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Sega releases Phantasy Star-branded texting gadget for PS2, Xbox 360
Sega has just announced a Phantasy Star-branded Blue Orb Texter for sale through its online store. The gadget is plugged in between the controller and console -- available for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 -- and the player can use an analog stick to kind of jab in the text. (Note: Xbox 360 owners must have a wired controller to use this.)Looking at the layout of the characters, pictured, gives us the impression that we wouldn't be so accurate with it. According to Sega's website, gadget can be used with any game that accepts a USB keyboard.Someone will find this very convenient, to be sure, but considering the price -- $35 for PS2, $40 for Xbox 360 -- we have a hard time justifying this except for PSU enthusiasts who want the packaged "swag aplenty" and free t-shirt. We're eschewing the learning curve for this device and buying a USB keyboard and/or saving up for the Xbox 360 chatpad.[Thanks, Brett]
Chatpad seen in Chicago at GSB Road Tour stop
Charles Huseman over at Gaming Nexus attended GamerscoreBlog's Road Tour event in Chicago, and got some hands-on time with the Chatpad, although not the retail version that'll hit shelves this summer. Charles said the Chatpad doesn't get in the way at all or messes up the weight balance of the controller. He also noted that the buttons are backlit for those who may be texting in the dark, with minimal impact on the wireless controller's battery life. Still no word on pricing or when we'll be getting it this summer. The special headset packed with the Chatpad has yet to be seen. Either way, exactly 1/3 of X3F staff (We bet you can't guess who) is all about the IMing whilst gaming, to the point of having a USB keyboard handy to make use of the overlay window for quick conversations. Have any of you slowly warmed up to the idea of IMing while you game? Or would an accessory like this be necessary for you to make the jump?
360 TID officially dubbed the Chatpad
Formerly known as the TID (text input device), the thumb board, and "that thingy," the Xbox 360 controller keyboard has received an official name. In the Spring Update help document (found by clicking the "Learn More" ad block on the Marketplace blade) the device is referred to as the Chatpad. Now all we need is a price and a release date.We think it's a good name, though we were really warming up to calling it the TID. It's got that cool acronym flavor. Everyone likes three letter acronyms. Like X3F, right? Right? Guys ...?
Goodbye TID, hello Xbox 360 Chatpad
Not that this is life-changing news or anything (except maybe for Major Nelson), but it looks like Microsoft has snapped out of its DOS flashback and given the upcoming Xbox 360 QWERTY thumb keyboard a less technical-sounding moniker than "Text Input Device": meet the Chatpad. The real name of the peripheral-formerly-known-as-TID was discovered by a Joystiq reader poking around the Marketplace after Tuesday's Spring update, where its identity is revealed in a page about Windows Live Messenger integration. Expect lawsuits from the makers of ChatBuddy and PepperPad any day now.
FYI Xbox 360 TID named 'Chatpad' kthxbai
Hi followin da 360's spring upd8t and da console's new instant msging trix the use of a qwerty keyboard is all the mor necesary neccesssary rad! previously given a placeholder name of TID (4 txt input device), the upcoming txting peripheral is referred to as da "Chatpad" in da update's help doc. 2 find da txt, go 2 the marketplace bl8, select da "learn more" ad block, then select "More Details" and "Windows Live Messenger." cool hai?now wat about us dvorak users :p[Thanx, BAK6E]
Texting harms are English
First the bees and now our ability to write -- mobile phones are destroying us all. Ireland's State Examination Commission says that texting terse messages keeps kids from learning to spell, causing the world to go all Idiocracy on us.While our gaming habits may not be destroying the planet, unless all that WiFi we've got flying around is harmful, even gamers with full-size keyboards use 1337 speak. And what will happen when thumb-sized console keyboards debut? We're in favor of tools to avoid the shrill sounds of Xbox Live gamers, but will this cost us our written language? Maybe punctuation is overrated.
PCMag's 10 weird controllers ... yup, 360's keyboard is there
PC Magazine just published a fun list of 10 weird game controllers. Note, they didn't say these were the weirdest controllers ever, so hold off on those comments about the Run'N' Drive. Included on the list are fan favorites like the bizarre $1700 Dream Machine, the thought-powered Project Epoc, and even Microsoft's just-announced Xbox 360 text input device. ... there, now that you've gone through their list, what's missing? And don't say Run'N' Drive, 'cause we already called it.
Xbox 360's QWERTY thumboard in the wild
If you're one of the few large-handed gamers out there still pining for the bulk-tastic days of the original Xbox controller, then you're sure to have a great time with Microsoft's new "Text Input Device" QWERTY thumb keyboard add-on. The bulk of the TID is all at the base, so it shouldn't be a deal breaker for the small handed, but we'll have to get this in hand to know just how ergonomic it's going to be to type with. An anonymous tipster, who spotted this before it went official, had these encouraging words to say: "The thumboard beats the hell out of the one on my BlackJack, and once they let me play with it I didn't want to put it down." We wouldn't really say TID vs. BlackJack is the ultimate comparison, but it at least sounds like the tipster had a good time. A flickr set from Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog has some solid shots of the TID, which you can find at that fancy little read link below.[Via Gamerscore Blog]
Hands-on pics of the Xbox 360 QWERTY keyboard
Don't worry. Even though it doesn't have a price, a release date, or even a name, the QWERTY thumb keyboard that Microsoft has taken to calling the "text input device" is very much real (not just a rendering), as evidenced by these shots posted at Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog. It wraps around the handles and attaches to the gamepad using the headset connector; unfortunately, as confirmed by Engadget, the device does not enable pass-through of the headset and will instead ship with its own unique headset.%Gallery-2492%
IM coming to Xbox 360, keyboard accessory this summer
Alright, so Gamespot's leakier than a colander full of swiss cheese, but now we've got the official details (from Microsoft this time) on what's included in the upcoming Xbox 360 Spring Dashboard update, due in one month beginning the week of May 7th. Integrating the 6 million Xbox Live users with the 260 million Windows Live Messenger users stands at the core of the upcoming update, allowing Xbox 360 users to communicate with up to six of their PC, Mac, or mobile phone bound friends at once.To aid gamers in their instant messaging, Microsoft is also preparing a keyboard accessory for the Xbox 360 controller, which will connect via the headphone jack. The un-named, un-priced, and un-dated device, which currently exists only in the pristine renderings contained in the gallery below, is reportedly due "this summer." In the interim, an on-screen or USB keyboard will do the trick.Also included in the Spring update: a new Achievement pop-up that displays the name and associated gamerscore value; a separate Xbox Live Marketplace blade to help organize the perpetually overcrowded service; the ability to begin watching incomplete video downloads; and a new auto-off function to put that system to sleep after it's done downloading. Oh, and Major Nelson's favorite new feature? Yup, the Dashboard will finally list what game is loaded in the disc tray. No more trial and error![Update: Xbox.com has been updated with a fairly repetitive list highlighting some additional features of the new update, including H.264 and MPEG-4 Part 2 video support (hrm?), WM-DRM streaming, the (now more informative) tray icon displays achievements and gamerscore for that game, and Xbox 1 games "show the name and image of the game."] Engadget has some additional details on the keyboard accessory, including the unfortunate news that the device prohibits the use of existing headsets and will come with its own.]%Gallery-2485%
Leaked Xbox 360 keyboard controller attachment, Voltron jealous
[Update: It's official. More information and higher resolution pics of the rendering here.]With Gamespot and other sites leaking details about the upcoming Dashboard updates to the 360, you've gotta wonder how text messaging between the 360 and Windows users will work. Typing out even the briefest of messages using the 360 Controller is a lesson in patience; it's easier to record and send a voice message than it is to hammer out "LOL WRU?" on that thing. Enter this Xbox 360 snap-on qwerty keyboard attachment -- conveniently also leaked (and now pulled) by Gamespot -- which will be available in the summer for an unknown price. Luckily Engadget snagged some shots before they disappeared into the ether. One more after the break.
Xbox 360 gonna have a qwerty controller?
We don't know what the deal is with the source of where image was supposedly snapped from, but apparently during a really janky lookin' Espanol Xbox 360 presentation, one slide showed off a qwerty keyboard-equipped controller. The translation, friends, is utterly shocking: QWERTY keyboard Attached to the controller Send text messages or chat during the game [Thanks, Alvin]
