CES 2010: Ion Audio making more gaming hardware

5:55 PM on 01.09.2010   |   Conrad Zimmerman

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When I travel, I've taken to bringing an Xbox 360 wireless controller and PC adapter so that I can play some (totally not) emulated games on my netbook. The keyboard is too cramped and I'm a little spoiled by all that console gaming I do. But the setup is bulky to drag around with me.

Enter this adorable little controller from Ion called the GOpad. With a D-pad, four face buttons and four shoulder buttons, it's really all you would need for simple games. Plus, it folds up and clicks closed to a size smaller than a lot of keychains. Add in a retractable USB cable and you've got gaming no matter how little room you have for accessories.

Ion had a number of other controller offerings on display, including a flight stick, a fight stick and a gamepad. I guess the Ion Drum Kit has been successful enough for the audio company to take games seriously. Check out photos of them in the gallery below, along with some additional shots of the GOPad.

No pricing is available for the new products just yet, but Ion says they'll be out in the second quarter. I'll be keeping an ear to the ground regarding the GOpad. Even if it winds up sucking, it's just such a damn neat idea that I feel compelled to try it out.