While most of the truly interesting things surrounding Stadia have to do with the technology that makes it possible for you to play a game in 4K at 60FPS using nothing but an internet connection and a web browser, Google needs to make its controller usable, too. The Stadia controller is supposed to be able to launch games in an instant, summon Google Assistant to help you when you're stuck in a level, and instantly stream your experiences to your audience. So if that controller wasn't good, a lot of critical features are likely to go unused. While the Stadia Controller was unveiled at GDC earlier this year, nobody was allowed to touch it. The controller was kept behind glass for the entire show, and left a lot of questions unanswered. Here at Google I/O, things are a little different, so I spent some time looking this piece of hardware over to see how it held up against the competition I already love. Verizon is offering the Pixel 4a for just $10/mo on new Unlimited lines Familiar, but different enough to matter

At first glance, the Stadia Controller looks a lot like an Xbox controller. Which makes sense — if you're going to design a controller for people who love games, you should start with the most popular one. A closer inspection reveals there's quite a bit about this controller that does not come from the Xbox team, and that has caused me some concerns. The joysticks aren't offset, the triggers are very different, and the angles for the palm rests are at an odd angle. There are a lot of buttons around the center of the controller as well, which could mean it's difficult to find the right button when you're in the middle of something and have to look down to make sure the wrong button. But I have to say — after using it a while, I don't think any of it is going to be a problem.