The first wave of MFi (Made For iPhone) accessories may not win awards for design innovation or aesthetic beauty, but they did manage to highlight the power of what is possible with mobile gaming, and draw serious attention to Apple's Game Controller APIs that launched as part of iOS 7. MOGA, the company behind the MOGA Ace Power iOS 7 controller, has taken on-board the lessons learnt from the initial launch and have gone back to the drawing board to build their next MFi product, as shown in the company's official teaser image below.
Historically, Mobile World Congress isn't the place where iOS gamers go to get the lowdown on what they're going to be itching to buy soon. Full of more Android phones than any sane person would ever want to look at as well as all kinds of things far too technical for us, iOS gaming doesn't tend to be on the agenda. Thanks to Mad Katz though, 2014 is a little different.
Since Apple announced support for official MFi (Made for iPhone) gaming controllers with iOS 7, the major peripheral makers have been quick to announce and release some of their creations. However, those we've seen hitherto have shared one common trait - they're all tailored specifically to the iPhone. With cases that clip perfectly onto the form factor of the Apple smartphone, those on the iPad and iPod touch have been largely cast aside, but now, in the RP One, avid mobile gaming fans have an Xbox-esque controller to truly enhance the general user experience.
There's been a great deal of speculation and chatter about game controllers ever since Apple launched the updated MFi ("Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad") program alongside the introduction of iOS 7 last year. Mobile gaming has taken off in a big way over the last twelve months, meaning that having the ability to interact with powerful games directly on one of Apple's devices through an officially supported controller was always going to ring the excitement bells of a lot of iOS users. In an effort to capitalize on that excitement, SteelSeries have introduced the first wireless gamepad controller ever to be supported by iOS 7.
The iPad Air is almost ready for release, and naturally, Apple's accessory partners are hot on its tail. We've already seen the first batch of what Belkin has to offer the Cupertino's rebranded slab, and now, Logitech has come through with a substantial helping of cases and accessories for the fifth-gen iPad.
Apple finally revealed the fifth-gen iPad Air at its special event yesterday, and as consumers begin to read the hands-on reviews and decide whether or not to make the purchase, the third party accessory makers are already well and truly on their game. Belkin, one of the foremost creators of cases and peripherals for Apple's wide range of products, has come through with a neat case for the iPad Air featuring a physical keyboard in a very slim line package.
When you spend a lot of money on a gadget, it stands to reason that you'll pony up a little more on a suitable protective case and some useful accessories. Although the iPad mini was, in the eyes of many, supposed to be a significantly cheaper alternative to the full-size model, it turns out that Apple likes to keep prices high across the board; who'd have thought? Still, if you have an iPad mini, and are looking for some decent products to enhance the experience, look no further than the new Folio range from Logitech, a duo of high-grade new cases helping you increase productivity as well as protection.
Twelve South’s HiRise For iPhone 5 And iPad mini Lets You Mount Your iDevice Above Your Desk [VIDEO]
iPhone peripherals are certainly not hard to come by in today's market, and this is perhaps not all that surprising given that the Cupertino smartphone is by far the most popular model available. But finding good quality accessories is a different ball game completely, with many cheap pretenders swamping the industry among the rare, noteworthy gems. Twelve South is a US-based company dedicated to bringing Apple-centric items of the highest order, and the new HiRise for iPhone 5 and iPad mini makes for a very practical, eye-catching stand.
The iPad mini is, by and large, deemed to be a consumption device, and although it surely has some productive qualities, it's definitely seen as more of an entertainment package than its larger sibling. With this in mind, a group of creative individuals have started a Techdy campaign to gather support for their rather beautiful gaming controller for the fledgling slate, and as well as doubling up as a smart cover when not in use, it also looks robust enough to keep your iPad mini securely in place when it is.
The iPad is a great product, but like all great products, it doesn't come without its fair share of flaws. Despite single-handedly helming the tablet market for the past two-and-a-half years, we could all pick out issues we'd like to see resolved, and one of the most obvious is the relatively poor speaker design. With the iPhone, the speakers are positioned along the bottom, meaning whichever way you lay it down, the audio - albeit slightly tinny - can always be heard. The iPad's speakers are located on the back of the device, and even though Apple has improved the sound quality through generations of its flagship slate, pushing sound out in the opposite direction doesn't cut it for a device of the iPad's caliber.
