The iDock XL-An alternative to buying an iPad?

Nope, seems like a complete waste of money to me.
You could just buy a component cable for £20 and hook it up to your TV.
And you wouldn't be able to play most games using this device, seeing as you can't actually your iPhone. You could play line drawing games etc, but that is pointless because you wouldn't be able to look at the big screen because you have to look at your finger and direct it around the screen.

edit - after reading up about this on engadget, I found out that all it displays is VIDEO and PHOTO, no games.
So essentially you are paying for a monitor/screen and a component cable. This product is an utter rip-off and the people who decided to make them should hang their heads in shame.

 

Haha, don't worry about it. I was actually about to make a thread about this before I saw this one

 

First of all - your TV aint portable so unless your strong enough intend to lug around a 32 inch screen and don't mind the inconvenience

Secondly - you CAN play games on this device, one of the perks of havinga jailbroken device - whatever is on the screen will simply be mirrored onto a bigger screen.

Thirdly, for those iphone users who love reading comics, manga and ebooks and hate straining their eyes or having to zoom in and out constantly, this COULD be perfect depending on how well the idock XL upsizes the iphone image.

Fourthly, 230 BUCKS?! I could buy a 23 inch monitor from MSY for that much, just cos its for the iphone doesnt mean you can screw us over and charge however much tickles your fancy!! $150 is more like it.

I will be looking into alternatives to the idock XL til they drop the price, but on the bright side, at least they've got the idea right - i think all iphone users have wished for a bigger screen at one point or another. Thanks for the heads up Toad In The Hole.

Prothean - signing off.

 

Can't see finger = fail.

 

Would be fine for virtual joystick games (provided you have a decent memory and your thumbs remember where the two virtual joysticks are). Would also work splendid fine for tilt games as the screen and the iphone are level with one another. So no, not fail. Partial fail ;]

 

I still consider limiting your games to about 1/6th of the library a fail. Something like Tilt to Live or Mega Jump would be awesome, not sure about virtual joysticks... their main flaw at present is having to memorize their location rather than go by feel, and that's with your fingers on the same screen.

 

If you had time to finish 1/6th of the appstore games you have no life. There are freaking tonnes of games which use tilt or virtual joysticks. Dungeon hunter, Chaoas Rings, Zenomia 1 & 2, Tilt to live, Doodle Jump, Soul, Jet Star Stunts Asphalt 5, Cliffed, Call of Duty Zombies...look mate I could go on and on. 1/6th is still a lot ;]

As for your view on virtual joysticks, I find i can memorize the keys just fine and don't really need to "feel" my way through. Each to their own I suppose. Furthermore, some games like Chaos rings have this dynamic joystick option where you can tap anywhere on the screen and conjure up at joystick : D Magic. innovative, simple and very little memorizing ;]

 

Meh, I feel like this is targeted at people that shouldn't be buying an iPod Touch to begin with. You want a bigger screen and louder speakers, get an Archos, an iPad, or one of the many other larger devices and don't sacrifice portability and having to worry about multiple batteries running out of charge.

 

Kinda missing the point there. Let me direct you to the real one... most of the games on the App Store don't use virtual joysitcks or tilt controls. Therefore you're missing out on the majority of the games. Yes 1/6th is a lot of all of the App Store's games, but 1/6th of the games worth playing is hardly anything at all.

Well that's just lovely, good for you. Regardless of your skillz, it's still the main reason why the general consensus on virtual joysticks is "they're not very good".

 

Firstly, it looks like your missing MY point. I make no claim that this idock concept is without limitations - I am simply stating that there are a heap of good games that would play well on it and that your thoughtless statement from before:

is wrong.

Um firstly, you pulled 1/6th out of your...;] you made that up, that's a groundless statistic lol but alright I'll give it to you, tilt and virtual thumb stick games are not the majority. BUT, however small a fraction these games might be, if you actually read my post you would've found there is STILL a WEALTH of games that either use tilt or the virtual thumb-sticks, definitely enough to consider using this idock for gaming.

Also regarding that part about "1/6th of the games worth playing is hardly anything at all". You do realize this goes both ways about the other 5/6th.

That's your experience and your loss, I'm afraid. They work perfectly well which is why so many appstore game developers use it and why so many I-device users buy their games.

PS: For my fellow toucharcadians saying they'd rather buy an ipad, itable or Archos ;] Me too heheh, only my 3GS contract is brand spanking new and I'm not wealthy enough to fork out for a new idevice just yet <: ( *sigh*

 

Well that's your opinion. Unfortunately it's not just you these things are selling to, it's everyone. I'm basing my part of the discussion on how I think it will be received by the general public, using common arguments and feedback put forth by other people in the iPhone gaming community.

Yes, 1/6th was an guess, because no one has access to that data, therefore we use estimates. There sure is a wealth of games that use those two control methods, unfortunately most of the games on the App Store are cheaply made nuggets of horse manure. This one isn't a guess either, it's a very common opinion that the store is flooded with rubbish and if there is anything worthwhile you have to wade through the crap to get to it. In reality, people don't like every single game they play... I've been through around 500 iPhone games at this point in time and the number I'd truly enjoyed was pathetically low. There's a topic about "games you'd never delete" and people usually list around 10 games maximum. Just because there are a lot of games on the App Store, doesn't necessarily make spending money on another product worthwhile, because you're not going to enjoy every single one of those games.

Either you misunderstood what I said (again) or you honestly think 5/6ths is smaller than 1/6th.

Again, basing my part of the discussion on common feedback. I've read a hell of a lot of comments on iPhone games by now, a lot of reviews (and written some) also read comments by the developers themselves on the problems they face using virtual buttons (Duke Nukem springs instantly to mind). It's fantastic that you have less problems that everyone else, I'm sure there are others like you, unfortunately it's still a common limitation and the reasons why virtual buttons won't ever quite match up to their physical counterparts.

P.S. I-device?

 

Right back at you, that's your opinion. These are all opinions, rather redundant needing to state that in a post. Your arguments are based on feedback and common arguments. Well done? So do I, that's the whole point of it all ;]

Yea i meant wealth of GOOD games, in case you hadn't worked that bit out. Why in the world would I use games with crap tilt/virtual controls to support my views?

You really don't get it? Thought I was being pretty clear, as well. I'm not talking about minority or majority, if you read my previous post closely enough I clearly state there are more non-tilt, non-virtual controls games out there. I'm saying out of those games that don't use either controls, many may well be "cheaply made nuggets of horse manure" as you put it ;]

I like how you say " It's fantastic that you have less problems that everyone else". You make it out to sound like I'M the only one who is happy with tilt and virtual joysticks and everyone else struggles with it. No. You're not the only one who has been around the iphone community and I've come across my fair share of gamers who like it just fine.

" I've read a hell of a lot of comments on iPhone games by now, a lot of reviews (and written some) also read comments by the developers themselves" That's very nice but so have I.

Furthermore, remember that the topic is whether the iDock would be a good alternative for those who can't afford iPads...not which control type is the best.

Furthermore, you end your argument going on about how virtual controls aren't better than the real deal. Has it ever struck you that you're in the TOUCH arcade? TOUCH...I don't think I need to go any further in that respect (not that I don't agree with you, its just that you're going beyond the scope of argument which makes your point irrelevant)

I-devices: Ipod, iPhone, iPad and so forth

 

If your argument was genuinely based on feedback and common arguments you'd have said the same thing I did, rather than using your own personal experience to back up what you're saying.

Well that's the whole point, isn't it? The question is "are there enough good games using this method to justify the other 5/6ths or so that would be completely useless with this incredibly limiting device". My answer would be no, it's not worth buying a device just for some App Store games, but it might be worth buying a device that enhances all App Store games.

I don't even know what you're trying to say here, it sounds like you've suddenly started agreeing with me. So now you're saying that tilt/virtual control-based games are the minority, and many of them probably suck? Right, now we've got that sorted, why would you recommend people waste money on this thing?

I think you'll find I said "I'm sure there are others like you". Looks like you forgot to read that part, or decided to ignore it in an attempt to add weight to your argument. Yes, there are people who like it, but going by general consensus as I've said time and time again...

Then how about taking those comments on board instead of ignoring them because you personally don't have the same problems?

It quite clearly isn't because only a minority of games are able to be played effectively on it. You might as well go out and buy a car that only turns left.

You know what? In all of my 9000+ posts (yes, you can make a comment about me having no life if you think it'll help) I never noticed the name of the website. Thank you for clarifying, and you're totally right, the fact we're on TOUCH Arcade means that shitty control schemes are just fine. It doesn't matter at all that we, as gamers, might want as good an experience as possible, so from now on, every single downside to gaming on the iPhone is hereby excused.

 

Lol no, feedback and common arguments have two or more sides to them and right now you're focusing on only one. I can see it in your simple minded reasoning that tilt controls and virtual joystick controls are the minority and that the whole idea should be scratched.

LOL massive fail there my friend, if you go right back you'll notice that being able to play tilt games and virtual joystick games was only one of my arguments why this is for those who can't afford ipads and would like a portable bigger screen when they need it. Nowhere did i say you should buy this JUST for games -please refer to my very first post T_T goodness gracious.

Furthermore, my point was never that there are more tilt/virtual j.s on the appstore, just that there are enough good ones to consider being able to game on the idockXL a perk - i'm not sure why this ain't getting through to your head, I've stated it twice already, please stop wasting my time by repetitively saying there are more of one than the other and that therefore its a waste of money =_=;

I've already covered this up there...and no im saying the majority of non-touch, non-virtual j-s games suck as well ;]

Like I said above this aint supposed to be a gaming device, you've conveniently dismissed that it has other uses than gaming.. You've also dismissed that that "minority" still consists of a heap of good games which people would want to factor if they plan on buying the product.

"you're totally right, the fact we're on TOUCH Arcade means that shitty control schemes are just fine" Uhh yeah, nice try. Never said that, stop trying to put words in my mouth haha. Never once did I say poor controls schemes were acceptable. Just that you were way off topic in comparing touch controls with physical ones. Please do stay on topic.

After all, toucharcade and touch controls go hand in hand, why bring physical controls into this? In addition, for all you're posts you dont seem to grasp this topic is regarding Iphones, which does NOT have any physical joysticks YOU were saying how virtual joysticks didn't compare with physical joysticks which was, like I said, off-topic.

"It doesn't matter at all that we, as gamers, might want as good an experience as possible, so from now on, every single downside to gaming on the iPhone is hereby excused" LOL I didn't say that either, stop doing that! Never said "every single downside to gaming on the iPhone is hereby excused" not sure where you pulled that from to be honest I only said that the tilt and virtual joystick control schemes work just fine and that there's no reason they shouldn't play well on the idock. YOU are the one who's all anal about the LIMITATIONS of the controls, how they don't COMPARE with a physical controller -_-