iControlPad gamepad heads to production, warms hearts

Apple's claims that the iPhone is a console might carry a bit more weight if the thing had, you know, some physical inputs. Touchscreens and tilt sensors are great, but without at least a couple of buttons and a D-pad it's kind of a hard sell to your average gamer. Inputs are exactly what the iControlPad case for the iPhone adds, and we've got confirmation that the thing is at long last heading to production. The pic above is the final prototype, set to be colored black upon release -- and we presume those gaping holes will be filled with something other than air, too. No word on an anticipated ship date or price, but -- great as it may be -- without Apple support we don't expect it'll to do much to help the iPhone's gaming cred anyhow.

[Aaron @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:12AM]

Warms hearts?

What the heck does that even mean?

[bill cant fart @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:29AM]

Heart + Toaster = Warm Heart

[Chase @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:41AM]

No, Heart + Xbox 360 from 2005 = heartburn!

[PhiI @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:44AM]

more pressingly... "it'll to do" what does that even mean?

[Patriks7 @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:14PM]

No, it means that when you use your MacBook on your lap for some time, it gets so hot that even your heart gets hot! (Got that from experience)

[superhobo @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:36PM]

You see, its from/about/remotely connected to Apple and the article is written by an Engadgeteer...

[ac14 @ Dec 24th 2008 1:23AM]

wtf.. Still no buttons

[Daniel @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:16AM]

if the crappy iphone ever comes a serious game machine, i will buy and slowly eat it.

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:24AM]

I wonder what sort of wine goes best with machine.

[smccullo @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:29AM]

I believe a nice '72 Margo!

[absinthe party @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:42AM]

Psh, snob. MD 20/20.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:46AM]

I don't think Apple has been treating the iphone well at all in terms of gaming.

This platform is RIPE for touch screen board games - with multiplayer online - but thus far, Apple hasn't made a serious attempt to offer good "pick up and play" games.

As for the attachment above...why doesn't apple release a add on like that with a d-pad, action buttons and A EXTENDED LIFE BATTERY PACK like the one's engadget always features?

I KNOW people would buy it. The iphone apps I see on Cydia and Installer are actually not bad at all, but no one is supporting them. At the very least iPhone can run games better than the Nokia N85 ( i.e. Reset Generation).

[melloncollie @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:49AM]

@Flashpoint
You know Apple doesn't make the games, right?

[smccullo @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:01AM]

Oh I am no snob Sir. I just figure you have to wash crap down with something a little better tasting... though MD20/20 is a close second. haha

[Deeznuts420 @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:56AM]

i know what kind of whine it goes with...

[Loonie @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:09PM]

A nice Chianti. Th-th-th-th-th-th-thp.

[Flaystus @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:18AM]

Think I have more game time on my iPhone these days then any other device.

[Paul Chapel @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:32AM]

All you people are so going to get low ranked for talking positive about Apple, just as soon as the Anti-Apple brigade gets here.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:59AM]

It's good for casual gaming but as a serious platform?

Can't see it.

[mike @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:36AM]

yeah, but really, 'serious gaming'.. is what exactly... Final Fantasy XV? Pretending to be a paladin rescuing the world from mythical dragons? Pal, if you're playing these games for more than 15 minutes at a time, you seriously run the risk of being disillusioned with reality.

Oh right, Halo.. That's definitely something for 'hardcore' gamers.

Oh wait, that's right... a) it can be done on the iPhone pretty easilly b) its not compelling for anyone over the age of 12.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:01AM]

@mike

Of course, what's really amusing are the people who think that enjoying video games precludes physical activities. It is actually possible to do both and, hey, adults do it too which is why the target gamer audience is 18-35 year old men.

Maybe they were too busy wrestling bears or doing other manly stuff to notice this. It's either that or gross stupidity.

[ssoltero @ Dec 23rd 2008 2:09PM]

All that really needs to be solved is the battery life and a few buttons. If the device pictured above had an extended battery, it really would allow for the iPhone to break into the gaming market.

Of course, I believe there would need to be SOME kind of support from Apples end to make a device like that work well.

The biggest problem I see with an add-on device like that is that if a game supported that "peripheral" it's likely that it would be required to play the game and I don't see Apple jumping on board with something that would ultimately limit the amount of sales for a particular app.

[jakem @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:21AM]

Wouldn't games have to provide specific support for something like this? I presume you'd need some way to turn off the accelerometer (where that's used for gameplay) or you'd end up with conflicts between it and this gamepad.

[dale1v @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:33AM]

Thus the reason we jailbreak.

[Mike Cerm @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:07AM]

Not only would games need to support it, the SDK forbids them from doing so. If I remember correctly, apps basically aren't allowed to do anything with the dock connector (so, no USB-peripheral access).

[starkruzr @ Dec 23rd 2008 3:11PM]

Yes, you're absolutely right. This is going to be primarily useful for playing emulators on jailbroken devices. Might also be a good way to have pushbutton fast-forward, rewind, etc.

Can't wait, myself.

[Esat Dedezade @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:22AM]

*Sigh*

Almost as bad as http://www.shop4tech.com/photos/item-7115-1-500.jpg

...almost.

[InvadrZIM @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:30AM]

I call shinanigins

they'd never sell those as a bundle

[bill cant fart @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:34AM]

Ow! My shin! Stop that!

[Golumdocfun @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:45AM]

www.iccessory.com

[Don Corleone @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:22AM]

I have a ton of games on my iPhone that could use real buttons. I think I've worn out my fingerprints.

[smi1ey @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:38AM]

Now if Apple could just make a "game mode" for the iPhone that disables the Phone, and other junk that uses all the RAM.

[solarpos @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:29AM]

Uhhhhhh. Airplane Mode anyone for disabling the phone?

[Don Corleone @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:31AM]

Airplane mode?

[smi1ey @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:04AM]

Ok let me specify; a "Game Mode" that allows apps to use as much RAM as they need. So basically something that can dedicate the entire OS to whatever application you want to play. Right now developers get very little allotted RAM to deal with, which is why there are so many crashing/framerate issues.

[tha-don @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:01AM]

@other don

duhh, the iphone can fly! you didn't know that?

[gareth @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:28AM]

my wii and 360 both collect dust.

iphone games are awesome

[Paul Chapel @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:37AM]

Dude, didn't you get the memo?


The Official Guide to Avoiding Low Rankings on Engadget

1) Don't talk about Apple in any way positive, even if the praise is warranted and based on statistics, popular opinion, and actual sales.

2) Don't mention the iPhone in any Engadget post about a touchscreen phone, because as everyone knows, it is absolutely positively impossible that another company could be making a touchscreen phone because of Apple.

3) Don't suggest that Apple has innovated anything, because someone can always find an obscure company in Romania that did it first.

4) Don't suggest that a person might be a Microsoft Fanboy, because this is impossible, even if the aforementioned person has an Xbox, Zune, PC with Vista and every version of Windows minted in gold and platinum and a Bill Gates poster above the bed.

5) Never talk about "buying" a pre-built computer, unless you are discussing an article about a feud between Apple and a PC company like Dell. If it comes to this, you must choose the side of Dell, even if you never plan on buying a Dell for the rest of your natural life.

[melloncollie @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:46AM]

Really?
You play your iPhone more than your 360?

Your not much of a gamer, are you?

[melloncollie @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:48AM]

God damn it.
I meant You're, not "your".

[Gnormie @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:54AM]

@ Paul Chapel

New memo: Don't make up crap to make it look as if Apple is the poor ickle company with thick glasses that gets beaten up by the the big kids.

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:35AM]

@ Paul:

1. Apple has amazing product designs.

2. iPhone is a phone with some nice features and some old ones.

3. Apple has innovated a snotty fan base.

4. Microsoft has many fanboys, but compared to the ratio of Apple users, Apple has a lot of fanboys.

5. I like the DELL XPS One pre-built computer, and might buy it sometime in my, natural life, whatever that means!


Let us see if I will get low ranked...

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:05AM]

The Official Guide to Getting Low Ranked on Engadget:

1) Whine like Paul Chapel does.

[CIVILIAN @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:25AM]

@gnormie,

on this site, most of the time apple is the kid who gets beat up all the time by the commenters. he's not really making crap up, its mostly true with some exageration at an attempt at humor.

[dave95 @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:36AM]

Here's to another couple decades of the anti-Apple fans vs pro-Apple fans war, yea! yea! \o/

I think the anti-Apple goons are wining though with their new 'Low Rank' weapon, yea!.

[Harrison66 @ Dec 25th 2008 9:13AM]

Pretty much hit it right on the head with that listing LOL!!!

[Boarderwoot @ Dec 23rd 2008 9:33AM]

I'm no technical jeanyous or anything but, if its the FINAL prototype wouldn't it be good if it were a final WORKING prototype...you know...with a demo?

[Agent .25i @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:11AM]

"I'm no technical jeanyous" - Boarderwoot

Either that is a brilliant joke; or you need a new spell check, PRONTO.

[pavlindrom @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:06AM]

Do you happen to work at the Genius Bar? Something nudges me that you do...

[Nomi @ Dec 23rd 2008 10:09AM]

Ya....forget technical, you're not close to being any sort of 'jeanyous'...