I’ve seen the iPad morph into a lot of things, but the press release for this little trick definitely slackened my jaw: It’s an appcessory that turns the iPad into a miniature foosball table.
Classic Match Foosball is the latest gadget from New Potato, who were one of the very first players in the appcessory market (you might remember their Jackpot Slots slot machine and LiveRider bike computer). The toy combines eight real-world control bars, score counters and a stand with an app that supplies electronic versions of the players, field and ball.
It’s an intriguing idea; the electronic field allows for features like instant replays, and atmospheric crowd sounds. Plus, it’s probably a lot more portable than the foosball table sitting in your garage. But how fun is foosball on a 9.7-inch field? A difficult question to answer, considering half the equation, the free app, hasn’t hit the app store just yet. The hardware, on the other hand, is available right now at the Apple Store for $100.
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
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