iControlPad Closer to Reality

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.icontrolpad.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.icontrolpad.com/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"OK, so it took MUCH longer that we thought to get the iPad to work with the touch, iPhone and 3G - blood, sweat and tears - but it does and it will also support iStore apps if the creator chooses to put in support.&nbsp; So, here is the video if you have not already seem it, Zod leaked it via his excellent website:"</em></p><p><em><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="350" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7ojLKeewbEk" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7ojLKeewbEk"></embed></object></em></p><p>Considering how miserable the controls are on most of the games in the app store, I relish the chance to get one of these in my hand one day.&nbsp; Honestly, I can't stand accelerometer controls, and touch screen buttons aren't usually twitchy enough for action games.&nbsp; This might be one of the best hardware accessories ever made for an Apple device if developers support it.</p><p><em></em></p>

[ptyork]

Conceptually this is very cool. The obsession with a complete lack of hard controls is quite limiting, and it is annoying to me that the industry seems to be blindly following. Anyway, I'd personally like to see it be a little more well engineered:

* First, it should be able to collapse in on itself accordion-like for storage and transport. This looks both unwieldy and a bit fragile.
* Second, the iPod/iPhone should insert from the rear and the controls should cover the "wasted" space at the top and bottom of the device. The slider mechanism used to expand and contract it for storage should allow it to expand to the full size of the iPod/iPhone for insertion and then contract slightly to firmly secure the device.
* Third, the extra space granted by this design should be used to allow for bigger controls (that itty bitty d-pad is, well, itty bitty).
* Fourth, add in AAA battery compartment(s) to hold an appropriate amount of juice to extend the battery life for gaming.
* Fifth, add a dock connector pass-through to allow the thing to be plugged in for extended game-play and or accessory connection, as well (especially for long trips in cars).
* Sixth, make sure it also has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
* Seventh, *maybe* add some tiny speakers for us gen1 iPod Touch users.

Just my thoughts. Agreed, though, if done well and embraced by developers, it could actually make the iPhone/iPod a viable alternative to the PSP. I'd really like to see Apple come out with something like this and make the control interface an official spec.

[Vincent Ferrari]

I agree with all of your points, and would only add that as long as progress is made and this is just the first step, I could live with just about anything. Even as this is it would fit just fine in my gear bag, so I can definitely live with it.

I'm looking forward to any version of this bad boy to test out.