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Teknocreations InCharge

Posted on Tuesday, June 30 @ 15:01:13 Eastern by Duke_Ferris

Product-A-Day looks at the InCharge for 360 from Teknocreations. Just in time, too, saving me from the dreaded horror of corded controllers.

I have never experienced the 360's red-ring-of-death. Which is surprising because I have one of the very first 360's off the line, fresh from launch day almost four years ago. Yes, it's really been that long.

I also had the rechargeable battery pack kit from Microsoft, which, at 3 1/2 years old, was dying. The lithium-ion batteries were totally shot, one couldn't hold a charge at all, and the other could only play for about 40 minutes, even fully charged, before it died. (Note to Prius owners - you guys are so screwed in a few years)

I lost the little plastic AA battery modules ages ago, so I was forced to string a cord across the TV room. This drew an icy stare from my wife who has insisted on wireless controllers ever since I first picked up a pair for the original Playstation.

With timing worthy of the cavalry, the InCharge showed up in the office, and I love it, with only one reservation.

First off, you'll notice the lithium polymer battery packs are lighter than both the official MS ones or a pair of AA's. Don't let that scare you though because they go for 25 hours of gameplay before they conk out. It comes with two battery packs and you can recharge them either separately, or while still attached to your controller. No word if it will come in different colors like their DS extended-battery cases do.

Second, you'll notice there are no contacts. Every time I recharge my mouse, I have to spend 30 seconds scratching at the metal contacts to get the damn thing to connect. The InCharge recharges the batteries through a neat wireless trick called magnetic induction. Just put the controller on the stand and viola - always works.

Unfortunately, that means it's always flashing it's lights. Always. The bright, green LED's are solid when recharging and they flash vigorously to let you know when they're fully charged. If your controller base is exposed on a shelf or table, you cannot store the controllers on the base and still watch a movie, get any sleep, or maintain your sanity. They don't even flash in unison.

However, if your controller base is inside your home theater, behind a sliding wood door, like mine is, the InCharge is absolutely perfect, and it can sit in the dark and flash at itself as much as it likes. A marriage saved for only $30.