I really want phones like this to actually work and to succeed, but there are so many things these companies have to get just right – it’s a huge undertaking.
Releasing a phone that’s admittedly unfinished seems really risky. People are getting sick of unfinished products being tossed at them for full price, with the empty promises from the company that those missing features will be added in later.
I tried the original Steam Controller in 2016 and generally hated it.
After I got a Steam Deck and got used to the touchpads, I bought a like-new steam controller in 2024 so I could play in docked mode and I freaking love it.
I want them to make a new one so badly. This Hori controller is not it.
Looking at the specs of this HMD phone, I would not recommend it. The headphone jack and SD card slot are about all this phone has going for it. It’s underpowered, especially for a phone running Android 14. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad for people who just need the cheapest Android phone they can get.
…There also appears to be a hole in the screen 🙃 (i loathe camera holes and screen “notches”).
The headline for this story was corrected to reflect that the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, had declared gun violence a public health crisis, rather than a public health emergency. The surgeon general does not have the power to declare a public health emergency.