We're not really sure what causes Ben Heckendorn's obsession with cramming large electronic devices into smaller electronic devices, but we certainly admire it. Having already created several Xbox 360 laptops, BenHeck has done it again, this time adding several improvements. The Xbox 360 Portable comes with three new features unseen on previous models, which include built in WiFi, Memory Unit slots, and a removable hard drive. The removable hard drive and Memory Unit slots are an especially nice feature, as they allow for easy trasportation and swapping of data. The keyboard is gone (pointless when we have the Chatpad, says Ben), and the extra space has been outfitted with lots of ventilation. You wouldn't want one of these babies to overheat, after all.

Check out a video of the 360 Portable after the break. Head over to BenHeck's official site for a look at how the laptop was built, including lots of pictures.

[Update: The THQ contest is actually over. However, it looks like BenHeck still has yet to reveal the prize laptop itself, which will be identical to the Xbox 360 Portable with additional artwork on the case.]

Nothing brings us more pleasure than when a single product can unite both the disabled and the lazy, and that's exactly what your friend and ours Ben Heck has cooked up with his new, commercially available one-handed peripheral: the Access Controller, compatible with PCs, PS2 and PS3. You can now pre-order the unit here.

Though the footprint is a bit larger than previous one-handed attempts we have to give him credit, if only for figuring out how to make all the buttons accessible (the layout's even customizable). Now, when can we get our hands hand on a 360 version?

Forget that "PlayStation Portable" nonsense you've got sticking out of your pocket. If you're going to be carrying around a PlayStation, why not make it a proper one that can play Warhawk and Uncharted? Consumer electronics crammer, Ben Heck, has finally completed the PlayStation 3 Laptop, a beautiful black contraption packed with all the blue rays, cells and ex em bees you can shake a Sixaxis at. Seriously, you can shake your Sixaxis at it and it'll work.

Other fancy things in it:

• Original backwards-compatible 60GB model
• 17-inch LCD HDTV screen: 720p
• HDMI-DVI connection
• Built-in keyboard, USB ports, stereo speakers, headphone jack
• Size: 17 x 13.75 x 3-inches
• Weight: 16 pounds!

Since it's clearly too heavy for us to lift, we're hoping a reader manages to walk off with this laptop as soon as Engadget begins auctioning it for charity. In the meantime, be sure to have a look at Ben Heck's Wii Laptop and his assorted Xbox 360 offerings.

That crazy Ben Heckendorn is at it again. No he's not shoving an Xbox 360 into an even tinier laptop (360book Air, anyone?), but instead making some refinements to his one-handed controller. The new controller is much smaller, and also a little bit easier on the eyes than his previous model. With the right stick on the top, and face buttons, triggers, and bumpers on the bottom, it's got everything you need for some one handed fragging. The right stick, in case you're wondering, is meant to be placed on a leg or available surface, thus manipulating the stick by moving the controller itself. Pretty ingenious if you ask us. Don't go crazy trying to procure one for yourself though, as it wasn't intended for mass consumption. Ben's other one handed controller, called the Access, on the other hand, is soon to be made available to the masses.

[Via Engadget]

Modding wunderkind Benjamin Heckendorn has unveiled his latest invention: The Xbox 360 Elite laptop. If this seems vaguely familiar it's probably because you're remembering Heck's Xbox 360 laptop how-to design guides from last spring. The difference here is that this one is a modded Elite with built-in camera and other upgrades (video after the break).

If you're just hearing Heckendorn's name for the first time here, please feel free to take a trip down memory lane. Other mods of interest created last year include the Wii laptop and the freaky PS360 gamepad.

[Via Engadget]

Ben Heck is at it again. You may remember his work from a project we reported last year, in which Ben crammed the innards of an Xbox 360, along with a full keyboard and monitor, into a svelte laptop case. He's done it again, this time adding perks from the Xbox 360 Elite, including HDMI video, a 120GB hard drive, and a built-in Vision camera. In short, the thing is effing amazing (and practical). Check out Ben's BioShock inspired video about his new creation after the break.

In a way, it's better than our own Virtual Console, because it's portable and it can play Journey Escape. Master console portablizer Ben Heckendorn made this portable NES/Atari monster out of an Atari Flashback 2 and a "NES-on-a-chip" found in many Famiclones and joystick-based TV games.

The placement of the Atari cartridge slot is a little unfortunate, but we're sure he wouldn't build a device with an unusable screen, so we doubt the cartridge obscures the view too severely. Cramming two whole consoles and four rechargeable AA batteries into a tiny handheld takes some maneuvering!

Seeing Ben's work always makes us want to learn electronics. It also makes us want to play old games-- guess which one we end up doing.

[Via Engadget]

Curt Vendel, designer of the all-in-one Atari Flashback -- also known as the perfect holiday gift for that difficult person on your list -- let the readers of the AtariAge forums in on the design of the upcoming (and no longer rumored) Atari Flashback Portable.

Sure, it's not quite as ... large as BenHeck's portable Jaguar or as expandable as his VCSp Rev. 7, but what the AFP is lacking in street cred it makes up for in sheer functionality. Like the Atari Flashback units that came before it, this petite package (which isn't much larger than a 2600 cartridge) will undoubtedly house dozens of classic Atari games, with nary a cartridge in sight. And for those two-player games? The handheld has two controller ports so you can plug in some joysticks for that authentic Atari experience.

Update: more details gleaned from the AtariAge forums: the unit will run off 3 AAA batteries with a 15-hour runtime; the USB port will be a mini-port on the final release and games will be loaded via USB (from where? Will it play ROMs? Will we need to buy games individually?); screen resolution is 320X240 and the NTSC units will support AV out. Lastly, for those upset by the look of the unit, peep an even earlier spyshot of the Atari Flashback Portable after the break and bask in the glow of faux woodgrain.

[Thanks, Chad]

No, there's nothing particularly mysterious about them now, but those retro cans are the first consumer product by mod genius (and Engadget contributor) Ben Heck, hinted at through a veil of secrecy in late April. The Audio FX Pro 5+1 Headset sports a USB connection, an integrated 5.1 surround sound decoder and force feedback tech that allows you to feel frequencies that are too low for humans to hear. So ... superpowers.

It's coming in July, but you can pre-order it right here for $80. The audio works with PS3 (just not the mic) but the 360 looks to be a no go. Now, Ben, just finish up your Wii Laptop that makes iced tea and hoverboards, and we'll see what we can do about that Nobel Prize.

The inimitable Ben Heck is taking his considerable console building talents and going pro. Well, maybe "pro" isn't the exact right word, but he's lent his design skills, as well as his portable handheld naming skills, to the Gameport handheld system. The device is just a prototype, so we have no information on availability or price, but we do know it should pack a 5-hour battery life, a 480 by 234 pixel screen, a video-out for playing on your television, SD card support (for storing your games, et al), and a USB 1.1 port for loading the thing up. Their goal is to create a system that reproduces the original experience of the 8-bit classics as closely as possible and, with open source software, encourage a development community to grow around the platform. Check out Ben on GameTrailer's GameOne and jump ahead to the last segment for some video of the Gameport.

[Via Engadget]

Mod guru Ben Heckendorn, having taken a break to write a how-to for his PS360 pad, has returned like a trained Jedi (oh, wrong day, sorry) to complete the Xbox 360 laptop trilogy.

In the final act, Heck puts all the pieces neatly together and fills in all the plot holes with with pretty pictures and Digi-key part numbers. Our enjoyment is hindered only by our jealousy and inability to follow in his footsteps. For those with engineering skills, give it a shot. For those without said skills, enjoy the show and wait until Heck reveals his next crazy contraption.

See Also: part one, part two

Ben Heckendorn's back to serve as educator for all those would-be modders who wish to emulate his Xbox 360 laptop (mark II). Steps covered in the second part include designing the case, modifying the heatsink, hacking (dare we say Hecking?) apart an LCD monitor and combining the console's and monitor's power supplies. Despite the many descriptive images, explanations and downloadable resources, this project is not for the faint of heart.

The final chapter of the how-to trilogy will show how to compile everything into a working beauty and is coming soon.

See also: part one

Hey, remember that super sexy Xbox 360 laptop we reported last week? Remember how we said that Engadget would be posting all the information you need to build one for your very own? Well, they've already posted parts 1 and 2 of their "how-to" series. Now, we would be putting our brains at risk of explosion if we were to try and follow the directions. As such, let's just say that building a 360 laptop involves soldering, desoldering, clipping, snipping, attaching, detaching, and magic.

If you have the means, and if you can read the directions without damaging your grey matter, then you can start with part 1. If you manage to make it through that unscathed, proceed to part 2. All that remains is the looming madness of part 3. We'll let you know when it goes live.

Following Ben Heckendorn's unveiling of the Xbox 360 Laptop mk2, you've had a couple of days to prepare your mind and body for the inevitable how-to series you knew would follow, so braid up your hair and gather 'round as Master Heckendorn teaches you how to control your anger jealousy and build your very own Xbox 360 Laptop. Be warned: the process is fraught with peril and this guide (part one of three!) is comprised of nearly three dozen pictures and over 3000 "words." So grab your soldering iron and your power converters (available at Tosche Power Supply if you're plum out) and get reading. Us, we're content to just admire the pretty pictures, thanks.