Stratus
Latest
Chaos Audio's multieffects guitar pedal links to your smartphone
Chaos Audio has unveiled a digital multi-effects guitar pedal on Kickstarter that could be ideal for budget-minded beginners.
SteelSeries Stratus iOS 7 gamepad launches for $20 less than its pre-order price
SteelSeries' Stratus controller, the first wireless iOS 7 game pad, is now available at Apple stores and on Apple's online store. Since the Stratus went up for pre-order earlier this month, SteelSeries opted to change its price from $99.99 to $79.99 (79.99 euro). The peripheral manufacturer said it will honor the Stratus' new launch price for all pre-orders its taken. The Stratus has two analog sticks, four pressure-sensitive "A, B, X and Y" buttons, four shoulder buttons and a d-pad. SteelSeries claims the controller can withstand 10 hours of play on a single charge via USB. It is supported by games like GTA: San Andreas, Limbo, Call of Duty: Strike Team and Bastion.
SteelSeries Stratus MFi game controller price cut to $79.99, all $99.99 preorders will be honored at lower price
A representative from SteelSeries has let us know that the Stratus MFI game controller (which I tried and wrote about at length) will be launching for a cheaper price than initially planned. Instead of the US$99.99 price point that the company was using for pre-order customers, the Stratus will launch instead for $79.99, and it's available in Apple Stores and Apple's online store starting today. This makes the Stratus the least expensive MFi option out there, with its competitors from Logitech and Moga both priced at $99.99.
The SteelSeries Stratus is the most important iOS gaming peripheral yet
iOS game developers have been swinging for the fences with massive, high-profile mobile games for years already, but they've been doing it without a physical control option. Touchscreen and tilt controls work fine for many genres, and these digital controller stand-ins have definitely gotten better over the years, but any seasoned gamer will tell you that it'll never be quite the same. The future? With the launch of the iOS 7, Apple finally took the step of including a built-in controller framework, allowing third party manufacturers the ability to create iOS game controllers. The iPhone was the immediate focus for these companies, with Logitech and Moga going head to head with the PowerShell and Ace Power, respectively. Having tested both of the these (keep an eye out for our head-to-head smackdown coming soon), I can say that they both work well, but they are hampered by the fact that they require a physical connection to the device itself. This isn't a deal breaker, but it means that if you have a case on your device you'll need to remove it before utilizing the controller. And, although this should be obvious, they work only with the iPhone, so if you happen to have an iPad as well you're out of luck. The SteelSeries Stratus is the first to dodge both of those issue by going completely wireless, using Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone or iPad. It features four face buttons, four shoulder buttons, twin analog sticks, a digital pad, and a pause button. It's also almost impossibly small. As someone with large hands, I laughed when I saw it, but it manages to be completely useable despite its petite form factor. You can put it in your pocket and bring it along without feeling like you have a huge bulge sticking out of your thigh, which is a first. The iPhone as a game console But believe it or not, these selling points aren't why I think the Stratus is truly the most important iOS gaming accessory yet; it's because of its ability to turn your iPhone or iPad into what is effectively an Apple game console. By using the Lightning AV adapter with HDMI output, you can hook your iDevice up to your TV and then sit back and use the Stratus controller to play the games on the big screen. That's pretty damn awesome. The only drawback right now is that in the switch to Lightning connectors, Apple's AV adapters are now a tad laggy compared to their 30-pin counterparts. You probably won't want to play a fast-paced shooter with this setup, but anything else works swimmingly, and it's one of the coolest things I've ever done with my iPhone. If (when?) Apple works out the mild lag issues and thereby making every game on the App Store a fine fit for an HDTV, this will be the single greatest reason to invest in a controller. I say that the Stratus is the most important gaming accessory for Apple's mobile devices because it is, but that doesn't necessarily mean that this particular controller will actually be a success. It's a harbinger of fantastic things to come, but there are a few things holding the Stratus back from bringing game-changing control to the masses. Price of entry For starters, it's the first attempt at an iOS controller for SteelSeries, which means the build quality isn't where it really should be. It's built entirely out of plastic, and it still feels like a toy. The button letters are painted on rather than indented, the clear plastic cover doesn't fit well (if you bother to use it), and the buttons and sticks rattle as though they're a bit loose. This first-run attempt wouldn't be such a turnoff if it weren't for the fact that the thing is so expensive. At a whopping US$99.99 -- currently available for pre-order -- it's not exactly priced for mass appeal. I hear gamers balk constantly at paying $60 for full-fledge console game controllers, and those have been fine tuned to perfection. The $100 price is mirrored by both of the alternatives from Logitech and Moga as well, so it's not like you have a "budget" option to choose from. For controller-based iOS gaming to take the next step and truly challenge other platforms -- like the 3DS and PS Vita -- it's going to have to be a lot more affordable. I think it will be, especially as we move into the next holiday season, but right now it's definitely an expensive niche. We're at an interesting cross roads in mobile gaming at the moment. We finally have some physical control options available to us, and we have fantastic titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that support them, but it's all still too expensive to really matter. If a mobile gaming revolution does eventually begin to burn within the iOS ranks, I think we'll be able to look back at the Stratus as the spark, but right now it's just as much in danger of being snuffed out completely. Rating: 3 stars (out of 4 stars)
First wireless iOS 7 game pad, the SteelSeries Stratus, up for pre-order
SteelSeries has introduced a new wireless controller, the Stratus. It's the first iOS 7-compatible wireless game pad, which connects to iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch via Bluetooth 2.1. The controller has four pressure-sensitive face buttons, dual analog sticks, four shoulder buttons and a four-direction d-pad. The controller charges via USB for up to 10 hours of gameplay and has LED lights for differentiating players during local multiplayer sessions. The Stratus, which will cost $99.99, isn't available right now, but SteelSeries has opened up a pre-order page. SteelSeries has not announced when the controller will begin shipping.
SteelSeries launches the Stratus, the first wireless iOS 7 gamepad
With its new gaming protocols in iOS 7, Apple opened the door for gamepads that make use of the iPhone's Lightning connector to bring an assortment of inputs to iOS titles. Recognizing that not all iOS gamers own an iPhone, accessory maker SteelSeries has unveiled its new Stratus controller, becoming the first wireless gamepad to support Apple's latest iOS platform in the process. Unlike Logitech's PowerShell and PowerA's MOGA Ace Power, the Stratus connects to an iPad, iPhone and the iPod touch via Bluetooth 2.1, putting four pressure-sensitive face buttons, four shoulder buttons, dual analog sticks and a four-way d-pad in a design that reminds us a little of Sega's Genesis/Mega Drive gamepad, at least in black. While you won't be able to attach your iOS device to the Stratus and play on the move, it does mean you can set it aside and play against up to three other players on the big screen via AirPlay. Without that additional clutter, the Stratus comes in significantly lighter than rival controllers, giving you around 10 hours playtime on a full (USB) charge. SteelSeries has already made the Stratus available for pre-order on its website for $99.99/€99.99, and you can find the link in the source below.
Zuvo Water's Stratus cleans your H2O with WiFi filters, cloud-connected app
Few of us are fortunate enough to enjoy clean municipal tap water -- the rest have to make do with clunky bacteria-riddled filters and wasteful bottled H2O. Enter Zuvo Water, which has hopped on Indiegogo to fund its elaborate and tech-centric Stratus water purification system. It includes WiFi-enabled hardware, filters, optional "intelligent" faucets and a cloud-connected smartphone app that'll tell you when to swap out old cartridges for new ones. These are no ordinary filters either -- they go beyond simple carbon filtration by combining ultraviolet light (UV), oxygenation and carbon with a patented five-step process, which Zuvo claims makes it the "only filter system in the world that is self cleaning." Beat that, Brita. Two kinds of Stratus filters can be part of the setup: a countertop model for existing taps and another that fits under the counter to accommodate one of Zuvo's touch-sensitive faucets designed by D2M (which was incidentally behind Kickstarter-success Instacube). The faucets come in Bamboo, Acacia tri-flow and Hibiscus designs, and with chrome, brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze finishes. In case you don't have your smartphone app handy, the taps are equipped with LED lights to show the water's filter status as well -- blue means clean, yellow means not so much and red means you should probably get a new filter, pronto. In addition to managing your filters, the aforementioned app also offers a personalized hydration coach that'll remind you of your daily water consumption needs.
Stratus allows CloudApp management via iOS
Earlier this month, TUAW's Samuel Gibbs introduced a lot of new readers to CloudApp as one of his continuing series of Daily Mac Apps. If you've become smitten with CloudApp on your Mac, or sending screenshots to your development partners through the CloudApp web app, then you'll be absolutely in love with Stratus (free) -- it brings CloudApp to your iPhone and iPad. Stratus isn't an official CloudApp client, but it certainly looks like one. Developer Jeff Broderick built in support for CloudApp's new streaming service, so any uploads to CloudApp update immediately, as do view counts. There's no need to tap any "see more" button, since the app features an infinite scroll feature. Once you're at the bottom of an item list, Stratus automatically loads 30 more items to view. If Sam's post wasn't enough to get you to sign up for CloudApp, you can get a free CloudApp account within Stratus, so there's no need to jump out to the website. Stratus looks like a great way to use CloudApp from wherever you may be with your iOS device.
BlackBerry Pearl 9100 revealed, has lost its gemstone but not its luster
The BlackBerry Pearl 8100 was, and still is, a lovely little phone, QWERTYfied, pocketable, and rocking that little milky trackball that gave it its name. There's finally a true successor coming down the pipeline (the flippy 8230 not really counting) though it ditches the iconic pearl for a now-standard (and hopefully more reliable) touchpad. There's a similarly swoopy SureType keyboard and the overall dimensions look very much the same, meaning this should fill the tiny BlackBerry void once again -- whenever it ships. Update: But of course the original 8100 also had SureType, not QWERTY. [Thanks, Alex T]
Sirius unveils Stilettos, Stratus and new Starmates, Sportster
So Sirius just held a little party for its upcoming crop of devices, and besides the anticipated Stiletto 100 portable receiver we already knew about, the company also introduced the WiFi-less $249 Stiletto 10 (whose name should indicate its recording capacity) along with four new universal plug-and-play radios in the vein of the Sportster. Speaking of the Sportster, the first new model happens to be a stripped-down version of the Sportster4, with the $120 Sportster3 (pictured after the break) "sporting" all the same features as its big brother minus that handy 44-minute Replay functionality. Replay can still be found, however, in the new Starmate4 (pictured above, also $120) -- though not in the "lower-end," $100 Starmate3 -- both of which feature extra-large displays and are obviously new iterations of the original Starmate. Finally we have the brand new Stratus (anyone else getting overloaded with "S"es here?), which at only $60 is the cheapest of the bunch, and seems to cut corners in the areas of both design and accessories (no remote or vehicle dock, for instance). All the plug-and-play radios are compatible with the new generation of home and car docks and boomboxes, and the entire family of new products will be released gradually throughout the months of September and October.Read- Starmates, Sportster, and StratusRead- Stilettos [Via Orbitcast]
