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Asus Release a Wiimote-Alike
arcticstoat writes "After attracting lots of media attention with the Eee PC, Asus has now turned its hand to producing a motion-sensitive controller like the Wiimote, called the Eee Stick. Looking unashamedly like a copy of a Wiimote and Nunchuk setup, the Eee Stick has two components — one with an analogue joystick, and one with a digital control pad — and both sticks have a rumble feature. The Eee Stick is currently planned to be bundled with various models of the Eee PC and Eee Box, but Asus says it can also theoretically work with any PC."
I use a trackball, you insensitive clod!
It's an air mouse with extra buttons.
I _like_ the point and click functionality of the Wiimote. I do not like waving my hand in the air in every other direction to try and click on something.
So they say this thing has a "pointer mode," but I don't see any external reference (akin to the Wii Remote's sensor bar). How does this thing determine its position in space if it doesn't have a point of reference?
Ever since I first used a Nunchuck on the Wii, I've thought it would make the perfect keyboard replacement for FPS games.
Think about it. In most FPSes, you use the keyboard to move. 100% digital, on/off movement - you're either pressing the key or you're not. With a Nunchuck, you can use the analog stick to move at different speeds. You can rotate it lengthwise to lean, flick it to jump, and tilt it down to crouch. There are two buttons, good for other random keyboard inputs (night vision goggles? use?).
Combine it with a 5-button wheel mouse and you should have enough controls for most any FPS.
Maybe this controller gets us a little closer to that.
I actually do use a trackball, and for the life of me, can't figure out why anybody would prefer the mouse. The trackball requires much less desk space, and also doesn't require constantly positioning your hand. You can leave it in one spot, and are never at a point where you're reaching for it. From my experience, a lot of the RSI problems seem to be from reaching for the mouse. Also, you can be very precise with a trackball. No problems with moving it as you press or release a button, and also easy to do continuous movements without having to reposition it. This makes it great when you have to trace around something when editing a picture.
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
Copying somebody else and doing a half-assed job is no way to succeed in business. You've got to copy somebody and then improve the idea to make an impact.
Get an infrared camera like the wiimote and put some straps with infrared LEDs on a player. You could use this for some real time basic motion capture. It won't be very accurate, but could be good enough to recognize a head nod/shake, a person pointing or waving and other basic actions. Now use this in WoW and suddenly your MMORPG is a lot more immersive.
Have you tried a "Vii"? (Chinese Wii knockoff to which parent linked) I have. It's terrible and you'd have to pay me to play it again. My 3, 5, 7, and 12-year-old nephews all hated it too. Seriously, it's utter garbage, especially if you've played with a real Wii. You can almost feel the liquid-mercury tilt switches inside. There is no sensor bar (not unlike this Asus "wiimote") -- 'nuff said for those who understand accelerometer drift and error integration.
everything in moderation