Belkin JoyPod Game Controller for iPhone with App Support?

[fleshman03]

This really could usher in a new era in portable gaming.

Just think, when you want to play an SNES, NES, SEGA or whatever ROM you want, just pop your iPod Touch/iPhone into the controls.

If you want to play one with touch sensors, then just use the touch sensors. It really could be a nice little add on for those who would use it.

Plus - Bring in some cash for old games that aren't selling anymore.

 

[bdkennedy1]

That is ugly as shi*

 

[50548]

Ahaha
That thought just made me laugh out loud.

Yep, this is absolutely ridiculous...is there really a market for such a hideous thing? An iPhone is an iPhone, period...if you wanna game on it all the time, you should a portable console, not a phone...

 

[elmateo487]

Imagine this though.

What if it added a huge external battery for the iPhone, allowing extra game time on the device. Then if Apple teamed up to allow companies to sell their emulators, Sega would be back in business! Think about it... Although its kinda farfetched. But Gameboy, Gamegear, Sega CD, Sega, Nintendo, etc.

Plus to answer your calls you would have a headset in and could just answer the call that way.

 

[kjs862]

Sweet

 

[ltldrummerboy]

iControlPad is possibly the worst product name that I've ever come across.

Ever heard of MobileMe?

 

[alphaod]

If anyone's used a Nokia N-Gage they know this is a really bad idea.

 

[Yixian]

I'd definitely consider this product but the current design is absolutely awful.

 

[BiikeMike]

Wirelessly posted (Treo: Opera/9.50 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.1.11328/546; U; en))

I'm for it. If it means Apple is opening up the platform, just think of the possibilities.

My qestion is how is it going to work with the orig iPhone, 3G iPhone, iPod Touch, and the rumored iPod touch redesign? They are all different dimentions and shapes, would there be possibly 4 controllers? Or one that will snap on to all the devices?

 

[thestaton]

good lord that's fugly.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

It is very cool to play games on the iphone with the accelerometer and the multi touch screen but it falls way short when compared to the real buttons. I tried the unofficial emulators on the iphone and believe me those games are completely unplayable with the touch screen controls.

Games developed from scratch for the iPhone will never need these buttons but such games are going to be very few compared to the massive library of nes/snes/sega games. These are the only games/software which can take advantage of such controllers. And thats the problem. I find it kind of hard to believe that Apple will have any interest in helping people use such emulators for nes/sega roms which in most cases(if not all) are illegally downloaded from the internet.

May be Apple might strike a deal with Nintendo/Sega etc and start selling these roms and the emulators through the App store. Very unlikely to happen but this is the only reason Apple might allow such accessory to be created for iPhone.

Huh.

That is the point of the iPhone...to get away from buttons.

I would never waste my money on that.

I definitely would if the thing is good enough and I can get to play all the great nes/snes games on the iPhone.It will be very impractical to carry this case every where I go but I`ll definitely take it with me while travelling just like I take the iPod FM transmitter, Aux out cable, car charger, Video out dock. These accessories never get out of the closet for weeks but they really make my life easier on those long boring trips. So there`s atleast one customer confirmed Belkin/someone else gets it right.

 

[macaron1]

I don't really play games on the iPhone but do see the potential of this idea.

Touchscreen gestures will not work satisfactorily with some game genres, and this type of a dock/controller seems to be a good solution. (Virtualizing controls on the screen is another route, but that takes up screen estate and probably is not intuitive enough.)

 

[tiggery2k3]

NO!

Imagine answering your phone with the joystick poking you in the ear...

remember the n-gage now when I saw anyone with one of them it was hillarious

 

[tiggery2k3]

Sorry, double post

 

[jackfrost123]

Ever heard of MobileMe?

ha,ha,ha...good one!

 

[illitrate23]

good lord that's fugly.

quite weird that the icontrolpad actually looks like a reasonable design that follows the styling of the iPhone, where as the 'official' Belkin version looks so awful

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I love it. (The concept, not necessarily the looks.)

I need physical buttons for my game... virtual buttons just aren't going to cut it in a fast paced shooter where you need to rapidly switch weapons.

 

[The Phazer]

I'm all for anything that suggests Apple is finally making some meaningful development at getting things working with the dock connector.

Maybe this means they'll get the radio remote working at some point too...

Phazer

 

[freeny]

while there are some cool games that utilize the accelerometer, the majority (99%) are unplayable without actual conrolls.

When can I buy one?...

 

[mikes63737]

NO!!!

Anyone but Belkin. They should just stick to cables and surge protectors. Everything else they make is crap and fails within a year.

 

[mixel]

haha, the negative response from some posters is strange.. Touch and accelerometer are great for some types of game, but gaming didn't start with the iPhone. I'm all for optional traditional controls, they'll seriously increase the potential for gaming on the platform - a lot of long term gamers will take it more seriously too.

Falling block games work better with real controls, traditional fighting games do too.. All but the slowest paced or weirdly designed platform games would benefit from this.. Bomberman etc need them for accuracy.. So there's definitely a Market as long as it doesn't interfere with other funtions.

Imagine you've been used to eating with a knife and fork your entire life, then someone wants you to use a straw as it's "more efficient and sleek" You either have to blend all your food, or only have soup from now on. You'd be glad if they handed you optional cutlery, you could eat more traditional, meaty meals.

That made sense in my head. XD


Anyone ignoring the potential of the platform for traditionally controlled games seems to be ignoring all the untapped power of the machine, and turning their back on decades of gaming standards. Something like castlevania for iPhone would be amazing- more so with optional dpad controls.

 

[Monty1]

what the flip is this thing supposed to do

 

[Quartz Extreme]

I don't understand the knee jerk negative reaction.

I don't play games and wouldn't buy it probably, but it has its uses. It doesn't mean that because you took away the buttons with a touchscreen that you can't have a specific add on for a certain purpose. ACTUALLY ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF TAKING BUTTONS AWAY MIGHT BE TO BE ABLE TO ADD ANY CUSTOM CONFIGURATION ACCORDING TO THE USE THAT ONE WISHES? HUH? HOW ABOUT THAT? ANY OF YOU NEGATIVE GENIUSES THOUGH OF THAT FLEXIBILITY? Say you take away the keyboard but can add a specific keyboard for programers, a special pad for designers, etc. etc.

And it beats having the f. solver as the no. 1 rumor of the moment, and if the whole mac community were hanging by the balls of some developer "aknowledging" us and delivering the solver.

Caps lock is cruise control for cool.

 

[Yvan256]

Is that supposed to be a real gamepad or one of those awful "analog stick" on the left?

 

[mike12806]

it's so effin ugly! blah!