By Zeemote, makers of of the JS1 Bluetooth gaming peripheral, have now made an Android SDK for said controller available to developers. The SDK supports Android 1.6 and higher, and is aimed at bringing a console-like experience to handheld gaming. The JS1 is a small, portable controller that provides an analog joystick and four buttons for a more game-friendly interface compared to on screen controls or hardware keyboards.
Zeemote claims that “existing applications can be adapted in a matter of hours” and plans to roll out a developer support program in the coming weeks to help encourage and enable developers to take advantage of their Bluetooth peripherals. New and old apps alike are promised that Zeemote functionality can:
- provide a superior mobile gaming experience across multiple supported platforms (while maintaining compatibility with existing distribution channels)
- deliver true analog game control
- enable multi-player mobile gaming (two controllers to one device)
- turn a TV-out featured smart phone into a mobile game console
I think it goes without saying that before you can enjoy the experience of gaming with an additional controller, the actual library of quality games in the market would need need to increase. Could additions of SDKs like Zeemote’s help push developers to create better, more engaging games for Android? Google has been looking towards gaming more and more lately, so there is hope larger developer support is on the way with some great games in tow.
Sweet! I looked into bluetooth controllers for phones a while back, and it looked like Zeemote was pretty much the only game in town, but they weren’t very active any more. This is a good sign.
Between this & gamegripper, gaming on Android is going to be fantastic. We already have a gaming accessory market! Crazy.
Looks pretty cool. Wonder what other things it can be used for?
can someone PLEASE make a NES bluetooth controler????? what’s wrong with simplicity? why these new funky designs?
i think a NES type remote would sell MUCH more,
idk how much bandwith the bluetooth can handle for controlers but a 360 style one, (maybe less buttons, but keep the triggers and joysticks) would be really cool, then for games like “eliminate Pro” on the iphone and ipod touch would be REALLY fun OTG
Well this is certainly heading in the exact direction I was talking about just a few days ago.
Now this just made the purchase of an Incredible OR EVO 4G that much more interesting due to the TV out. Boot game, TV out to 42″ set, bluetooth controller to play game. WIN!
Is there a way to crack the bluetooth on PS3 controllers to use on phones?
@sergio it’s possible but will never happen, they are still working on hacking it to work on computers
I think that a Wii style controller would be great for augmented reality games.
@Sergio
Totally different concept to the Zeemote. The Zeemote makes a controller for an android device not make the android a controller.
But I’m a developer who has been looking at making the Android work for my PS3 and any other devices for a while, the problem is that Google’s Bluetooth API lacks hid profiles. So we’re stuck in the mud until Google releases another BT API or if the phone hardware vendor writes the API themselves knowing what is available on the BT driver. Sony is supposedly doing it for their Xperia line.
@Sergio
Totally different concept to the Zeemote. The Zeemote makes a controller for an android device not make the android a controller.
But I’m a developer who has been looking at making the Android work for my PS3 and any other devices for a while, the problem is that Google’s Bluetooth API lacks hid profiles. So we’re stuck in the mud until Google releases another BT API or if the phone hardware vendor writes the API themselves knowing what is available on the BT driver. Sony is supposedly doing it for their Xperia line.
someone on the nexus boards over at XDA released a wiimote bluetooth IME so you can use the wii remote in emulators works great (no motion controls) for gbcoid and nesoid
Using Bluetooth, I managed to control a 4×4 Robot (Drone) remotely, using my Android G1. Im using a serial connection over bluetooth, see it here: http://www.pocketmagic.net/?p=1398
What’s interesting about this robot is that besides sensors for detecting Walls and Obstacles it comes with a Geiger Counter sensor to detect Radiation Levels.
The problem is that Google’s Bluetooth API lacks hid profiles. So we’re stuck in the mud until Google releases another BT API or if the phone hardware vendor writes the API themselves knowing what is available on the BT driver. Sony is supposedly doing it for their Xperia line.