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Wikipad Gamevice is a gaming controller for Android devices

A new games controller for Android devices has broken cover, and it could come to Windows Phone handsets, too.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
Joe Svetlik
2 min read

We've seen a couple of gaming controllers for the iPhone in recent months, and now here's one for Android devices. Like the iPhone offerings from Logitech and Moga, both halves of the Wikipad Gamevice fit around your device, as you can see in the picture. This means you can play games using physical buttons, rather than on-screen controls that obscure the action.

The Gamevice features dual analogue sticks, L1/R1 and L2/R2 buttons, an analogue d-pad, and four analogue action buttons. Just like a console controller, then.

There's no word on what size Android devices it'll fit. I've asked Wikipad for clarification and will update this story if I hear back.

But it's not only for Android. Wikipad says it's working on a version for Windows Phone devices, too. "We are currently working on versions for Windows 8 and Android devices," Fraser Townley, president of Wikipad, said in a statement. "We have not forgotten other important OS systems and we hope to announce additional support [for] those in the near future."

Wikipad also announced an update for its Wikipad 7 gaming tablet. The update brings Android 4.2 Jelly Bean to play, new games from a new partner called WildTangent Games, and improved controls.

Last summer, Apple announced iOS would support third-party games controllers, and we've seen a couple of such devices since then. Logitech's effort looks pretty nifty, or if you fancy the addition of thumbsticks, maybe the Moga Ace Power is for you.

These kinds of controllers have been pretty pricey so far though. The Moga is £80, while the Logitech is £90. Ouch. There's no word on how much the Wikipad Gamevice will cost, or an exact release date, just that it should be out sometime this year. Again, I've asked.

Have you used a games controller for your handset? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments, or direct yourself over to our Facebook page.