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Logitech PowerShell controller turns iPhone into gaming handheld (pictures)

Logitech's clever little battery pack add-on has a D-pad and buttons for a variety of supported games; we get an up-close look.

Scott Stein
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Scott Stein
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The Logitech PowerShell Controller + Battery ($99.99), for the iPhone 5, 5S, and fifth-gen iPod Touch, is a battery pack case that doubles as a game controller with its own set of physical buttons. Read the full review.

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Snap an iDevice in, and your iPhone/iPod suddenly looks like a throwback handheld game.

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The PowerShell Controller connects via Lightning; you just snap your iPhone or iPod in to connect. All the buttons are pressure-sensitive and analog, and there's also a dedicated pause button for games.

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iOS 7 supports game controllers, and this is one of the first to take advantage of the MFi controller API. Hundreds of games are already theoretically compatible, but finding them can be a challenge. (Some good starting ones: Lego Lord of the Rings, Oceanhorn, Pac-Man, and Galaxy on Fire 2.)

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A 1,500mAh battery lurks inside the PowerShell -- you can charge it up via Micro-USB and it recharges your device while plugged in.

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The PowerShell has a D-pad, four front buttons, and two shoulder buttons, but it lacks extra buttons that are on the competing Moga Ace Power; it has no dual analog pads, and no extra triggers.

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The fit and finish on the PowerShell seem good, and it feels a little more pocket-friendly when inserted than the Moga Ace Power.

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You can still access volume controls while your device is popped in, too. You could even make calls, but that might turn heads.

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