CES 2012: iCade Mobile turns the iPhone into a handheld

[garyopa]

You literally insert your iPhone/iPod into a traditional pad with this accessory.

http://www.maxconsole.com/maxconsole/contents/RKLS000000621/icon_xl.jpg

ION's iCade Mobile, a new bluetooth accessory, provides a d-pad and buttons to your iPhone and iPod Touch. Also, there's a new revision for the original iCade for the iPad.

ION has revealed a new peripheral for the iOS devices. The original iCade allowed iPad users to turn their device into an arcade cabinet, adding a joystick and eight buttons.

Now at CES, the company is applying the concept to the iPhone and iPod Touch with iCade Mobile, a new add-on that allows players to play their favorite iOS games with a full d-pad and action buttons.

Same as the original, the new version will connect to your iPhone or iPod using Bluetooth. The device adds four lateral buttons, four central buttons and a d-pad.

ION also introduced the iCade Core, a new design variation for the original iCade, which ditches the wooden cabinet in favor of a simple controller/dock solution for iPad users.

Seems the iCade Mobile will retail for $79.95. A bit high, but the concept surely looks interesting.


http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2012/01/icadecoreces-mobile312.jpeg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41KvOxxvbNQ

NEWS SOURCE: CES iCade turns your iPhone into a handheld (via) IGN (http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/01/09/ces-icade-mobile-turns-your-iphone-into-a-handheld)

Our thanks to 'Gauss' for keeping an eye on the CES 2012 show for all of our Maxconsole readers!

[DEDDOA]

definete improvement on lame touch screen controls that are usually iffy at best, but then it is on the hoooooge side, and looks even bigger with the small Ipod screen. Kind of almost but not quite, makes me gald that O2 replaced my X10i due to a bust usb port, with a hideous white Xperia Play (as a gaming phone it's good tho the crappy touchpad pretend analogue control is barely effective, it still sucks as a camera phone compared to my old X10, which O2 sadly no longer carry so couldn't replace). I do like that you can turn the phone tho for vertical games.

[Ahmed_p800]

WoW, this looks ugly fugly!!
Im sticking to my Xperia play, but I want an updated version!

I still get WoWs from people around me when I show them Super Mario Bros running on it! ;)

[wewii]

This is exactly why traditional buttons and sticks will be superior to touch-control.

Nothing will beat physical controls... not touch-screens, not motion controllers, not Kinect.

You need the physical feed back of a real controller to play most games.


Plus what do you think will happen when the next 10 iPhones are released within the next 2 years..... this device will be instantly useless.... for whatever reason

[iLLNESS]

interestingly enough, benheck just did the same device using the original icade bluetooth module. id say this is much better though as benhecks mods are pretty shoddy these days. he really needs to just stick to the electronic side of things and avoid using hotglue and ide cable for everything.

[Nicotine]

This is exactly why traditional buttons and sticks will be superior to touch-control.

Nothing will beat physical controls... not touch-screens, not motion controllers, not Kinect.

You need the physical feed back of a real controller to play most games.


Plus what do you think will happen when the next 10 iPhones are released within the next 2 years..... this device will be instantly useless.... for whatever reason

I think you're mistaking iPhone with "android". samsung themselves have released 16+ android phones in less than 2 years world wide.

iphone within the last 2 years..... 2! 1 phone a year. I don't know what planet you're living on, but on earth we see one iphone a year. true story.

[Xenogears V]

Very nice, but I think the paradox to have the buttons on a tauch screen.

[billysastard]

wow, a new way to make this weeks iphone even bigger than any games console since the merlin and it still only offers basic controls.

[wewii]

I think you're mistaking iPhone with "android". samsung themselves have released 16+ android phones in less than 2 years world wide.

iphone within the last 2 years..... 2! 1 phone a year. I don't know what planet you're living on, but on earth we see one iphone a year. true story.

Ya but unlike Apple.... no body cares if your android phone is a model behind.

iFans make it seem like such a big deal that if you are still using a iPhone 4 (NON-S) or iPad 1... then you are a loser living in the stone age.

Plus Samsung creates quality hardware that doesn't break after the very first drop.

[Cantenna]

Id like to see hand held controls for the iPad as well. Arcade stick is cool but would like to see some portabilty. Perhaps a seperate controller

[JonathanD]

wow, a new way to make this weeks iphone even bigger than any games console since the merlin and it still only offers basic controls.

Too bad it doesn't have shoulder buttons too, then you could at least use it for SNES emulation.

[spooner]

I reckon it needs an analog stick!
But phone gaming is well...phone gaming.
Still better off buying a psp or 3ds or something if you REALLY want to play games...