GameEmulation
Latest
iControlPad 2 gets funded, adds QWERTY keypad and smartphone mount
Product 3 LLC, the company behind the original iControlPad, has successfully funded a successor: folks, meet the iControlPad 2. While there isn't much to its name, the sequel boasts a handy QWERTY keypad along with an optional swivel-mount that you can attach to any smartphone. It works over either microUSB or Bluetooth, and true to its open-source roots, is said to support the Ouya, the Raspberry Pi and pretty much any other device you can throw at it. What's more, it can be programmed to control almost any app via its support for touchscreen mapping. There's still room for additional backers, so you could try to get a raw version for $69 or a boxed edition for $75 if you manage to pre-order in time. Let's just hope the sequel doesn't experience the same delays as its older sibling, especially given the $150,000-plus the company earned in its Kickstarter campaign. [Thanks, Craig]
Neo Slim 3000 handheld promises game emulation and more
It's not quite as sleek as some homebrew-minded handhelds, or as full-featured as some others, but anything that hearkens back to the days when videos games were measured in bits gets a few points in our book, and this new Neo Slim 3000 looks to have things well covered on that front. While complete details are still a bit light, this one is said to pack a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 display, 2GB of built-in memory, an SD card slot for expansion, a full range of PMP features and, most importantly, support for NES, SNES, Genesis, and Game Boy Advance emulation right out of the box -- with other options presumably also available depending on the device's capabilities. Still no word on a price just yet, but the folks at Neoflash say this one is "coming soon." [Thanks, Craig]
The Pre gets PlayStation gaming and more thanks to ZodTTD (video)
If you're familiar with the emulation scene (and let's be honest, you are reading Engadget), then you know the name ZodTTD -- the brain behind some of the best jailbroken emus for the iPhone, including variations on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and most importantly... the TurboGrafx-16. Now the master-hacker has brought his goods to the Pre, cooking up a version of psx4all on the Palm device, with the aforementioned GBA and TG16 ports on the way! Interestingly, he reports that the performance on the Pre is actually better than that of the iPhone 3GS, and of course he's hacked access to the keyboard, allowing for (more) proper control of games. There are still kinks that are being worked out (sound emulation, screen scaling, etc.), but it looks like we can expect big things in the near future. We at Engadget know everyone will rest a bit easier tonight knowing that real gaming on the Pre is at hand. We'll hopefully be getting our hands on a version soon, but for now hit the read link for more info, and check out the full video after the break!
Plezo intros game-emulating PMG-250 handheld
While it may have trouble prying folks away from their do-it-all GP2Xs, Plezo's new PMG-250 portable media player looks like it could attract the interest of at least a few nostalgic gamers, boasting some game emulation support in addition to the usual audio and video capabilities. Of course, you'll be somewhat limited in your gaming options, with the NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Sega Mega Drive (a.k.a. Genesis) the only consoles supported, although that should still be more than enough to help you re-learn some of those old school skills you may have forgotten. The device itself also looks to be decent enough, with a 2.5-inch LCD, 2GB of internal memory, and an SD slot for some sure-to-be-needed additional expansion. Not surprisingly, this one looks to be exclusive to Korea for the time being, where it'll set you back 169,000 won, or about $180.[Via AVING]
Apple TV gets RSS plugin, game emulation and $1000 bounty for external media drive support
Oh it's on now. Engadget posted some more juicy bits for those thirsty to hack their Apple TV to do everything from read RSS to solving the holy grail of complaints: support for using an external USB drive as the media drive, thereby circumventing the limit of the device's pathetic 40GB drive.First up is a slick RSS plugin for the Apple TV (pictured) that allows you to download and read news and blogs via RSS. Created by twenty08, the installation sounds fairly simple, as is editing the actual RSS file to add whatever feeds you like. Plenty more is on the way for this plugin, however, including extracting images from feeds and playing embedded videos right in the RSS item itself. Since the Apple TV and the very hackable technology that runs it are still shiny and new to everyone, twenty08 reminds us that hacks like this merely need a little time to develop and mature.Another more bizarre hack is support for Apple TV game emulation, with YouTube user WildRoosterFilms posting a video of Super Mario Brothers running on the device with a hack that enables an N64 controller to drive the game. Check out the AwkwardTV wiki for more details on how to get this up and running.Last but in no way least is Apple TV Hacks' announcement of a $1000 bounty to whoever can enable support for using an external USB drive for the Apple TV's media storage. While plenty of Apple TV users are happy to stream some of their content that the device's puny drive can't hold, this bounty clearly shows an interest from plenty of other users who are excited to have more on-device space for storing everything locally on the Apple TV itself. There are a number of criteria that must be met before the cash is handed over, however, so check out the rules if you think you have a shot at answering the prayers of claustrophobic Apple TV owners.
