Nintendo is busting paradigms with the newly announced controller for their upcoming "Revolution" gaming system-- they eschewed the traditional two-handed button-based interface for a one-handed motion-sensitive remote control:

"For the fist time, a controller will allow you movement in every direction," Reggie Fils-Aime, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Nintendo of America, explained to me. "Obviously left and right, but you can also move in and out, pitch and yaw."

"What I believe many developers will choose to do is take full advantage of the telescopic and movement aspects of this controller and make it so games are not very button dependent," predicted Fils-Aime. Perhaps this is a reaction to the rise of one-handed game playing on mobile phones? Now you can text and play Super Mario Bros. 18 in each hand simultaneously-- sweet. Cheers to Nintendo for trying something bold in the conservative world of gaming input devices. Now let's bring back the Power Pad.