KontrolFreek Blog

A dispute over pay and working conditions resulted in about 300 workers climbing to the roof of one of the buildings at Foxconn Technology Park in China early last week. The incident began when employees asked their bosses for a raise but were denied. Employees were told either to quit with compensation or to keep their jobs with no additional payment. Many employees took the former, but the company decided to terminate the agreement anyway and not pay the promised compensation. The workers protested the action by threatening to jump to their deaths.

The standoff eventually came to an end when the mayor of Wuhan showed up and literally talked the former employees off the ledge.

These particular employees were responsible for manufacturing parts for Xbox 360 consoles and production had actually come to a halt for several hours during the protest.

Microsoft had this to say:

"Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue," a spokesperson told the Huffington Post UK.

"We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge.

"Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors, and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy."

Foxconn factories in China were already under examination because of several suicides by employees in the past five years—actually forcing the company to install anti-suicide nets at some of their facilities. In addition to Xbox 360 components, Foxconn also manufactures products for Apple, Sony, Nintendo and many other Fortune 500 companies.

People are constantly asking me if we ever plan on making a gaming product for PC gamers. Truth is we already do. Some people don’t know this, but you can use your current Xbox 360 controller for many PC games. Of course, you might not want to use a controller for everything on the PC, but you’ll definitely want it for games like Super Meat Boy, FIFA, Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed and any game featuring cars or racing like GTA or Need for Speed.

Setup for using your Xbox 360 controller on a Windows based PC is easy:

Wired Xbox 360 Controller: The same controller can be used for both Xbox 360 and PC. Just plug it in to an open USB port on your PC—Windows takes care of the rest.

Wireless Xbox 360 Controller: You don’t need to purchase a separate wireless controller for use on your PC. All you need to do is purchase the Microsoft Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. Other third-party versions are also available—but you may as well stick with OEM gear in this case. Once you have the receiver, you just plug it in to an open USB port and sync your wireless controller by pushing the button on the receiver and then the sync button on your controller.

We often get questions about third-party controllers and their compatibility with our products. With a ton of these controllers on the market today, things can get confusing. Don't worry—we've got you covered. Our products were designed for OEM Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers but do fit many third-party versions. Here is a list of known controllers and their compatibility:

PS3 DualShock 3 OEM – YES

Xbox 360 OEM – YES

Xbox 360 (New D-Pad) -- YES

Razer Onza -- YES

Razer Onza TE -- YES

Power A Pro EX/Elite – YES

Evil Controllers Evil Sticks – YES

PDP AfterGlow PS3 – NO

PDP AfterGlow Xbox 360 – YES

Wii Nunchuk -- NO

PS2 DualShock OEM -- YES

Xbox Controller S – YES

MadCatz Call of Duty: Black Ops PrecisionAIM Controller – YES

Datel Turbo Fire 2 Xbox 360 – NO

OnLive Controller – YES

This list is by no means a comprehensive listing of controllers and their compatibility. We try to test all controllers that we get questions about but due to various things we can't test out everything that comes to market. If you know the compatibility of a controller and would like to share your knowledge with us and the community, please add it here.

Skate 3 arriving in demo form provides the perfect opportunity for us to throw some knowledge your way.  Did you know that FPS Freeks and Speed Freeks each have unique strengths when it comes to the Skate series?  Well, they do.

Speed Freeks–positioned normally on the left stick and vertically on the right stick—can help you keep those thumbs in position and aid in pulling-off certain types of actions like rail tricks and landings into manuals.  Also, Speed Freeks help with your basic player movement and control while keeping your thumbs more comfortable.

Your FPS Freeks function in the same way as they do in first-person shooters.  The extended length gives you an extra amount of precision that really helps you nail some of the game’s tougher flip tricks—like inward heelflips and hardflips.  Many people find that those tough rounds of S.K.A.T.E. are much easier with FPS Freeks attached!

Which KontrolFreek product you choose for Skate 3 is a matter of preference.  We suggest playing around with different combinations to see what’s right for you (try a SpeedFreek on the left stick and a FPS Freek on the right!).  And while KontrolFreek product won’t make you a better skateboarder in real life, you’ll probably become a better virtual one.