Jackpot Slots iPhone Dock-Toy Melds Hardware With App — More To Come?

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In early 2009, Apple loudly announced support for the hardware interface concept — a fusion between third party hardware and apps created specifically to communicate with that hardware. Unfortunately, no one came to the party, and our initial enthusiasm faded.

But it may be time to get excited again, especially if outfits like Wilmington, North Carolina-based New Potato has anything to say about it. They’ve even trademarked a name for their new gadgets — they’re calling them “appcessories.”

Following on the heels of FLPR, their $80 universal remote for the iPhone that hit stores in late March, they’ve just released Jackpot Slots, a $40 charging, syncing iPhone dock equipped with a lever. Docking your iPhone  and launching the free app transforms the whole shebang into a one-arm bandit slot machine (New Potato is also running some sort of competition, the details of which escape us but can be found here).

The Jackpot Slots dock is a little kitchy, and I’d probably be as enthusiastic about it as I would about a lava lamp — but the idea is interesting, and there’s tantalizing evidence of more stuff in development over at New Potato; we hope they keep it coming.

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