May 24 2008 at 9:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWe're talkin'bout a product with a high coolness factor that runs on jail-broken iPhones. Owners in this category could care less 'bout SDK reqs... I could see Apple turning a blind eye (for a while) as long as it contributes to them sellin' more units. Of course apps requiring the device could be withheld from the online store and this coolness disappears.
RandaL, you're forgetting to read the article: "They're also planning full SDK support once iPhone 2.0 ships, presumably next month." That's why Jason said what he said, and he's right.
May 28 2008 at 8:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI thought access to the dock connector for 3rd party apps was restricted under the terms of the SDK agreement? Did something change? I'd rather not have to jailbreak my system once 2.0 hits, so this would be huge!!
May 24 2008 at 9:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot Apps on TUAW
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