Company Turns Your Android Smartphone Into a Game Console 126
Posted
by
samzenpus
from the talk-and-play dept.
from the talk-and-play dept.
MojoKid writes "The time we spend making calls on smartphones pales in comparison to the other activities we use it for, like surfing the web, logging into Facebook, streaming music and video, and of course playing games. It's that latter functionality that a startup called Green Throttle wants to tap into, and given the horsepower of today's smartphones, it makes a lot of sense. The company envisions harnessing the power of today's well-equipped Android smartphones and tablets in order to play console-like games on your HDTV. Right now the concept is limited to select devices — Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy S II and S III, HTC One X, Kindle Fire HD, and Asus Transformer — though the company says it's adding to the list quickly. The system is fairly simple. You load Green Throttle's Arena app on your compatible device and start gaming using the company's Bluetooth-enabled Atlas controller, which looks a lot like an Xbox 360 controller, then push your phone's HDMI output to an HDTV."
What is the point? (Score:5, Interesting)
I can already connect my phone to a TV with HDMI and pair a bluetooth game controller with it. How is this special?
PS3 controllers don't require root. (Score:4, Interesting)
I dunno about Xbox controllers, but my Transformer Prime supports PS3 controllers out of the box, stock, no rooting. Just plug in via USB cable once, turn on Bluetooth, and you're set.
That's why this "Arena" thing seems so pointless. I've already done this. Hooked my Transformer up to the TV, and played Max Payne and Shadowgun with a PS3 controller. I don't see the value-add.