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PadRacer lets you draw your own track, join two iPads together and steer with iPhones
Retro 2D top-down racing is enjoying somewhat of a comeback thanks to the iPad. The large screen and adaptable control schemes mean that games like Micro Machines are once again fun to play on a portable screen. PadRacer is one such top-down racing game that takes retro to a whole new level and attempts to leverage the power of the iPad and iPhone to bring an enjoyable social gaming experience. %Gallery-124399%
Centrafuse leads to iPhone control via touchscreen, carputer dreams come to life (video)
We've seen countless individuals integrate their phone, PMP or tablet into their whip, but for years, we've all been thinking the same thing: "There has to be an easier way." Turns out, there is. One Mr. Romin has seemingly unearthed the solution, which involves a Lilliput FA1042 touchpanel, a Belkin AV dock adapter cable and a critical piece of software by the name of Centrafuse. Working in conjunction, he has enabled his monitor to actually control the iPhone, and when firing up a YouTube video, the content plays back on the big screen while the controls remain visible on the handset. It's a nifty setup, for sure, and we're downright excited to see this rig get installed in a vehicle far too small for American roads in a fortnight or so. For now, catch it working in action just past the break.
Chill out with the iPhone-powered massage chair
We've seen an iPhone-controlled R2-D2, a quadricopter, a dog treat dispenser, a tank, and even an iPhone-controlled soda machine. But c'mon people, let's get a little more practical here -- let's hook it up to a massage chair. That's exactly what Human Touch did with the HT-9500. For just US$4,999, you can sit back, relax, and let your iPhone do the massaging. The free HT-Connect app designed to work with the chair allows you to control posture and massage frequency, and you can even set schedules and create programs designed to work your back in just the right way. Sure, sure, playing Angry Birds or texting friends on your iPhone might be cheaper, but this chair lets you -- oh wait. Yeah, that's the... oh yeah, right there. Oooohhhh yyeeahhhhh. [via Engadget]
iSimulate brings iPhone apps to the big screen
Apple's iPhone simulator built into Xcode is nice, but it doesn't completely replicate the actual feel of playing with an iPhone (not to mention that things like multitouch and accelerometer info can't be tested on screen). Enter iSimulate, a new app from a company called vimov. In conjunction with a program on your Mac, it allows you to take the input (including multitouch and accelerometer) of an iPhone, and wirelessly connect it to an app running on your monitor. The effect, as you can see above, is basically an iPhone controlling a big-screen app.Which has all sorts of possibilities. Developers can use it to both test and show off their apps, which is nice. But perhaps more importantly, (assuming it works smoothly -- we haven't tested it yet) it will let people use apps on their big screen monitors. Playing on the iPhone's screen is fun and all, but wouldn't it be nicer to play on two big screens at the same time?The app might not quite be ready for that use quite yet -- not only is the app for your Mac called an "SDK" (which definitely means it's meant for developers, not gamers), but the price might be prohibitive as well. They launched it at $2, and the price is going up exponentially (it's now $8) until it arrives at its final price of $32. But this is definitely a great idea. And it if happens to be popular even at that price (for consumers and developers), we wouldn't be surprised to see Apple finally "get it" in terms of bringing some of the App Store's offerings to their own big screen.
Prototype iControlPad proves itself on video
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]
