Samsung Turns Clamshell Phone Into Joystick

Samsung came up with an unusual idea and decided to apply for a patent on it, using the upper half of an opened cellphone as a joystick for gaming on the go. Not a bad idea, since gaming is usually way too awkward on cellphones with their tiny controls and puny screens. Now there’s an idea we can grab onto. How does Samsung plan to make this actually work? It’s not as simple as it looks. It’s done using the Hall Effect, an electrical trick that involves applying electrical current to a magnetic field at right angles, and an opened clamshell is nothing but a right angle, right? Looks like a great idea that solves that control problem, now if Samsung could just figure out some kind of magical effect to turn a 3-inch screen into a display big enough to play a game on, they’ll be onto something. Hey, what about using frickin’ lasers? [US Patent and Trademark Office, via Unwired View]