iControlPad could give full controller function to the iPhone

Sony may state that phones are for "texting your grandma and calling your girl," but there are companies out there trying to make smartphones into full fledged gaming devices. Designer Craig Rothwell has developed a device that gives full gamepad controls to a jailbroken iPhone with the iControlPad.

The original version was first introduced in 2008, but designers never released it due to design flaws and poor control. This new revision locks the iPhone in place with a padlock and spring mechanism and connects via a sync cable. No Apple support means that only jailbroken iPhones can use the device.

Rothwell's Twitter feed(@craigix) is the place to keep up with the latest developments, including where the device may pop up for sale. Here's a video outlining the history of the device: