60beat GamePad controller plugs into iOS sound jack

[Video Link] This $50 controller looks cool, and the man in the video seems much nicer than Paul Christoforo. 60beat GamePad controller

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Dan Woods

The 60Beat is an inelegant Hack which abuses the Headphone Port.

Airsoft and Pangeasoft should have dedicated more development towards USB and Bluetooth Controller compatibility. The USB Port in the Camera Connection kit works with Keyboards and other not-officially-supported devices. The Bluetooth Interface of iOS 5 provides the type of low-level interface required for Input devices like Game Controllers.

Supporting USB and Bluetooth Controllers would have the added benefit of being compatible with other devices. The 60beat isn’t suitable for Android and Windows Phone 7 Devices. Android Devices already support USB Controllers (I’m not sure about Bluetooth controllers).
- hoyun
  
  I’ve been using both the PS3 and Wii controllers to play ROMs on my Touchpad running Android. I’m sure there is a method for the same on an iPad provided you jailbreak it.
- pasq242
  
  bluetooth pads work on android.
  
  http://www.gamestop.com/android/accessories/tablet-wireless-bluetooth-controller/97838
- driestone
  
  Sorry, I didn’t see your elegant game pad mentioned on Boing Boing, perhaps you could direct us to where we could purchase it? Or maybe you’re talking about someone else’s Bluetooth or USB controller that works with iOS. Oh wait… there isn’t one with the same capability and you’re just trolling? Oh ok.
  
  Perhaps the developer didn’t want to develop a product that required the purchase of an additional $30 piece of hardware. Beyond that, you’re only half right about bluetooth. Bluetooth interface does provide low-level interface if you add an authentication chip and pay Apple licenses, so now your $50 controller costs more like $80. You can use a Bluetooth keyboard (or emulate one like the iCade), but I would imagine that faking analog controls must have been even more difficult that way.
  
  Honestly, Android audio processing is a joke (as in there isn’t any kind of low-latency sound processing), which is why you don’t see a Garage Band equivalent on Android. Probably the same reason the game pad doesn’t work with Android.
http://codeflow.org/ Florian Bösch

yo 60beat, I’m really happy for you, imma let you finish but how do I get audio output to non-crappy speakers? I doubt iOS jack ports can do double-penetration.

Does that ever happen to you? Awkward… design flaw.
- oasisob1
  
  That was my first question, but damn, what a neat trick! I mean, besides not being able to wear headphones while I play games, it looks like a great gamepad for ipad.
  
  @Dan Woods: Christ, what an asshole.
- driestone
  
  They ship a splitter that allows you to use your headphones at the same time. So… not so awkward after all.
zombienietzsche

” [...] plugs into iOS sound jack”

Good god that phrase is so bad it makes my head hurt.
CSBD

Now all they need to add to the ipad is a keyboard, more memory, a DVD burner, a mouse, and a 24″ screen.

Then it would be the perfect iPad.
- CountZero
  
  Then it would be a laptop. I’m sure you already have one of those, if not, there are plenty out there for your perusal.
  - HahTse
    
    Well, duh.
gmg761

Cool idea, Only two games supported so far ಠ_ಠ … Also comes with y adapter for headphones but may not fit case.

Kinda pricey would expect bluetooth for that price, but Apple probably wouldn’t allow that.

BTstack and Jailbreak emulation/appz was cooler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H98MZD67JRs
- flosofl
  
  Oh they’ll support it, but I seem to recall hearing there’s an auth chip that needs to be licensed for hardware peripherals beyond headphones and keyboards over BT.
- DewiMorgan
  
  While it claims 30 apps supported on their site, most of them are variations on the same app, “runtastic”, and other fitness apps. So, yeah – two games.
flickerKuu

This is awesome, much needed. Now, can we re-design horrible console controllers?
http://redesigned.com redesigned

clever idea and nice option. it would be even better if you had an option to map the controls onto touch areas of the screen so you could use it without a game having to specifically support the device.

now if only Apple would implement a full Bluetooth stack so i could use a mouse and a wii controller. i’d really rather not jailbreak my device to use BTStack which offers that functionality with ease. BTStack proves it is not an implementation issue. Apple, please, please, please, offer this basic functionality that would make the iPad a usable netbook alternative in a pinch and a gamers dream. please? thanks.
- DewiMorgan
  
  That would require being able to have apps that you could install as “drivers”, to work with all software. I don’t think you can do that in iOS, because it would mean the “driver” could penetrate the sandbox of any app it chose: the kind of security goatse that Apple probably doesn’t want.