Kotaku writes: "Xbox Live's Major Nelson was roaming PAX here in Seattle, probably needing something fun to do. So I asked him to let me try the new Xbox 360 controller with transforming D-pad — oh, and the analog sticks are different.
Major Nelson even agreed to shoot this video, and while I put him to work he revealed that this is his own personal controller. The new d-pad is easy to transform and the alternate, raised-cross mode feels like it will be good for games that require precise horizontal, vertical and diagonal inputs — you know, like fighting games."
I like the new Xbox 360 controller, Im already familiar with the colors so the colorless scheme won't matter to me much. The D-Pad idea is pretty ingenious too when you consider what they were working with... Sony and Nintendo already patented the good D-pad ideas.
I'm going to assume they'll ship without a play and charge kit eventually, since the $65 is for the controller AND the play and charge kit. That's the same price of the old controller kit.