Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
You have probably heard that Apple just released the iPad Mini 7th Generation a couple of days ago, which now contains the A17 Pro APU (like the one in the iPhone 15 Pro) along with (strongly rumored) 8 GB of RAM. This means all the AAA games like ‘Death Stranding’, Resident Evil: Village and Assassin Creed should work with the iPad Mini 7th Generation. With Apple efforts to make porting PC games to the Mx platform, we should see even more games for Mx and A17 & A18 APUs which should make the iPad Mini 7th Gen an excellent choice over portable gaming systems like the Steam Deck due to its multi-purpose functionality. Plus it will make an excellent game streaming platform for Microsoft’s XBOX Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA’s GeFore NOW services with it WiFi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3 AND the 5G cellular (optional). It will also make a great remote local game streaming unit of your beefier gaming PC or Sony Playstation 5 or upcoming 6 using Steam Link, PS Remote Play or my favorite - open-source MoonLight & Sunshine game streaming server software for your PC. In fact, due to it 5G capability, you could actually stream over your home broadband connection outside your home (quality will vary based your broadband performance and 5G connectivity).
You might be asking how, since the iPad Mini 7 does not have controllers and relies on its touchscreen (and we all know how much that sucks). Up to now the options were next zero for controlling options attached directly to the iPad Mini. Yes you can find wide spanning accordion controllers like the GameSir G8+, which is a really good option, but its versatility is also its disadvantage. Meaning it has to be charged and there is NO wired connectivity, relying Bluetooth only. You could use the Dualshock 4, DualSense or XBOX gamepad brackets that allows you to attach your phone, but these brackets don’t stretch out enough to fit a small 7” tablet, let alone the 8.3’ screen of the iPad Mini. On top of that, I have also felt the center-of-gravity of the adapters make me feel that the phone is always leaning back, putting strain on my wrist after an hour of gaming. What if though…
…you could just “float” the iPad Mini 7th generation (or any other small tablet) over your existing gamepad controller you now feel have become a part of your body, in an evenly balanced manner though a 2-point articulated ball joint and tilt pivot allowing just the right amount of clearance between your hands and the tablet?
Introducing the Gaming Lens Mount
Two years ago, Owl Creek Technologies (my product design company) started working on way to attach small touch screen to gamepad via USBc Alt Video (as well as power & touch) to give you the same kind of gaming experience you could get with a portable gaming system on a mini PC, Mac mini, laptop or even your PC. But I also noticed the mount I created for the gamepad could easily convert a small tablet into portable gaming system by just attaching a simple thin ferrous steel plate to the back. The same type one would use on your smartphone (along with a protective film to attach first to avoid marring the surface of your tablet). The effective “floats” the tablet above your game controller, with an 7 inch USBc to USBc cable you attach to your controller and tablet for a faster more responsive connection, as well powering/charging the controller as well. The best thing, is when you are done playing, just unplug the cable, and detach the tablet from the controller. to continue using either device normally. Storage wise, they easily fit in small hand, messenger bag or backpack. AND THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE…
…PRICE. If you already have one of those gamepad brackets for your phone, depending on the make. All you need to do is buy the ball joint/magnetic mount kit for less than $25 which includes the ball joint (2 different bracket versions available), rare-earth strong magnet mount, rectangle & disc metal plate, and protective plastic film. If you don’t have a bracket (DS4, DualSense or XBOX) there will be kit version that includes that as well for $35. If you are interested in the 8.9” Gaming Lens Touch Screen, it will be available later for $99.
Click here (coming soon) to head out its Kickstarter to pledge or preorder now.
The game being play via Valve Steam Link is Callisto Protocol which was made by ‘Striking Distance’ (CEO was an ex DeadSpace developer) that in my opinion got a lot of unfair criticism for its gaming mechanics. Now that it heavily discounted on Steam, and was free from Epic Games, and part of the PC game collection on MS’s Cloud Gaming it might be worth a look. It especially looks great on the 8.3” iPad Mini 6th gen seen here. Frankly, I wish Epic would kiss and make up with Apple, so we can see some Unreal Engine porting tools to get some of the UE 4 and 5 games on MacOS and iOS.
You have probably heard that Apple just released the iPad Mini 7th Generation a couple of days ago, which now contains the A17 Pro APU (like the one in the iPhone 15 Pro) along with (strongly rumored) 8 GB of RAM. This means all the AAA games like ‘Death Stranding’, Resident Evil: Village and Assassin Creed should work with the iPad Mini 7th Generation. With Apple efforts to make porting PC games to the Mx platform, we should see even more games for Mx and A17 & A18 APUs which should make the iPad Mini 7th Gen an excellent choice over portable gaming systems like the Steam Deck due to its multi-purpose functionality. Plus it will make an excellent game streaming platform for Microsoft’s XBOX Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA’s GeFore NOW services with it WiFi 6e and Bluetooth 5.3 AND the 5G cellular (optional). It will also make a great remote local game streaming unit of your beefier gaming PC or Sony Playstation 5 or upcoming 6 using Steam Link, PS Remote Play or my favorite - open-source MoonLight & Sunshine game streaming server software for your PC. In fact, due to it 5G capability, you could actually stream over your home broadband connection outside your home (quality will vary based your broadband performance and 5G connectivity).
You might be asking how, since the iPad Mini 7 does not have controllers and relies on its touchscreen (and we all know how much that sucks). Up to now the options were next zero for controlling options attached directly to the iPad Mini. Yes you can find wide spanning accordion controllers like the GameSir G8+, which is a really good option, but its versatility is also its disadvantage. Meaning it has to be charged and there is NO wired connectivity, relying Bluetooth only. You could use the Dualshock 4, DualSense or XBOX gamepad brackets that allows you to attach your phone, but these brackets don’t stretch out enough to fit a small 7” tablet, let alone the 8.3’ screen of the iPad Mini. On top of that, I have also felt the center-of-gravity of the adapters make me feel that the phone is always leaning back, putting strain on my wrist after an hour of gaming. What if though…
…you could just “float” the iPad Mini 7th generation (or any other small tablet) over your existing gamepad controller you now feel have become a part of your body, in an evenly balanced manner though a 2-point articulated ball joint and tilt pivot allowing just the right amount of clearance between your hands and the tablet?
Introducing the Gaming Lens Mount
Two years ago, Owl Creek Technologies (my product design company) started working on way to attach small touch screen to gamepad via USBc Alt Video (as well as power & touch) to give you the same kind of gaming experience you could get with a portable gaming system on a mini PC, Mac mini, laptop or even your PC. But I also noticed the mount I created for the gamepad could easily convert a small tablet into portable gaming system by just attaching a simple thin ferrous steel plate to the back. The same type one would use on your smartphone (along with a protective film to attach first to avoid marring the surface of your tablet). The effective “floats” the tablet above your game controller, with an 7 inch USBc to USBc cable you attach to your controller and tablet for a faster more responsive connection, as well powering/charging the controller as well. The best thing, is when you are done playing, just unplug the cable, and detach the tablet from the controller. to continue using either device normally. Storage wise, they easily fit in small hand, messenger bag or backpack. AND THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE…
…PRICE. If you already have one of those gamepad brackets for your phone, depending on the make. All you need to do is buy the ball joint/magnetic mount kit for less than $25 which includes the ball joint (2 different bracket versions available), rare-earth strong magnet mount, rectangle & disc metal plate, and protective plastic film. If you don’t have a bracket (DS4, DualSense or XBOX) there will be kit version that includes that as well for $35. If you are interested in the 8.9” Gaming Lens Touch Screen, it will be available later for $99.
Click here (coming soon) to head out its Kickstarter to pledge or preorder now.
The game being play via Valve Steam Link is Callisto Protocol which was made by ‘Striking Distance’ (CEO was an ex DeadSpace developer) that in my opinion got a lot of unfair criticism for its gaming mechanics. Now that it heavily discounted on Steam, and was free from Epic Games, and part of the PC game collection on MS’s Cloud Gaming it might be worth a look. It especially looks great on the 8.3” iPad Mini 6th gen seen here. Frankly, I wish Epic would kiss and make up with Apple, so we can see some Unreal Engine porting tools to get some of the UE 4 and 5 games on MacOS and iOS.
