XtendPlay Product Review
I'll be the first one to admit that this product is awful looking. The first time I saw it I almost shit my pants laughing so hard at how ridiculous it looked. But in the past few months my wrists and hands have been starting to hurt really bad - my fingers are almost 'frozen' stiff when I wake up in the morning and my wrists constantly have a sharp or dull pain depending on how I have my wrist and/or hand positioned.
The first thing you'll notice about this product is its bright green color (a dark blue if you intend on getting one for your PS3). It may look like a nuisance but in reality it makes your hands and wrists stay in a more natural position while holding the controller (especially for extended periods of time). While holding a controller without XtendPlay your fingers are wrapped around the bottom of the controller almost making a fist.
Now let's take a look at how the XtendPlay makes your hands and fingers stay in a less bent/curved position. My hand is almost open and I'm still able to grip the controller very naturally. There are a few different grips/handholds depending on the size of your hands on the back of the product itself making it an almost universal product that would be suitable for all shapes and sizes (except maybe young children, but who wants them taking away your gaming time anyways?).
Without an XtendPlay on your controller, your wrists can easily become bent towards the ground making long periods of gameplay veery stressful on your wrists and could even cause carpal tunnel (if you play enough - I'm looking at you Minioger ). Notice in the picture below how my wrist is angled towards the ground, this is where my wrists are really paying the price during long gaming sessions.
With an XtendPlay on the controller your hands will be much less stressed and be able to handle longer periods of gameplay. The nice comfy grips on the XtendPlay make it great to play while laying down, sitting up or sitting on the edge of your seat playing. The longer part of the product that protrudes from the bottom of the controller rests on your lap while forcing you to hold your controller upwards and keeps your wrists straight (relieving the bending of your wrist while playing). Even if you're sitting on the edge of a chair or couch the XtendPlay will force you to keep your hands and wrist in a more straight and upright position.
So, in conclusion, the XtendPlay is something that every serious gamer should own. In the long run the product is VERY beneficial to not only gameplay but to help save your wrists and fingers from painful after-the-fact gaming sessions. The only thing I could find wrong with XtendPlay is there is no room for a mic. But if you don't play a lot of MP or just play the occasional MP with friends then that con will not really hurt your experience with XtendPlay.
UPDATE: Most mics are compatible and here is a video to show you how it works.
Check out Xwerx - with a price tag of only 19.99 plus a couple bucks for shipping, it's definitely worth the risk!