Category: Hardware »

While not as interesting as the other new iOS controller we talked about earlier, the Duo Gamer, the Duo Pinball controller is a pretty cool device, but perhaps with a very small audience.

The Duo Pinball is well made, solid, and the buttons and spring launcher both feel of pretty good quality. The device uses AA batteries, an AC adpater would have been nice for the price. The iPad attachement is a bit fiddly, but solid once you get everything lined up properly.

Actually playing the games, works well. The controls are responsive and the addition of the spring launcher is fantastic.

The real problem with this device is that it only works with Pinball HD Collection. While a great pinball app, it's still too restrictive to have a $60 controller for, except for the most die-hard pinball fans.

The Duo Pinball controller will be available soon from Apple.com, Traget, and Amazon. But I'm guessing most readers will wait for it to go on sale.

Sure we've seen other good controllers for iOS like the iCade. But the Duo Gamer is the first controller approved and supported by Apple. Let that sink in. The first controller officially approved and supported by Apple.

It's the first game controller that doesn't need to pretend like it's a keyboard; it can be a controller. Core gamer nirvana? Slow down those dual analog stick loving thumbs for a second and take a look at this beast.

It's true, it's a real controller for iOS, but there are some downsides. Well, one really big one. You see, to meet Apple's guidelines for a fully supported external device, the device can only work with a single developer's apps. In this case, that means that this controller will only fully work with Gameloft games. It is not, and can never be (under current rules) a universal controller. It is yet to be seen if other developers may be able to unofficially support it. But even if so, without rule changes by Apple, it will only be supported by Gameloft games.

But back to the good stuff. This is a dual analog controller, and it is for Gameloft, the presumed leader in first person shooters on iOS. And if any genre needs strong controller support, it's FPS.

To use the controller, it first needs to be connected to your device. To do so, you connect the controller via Bluetooth. A simple and quick connection. It works with any iOS device that supports Bluetooth. A recent iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad should work fine.

Once the Duo Gamer is conected, if you don't have any supported games installed, a dialog pops up and takes you to the App Store with a list of supported games. That's what official Apple support gives you. A special window on the App Store just for your device. Huge.

I put the controller through it's paces. And while it may not be the most comfortable controller to hold, a little thick, heavy, and blocky for long sessions, it is the best I've tried for iOS. Perhaps the official support makes it a bit more responsive than others, not sure. I'm not completely sure of the technology being used, and the companies involved have been expectedly quiet on it.

The Duo Gamer has dual analog joysticks, a 4-way gamepad, and six buttons (ABXY on the front and two shoulder buttons). That makes it fairly functional for the games we tried. And with the greater hardware support--meaning it doesn't have to play tricks and act like a keyboard--it functions much more smoothly. With other controllers we would occasionally lose a button click or joystick movement--likely a key press event being missed. This hasn't happened with the Duo Gamer controller. Impressive.

After spending a lot of time in NOVA 3, one of the three games currently supported (of a promised six or more), seemed like a dream compared to the touch system, which was already one of the best for a first person shooter on iOS. It's how a game like this was meant to be played. Targetting was a breeze. Movement seemed much more natural. I flew through the already familiar levels, the dual analog sticks giving me new found precise control. It's like a breath of fresh air. Though the button mapping could be better, it is hopefully fixable in an update to NOVA 3.

Asphalt 7 was likewise a great treat. Really being able to use fine control, the car steering alone is almost worth the $80 cost of the controller. Order and Chaos benefits as well, but perhaps the least of the three.

The Duo Gamer controller will be available in a couple days via the Apple online store and Amazon. The downside is it will set you back $80. Perhaps a bit steep when you consider that's more than the cost of all of the games it supports combined. But, if you are a core gamer, looking for an experience on iOS like you are used to on consoles, it's easier to justify.

We can only hope that this controller will be a huge success and we see Apple loosen the rules around external devices a bit. A universal controller would really be a huge boost to the core gaming segment on iOS. But for now, we at least have this controller for the developer making some of the best FPS games on the App Store. It's a step in the right direction.

As I'm sure everyone on the planet knows, the iPhone 5 comes out this week. If you are a heavy iPhone user you no doubt have some sort of a battery like our favorite, the Mophie for your iPhone. With the iPhone 5 release and the new Lightning connector, these old devices won't work. And Mophie and others don't yet have Lightning and iPhone 5 compatible devices available. We've found a solution, and have also found a great deal for you.

New Trent makes some of our favorite external batteries for recharging all kinds of USB connected devices. The IMP 120D is a massive 12,000mAh at about 1 1/2 the size of a deck of cards. That's enough to recharge the iPhone 5 multiple times. It is a USB charger -- meaning that you plug in a USB cable into the battery and then connect that to your device to charge it. So it works with a wide variety of devices. We've used our with iPhones, iPads, other phones, even digital cameras.

We got an email about a special deal from New Trent and Amazon.com, if you buy the New Trent IMP 120D, and use coupon code 3IMIRROR on Amazon, you get a second, slimmer 6,000mAh battery ($40 value) for free. Here's how to do it:

Add the IMP 120D to your Amazon cart from this link: New Trent IMP 120D

Add the iMirror, 6,000mAh battery to your Amazon cart: New Trent iMirror

Go to your cart on Amazon and enter promo code: 3IMIRROR and the price of the iMirror will be discounted to $0! One note - we have no idea how long this deal will last. If this looks good to you, buy it quickly.

Now when you get the batteries, just plug in the Lightning USB cable you got with your iPhone 5 and you are all set to recharge on the go.

iPhone gaming and mobile phone gaming in general are poised to take over the entire handheld gaming market but there is still one big thing holding them back. Touch controls can be great but they are no replacement for responsive, dedicated, physical buttons. Plenty of hardware manufacturers have tried to fix this problem with varying degrees of a success and now a new challenger, Bladepad, is trying to enter the fight.

Bladepad is a slim, protective case that adds a directional pad, two analog sticks, four shoulder buttons, and four face buttons to an iPhone all with full back-lighting. Like a PSPgo or Xperia Play, players can slide the buttons back underneath phone when they are not needed or just easily remove the case entirely. The case and phone can be simultaneously charged over USB and “the battery life is competitive with both the Nintendo 3DS and Sony PS Vita.” Bladepad, LLC says that the product will work with any iOS device using Bluetooth 4.0 including the iPhone 4S, the new iPad, and presumably whatever new iPhone comes out this fall.

However, the project is still in need of funding. Those interested should check out the Bladepad Kickstarter page where one can pre-order at reduced prices along with shirts and other prizes. Bladepad is currently slated for release this holiday season for $99.

Fresh off the announcement of their solar-charging bluetooth keyboard case for the iPad, Logitech is back with a new solar-charging keyboard, the Wireless Solar Keyboard K760. However, there's one powerful feature in this keyboard that will make it extremely attractive to power users: it has the ability to pair and switch between multiple devices. This means that it could easily be connected to the Mac, then taken to another room with the iPad, and then on the go with the iPhone, with its ability to switch between three devices. The multiple device support, combined with the fact that it doesn't need to have its batteries replaced, and its similar layout to the official Apple Bluetooth keyboard, may make it a more attractive option for anyone shopping for an Apple-compatible keyboard. Now, if only they could find a way to make the Magic Trackpad solar-powered. That thing eats through AA batteries like Pac-Man. The Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 will be available this June for an MSRP of $79.99.

With all of Apple’s relatively recent success in the smartphone and tablet market, we can forget sometimes that what kicked off their modern dominance was a device that simply played music. BICOM, Inc. has been recognizing how important music is to the company with their playGo series of iOS receiver systems. The newest model, the playGo AP1, is their biggest leap forward yet.

Previous playGo models used USB interfaces but the playGo AP1 instead streams audio wirelessly using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Apple’s own AirPlay functionality. Music from iOS devices, iTunes and other services like Pandora, Rhapsody, and Spotify are wirelessly pushed to speakers with their high-fidelity audio intact. The playGO AP1 also retains built in USB for compatibility with older devices.

Unfortunately, the project is still in need of funding. However, interested buyers can check out the playGo AP1 Kickstarter page and purchase one early for $199. The funding deadline in July 5th and if it’s a success, expect to see the playGo AP1 released shortly thereafter.

Logitech has announced a new iPad accessory that's a really bright idea – literally. The Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio is a folio-style case with a built-in Bluetooth keyboard that will work for typing on the iPad, with support for the iPad 2 and the new iPad. The internal rechargeable batteries are charged by light, whether it be the sun, or even light from indoor lamps. The battery capacity is such that Logitech claims that on a full charge, the battery will last 2 years at a rate of 2 hours daily usage. This sounds bold, but the Logitech Keyboard Case by Zagg can easily go months between charges as well.

The solar cells appear to be on the outer side of the folio holding the keyboard, so it appears as if charging while typing is not possible. The case is designed to hold the iPad in two ways: one for typing, and the other for media watching, where only the front row of keys which contains media keys is available. The case is expected to retail for $129.99, and can be preordered now from Logitech's website.