Gaming on the iPhone and on several other iOS devices is about to go through a dramatic change, if the following project gets funded on KickStarter.
FlipSide, as this sleek solar Bluetooth 4.0 gaming controller case is known, was created by Justice Frangipane in collaboration with iDevice, a company renowned for manufacturing such gadgets as the iGrill and the iShower.
This is not the only device I’ve seen recently that tries to make a possible regression by adding hardware buttons to touch controlled devices. While such hardware buttons are more convenient, they are prone to malfunctions, in time. However, the FlipSide case does more than just adding buttons to the iPhone. It uses solar energy to charge, and it integrates the Bluetooth Low Energy technology, which means that it will run for quite some time on a single charge.
Besides, the gaming controls are usually positioned on the back of the case. Whenever the iPhone users feel the need to play a game, they will have to snap the controls from the back and attach them to the front. The final product might make the otherwise slim iPhone look a bit bulky, but maybe the gaming experience will be worth it.
Upon successful funding, Flipside will be available for iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, but the developers are also considering a version for the iPad mini and the new iPad. At press time, the backers pledged for this KickStarter project a bit over $7,500, with 17 more days to go. Considering that the goal is of $130,000, unless the FlipSide gets a lot of publicity and a ton of positive reactions, I doubt the project will ever get funded. If this ever happens, the ones who backed the project with $60 or more will get a special edition gaming case. For $140 more, the developers will be kind enough to engrave the name or the gamer tag of the future owner on the case.
Here comes the funny part. Pledging $40 will get backers a $40 discount on a future FlipSide for Android. Personally, I think that a FlipSide for smartphones running Google’s OS would be redundant, especially now when we also have portable gaming consoles based on Android, such as the game-changing OUYA. Besides, despite the late tendency of integrating as many gadgets into a single device, it is a known fact that the battery life on smartphones is anything but impressive. That’s why carrying an additional device made especially for gaming might be a better solution.
If you liked this post, please check this detachable iPhone game controller and the miniature N64 controller.
