Red Xbox 360 Controller Available for $64.99

Microsoft has just announced that players will now be able to purchase a red Xbox 360 controller with black accents for a limited time.The controller will be available for $64.99 (USD) and will be wireless up to 30 feet. The package will also include a Play & Charge cable and a red rechargeable battery good for about 25 hours of use. The controller is available in the US, Canada, Latin America, Austrailia, New Zealand and Asia.
Source Gameplasma

The pads and mods on flickr

The interesting thing about flickr is the amount of pics people show of their mods and rare controllers.

The most interesting find is this large NES controller in early progress.


Not much info as yet, but hopefully a Nes version of the SNES version posted on here last month. The modder mrdodd, has also put up a mp3 player inside a nes controller.
What ever the case we'll keep you posted.

Some other interesting pictures of this agetec Dreamcast stick mod, by zapeipaa.




"I switched the crappy joystick for a Seimitsu LS-32-02 and I love it so far. This is the guide I used (thanks to GaijinP for the link):

www.geocities.co.jp/AnimeComic-Name/4989/dc/dc.html

The guy uses a Sanwa stick, which is smaller. I had to cut off all plastic around to mount the LS-32-02. Also, the Seimitsu harness has different colors, so I had to do trial and error to find which wire to attach to which. Thanks to the landlord who lent me his awesome tools, without them I couldn't have done it."

Games will have to be programmed to support new Xbox 360 LE controller improvements

At last month's Leipzig Games Convention, Konami mentioned that a new Xbox 360 limited-edition controller would be coming to Europe. The company's spokesperson said that the green controller would be released alongside Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, and it was unveiled alongside the game at the show.

The Xbox 360 controller has received criticism for its directional pad, which is why this new pad sees a 16-way upgrade. That's up from the eight directions on the regular pad, although everything else on the joypad remains the same as before.

According to Microsoft, the new limited-edition green wireless controller offers "enhancements to D pad functionality, which will add to the experience of playing games where the D pad is the primary control mechanism." While only Pro Evo has been announced as supporting the new pad, various rumours suggest other games may offer support, including Street Fighter IV; however, when we spoke to Capcom about the matter, it declined to comment.

We tried the new controller at Leipzig 2008 and found it was fairly difficult to notice the difference. In office tests on Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 and Forza Motorsport 2, the control pad performed at the same standard as regular controllers on both games. It appears that games will have to be programmed to support the new pad or retrospectively offer downloadable updates.

Source gamespot

Street Fighter IV controllers Revealed

Here's the first look at the new Street Fighter IV controllers from Madcatz, as you can see they've not only got the joypads, but arcade sticks as well. These designs are still subject to change, but they look very impressive, but lets see if the build quality matches.
Source gamemanx.

Click the images for a larger look!

Playstation 3 boomerang controller

Wow, now this is interesting, how many of you guys remembered the original PS3 prototype controller?
Well some very clever chaps at benheck, in this case forum poster HotDog-Cart, has let us imagine how it would of been to have actually had that controller, rather than the simple (if it ain't broke update it) Duel shock 3!

"What I basically did was take a cheap PS2 boomerang-ish shaped controller, and take its guts out and modify a REAL official Six Axis Controller and put it inside the shell. I also expanded the shell 15%.

I got the controller painted black, so it would be a batman inspired "Batarang Controller".

Please excuse my picture quality. My 5mp camera thinks brand new batteries, are dead. Also, excuse my bondo job. It was my first time.
You can see the white PS button. I didnt put any image there due to copyright reasons."


Source Hackaday

NFGcontrols

Insert credit, have posted about a site that The Joypad mentioned earlier last month, which is a joypad/stick review and modding site.

Lawrence/NFG has a new site, to (as he says) "get this festering love of controllers out of my system." It's called NFGcontrols, and has reviews, how-to guides for hacking and modification, and features about controller theory. It's all pretty nifty stuff - like this mod that allows use of a Neo Geo, Atari, or FM Towns sticks on a wireless 360 pad (not in the cleanest way, but still). This post is also interesting, regarding the two manufacturers of PS1 pads - one of whom was excellent, and the other, not so.

The limied addition xbox controller reviewed

xbox live adicts have reviewed the new limited addition Xbox 360 pad, which apparently has an improved D-Pad, and was to conincide with pro evolution soccer 2009.
"Recently a new wireless green controller was announced with an improved D-Pad. It was first shown at the Leipzig Games Convention.

At first glance you may be forgiven for thinking it looks no different to any other Xbox 360 controller, except for the colour, but it all comes down to the mechanism in the D-Pad.

"The new limited-edition green wireless controller offers enhancements to d-Pad functionality, which will add to the experience of playing games where the d-Pad is the primary control mechanism. We're always looking to improve products and we made these changes based on feedback from gamers." Microsoft stated. "
Source xbox live addicts

Belkin Working On iPhone Game Controller?

Until now, the iControlPad was the official-unofficial gamepad add-on for Jailbroken iPhones and iPod Touches.

If a leaked advert posted on iPhone games site Touch Arcade is to be believed, though, that may be about to change. The ad shows a device — apparently bearing the Belkin brand name — that looks like a much more complete version of the iControlPad.

The device has 8 buttons and fits around your iPhone like a sleeve, giving it a pleasing round-edged shape.

It might be a fake, but Belkin are no strangers to third-party add-ons. If it is real, will it be officially supported? The iPhone badly needs some kind of control pad, but will this meet Steve Jobs' exacting aesthetic standards and be recognized by the App Store?
Source kotaku

Nyko's Wing Wii controller floats into your waiting hands

Love your Wii but tiring of your standard control options? Looking for something that involves less arm swinging, feels a little bit more like an Xbox or PS3 experience, and loses that Classic Controller cable? Well the folks from Nyko are here for you, and they want to hold you all night long... and they brought the Wing. What's the Wing you ask? It's essentially a standard gamepad on highly concentrated crack-cocaine. The wireless controller features two analog sticks and a plethora of buttons (both up front and around the back), and can run for around 30 hours on a pair of AAA batteries. No word on price or release date, but if you notice a sudden crime wave and rash of unexplained fires, the Wing is probably out.
Source engadget

Force Feedback Firm Pays Microsoft

San Jose's Immersion Corp., purveyor of all things force feedback, said Tuesday that it will pay Microsoft $21 million to settle litigation that cropped up in June last year, a legal web which also involved Sony.

Now that the Microsoft and Immersion have come to terms, Immersion will become part of Microsoft’s Certified Partner Program.

Immersion's settlement will be a one-time payment for the full amount. Additional terms of the settlement are confidential.

Immersion had sued Microsoft for patent infringement in 2002, accusing the software giant of using its vibration technology in game controllers without permission. The two companies supposedly settled out of court in 2003.

But the two firms did not see eye-to-eye on one of the terms of the settlement agreement, bringing Microsoft to sue the company. Immersion allegedly agreed to give the Microsoft a cut of the bounty if the force feedback company settled its controller suit with Sony, which was also being sued by Immersion.

When Sony and Immersion settled for $121 million in 2007, Microsoft came knocking for its purported share, suing the company. Immersion said it wasn't obligated to pay Microsoft, and filed a counterclaim.

Now it appears the dispute is truly in the past. "We are pleased to resolve our outstanding dispute with Microsoft and to put this litigation behind us," said Immersion CEO Clent Richardson in a statement.
Source edge online

chrome joypad is a shiny fingerprint magnet

I don’t care how much I have to buff my oily prints off of this chrome joypad. I want one. I can’t believe in all of the years that game controllers have been made that nobody has thought to make one before. And yes, this one isn’t some cheap plastic masquerading as chrome. It’s actually made from metal.

This polished chrome joypad comes to us courtesy of China’s Dream Cheeky, makers of all sorts of fun USB gadgets and gizmos. The shiny metal controller features an 8-way directional pad, four game buttons, start/select buttons and shoulder triggers. The back of the controller is covered with rubber, giving you a better grip than if the entire thing were slippery metal.

It plugs into the USB port on any PC (there’s conflicting info on Mac compatibility), and offers shiny gaming goodness for your computer games. They’ve also got a nifty chrome USB hub, if you don’t have a spare port to plug this thing into. Now all I need is a version that’ll work with my PS3 or Xbox 360 and I’ll be really happy.

No word yet on pricing or where you can pick one of these shiny things up, but while you’re waiting, check out the other cool stuff over on the Dream Cheeky website.
Source technabob

360 Gets Improved Controller, But Only For A Limited Time

No sooner have we hated on the 360 pad's useless d-pad for the 1,165th time than we hear that a new 360 control pad is on the showroom floor at Leipzig. Microsoft, your sense of timing is impeccable. While the pad looks identical to the existing one, the d-pad is apparently much-improved, as it can now register movement in 32 directions, as opposed to the existing one's...4. That's the good news. The bad news? Well, the bad news is comical. Microsoft told Eurogamer the improved controller will only be available for a limited time, as it's a tie-in with Pro Evo 2009. And not just that, they say it'll only be available in Europe, Asia and Latin America. It'll be out on October 24, so if you want (or want to import one) one, get in early.
Source kotaku