The iPad Arcade Stick
Summary
TLDRThe speaker shares a nostalgic account of their relationship with iPads and tablets, highlighting the evolution of their usefulness over time. They recount their initial skepticism towards the iPad, their eventual appreciation for the iPad 2's features, and the eventual release of the iPad Pro. The speaker also discusses the iade, an iPad arcade-style controller, and its compatibility with various games, expressing fondness for this unique accessory despite its limited modern relevance.
Takeaways
- đą The speaker has a complex relationship with iPads, initially questioning their usefulness but eventually appreciating their capabilities.
- đŽ The evolution of iPads from the first generation to the iPad 2, and the introduction of features like iMovie, changed the speaker's perspective on their value.
- đšī¸ The speaker's interest in mobile gaming is rooted in nostalgia for the 2008-2014 era of mobile games, which were distinct from the current crop of games.
- đ° The iade, an iPad arcade setup, was initially an April Fool's joke by ION that became a real product, reflecting the speaker's appreciation for retro gaming.
- đšī¸ The iade's compatibility with various games is spotty, but it works exceptionally well with certain apps, like the Vectrix app for Vectrex games.
- đŽ The Vectrex gaming system is unique for its vector graphics and built-in screen, and the iade offers an impressive recreation of this experience.
- đą The iPad's potential to replace other devices and its magical appeal during the early 2010s is contrasted with the current understanding of its limitations.
- đ˛ The speaker reminisces about the excitement of the early iPad era, where it felt like the devices could do anything, including replacing arcade cabinets.
- đą The iade mobile and iade core are mentioned as spin-off products, but the original iade arcade style dock remains the speaker's favorite.
- đ The iade's design is praised for its future-proofing, as it still works with modern iPads despite changes in Apple's dock connectors.
Q & A
What was the speaker's initial impression of the iPad when it was first announced in 2010?
-The speaker did not understand the point of the iPad, perceiving it as just a larger iPod Touch and questioning its value compared to a laptop.
How did the iPad 2 change the speaker's perspective on the usefulness of iPads?
-The iPad 2, with its added features like cameras and smart covers, and the announcement of iMovie for iPad, showcased more potential uses, making the speaker appreciate its value.
What does the speaker recall about the evolution of mobile devices and their impact on the iPad's relevance?
-The speaker notes that as smartphones got bigger and laptops became faster and thinner, the iPad's place in the tech landscape felt uncertain, but introductions like the iPad Pro revitalized its appeal.
What are the speaker's thoughts on Final Cut Pro for iPad?
-The speaker views Final Cut Pro for iPad as somewhat of a gimmick, finding it impractical for serious use despite acknowledging its existence as a cool feature.
What is the 'iade,' and why is the speaker excited about it?
-The 'iade' is an arcade-style dock for the iPad, which the speaker finds obscure and exciting due to its ability to transform the iPad into a mini arcade cabinet.
How does the speaker view the evolution of mobile games from 2008 to 2014?
-The speaker feels nostalgic for the era's mobile games, noting a preference for games with more depth and gameplay variety compared to the repetitive loop of many contemporary games.
What issue does the speaker highlight about playing traditional video games on mobile devices?
-The speaker criticizes the touchscreen controls of traditional video games on mobile devices, pointing out their inadequacy compared to physical controllers.
What is the iCade and how does it relate to the iPad and gaming?
-The iCade is an accessory that turns the iPad into an arcade machine, offering physical controls and enhancing the gaming experience for certain apps and games.
Why does the speaker mention the Vectrex and its relation to the iCade?
-The speaker highlights a Vectrex app that works with the iCade, using it to illustrate how the iCade can provide a unique gaming experience that emulates playing on vintage systems.
What is the speaker's overall sentiment about the iPad and its role over the years?
-The speaker has a nuanced view, acknowledging the iPad's fluctuating relevance and versatility over the years, and expressing a personal connection and nostalgia for its impact on technology and gaming.
Outlines
đą The Evolution of iPad: From Skepticism to Essential Tool
The speaker shares their journey with iPads, from initial skepticism to eventual appreciation. Initially perceiving iPads as unnecessary and overpriced larger versions of the iPod Touch, the speaker's opinion shifted with the release of iPad 2, which introduced cameras and smart covers, making the device more appealing. The availability of iMovie for iPad was a turning point, showcasing the device's potential beyond simple web browsing and email checking. The speaker recounts their experiences with various iPad models, including the iPad Mini, and reflects on how the blurring lines between smartphones, tablets, and laptops have impacted the perceived utility of each device. The introduction of the iPad Pro and software like Final Cut Pro for iPad are discussed as attempts by Apple to position the iPad as a viable computer alternative, despite the speaker's skepticism about the practicality of such applications.
đšī¸ Nostalgia for Mobile Gaming: A Look Back at the Early App Store
This paragraph explores the speaker's nostalgia for the early days of mobile gaming, highlighting a time when the App Store was filled with a mix of simplistic and innovative games. The speaker critiques the shallow nature of many early mobile games but also acknowledges the creativity and genuine game design present in titles like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds. The allure of traditional video games on mobile devices, such as Sonic and Mega Man, is discussed, along with the challenges posed by touchscreen controls. The speaker expresses admiration for games designed with touchscreens in mind and shares personal experiences with buying and playing classic games on their iPod Touch. The discussion also touches on the limitations of traditional video games on mobile platforms, emphasizing the importance of designing games specifically for touchscreens.
đšī¸ The iCade: Bridging the Gap Between iPads and Arcade Gaming
The speaker delves into the concept and reality of the iCade, an iPad accessory designed to mimic an arcade gaming experience. Initially conceived as an April Fool's joke by Ion, a company known for making record players, the iCade was eventually brought to market due to popular demand. Compatible with the iPad 2 and 3, it was promoted alongside the Atari Greatest Hits app, offering a nostalgic arcade gaming experience. The speaker recounts their own experiences with mobile gaming, including attempts to play traditional video games on mobile devices and the difficulties encountered due to touchscreen controls. The iCade, with its physical joystick and buttons, offered a solution, albeit with limited game support. The speaker also discusses the challenge of finding games that still support the iCade and the novelty of playing classic games with arcade controls, providing a unique perspective on the evolution of mobile gaming and the quest for more tactile gaming experiences on touch devices.
đŽ Exploring the Limits of iPad Gaming with the iCade
In this concluding paragraph, the speaker further discusses the iCade's role in enhancing the iPad gaming experience, particularly through the lens of playing Vectrex games. They detail how the iCade transforms the iPad into an impressive emulation of the Vectrex console, despite the app's subscription model. The discussion broadens to reflect on how such innovations represent a bygone era of optimism about the capabilities of mobile devices. The speaker expresses a nuanced view on the progression of technology, acknowledging the charm of dedicated devices like the iCade in a world increasingly dominated by multifunctional smartphones and tablets. Additionally, the exploration of iCade's spin-off products illustrates the speaker's preference for specialized, rather than generalized, technology solutions. The nostalgic tone underscores a longing for the early 2010s, a time when the potential of mobile devices seemed boundless, and gadgets like the iCade promised new forms of interaction and enjoyment.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄiPad
đĄUsefulness
đĄiMovie
đĄiade
đĄMobile Games
đĄAtari Greatest Hits
đĄVector Graphics
đĄNostalgia
đĄApple Pencil
đĄTemple Run
đĄVectrex
Highlights
Reflects on the initial skepticism about the iPad's purpose and its perceived redundancy next to smartphones and laptops.
Describes the evolution of the iPad from a simple larger iPod Touch to a device that found its unique place between smartphones and laptops.
Highlights the moment of realization of the iPad's potential with the introduction of iPad 2, cameras, and smart covers.
Shares a personal anecdote of being intrigued by the ability to edit videos on an iPad, envisioning the creative possibilities.
Reflects on the changing dynamics between smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and how the iPad's role has evolved over time.
Comments on the iPad Pro's introduction with Apple Pencil and USB-C port as a turning point in perceiving the iPad as a more versatile device.
Expresses skepticism about the practicality of using Final Cut Pro on an iPad, despite its innovative inclusion.
Shares a nostalgic view on the era of mobile games from 2008 to 2014, contrasting it with the repetitive nature of current mobile games.
Criticizes the touch screen controls of traditional video games ported to mobile devices, highlighting the inherent challenges.
Discusses the iCade, an arcade device for the iPad, as a novel solution to the touch screen control issue for playing traditional video games.
Recounts the serendipitous creation of the iCade from an April Fool's joke to a real product that tapped into a nostalgic desire for arcade-style gaming.
Explores the limited but cherished compatibility of the iCade with various games, noting its spotty support but significant charm.
Highlights the unique experience of playing Vectrex games on an iPad with the iCade, bridging the gap between modern and retro gaming.
Acknowledges the shift in perspective towards appreciating dedicated devices for specific functions, moving away from the all-encompassing role of smartphones and tablets.
Concludes with a personal reflection on the magical feeling of early tablet and smartphone technology and the unique role of devices like the iCade in capturing that nostalgia.
Transcripts
I'm not an iPad kid I'm an iPad man look
at these things iPad let's play a game
called who gives a anymore it's
going to be a quick game because I can't
find anybody I have a funny little
relationship with
iPads I shouldn't have said it because I
am pretty sure there are going to be no
jokes in this story iPads and tablets
throughout their lives I've always kind
of gone up and down in terms of their
usefulness if I really think they're
warranted I got remember when the iPad
was first announced in like early 2010
and I
remember not getting it what the hell is
the point of that it was literally just
a larger iPod Touch uh for $500 Apple
posed the question what is between a
smartphone and a laptop and uh if that
thing between them would be warranted
like is there a reason to own all three
and sometimes sure uh that time iPad 1
hell no uh there was no camera on it it
was 16 gbes I mean like what you're just
going to browse the web on that thing
check email I mean for that yeah sure it
works it does the job and the
touchscreen display does make it a
little more fun but if you're already
spending $500 on this thing I feel like
it it would probably be worth it to just
save up a little more and and get a
laptop uh because when you actually try
to start using your iPad as a computer
uh yeah the limitations start to show
but that was just with the iPad 1 I
didn't see much point of that thing back
in the day but when the iPad 2 got
announced with cameras and smart covers
that's when I was like oh boy I think
the main thing that kind of got me into
it was the fact that iMovie was
announced for iPad uh just just the idea
that you could edit video on on
something like this I just instantly
pictured being in the backseat of a car
uh just editing video on this very thin
uh tablet uh that that was really cool
and I think that kind of showed me a bit
of like why the iPad deserves to exist
because yeah you can do all the things
an iPad can do on an iPhone but God damn
you don't want to do it on a screen that
small so you take the ease of use of an
iPhone and uh um make it easy to use so
I was on board with iPad 2 my mom got
one for her birthday so I kind of
mooched off of her iPad 2 and uh yeah it
was yeah that was a lovely little device
I had a lot of fun on that thing
eventually I got my very own iPad and
iPad Mini first generation which I later
sold to afford Kirby and the Rainbow
Curse tough times now I really like
using that one too but man I mean I
eventually it just kind of you just kind
of had to ask like what are we doing
here smartphones were getting bigger
tablets were getting smaller and and
just like things were starting to bleed
together a little too much to the point
that for a bit there kind of felt like
you know when you have like a 6-in
screen
iPhone why what's the point of an iPad
Mini a laptops were becoming faster and
thinner smartphones were becoming more
capable with bigger screens uh iPads
started to feel weird but eventually you
know they brought in the iPad Pro with
the apple pencil and USBC port and uh
yeah then it started to feel pretty good
again uh and now it feels weird because
now they have like Final Cut Pro for
iPad and it feels like they introduced
that just to say like uh please God
consider the iPad a computer and uh yeah
I mean the Final Cut Pro on the iPad is
is a weird little bugger I tried using
it for 20 minutes and I realized this is
a total gimmick I will never actually
use this but it's cool that it exists my
apologies for rambling but my point is
here me and the iPad go way back how far
back well I recognize
this this is an iPad owner's equivalent
to a Purple Heart okay so I recognize
this thing but I've never owned one
until now and I am so happy to do so
because this is such an obscure little
bugger right here this is the iade now
what's the
iade I don't know I have a lot of
nostalgia for the uh 2008 to uh
20 13 2014 era of mobile games like I
have a couple games on my phone but
they're all the same uh they all kind of
have a very similar gameplay Loop of
like maybe it's like oddly satisfying
for for like a couple days and then you
get burnt out on it because it's just
the same damn thing over and over and
over again stuff like Monopoly go I see
this damn mobile game ad like every
single time an ad comes up of this
stupid ass King and he's about to get it
and I just know it's just going to be
the same thing for hours on end and it's
just there's going to be a bunch of
popup ads and all this garbage and I
look back at mobile games from back in
the day and like yeah sure there was a
lot of really shallow stuff on there uh
pretty much 60% of the iPhone app store
uh were fart apps Andy I'm not going to
act like this was a perfect era you know
even during the greatest Renaissance
throughout history and there were still
a couple cases of leprosy I man a lot of
these mobile games kind of got thrown
under the bus back then in a similar way
that mobile games do uh nowadays which
is H very unfair you know you look back
at stuff like Cut the Rope and like
Angry Birds and uh yeah you know like oh
man Scott's going to praise Angry Birds
like yeah I don't really give a damn
about Angry Birds but like you have to
admit like there's actual goddamn game
design going on there like it's an
actual video game there's actual things
going on there whereas like mobile games
these days like they all pretty much
play themselves but as good as some of
these old school mobile games were uh
what really attracted me back then uh
that I I got fooled by every single time
were all the actual video games
available on the App Store like I
remember seeing you know you had Sonic 1
Sonic 2 Mega Man 2 Street Fighter 4
Resident Evil 4 these were like actual
video games and they all said like oh
yeah yeah it'll work on the iPhone
here's the iPhone version of of this
game and I always bought them I bought
every single one of those damn games and
like played them for a little bit on the
I on my iPod touch and never played him
again I mean in a couple cases I
actually played through uh a couple of
these games a fair amount I remember
actually getting like really far in the
iPhone version of Mega Man 2 uh this
version got like two out of 10 on IGN at
the time uh it it was not a great
controlling version and it was all
because of the touchcreen controls which
is why I respect the hell out of this
era of like traditional mobile games uh
like Cut the Rope because like a lot of
these were designed fully with touch
screens in mind like they took full
advantage of the hardware uh whereas
Resident Evil 4 on the iPhone that took
advantage of me most of these
traditional video games ported to the
iPhone suffered from the dreaded
touchscreen d-pad and buttons if only
there was an audio company that came to
the rescue and made an arcade device for
the iPad yes ion they make record
players and uh they decided to come up
with an April Fool's Day joke about the
iade an iPad arcade setup uh and then
people seem to like it enough that they
uh eventually turned it into its own
thing like a year later uh that's like
one of the worst April Fool's Day jokes
of all time when it's like something
people actually wanted and people are
like that's a great idea and then
they're like oh we should actually
make that now I mean like yeah they're
actually pretty good April Fool's Day
jokes at the end of the day if it you
know actually came up with something
cool uh but uh but as a joke uh yeah
yeah pretty dog boom here it is so this
came out during like the iPad 2 iPad 3
era and they're advertising this
alongside Atari Greatest Hits on the App
Store I remember this app uh I was
actually very interested in this back in
the day because this was a free app and
it came with Missile Command pre-loaded
on it but for the other hundreds of
Atari games uh you'd have to pay uh
either for them like within packs for
like a buck or two uh or you just get
them all for $10 and I very much
considered this I remember scrounging up
change uh to give to my parents whenever
I wanted to buy uh an app or like an
iTunes TV show episode or a movie or
anything uh so I was like trying to find
like all this loose change that I could
then give to them in exchange to uh you
know to buy something with their credit
card on on the App Store I really
considered it with Atari Greatest Hits I
mean like hundreds of games hundreds of
classic games I like classic games I'm
pretty happy I didn't do that because I
did that recently to test this out
sometimes I just forget Atari games are
Atari games of course Atari games have
their place in history but but you know
like actually playing them these
days what do you want me to say and keep
in mind I like this kind of garbage but
even I have my limits guari
golf off definitely interesting how
they cross-promoted this app uh with the
icade considering that the iade has a
very traditional six buttons like a
fighting game layout and a pretty
standard arcade joystick uh because uh a
lot of the Atari arcade games here uh
don't use
a standard joystick and standard arcade
buttons a lot of these are games that
use like a spinner or something like
that and a lot of these are track ball
games and then you move over to the
Atari 2600 games and like man an arcade
joystick ain't really going to do much
to make these better it's still really
cool to be able to play these classic
games uh with traditional arcade style
controls uh and the fact that you can
still do it is incredible I was still
lable to download this app on a modern
iPad like this iPad's only like 2 years
old or so yeah I was still able to buy
the $10 game pack uh I'm not sure if
it's actively available on the app store
or if I was just still able to access it
because I downloaded it back in the day
so it was still like on my account I
could redownload it but still everything
just works so smoothly there which I can
say about other games that support the
iade yeah so not a lot of games
officially supported the iade but it's
just a Bluetooth controller so it should
work but uh yeah I I have some
difficulty getting it to work in games
like uh you know the Sonic mobile ports
here Temple Run of all games supports
the
iade at least the left and right buttons
yeah for some reason uh down doesn't
work in temperun here uh which is weird
because down Works in other games I've
tested with the iade and for some reason
the arade only works in Temple Run Plus
on Apple arcade uh regular old Temple
Run here uh it it doesn't work in it
doesn't work in which is strange I'd
assume the original version of Temple
Run which is what that is uh would
support the iade since you know it's
older with Temple Run plus being like
the premium original Temple Run
available on the Apple arcade
Subscription Service I'd assume like it
wouldn't work in that cuz it's a newer
version of of Temple
Run I don't know you know what a real
great one Miss Pac-Man uh Miss Pac-Man
works with the iade uh which is like
yeah that that's obviously like one
that's like
oh yeah but of course I don't think the
original like iPad iPhone version of
Miss Pac-Man is available on the App
Store anymore I was able to download it
because you know I had to download it
from back in the day if you want regular
Pac-Man I don't know what's going on
here you know the the the uh version of
Pac-Man they have on the app store right
now like they mobile fi it like you just
have these weird ass little challenge
rooms and stuff you you know you want to
go through all the challenges every day
and everything like what what the hell
is going on here you know what's even
worse no iade support you know what
strange uh we're actually going to be a
two for two in terms of Apple arcade
games that support the iade here we have
a Frogger in toy town and yeah you know
this works with the icade I'm
controlling it right now with the ik
this this iPad controller from 2011
still works in some games which is
pretty crazy to be fair you know it is
just a Bluetooth controller uh but the
fact that it's a little spotty in some
games and works flawlessly with others
is is pretty crazy to me man I've always
just found this thing really really cool
this is probably like one of the coolest
possible accessories created for an iPad
and they created it like within the
first year or two of the iPad's
existence I just think this thing Nails
what it sets out to do uh of course like
it its compatibility is a bit spotty at
least with what I've tried it with
however there's one app that does work
with it that makes it all worth it
there's this vectrix ass app that plays
vectrex games do you know the vectrex
yeah here's footage of my vectrex and
here's footage of the iPad and the iade
playing vectrex games now the vectrex is
very unique it's it's a very cool old
ass game system uh that uses vector
graphics and there's nothing really else
like it like the the graphics are so
smooth like it it it's unreal it just
looks cool in person and uh it's it's
really fun to play you know like really
fun H yeah Scott tell me more listen man
I'm not telling you to put your beer
down to play a vectrex but what I'm
trying to say is uh as far as games from
this era you know early 80s uh the vect
tricks is very special it's a very cool
thing that I think most people if you
turn one on can really appreciate uh
mainly because you know it's a it's a
game console with a built-in screen you
can immediately turn on it it turns on
instantly and you're just in there
playing a very unique kind of retro game
uh you know with with very cool vector
graphics and uh you know they're very
simple games but you know they're
instantly understandable you can
instantly just pop in you know you know
move around play have some fun uh it
it's cool it's very cool but uh vectrex
games haven't really ever been
re-released outside of this damn iPad
app that works flawlessly with the iade
and turns your iPad into like the the
best Recreation of a vectrex I've ever
seen in my damn life I've only seen one
Recreation of a vectrex and it's this
but still it's really cool unfortunately
this app is like a subscription based
thing and I'm pretty sure I forgot to
unsubscribe uh I'm not playing this
thing more than once but still pretty
damn cool and so is the ik just based on
like the fact that it it does very much
make your iPad feel like a mini arcade
cabinet of course these days I don't
really think it has much use at all I
feel like you're much better off uh
getting like like a mini an actual mini
arcade cabinet like a multik like
tabletop looking thing I don't know like
I feel like you're going to get all the
games you want on that whereas with this
uh you're kind of stuck with the table
scraps from 10 years ago like what
whatever still will work with the iade
uh you know new games still might
support it they might not I don't know
but this just brings me back to uh kind
of a fun era where it felt like like
these devices were were capable of
everything they could replace everything
in your life the iPad can replace any
arcade cabinet watch it and and uh you
know overall I'm happy that uh they they
didn't end up doing that I think we've
kind of come back to an Era where we
realized like hey let's not let our
phone do absolutely everything it's nice
to have like a camera uh separate from
our phone it's nice to collect vinyl uh
and not rely on our phone for absolutely
everything or or whatever you know um