Microsoft shows off new controller, with transforming D-pad

courtesy of ArsTechnica

The D-pad on the existing 360 controllers is, to put it mildly, utter garbage. If you want to play any games relying on precise movements, such as fighting games, buying a third-party controller is a requirement. Microsoft hopes it has this problem licked, however, and is releasing a controller with a new, updated D-pad on November 9. The catch? You won't be able to buy the controller alone; you'll need to grab the Play and Charge Kit to get it, and the final cost will be $64.99.

Here is the controller, complete with transforming D-pad.

Major Nelson will be giving away a few of these controllers at PAX this Sunday, and we'll be bugging Microsoft for one to report on how much better the D-pad works in this new design. Once thing we do know, it certainly can't be worse.

Power A Makes a Wireless Xbox 360 Controller for the PS3

courtesy of kotaku

This is the best PlayStation 3 controller right now, precisely because it's not shaped like a PS3 controller.

Power A spent a good deal of time taking what's best about the Xbox 360 controller—the most natural "traditional" controller—and bringing it to the PS3. It's called the PS3 Pro Elite, and it's only $50. You have your left analog stick up on the top left and D-Pad down on the bottom. The palm parts extend much lower, and are coated with a grippy, but breathable material, which makes a huge difference when you play games for hours on end.

The only thing that Power A didn't bring over from the 360 are the shoulder buttons. The L1, R1 buttons are more mushy, and the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons are super mushy, like the PS3's. This is my only complaint—I wish they went all the way and brought the Xbox's triggers over.

Oh, and you still get Sixaxis capabilities, so there really is no sacrifice. Plus you get glowing buttons, and true wireless, albeit a third-party wireless that you need a dongle for. The dongle is included.

For a cheaper, wired solution, Power A has a $20 controller that sacrifices stuff like Sixaxis, but still gives you the 360-style shape that will be great for secondary and tertiary and quaternary controllers that you only use when friends come over. [Power A]

Send an email to Jason Chen, the author of this post, at jchen@gizmodo.com

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