Hah, did you really have the nerve to doubt CraigIX? The iPhone gamepad add-on that we heard about just last week is already inching closer to reality, and there's a video to prove it. In the somewhat unexciting clip posted up after the jump, you'll see a PCB mockup of the device doing its thang, though it's quite inelegant in its current form. If you just needed one more something to boost your interest / confidence that this critter was real, you know where to head.

[Via zodttd]

Oh yeah, we've seen homegrown Xbox 360 joysticks that we would love to wrap our digits around, but ShaolinDrunkard's latest creation is almost too pretty to touch -- almost. The Xbox 360 Classic Led joystick sports the prototypical stick / button layout, but also includes that iconic green swirl and a smattering of lovely LEDs to really get the oohs and ahhs flowing. The handmade oak chassis isn't too shabby, either, and as much as we'd love to see these being offered up to those with more dollars than creative genius, we've all ideas this is a one-of-a-kind. Tap the read link for a few more pics.

[Via technabob]

We have to believe that the name of this arcade-style joystick was chosen more for hype and less for, well, anything else, but nevertheless, it's yet another way to add even more retro to the virtual console experience. Slated to arrive just in time for the holidays, The Shaft will be available in arctic white, coral pink and midnight black, and it will darn near take up your entire lap, too. The oversized creation sports a customizable turbo function along with six control buttons, but we could certainly see this thing becoming an excellent chew toy for Fido if left unattended for an extended period of time. The 'stick can be pre-ordered right now for $39.95, or you can appear infinitely wise by snapping up two for "just" $69.95.

[Via Digg]

Saitek, the creator of quite a few sexy PC peripherals, has apparently unveiled a duo of new PC accessories that take styling cues from console counterparts. While hardcore FPS gamers have long yearned for a mouse / keyboard combo for their disadvantaged consoles, Saitek could be hoping that the same mantra will prove true in reverse, and has introduced the Cyborg Rumble Gamepad and Cyborg Headset in order to give PC gamers a solid alternative to the age-old WASD method. The standout feature on the gamepad is its Precision Control mode that reportedly "allows gamers to select the sticks and buttons on the controller that, when the mode is activated, are desensitized so as to allow for the most precision." As for the headset (shown after the break), it boasts a "5.1 surround setup" and includes a trio of drivers in each ear, and while we wish pricing and availability details were already disclosed, it looks like we'll all be playing the wait-and-see game on Saitek's latest pair.

Making a grab for our adult wallets by aiming for our childlike love of video games, Samsung has recently filed a patent for a clamshell cellphone which can transform into a 2600-style controller. Last time we checked, killing at "Snake" on our phone wasn't so difficult that we needed to collapse or otherwise totally re-jigger the device to play it, but as mobile games become increasingly complex, using the keypad is starting to feel just a little limiting -- and that's where Samsung's engineers step in. The basic premise is that the bottom half of your flip-phone would pivot not only open and closed (or backward and forward), but also left and right, thus allowing you to escape from Blinky more quickly, jump over barrels more deftly, and generally get a serious game on.

[Via Unwired View]

Sure hope you didn't spend too much in a bidding war over that homegrown Wii joystick back in December, as it looks like accessory maker extraordinaire Hori is planning to unveil something mighty similar real soon. According to Play-Asia, the firm's Fighting Stick Wii controller will be hitting the Japanese market in August, giving virtual console gamers a swank alternative to the Wii Classic Controller. Additionally, IGN has supposedly confirmed that an American release "is planned," and while a US pricetag has yet to emerge, those overseas can get their order in now for $52.90.

[Via IGN]

In an attempt to create a more fashionable alternative to the wheelchair devices that handicapped children currently rely on to get around, a group of engineers at the Bath Institute for Medical Engineering, in consultation with parents and occupational therapists, have concocted the car-like Whizzybug. The all-terrain vehicle can reportedly handle asphalt and green pastures without issue, and sports a blistering top speed of two miles-per-hour. Additionally, it can be controlled by the caregiver or the youngster, weighs in at just under 70-pounds, has a "fully adjustable seating system with memory foam cushions and a programmable joystick," and to top things off, this bad boy even touts a trailer hitch for towing those weak Power Wheels rigs out of the rough. The devices are slated to be sold by the developing charity, Whizz-Kidz, "at cost," which means that interested parents will be looking at anywhere between £1,700 ($3,406) and £2,000 ($4,007) depending on options.

[Via MedLaunches]

It's one thing to conjure up your own controller, but to cut the cabling while you're at just makes the whole package that much sexier. Joining the growing array of wireless (and wired, too) DIY joysticks, DH020's all-white rendition does indeed mimic the Street Fighter edition we've already seen, but the plexi-glass top, white gloss paint job, and the "custom felt material base" just sets this one off. The project utilizes a bubbletop Sanwa stick, six 30-millimeter Sanwa buttons (and two of the 24-millimeter variety), a wireless Xbox 360 controller PCB, and to top it all off, a Play & Charge kit for USB recharging. Yeah, we too wish dearly that we could wrap our paws around this for a good week or two, but at least you can click on through and catch a video demonstration while you debate whether you're going to craft one of your own.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

It might be difficult to hold back your astonishment, but it looks like yet another input peripheral maker is offering up a "gaming mouse" to hopefully hook buyers who'll try (and buy) anything to gain an edge. Incredibly, SandioTech's iteration somehow manages to differentiate itself from the hordes of alternatives already out, but this somewhat positive attribute was also its biggest pitfall according to DragonSteelMods. Reviewers tested the 2,000dpi laser mouse out in a variety of circumstances, and immediately noted how unique the "six degrees of freedom movement" system was, but also felt that it catered more towards RTS gamers and macro-lovers than your average FPS guru. Swamped with programmable joysticks and buttons, the relatively large mouse was deemed versatile and full of potential, but the high learning curve and somewhat specialized layout could be a turnoff for the casual fan. Still, the mouse garnered a four out of five rating overall, but unless you spend the majority of your life tackling pixelated monsters in an MMO, we'd suggest looking elsewhere.

First the 360, then the Wii, now the PS3 is getting its own shot at arcade glory. With Virtua Fighter 5 on all those Sony fanboy wishlists, it's only natural to have a shiny controller like this Hori PS3 Fighting Stick number to pull off those nifty-keen combos with Akira Yuki and company. You can pick up one of these wired and turbo-filled controllers for about $50.

Texas-based Fenner Investments shooting for the top with its latest lawsuit, suing Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for patent infringement. According to Fenner, who also happens to have sued Juniper Networks, Nokia, Cisco, Alcatel, and Ericsson for other alleged patent offenses early last year, the big three console makers are violating its patent for a "low-voltage joystick port interface," which it filed for in July, 1998 and was issued in October, 2001. The patent in question is describes a joystick port interface that includes "an integrated circuit receiving an analog joystick position measurement signal and outputting a digital pulse signal to a processor which signifies a joystick coordinate value," which would seem to cover just about any joystick with an analog stick. For their parts, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo appear to be staying mum on the subject, although we suspect this is one lawsuit they won't be losing too much sleep over.

[Via Slashdot]

While it may not be the best option for a game of Resistance, if you want to be prepared for one of the few fighting games that'll be making its way to the PS3 in the coming months, you might want to give one of these offerings from accessory-maker Hori some serious consideration. The Fighting Stick 3 is the less expensive of the two, running a reasonable 5,229 Yen ($45) and sporting a button layout that'll be familiar to anyone that's set foot in an arcade in the last fifteen years, as well as a rapid fire feature for those that need a little help. Taking things up a notch, the $70 Real Arcade Pro 3 will give you the same layout and features, but in a more arcade-authentic package. Both sticks will be available in Japan February 8th, just in time for the downloadable version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection.