iControlPad going into production (again), 3000 units in first run
After a few fits and false starts, the image above shows the iControlPad in what's purported to be its final production form, according to inventor Craig Rothwell's Twitter account. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, and sales are supposed to start sometime in September, but Rothwell says the unit above is the first off the line, and there will be a production run of just 3000 to start. The unit has two sidebar pieces that wrap around the iPhone or iPod touch, and in addition to the extra control buttons on the bottom, the 'pad also has a battery that "doubles the iPhone battery life for gaming." There are shoulder buttons on the back as well.
Rothwell says he doesn't ever expect to get Apple's support on the project, but by just switching out the two side pieces, the pad could be adapted for any number of phones, so if the concept takes off, you can probably expect to see an Android version as well. We'll keep an eye out for pricing and other information. It's been a long (long) time coming, but for iPhone gamers who could use a few more buttons in their games, looks like the wait might almost be over.
[via Engadget]
