Asus Eee Stick looks a lot like Wii controls

Posted on Thursday, August 07 2008 @ 0:49 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
Asus today officially announced a new set of controls that look and feel suspiciously like the Nintendo Wii controls. The Asus Eee Stick features a Wiimote-like and Nunchuck-like device and is designed for gaming and other multimedia entertainment applications.

It's nice that Asus attempts to bring this type of controls to the PC but I don't think it will become a success because very little games will support the Eee Stick.
Extended Playtime and Long Broadcast Range
The Eee Stick comprises an Activation stick, a Navigation stick and a 2.4GHz RF dongle. Even though vibration-capable, both ergonomic sticks consume very little power, providing up to a lengthy three days (72 hours) of continuous play on two AA batteries per stick. The 2.4GHz RF dongle has a long broadcast range of 10m and does not impose any specific placement and orientation restrictions, ensuring that the Eee Stick controllers remain responsive even with they are not pointing directly at the dongle – thus allowing users to engage in the full breadth of physical movement without any fear of disconnection.

Versatile and Visceral Gameplay with Three Operation Modes
The motion sensors built into the Eee Stick offer three modes of operation: 3D motion, pointing and tilt.

The 3D Motion mode which responds to and reproduces movement along all axes as well as wrist rotations, is ideal for playing sports, action and beat ´em up games.

The Pointing mode focuses on aiming, and is hence perfect for First Person Shooters and light gun games.

The Tilt mode, which reproduces movement forward, backward and to the sides, lends itself well to racing and flight games.

Hassle-free Setup
As with every product in the Eee family, the Eee Stick is designed to be as user-friendly as possible. As such, the setup process is exceedingly simple:

1. Plug the RF dongle into one of the Eee PC™´s USB ports.
2. Hold the power buttons on both the Activation and Navigation sticks for five seconds.


Once the lights on the dongle and sticks are lit, the pairing process is complete and the Eee Stick will be ready to use without further configuration.

Broad Compatibility
With its HID connectivity, the Eee Stick can theoretically be used with all PCs. It will, however, function best with games specially developed for it. A number of such games will be bundled with each Eee Stick. The Eee Stick also works seamlessly with other PC gaming peripherals such as gamepads and keypads, enabling users to mix and match devices to yield their own unique playstyle.


Features:
Activation stick Navigation stick USB dongle
Game key x 7 Game key x 4 LED x 1
Mode switch x 1 Joystick x 1 Binding key x 1
LED x 2 LED x 2 USB 2.0 interface
8-way 3D motions 8-way 3D motions Wireless 2.4GHz
Vibration-capable Vibration-capable Effective range: 10m
Weight: 112g including batteries Weight: 114g including batteries  
Fully-programmable keys Fully-programmable keys  
Power: AA battery x 2 Power: AA battery x 2  
Available in White Available in White  


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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