The iControlPad Project has been teasing iPhone gamers for months with videos of a prototype hardware gamepad for the iPhone. They’ve launched an updated version that moves the controls from the side of the iPhone to below it.

The iControlPad is not available for purchase and only works with jailbroken phones.

With the introduction of iPhone 3.0 and hardware accessory support, it’s possible the iControlPad could be a legitimate product. Assuming Apple allows it.

Link: iControlPad.com

In addition to high-quality digital sound, the receiver sends information like artist and song title to your iPhone. You can mark the songs to buy later off iTunes.  

The device comes in at a rather hefty $79.99, and it’s only available via Radioshack.

Product summary:

Upgrade your iPhone listening experience with this in-line control with HD Radio from Gigaware. Simply attach it to the dock connector on your iPhone (also fits iPod touch®) and start enjoying HD radio. Featuring more choices, crystal-clear sound and no subscription fees, it lets you enjoy your music the way it was meant to be heard. Song information, such as title and artist, appears on your iPod’s display and iTunes® Tagging allows you to “tag” songs you hear on the radio for subsequent purchase via Apple’s iTunes. Plus, the in-line remote replicates the click wheel of the iPod, giving you a handy extra set of controls.

• Easily connects to your iPhone and iPod touch via the dock connector
• Receive HD radio signals that offer CD-quality sound
• Song information, such as title and artist, appears on your iPod’s display
• iTunes Tagging saves artist and song information to your iPod for purchase via Apple’s iTunes
• Discover HD2 substations hidden between your regular stations that only HD radio can deliver
• Play, Stop, Pause, Forward, Backward and Scan controls that your fingers can locate by touch

Of course, there’s a catch. Quirky is a community design company that develops ideas submitted by the public, and submitters get something back for their work. They need to hit 500 pre-orders on the $32.00 case before they can start a production run. So, if this strikes you as an interesting case that you might want for your phone, think about putting yourself down for one.

(Quirky Beamer)

To use the app, you first have to mark the location of your car. When returning to the parking lot, the Car Finder app overlays your car’s position on top of the iPhone’s live camera view and displays the distance to your car. According to the app description:

Use it to find your car anywhere you are. Once you load the application you can use the camera viewfinder to see an overlay of where your car is, the direction it is located and how far away it is.

The app uses both the iPhone’s camera and compass, so Car Finder only works with the iPhone 3GS. You’ll need a good GPS signal for the app to work properly, but if you happen to be in a remote area, you can add notes into the app so you’ll still be able to find your car later.

Car Finder is a $0.99 download at the iTunes store.

SwitchEasy has quickly become a premiere case maker for the iPhone, and we found their RebelSerpent ($27) for the iPhone 3G/3GS to be another successful design for the company. It’s a two-part case made from a combination of a “soft” inner case that snugly fits around the iPhone with a hard polycarbonate spine that adds protection. It’s a rugged case that covers up Apple’s gloss-and-chrome design and replaces it with a monochromatic, masculine look. Overall, the case feels solid and well put together, if a bit heavy, in the hand. It’s a highly functional case with a few minor flaws, and we give it a rating of 8.8 out of 10, highly recommended.

The RebelSerpent is composed of two separate pieces. The inner part is a a soft and snug-fitting plastic that SwitchEasy labels Adaptive Dynamic Soft Polymer (ADSP). Don’t be fooled by the fancy marketing term though, it’s really just a semi-soft but cheap-feeling plastic. This soft inner lining tightly grips the iPhone, preventing the case from slipping off while taking it out of pockets. The soft lining also prevents the hard part of the case from scratching the iPhone, a common problem with hard-shell cases.

The outer part of the case is a hard polycarbonate that functions as a protective spine and ribs that snaps into grooves on the outside of the inner case. Switcheasy claims the polycarbonate spine covers all the iPhone “impact points” and thus provides superior protection. While it’s true the case does offer some impact protection, we find that the case, and in particular the cheap inner plastic material, is no match for a thick silicone case in terms of shock absorption.

The RebelSerpent offers unobstructed access to all of the iPhone’s ports such as the headphone and docking ports. It also handles the iPhone’s sleep and and volume buttons well, although not perfectly. The case covers the iPhone volume and sleep buttons with a hard plastic that removes almost all tactile feel when pressing down. But at least the buttons still work accurately—they respond and function properly with every finger press.

The case is not without a few flaws. First, thanks to its two-layer approach, the case adds substantial weight and bulk to the iPhone. It’s still quite pocketable, but those who like the iPhone’s slim profile should take note. Also, this same bulkiness combined with the case’s rough texture give the iPhone an awkward feel when held in the hand compared to the pebble-smoothness of a naked iPhone.

Also disappointing is the fact that the case does little to improve grip. You’d think the serpent-scale texture of the polycarbonate would be a positive in this area, but the material is actually quite slippery. Still, it’s a better grip than an iPhone without a case, but just barely.

The case is packaged with a nice set of accessories. Our favorite is a small plastic stand the iPhone can rest in turned on its side so that you can watch video in landscape mode. Also included are two clear-plastic screen protectors, a small cloth for cleaning the screen, a plug for the iPhone’s docking port, and a universal dock adapter.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to add a modern, rugged, masculine look to the iPhone, the SwitchEasy RebelSerpent is an excellent choice. While not quite up to par with thick silicone cases in terms of protection, the RebelSerpent is nevertheless impressive for its double-layer design that feels solid in the hand. We rate it an 8.8 out of 10, highly recommended.

Links:

Official website for SwitchEasy RebelSerpent

RebelSerpent $27 on Amazon.com

Yummies 2 (iTunes link) is colorful little puzzle game that is a free download until November 9 (was $0.99). The game is fun if a bit weird. The object is to stretch little worm-like creatures so they can eat pieces of fruit. You move on to the next level when a defined amount of fruit has been consumed.

It’s an addictive little game, although a tad bit too easy to win. Still, not bad for a free iPhone game.

Yumsters! 2 is a free download for a limited time in the iTunes App Store.

To set the iPhone’s restrictions, just follow these steps:

1. Open Settings on your home screen.

2. Tap General:

3. Tap Restrictions:

4. Tap Enable Restrictions:

5. You’ll be asked to enter a four digit PIN, which prevents another person from changing the restrictions:

6. Enter the same PIN again to confirm:

7. Two sets of restrictions will appear. The first set allows you to restrict the functionality of a specific app: Safari, YouTube, iTunes, Installing Apps, Camera, and Location. Simply slide the tab to turn off any of these apps. Once you do, the iPhone user won’t be able to use that service.

The second set of restrictions controls what type of content can be accessed on your iPhone. You can control what maturity level for apps, songs, music, movies, etc, can play on the iPhone. iTunes and the App Store require all entries to be rated, for music with explicit content, and all videos and apps on levels similar to what you see at the moves (G, PG, R, etc.)

You can also turn off something called In-App Purchases. What are In-App Purchases? Well, some apps allow you to purchase additional content like new levels or eBooks within the app itself. To prevent being hit by unwanted charges, you can restrict the iPhone’s ability to make in-app purchases.

8. To finish, simply return to the iPhone’s homescreen by pressing the home button.

How to Disable Restrictions

To disable the restrictions, just tap Disable Restrictions and reenter the PIN:

Be sure to check out more of our posts on iPhone Basics.

Vers is known for their handcrafted wooden iPhone and iPod accessories, including the Vers iPhone Infocase ($39.99). While the Infocase is very aesthetically pleasing, you have to remove your iPhone from the case before you can use it. Yesterday, Vers launched the Vers iPhone Shellcase ($39.99), which continues the same design but allows full access to the iPhone’s screen.

The Vers iPhone Shellcase is available in cherry (above), walnut or bamboo versions, and it’s compatible with all generations of the iPhone. According to the product press release, each iPhone case is slightly different due to variations in the wood. I’m drooling over the bamboo and walnut versions just from the product pictures — they’re sleek, polished and just look cool. This is the Vers Shellcase in bamboo:

The only potential downside I can see is the weight, as a wooden iPhone case (reinforced with steel pins) will naturally be heavier than most plastic cases. The Shellcases weigh 1.7 ounces and the iPhone 3GS weighs 4.8 ounces, so the Shellcase will add a good amount of heft to the phone for a total weight of 6.5 ounces.

The iPhone Shellcase is a $39.99 purchase at VersAudio.com, but the cases are not expected to ship until the week of November 23rd.

Eliminate Pro (free, iTunes link) is the long-awaited, much-hyped first-person shooter from top iPhone developers ngmoco. Is it worthy of the hype? Mostly. As far first-person shooters go, there’s nothing you haven’t seen elsewhere one other devices. But as games on the iPhone go, it shows some satisfying polish. The game’s killer feature is excellent online multiplayer gameplay.

Eliminate Pro is free to play, up to a point, as the developers have decided to use an insidious system of charging to continue to make progress in the game after a certain amout of time has elapsed. Frankly, I prefer the one-time fee model, as this pay-to-be-more-powerful punishes users who can’t continually fork out extra mone—and a lot of us are a little short of cash these days.

Here’s how Eliminate Pro’s system works: your character has a store of 12 energy units that are automatically topped up every 24 hours for free. Playing an online match uses up 4 of your energy units, so you can play three times in a day, and then have to wait for a recharge. Or, you can buy more. Technically, you can play in the online matches without any energy, but you won’t gain any in-game currency, which is used for leveling up and purchasing new items. And there’s the rub. If you don’t buy more energy, it becomes hard to earn credits. And without credits, you’re limited to your starting weapon (machine gun equivalent), basic armor, and no upgrades. While you do earn something in those three matches you get for free, it rapidly dwindles behind the devoted, who will quickly have access to much better gear.

The money you frag so hard to earn in-game can be spent on a truly bewildering array of objects. New armors, with specific bonuses to things like speed or defense. Unlocking new weapons takes money too. And once you’ve unlocked a weapon, you can upgrade different stats, which takes even more cash. While I do really enjoy the customization aspect of tweaking all your items for your own play style and the ability to avoid weapons you’ll never use, the huge amount of in-game currency required is prohibitive. Here’s were they get really tricky…you can exchange energy for credits. So you can buy up energy with real world money, then use it to get credits, so you can buy better weapons and armor than anyone else.

Of course, even the best weapons in the game won’t save you from the limitations of touch controls (yes, another game that uses a simulated joystick). But at least all your enemies are hampered in the same way. Perhaps I’ve just spent too much time gaming on PCs and consoles, but, at times, attempting to play the frenetic pace and required accuracy of an FPS with the iPhone’s touchscreen made me want to scream and throw the thing.

Yet, despite these problems, I still was able to enjoy Eliminate. The game itself is fast paced and fun, and you know everyone is saddled with exactly the same crappy control scheme you are, so you don’t feel too cheated when you fumble with the controls. The online matches are very fast to join, and I didn’t have any trouble with lag.

Conclusion

Despite my dislike for the in-game purchasiing system and flawed touch controls, I found Eliminate to be a fun game. ngmoco knows by now what goes into a good game, and this one is expertly turned out. If you’re just looking to play for around 15 minutes a day, then the free gameplay should keep you happy. We rate Eliminate Pro a 7.6 out of 10, recommended.

An iPhone dock makes the process of synching and reharging your iPhone a smooth process. It sits stable on your desk so there’s no messing with USB cords that get tangled and flop around. A dock also keeps your iPhone’s screen upright while you’re sitting at the desk. A dock also comes in handy if you like to use your iPhone as an alarm clock next to your bed. The Griffin Simplifi (pictured above) is compatible will all versions of the iPhone and can be found for $45. Apple sells its own official dock for $30.

Alarm Clock With iPhone Dock/Charger

Like to sleep with your iPhone close by? An alarm clock with an iPhone dock built in can be useful, as it charges your iPhone as you sleep. When you wake up in the morning, you’re ready to go. You can also play your music through its speakers. Just make sure to get an alarm clock that shields itself from the iPhone’s GSM noise (the pops you hear from speakers when a cell phone is close by). A good choice is the iHome iP9BR Clock Radio, which sells for $80.

Gift a Specific Song, Album, Movie, Etc in iTunes

Are iTunes gift cards too impersonal? Give your gift some meaning by gifting a specific song, album, TV show, or movie in iTunes. To gift in iTunes, click the arrow that appears next to the price. To deliver the gift, you can either print it out on paper and put it in envelope (there will be a special link to download the gift), or you can email the gift link to your loved on, who can click on it and immediately download it.

Extra Wall Plug and USB Cord

This combo is actually one of the most useful you can give an iPhone user. Sure, the iPhone already comes with a plug and cord, but everyone has that moment when they wish they had one at school or work or by the bedside too. A wall plug and cord can keep your iPhone charged up anywhere you have access to an outlet.

The plug and cord can be expensive if you buy from an Apple store (cord $20, plug $30), but the plug can found for $10 on Amazon, and third-party iPhone USB cords are as cheap as $3.

Car Charger

If you use the iPhone in the car for music, GPS, or other purposes, you’re going to need a car charger. A good basic car charger is the XtremeMac InCharge $19, but buyer-beware versions can be found for as cheap as $3.

iPhone Car Mount

When using the iPhone in the car, safety is your first priority. A car mount will keep the iPhone within reasonable viewing distance. No more fumbling for the iPhone. A good car mount like the Kensington Dash can be had for around $25.

Battery Case

Does your loved one always complain about a dead iPhone battery? A battery case fits snug around your iPhone and essentially doubles your iPhone’s battery life. It’s a perfect gift for travelers or busy people in general (and who isn’t?). They’re a little on the expensive side, but you can’t put a dollar amount on happiness. And happiness is a charged iPhone. A good battery case is the Mophie Juice Pack Air ($79).

iTunes Gift Cards

A classic standby. iTunes Gift Cards can be used to purchase anything in iTunes, including apps. If your loved one wants an expensive GPS app or the iPhone, a gift card is a way to give it to them. iTunes Gift Cards are available in various denominations.

Handmade Accessories from Etsy.com

Etsy.com is an online store where various artists and craftsmen sell their handmade crafts. There are thousands of items for the iPhone. Most are pouches and bags that the iPhone will fit into, but there are some cool items like iPhone bars of soap, handcrafted stands, headphone wraps, iPhone magnets, pillows, and paperclips. Perfect for that special someone who likes kitschy gifts. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s fun to browse around and see what people’s imaginations have come up with.