Let's have a show of hands: Who's having problems with the drum pedals in their music game of choice? Apparently, the number of gamers who do is high enough that Nyko has announced plans for a "more durable foot pedal" called the Metal Pedal. Specs after the jump.

Third-party manufacturer Nyko Technologies has just announced their new distribution deals with Inellec Multimedia in France and Gem Distribution in the UK.

This new partnerships will enable Nyko to circulate its products within the corresponding distributor's countries. This includes more commonly known console peripherals like Nyko's Intercooler for the Xbox 360 and PS3, and the Wii Charge Station. Scott Berlin, Nyko's International Sales VP, had this to say regarding the new deal:

Nyko has always been committed to providing gamers not only in the US, but also the world, with access to the most innovative peripherals for video gaming and digital lifestyles. Our new agreements with Inellec Multimedia and Gem Distribution demonstrate this vision and we look forward to forging ahead and establishing the Nyko brand in even more countries and territories around the globe.

In relation to this news, Nyko is also announcing its presence at the upcoming Leipzig Games Convention (a.k.a. GCDC 2007), where it will be presenting its current and upcoming wares. This year's Games Convention will be taking place from August 23 to 26, at the Leipziger Messe Fairgrounds in Leipzig City, Germany.

 

Third-party peripheral developer Nyko displayed some fun in the E3 event, offering an accessory for each of the current next gen consoles the Wii, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

The most notable among their wares is Nyko's Party Station for the Wii, which brings a whole new meaning of "party" to Wii being the "party console". This table top Wii accessory includes four detachable freezer cooled drink holders, as well as a small tray for chips and dip - fit for partying indeed. The actual gaming function of the Party Station is to store four Wii controllers as well as a handy drawer to stow the Nunchuks in. The best - and quirkiest - part of the the Party Station, though, is the electronic score keeper and a small fan to cool overworked, sweaty palms.

For the PS3. Nyko presented the Zero Wireless PS3 controller, a good alternative for the classic-styled SIXAXIS controller. The Zero Wireless sports a cool aluminum finish with black accents that go well with the PS3's design. Unlike most other third-party controllers, the Zero Wireless comes with a six-axis motion sensing chip, which warrants a hefty US$ 60 price tag for this third-party controller.

The last item on Nyko's list is the Front Man 360, which is essentially a wireless guitar for the 360. However, there's a catch: You will need a wired Xbox 360 controller for the Front Man 360 to work.

Since Microsoft is a bit touchy with letting third parties manufacture wireless peripherals, Nyko had to find a workaround to address the connectivity issue. The only way to connect the Front Man 360's wireless device was by connecting a little adapter to the wired controller. We know that it kind of defeats the purpose of being wireless, but its good to know that Nyko is still working the technical kinks out of this useful device.

It's too bad that with E3 2007 being invitation-only, most of the gamers weren't able to witness the unfolding of this nifty devices first-hand. But hey, at least we know that we have these things coming our way soon.

  

In line with the recent release of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Elite, accessory manufacturer Nyko has decided to follow suit with some matching paraphernalia. They've just announced that they are now shipping new versions of their Intercooler EX and Charge Station 360 packages, which will host a black default paint job to match the Elite's frame.

The Intercooler EX is reportedly a step above Nyko's Intercooler attachment, and carries improvements such as better cooling functions, an improved locking mechanism, and support for wireless adapters. The Intercooler EX comes in either the Elite's black or in the 360's original white paint scheme. This kit will sell for U$ 19.99.

Also new is a black version of Nyko's Charge Station 360. This set will include two rechargeable NiMH battery packs, and a dual-port charger compatible with any standard AC current. The batteries are expected to give 25 hours of playtime each before running out of power. Both versions (black and white) of the Elite Charge Station 360 package are available for US$ 29.99.

Looking for ways to accessorize our consoles is always fun - but not when it involves rifling through dozens of websites and catalogs.

Now, for the guys who would prefer their peripheral shopping a little more uncluttered, accessory manufacturer Nyko is announcing the opening of their new Ecommerce site.

The site offers visitors access to information for Nyko's current line up of parts, and is divided according to each accessory's corresponding consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii) and electronics products (iPODs, PCs). Aside from providing a more convenient data hub for the company's line of accessories, the site also carries information on which retailers carries these Nyko products - this should make shopping in your local community a little easier.

In case you're wondering what Nyko's already been working on as of late, they're well-known for handy and practical accessories like the recently released Wii Charge station, which provides a set of rechargeable packs to go with the Wiimote. On the odd end of the spectrum, Nyko is equally known for releasing the highly controversial - strangely successful - Xbox 360 Intercooler.

Nyko's Ecommerce site could be found through our 'Read' link below.

It seems that people either really love Nyko products or really, really hate them. (Just look at the comments people make on the Nyko Intercooler for the Xbox 360!) Chris Arbogast, the marketing manager for Nyko, spoke with Gaming Nexus about public reaction to Nyko products and what the future has in store.

FrontMan wireless guitar for Guitar Hero 2 for the PS2. Nyko has not announced any plans to make one for the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero 2 which will be released on March 23, 2007, in Europe and April 3, 2007, in North America.

The often-maligned Xbox 360 Intercooler. This product has polarized a segment of the online community: some people bash it while some people defend it. Arbogast pointed out one thing:

With the Intercooler consistently being the number 1 selling third-party accessory for the Xbox 360 every month, it is pretty clear that the majority of users prefer the Intercooler and recognize its benefits.

Zero controller (PS3 and 360). The controller for the PS2 was generally well-received (we recall many of the major gaming news sites awarding it 8 to 9+ points out of 10). Nyko has high hopes for the Zero for PS3 and Xbox 360; Arbogast said that the Zero controllers "spark major interest from the press and consumer alike."

Nintendo Wii charge station. Arbogast said this product was a personal favorite because it solves a problem and has a reasonable price. We agree: the rechargeable battery packs and the recharging cradle for two Wii controllers are very handy because our Wiimotes go through batteries so fast. Arbogast also said that by supporting the Wii, Nyko is supporting "innovation within our industry."

The rest of the interview was Arbogast saying good stuff about Nyko and how Nyko's always looking at new things. We'll skip all that "press release" stuff and leave you to judge the products yourself. This author and several QJ writers, by the way, agree with Arbogast: we're thankful for the Wii charge station and we believe the PS3 charging solutions are the same: useful stuff at a good price.

 

Nope, the pictures above aren't pics of mods. They are actually products of console accessories manufacturer, Talismoon. Back in October of 2006, the company introduced their own take on an Xbox 360 fan duct, the Twilight Flow, together with three other accessories.

Well, actually, this clip and play accessory doesn't do anything the original fan duct can not do. They look cool, and that's about it. If we are not mistaken, the blue fan duct was the only one available when the product first appeared. Now, several variations of Twilight Flow are available including red and green. They sell for around US$ 11.95 each.

On a slightly different note, companies such as these are now really becoming popular and bolder if we may add. It will be remembered that Nyko joined the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show and grabbed some spotlight for its own array of products.

Back in October of 2006, console peripherals manufacturer Nyko Tech mentioned that they will be releasing next-gen controllers Zero both for Xbox 360 and the PS3. We were wondering how they would do it since the PS3 hasn't been launched back then. Well, true enough, no Zero controller came out.

Anyway, Nyko would like to send word that their controller will finally debut at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. We all know the reputation of the CES and the caliber of products unveiled there so this one better delivers. For those of you who are wondering, here are some of Zero's general features:

• 2.4 GHz wireless technology
• Heat-dissipating aluminum panels
• Backlit buttons
• Unique ergonomic design
• Powered by a rechargeable battery pack
• Comes with a USB charging cable

The Zero next-gen controllers will be available on various retail stores within the first quarter of 2007. It will be tagged at around US$ 50.

Accessory developer Nyko was on the news the other day, claiming to replace broken Xbox 360s upon first hand verification that their product indeed caused the system to fail. The company was confident as they further stated that they remain 100% convinced with their Intercooler.

There are no official numbers regarding the matter, and even here at QJ, users are not agreeing if the product does work perfectly fine or perfectly disastrous. Amidst this on-going commotion, a new company suddenly sprang up offering a product the same as Nyko's. Dragon Electronics releases their Thermostatic Cooling System 2, a plug and play, two-fan setup for the X360.

Just like Nyko, Dragon maintains that their product prolongs the console's lifespan and that your Xbox 360 won't be prone to crashes by keeping its working temperature in check. The setup also has a built-in auto sensor that makes the system turn off and on depending on the console temperature.

There are a few reservations when it comes to this product. According to the accessory's manual, the add-on does not require extra power supply as it uses that of the console's. It would be remembered that certain Microsoft representatives said that this exact thing causes the console to fail as it is denied of enough power current during startup.

On a lighter, but as equally dubious note, Dragon Electronics furnished an online manual of their product and they had their own name misspelled on it. Hmm... While we understand that this has nothing to do with the product itself, we believe any craft is reflective of its creator. We are reserving our comments as of now, since our own X360 is comfortably situated in a well air-conditioned room and is not needing any additional ventilation.

Manufacturer and gaming accessories retailer Nyko finally answers the problems being faced by its Intercooler for the Xbox 360. Three weeks ago, we reported that even Microsoft itself is having some doubts regarding the product. In a statement issued today, Nyko maintains its belief to the accessory 100%.

According to the company, the recent reports are actually isolated events and not to be taken as fact. While also stating they would give the matter a serious look, Nyko then went on saying, "A small percentage of all products suffer from defects and the Intercooler 360 is less than half the average for consumer electronics products." When we had the article put up in our site back in October, all reports have not been accounted for and no official figure was released.

Furthermore, Nyko invites everyone who claims to have suffered the incident to let them look at the consoles. Upon first hand verification that their product indeed caused the X360 to fail, Nyko promises to replace not only the Intercooler but the console as well.