Jan 06, 2013

Mobile gaming is increasingly becoming popular, with the number of users rising by the day. Probably the main obstacle lies in touch screen controls that are not always comfortable. Despite the fact that today there are devices like Control Pad and iCade that were made to solve the issue, these require the user to connect additional accessory.

Recently two Kick starter projects were developed to make gaming on iPhone easier. Besides, these devices double as cases.

WynCASE

The minimalist design and concept is rather simple. The case resembles an Apple prototype. Instead of transmitting signals to the handset via Bluetooth, it transmits touch signals to the edge of the screen, which means no additional battery drain.

It is also worth mentioning that the case is reversible. When the user finished gaming, they can easily remove the case, flip it around, and leave the controls on the device's backside.


FlipSide

This device takes a more custom approach to input, by sending signals via Bluetooth. The design regarding the charging method comes from previous cases. With the help of Bluetooth 4.0 and rechargeable thin film batteries, the user can charge the device using solar energy.

But a case that requires constant sunlight may not be suitable for everyone. With this in mind designers from Flipside say that their iPhone case will also harness indirect sunlight and indoor lighting.

In addition, the developers also hope to increase the battery's longevity. According to them, the battery will still work 10 years from now.

Just like the previous case, this one is reversible, and can also play the role of a traditional case. The control pads on the case snap off, and stored on the device's backside.


Solving Problems with Compatibility

Both projects are in need of collaboration with game developers. However, today there's a myriad of games in the App Store.

Nov 13, 2012

This F1 race car simulator looks awesome but it also comes at the cost of a real race vehicle.

It is worth mentioning that the simulator was created by FMCG International. The goal of the designers was to make a simulator that would look and feel like a real race car. They even designed genuine F1 car tires and brakes to provide more similarities with the genuine F1 car shape.

The simulator is available in red, silver, or black colors that represent the corporate colors of Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren respectively.

The user faces three 23-inch flat screens displaying the road. The simulator is also equipped with a 5.1 surround sound system.

Unfortunately the US4,790 FMCG simulator can only be acquired via Costco in the UK. As soon as all of its components are ready, the simulator is brought and installed. In addition, a person from FMCG will teach the user how to properly handle the simulator.

Apr 25, 2012

The famous Taiwanese electronics company and developer of computer parts, MSI, has recently launched onto the market two of its brand new gaming notebooks, called the GT60 and the GT70.

The presentation of was made at the CeBIT computer expo that took place in March. MSI unveiled the mind-blowing specs of its machines. Thus, inside one will be able to discover Intel's new Ivy Bridge 2.3 GHz Core i7-3610QM processor and the GeForce GTX 670M graphics card from NVIDIA.

In addition, each of the two gaming notebooks boasts SteelSeries backlit keyboards, Killer Game Networking Wi-Fi radios, 2 Dynaudio speakers and a subwoofer with THX Surround Sound.

The GT60 is a bit smaller, featuring a 15.6-inch body and a display with a resolution of 1080p. Gamers will also benefit from 500 gigabytes of storage capacity.

The GT70 model is equipped with a 17.3-inch display that has a resolution of 1080p. In case you wish to buy one, you have the possibility to select up to 16 GB of RAM and a specific Blu-ray burner. The by-default GT70 model has a 12 GB RAM on it.

It is also possible to choose two 64 GB SSDs in combination with a 750 GB 7,200 RPM HDD. The weight of the GT70 model is 8.6 pounds while the GT60 weights around 7.7 pounds.

The starting price of each notebook is USD1,500. However, it can go up, depending on the specs, and reach USD2,000. Nevertheless it will still be a great device for any gamer.

Jan 19, 2012

Since 2009 DesignworksUSA, a design consultancy that also happens to be a subsidiary of BMW Group, has been working with Thermaltake, a company that produces PC cases and components. The duo managed to successfully complete a number of projects, including the Level 10 concept PC.

Recently the duo decided to work on a series of design concepts for a number of Level 10 gaming accessories that will be developed for the Thermaltake's e-sports division.

One of the first gaming products is expected to be the Level 10 M Mouse that will be launched later this year.

The main design feature of the mouse will be the upper hand plate that seems to float above the base on which the circuits of the device sit.

In addition, the Level 10 M mouse boasts a perforated surface, developed to help prevent the user's palm from getting too hot and sweaty.

According to the images, the computer mouse is a wired device with an aluminum chassis. Its price is yet to be stated.

Jan 09, 2012

Having the goal of motivating young people to join them, the US Army decided to team up with CTA Digital and release its own line of gaming peripherals, which includes rifle controllers, backpacks and headsets.

It is worth mentioning that all peripherals boast an authentic US Army design. In addition, all of them can be used with different platforms, including PS, Xbox, PC and Wii.

Currently there are 3 different rifles, 3 headsets and a backpack that allows the gamer to carry the gaming console.

According to CTA, several new products will soon be launched. Among them one will be able to find two Assault Rifle controllers for PlayStation 3 that can work like DualShock controllers.

"These controllers will have all the functions of the Dualshock mapped out on them, including the R1 button linked to the trigger," mentioned CTA.

Using the two rifles, gamers will be able to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Battlefield 3.

The US Army Sniper Action Rifle will be released for Move players. With its help players will be able to closely match their in-game guns by removing the detachable scope, rear stock or muzzle. It will allow gamers to play Resistance 3, Killzone 3, Socom 4.

Dec 19, 2011

In September the famous developer of gaming peripherals, Corsair, has unveiled its new line of Vengeance gaming keyboards and mice.

Recently it became known that these peripherals have finally hit the stores, which means that gamers will be able to benefit from a more comfortable gaming during the holiday period.

It is worth mentioning that the Vengeance line features 4 brand new input gadgets, including the Vengeance K60 and Vengeance K90 gaming keyboards, and the Vengeance M60 and Vengeance M90 gaming mice respectively.

The two new keyboards are made of aluminum. The M90 gaming mouse features 15 programmable buttons. It also boats a built-in flash memory that allows the user to save macros in up to 6 profiles that can be easily switched.

The K90 keyboard costs 9, the M90 mouse wears a price tag of 9, the price of the K60 keyboard is 9 and M60 can be acquired for .

Below you can check out a promotional video to learn more about Corsair's latest gaming devices.

Nov 18, 2011

We don't write about video games here but this time we decided to make an exception and later you will understand why. The reason is the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 that managed to break another record in sales.

Just five days after its release the video game was able to gather a whooping figure of 5 million. This record break the older one set by the previous Call of Duty that gathered 0 million in the first five days after the launch.

In addition, the figure registered by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is not only the most remarkable among video games. It surpassed all other entertainment products such as movies and music albums in terms of earning in the first days of release.

It would be also interesting to note that Activision also unveiled other incredible statistics on the number of that have been playing the video game on Xbox Live. Here are the numbers:

- 7 million online multiplayer hours were logged in the game by the end of launch day;
- at a certain point there were 3.3 million players playing the game at the same time.

Nov 14, 2011

Today gamers do not have to sit at home to play their favorite video games. A lot of interesting games are now developed for smartphone. The latter, however, lack the control that gaming consoles have.

With this in mind, the British and German developers have come up with the iControlPad Bluetooth gaming controller. With its help gamers can make use of one directional pad, 4 action buttons, 2 analog gaming controls and Select and Start buttons. The rear of the device has left and right trigger buttons.

The device is compatible with nearly all smartphones. You simple have to attach your phone to the device and play. It also has a metal clamp to hold the handset securely over the controller (check out the image).

Initially the gadget was created as a clip-over, wired smartphone gaming controller but since then it has turned into a stand-alone wireless due to an incorporated Bluetooth module.

It would be interesting to note that the iControlPad can also be connected to almost any tablet computer and fully-grown gaming consoles.

The controller has been tested with several smartphones for compatibility. The list of handsets tested with the iControlPad includes: Blackberry Torch, Samsung's Galaxy2 and 2S, the iPhone, HTC's Desire HD and the LG Optimus S.

Besides, the built-in 1350mAh battery can not only power the device, but also charge a smartphone using a USB adapter. Here's also a flash chip that can be used for upgrades.

The gadget can be used as an alternative for a Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, and Human Interface Device (HID) joypad.

Oct 31, 2011

Developed for tough gamers, this modular keyboard called Levetron Mech4 from AZiO features a numeric keypad and macro D-pad with 6 programmable keys that the user can configure to their taste.

In addition, to work perfectly during heavy gaming, the keyboard was equipped with special seals and drainage gutters. Thus gamers will never have to worry about spills that can ruin their game.

The company also mentioned that thanks to the Cherry MX Black switch tech, the keys have anti-ghosting feature that allows gamers to press several keys at the same time and each key has a lifespan of 50 million keystrokes.

By using the included software, users are free to customize the whole keyboard, being able to create and save as much profiles as they like.

In addition, the Levetron Mech4 has a large knob (at the top of the device) used to control the volume and the user can even adjust the height using one of the 3 levels.

The keyboard can also serves as an USB hub for several low-powered gadgets. The numeric keypad has its own USB cable, which means that it can be used as a standalone peripheral.

The price of the device is $ 109.99.

Oct 06, 2011

If you're an online gamer and you want to outplay your rivals using something more than just your own skills, then check out this cheat-friendly Xbox 360 controller.

Developed by Datel, a British developer of game accessories, the device, called Turbo Fire EVO Wireless Controller, boasts a 1.7-inch LCD display, which allows gamers to easily fine-tune settings all through gameplay.

Unfortunately (or not) the LCD display is not touch-enabled, so players have to use the thumbsticks and face buttons on the underside of the device.



Some of the options that a user can activate by pushing the buttons include the ability to increase of slow down the speed of camera plan, alter the fast fire rate, map combo sequences to just one button, turn on the "sniper mode," and adjust the options in case you're a left-handed.

It is also possible to connect the device to a computer through USB and download extra custom profiles for different video games. The Turbo Fire EVO Wireless Controller syncs directly with Microsoft's console and features a headset port for Xbox LIVE play.

The device is currently priced at $ 55.

Oct 03, 2011

In order to make a car-racing video mage more realistic, Thrustmaster, a firm that designs and developer joysticks, game controllers, and steering wheels for PCs and consoles has released a new Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On.

The device represents an accurate full-size replica of the 150-degree Italia racing wheel that is currently used in Formula 1 racing cars.

With the help of a quick release attachment, the new wheel replaces the stock one on the Thrustmaster T500 RS unit.

It would be interesting to note that the wheel boasts a rubberized coating. In addition, the developer used scratched-resistant metal finish to make the facing and "push and pull" shifters of the wheel.

The user may also find some extra controls, including 2 encoder rotary knobs, which help the gamer adjust car settings, 3 metal switches to re-center the wheel, 2 high-pressure eight-directional D-pads, and 8 double detent push-buttons.

The F1 wheel has two modes: advanced, which involves the use of 25 action buttons and the D-pad, and normal mode, in which players are free to use 13 buttons and three D-pads.

In the end it might be worthy to note that the Thrustmaster Ferrari F1 Wheel Add-On is compatible with PC and PlayStation 3 platforms. It will hit the market this October, wearing a price tag of $ 199.99.