Pocket PLAY: Blurring the Line Between Phone and Game Console
Slide-out keyboards are out — AYANEO’s Pocket PLAY adds a built-in gaming controller to your phone for fun on the go.
On-screen keyboards and other controls undoubtedly offer flexibility and convenience when using touchscreens. But they also provide a hollow user experience, and they take up a lot of screen real estate to boot. For this reason, we have seen the introduction of a number of devices that have brought back slide-out physical keyboards, even though touchscreens have technically rendered them obsolete.
These are great if you want to have something physical to get your hands on, but why is it always a keyboard? Does everything always have to be about productivity? Can’t we ever get away from sending work emails? AYANEO thinks that we ought to take more breaks, which is why they have introduced a phone with a new type of slide-out tray. Their phone, called Pocket PLAY, slides open to reveal a D-pad, dual analog touchpads, buttons, and shoulder controls. Game on!
This is no clip-on with a spotty, delayed wireless connection. The controller is built directly into the phone for peak mobile gaming wherever you may roam. This addition may be small, but it is well done and really blurs the line between handheld consoles and phones.
There is no word yet on the price. The phone’s specifications are still unknown as well, so just how smooth the gaming will be is still up in the air. In any case, if you want to be one of the first to find out all the details, you can sign up for updates to this Kickstarter campaign.