Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

AlphaGrip Starts Mass Production

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the wierd-ui-ideas dept.

punchy_boy writes "The AlphaGrip AG-5 is finally starting production. News of pre-orders for this device was reported 6 months ago. This device is a keyboard and mouse in a 'gamepad' style form factor. It's been a while coming and the guy(s) at AlphaGrip deserve a pat on the back for sticking with it. I was so enthusiastic about this device I wrote some software to help me learn to use it properly (alt link)."

3 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Control Freaks by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm surprised we haven't seen a lot more novel controllers for our gizmos. We've got a lot of different people, coming from different experiences all over the world, playing many different games, musical instruments, working with a vast array of tools. And experimental hardware is very cheap and accessible to design and produce, even in limited quantities. So why are we stuck with basically QWERTY, mouse, D-pad, and a "handful" of variations and combos? Let a thousand controllers bloom! Each with a USB connection and an open-source driver :).

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  2. It's an interesting gadget ... by GNUALMAFUERTE · · Score: 4, Interesting

    But i just can't get used to this kind of stuff ...

    I have thought about getting out of qwerty many times, but, even when there are some input/control devices that are better and faster than the classic ones, so many years using the classic designs lets us type as fast with them as one could do with newer toys. Also, it's pretty hard to get used to that kind of changes.

    I have tried DVORAK, and even a crazy experimental layout that i found out there ...

    k , u y p w l m f c
    o a e i d r n t h s
    q . ' ; z x v g b j

    Here is the link to experiment that created this layout: http://www.visi.com/~pmk/evolved.html

    In conclussion, this devices might be very comfortable, but an old hacker just won't get used to them.

    BTW: The site is slow, here is the google cache link: http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:qO6W-dkdz4kJ: www.alphagrip.com/+&hl=es

    --
    WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
  3. Re:This by iowannaski · · Score: 4, Funny

    My PS2 steering wheel took 2-3 seconds off my GT3 lap times.

    More importantly, it helped me suspend disbelief when I was pretending to drive a car on my TV.

    If a controller shaped keyboard could help me suspend disbelief while I try to make interesting points on /., I would be all over it.

    --
    i forget