Zeemote: A gaming remote for your phone

Mashing buttons on your cell can be pretty tricky on that cramped keypad. Check out a little Bluetooth remote that could bring a tad more precision to your mobile gaming.

The Zeemote, on display here in Vegas at CTIA, is only a fraction the size of your typical console remote, but it fits comfortably in your hand and comes with a little analog joystick, a trigger, and three additional gaming buttons.

Powered by a couple of AAA batteries, the Zeemote connects to your phone via Bluetooth. I tried it with "Grand Slam Tennis," and the setup works quite nicely; guiding my player across the court with the Zeemote's joystick is a heck of a lot easier than using the "1" and "3" keys.

But here's the rub: For now, the Zeemote only works on certain Java-powered Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones, and only on a handful of games, including "Tomb Raider," "Heli Strike," "Sonic," and "Perplex."

That said, the makers of Zeemote say that a development kit is in the hands of BREW, Symbian, Windows Mobile, and even iPhone developers, so we should see better compatibility—and more games—in the coming months.

Look for the Zeemote to arrive this summer in the $30-50 price range.