Four New Game Controllers from Logitech

ECTS sounds like it's the European equivalent of E3 here in the U.S. However, Tuesday seems to have been the final day of the London shindig and I haven't seen a ton of announcements coming out of event. In fact, if you're interested in getting a little glimpse of what went on, scurry over to The Inquirer after you read this story (just be sure to hurry back). Logitech appears to be a glaring exception to the dearth of product boosting, announcing no less than four new gaming controllers, so I'll try to give you a brief overview of each. First, the company let us know that about its new 2.4GHz cordless controller for PlayStation and PS2. The Logitech Cordless Controller will be available in December and pricing is not yet available. It has a 50-hour battery life coupled with 20 feet or more of range, which actually seems like overkill for gamers. It includes a 2.4GHz receiver that connects to the PlayStation console's controller port. While in operation, the receiver and controller are always "channel hopping," to confirm a reliable connection. When the controller is not in use, or out of range, it enters a "sleep mode" to save battery life. The controller has an eight-way pressure sensitive D-Pad and eight action buttons along with a "mode" button that switches the gamepad between digital, analog and driving modes.

Next up, we have a force feedback wheel for the PlayStation 2 called Driving Force. It will be available this month for $99.95 (USD). The Logitech Driving Force wheel has a dual-clamp system so that you can attach it to a desk or table as well a lap attachment that clamps to the wheel and rests between your knees. Eight wheel-mounted action buttons and an analog D-pad let you control car functions and "start" and "select" are also on board. Logitech says the gas and brake pedals look realistic and two wheel-mounted paddles can be used as gear shifters or as gas and brake controls. Right now Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 3 A-spec, and Infogrames' NASCAR Heat 2002, Motor Mayhem, Test Drive, and Test Drive Off-Road: Wide Open support Logitech Driving Force with more titles forthcoming. Drive yourself crazy.

Logitech says that the second driving game apparatus it's releasing sports a "sleek MOMO Italian Design." The special limited-edition MOMO Force wheel for the PC will be available in October and pricing isn't yet available. MOMO Force has a MOMO-designed wheel covered in hand-stitched, genuine leather with six programmable buttons mounted on a thick centerplate of brushed and anodized aluminum and solid steel paddle shifters. The gas and brake pedals, which feature aluminum trim and non-skid treads, are mounted on a large, weighted base that includes a dead-pedal and an aluminum clad floorboard. A dual-clamping system holds the wheel console to its base but if you want to mount it permanently, you can secure the wheel with a bolt that mates with a metal-threaded hole on the underside of the wheel console. A template is included to help you figure out the proper location for drilling into the table or desk. Man, some of you take your gaming seriously. I recommend that you discussed construction (destruction?) with your parents or significant other before breaking out the drill. You may just drive yourself right out of the house.

If driving isn't your thing, Logitech also let us know about a 2.4 GHz cordless gamepad for the PC platform called the WingMan Cordless RumblePad, which will be available this month for $49.95 (USD). The WingMan Cordless RumblePad gives you a 50-hour battery life with 20-feet or more of range so that you can test your gaming skills by playing without being able to see the display. Like the The Logitech Cordless Controller, WingMan Cordless RumblePad includes a 2.4GHz receiver that connects to the PC's USB port. It also does the same "channel hopping," trick to keep you connected and goes into sleep mode when you neglect it. The controller has dual analog sticks, an 8-way D-pad, and two small motors in the handles that vibrate independently. If you don't like the vibes, you can hit the dedicated "rumble" button to shut the feature off. The Cordless RumblePad also has a throttle and 11 programmable buttons. A dedicated "mode" button switches the functionality of the gamepad between sports and flight simulation modes for you airborne sportsman. The WingMan Cordless RumblePad includes four AAA batteries, a one-year warranty and has a USB-only interface.