Mac manufacturer Apple filed a patent in November 2006 for a 3D remote control system for its Apple TV set-top box, it was revealed today.
The patent describes a system that can detect the location of the device and what it's pointing at, according to Apple Insider. Wii Remote, anyone?
"[The] remote control system also can include optional console," the filing apparently states.
"Console can have controller that can perform some or all of the processing described for controller."
It sounds to us like the console in question is the Apple TV set-up box and not a console in the gaming sense of the word. The patent continues:
"Console also can have one or more connectors to which accessories can be coupled. Accessories can include cables and/or, game cartridges, portable memory devices (e.g., memory cards, external hard drives, etc.), adapters for interfacing with another electronic device (e.g., computers, camcorders, cameras, media players, etc.), or combinations thereof."
We don't think Sony and Microsoft have got anything to worry about, but folks at Nintendo should be keeping an eye out. It seems like Apple wants a slice of the casual pie that Wii currently holds with both hands.
And if it's a choice between Apple TV with Wii functionality and Wii 2 in a few years time, Apple could be a competitor in the casual market.
And in unrelated news, Apple have announced that they will be purchasing Microsoft for a Toblerone and a bag of skittles. This news was announced just after the unveiling of the new Xbox 360 Wiicontrollerpadlikeaxis3 which will make you toast and give you oral stimulation whilst you watch Crash Bandicoot take on Mario in SuperMetalGearKazooie 5 : The Prequel.
i think the gaming market is splitting in two, the 'serious' (in the sense that its for proper gaming overall) market, which xbox/ps3 occupy, and a new more casual, innovative market which wii holds as a monopoly right now.
Don't poo poo it so quickly. Slice the game market by 5 years and what was it like? 10 years? 15?
Thing is, gaming has been leaning toward multimedia for some time. 360 with it's BT view, thingy. PS3 with freeview and we've had video playback on disc for ages.
The Apple rumour has been floating around for at least 2 years, with good reason as they've schmoozed folk at Lucas Arts in an attempt to lure people to their gaming division, which stills exists as far as I know.
I'm not sure whether they'd target any one gaming demographic, but if there is one thing that is true; Apple can shift hardware and they're video game production rich.
It's enough to have Mac owners wandering around with their sickening air of superiority because they own a crippled, overpriced, semi-PC thats glossy and has their willy etched on it... we don't need a similar group of gamers thanks. For some reason, many people (note I did not say ALL people, so if you own a Mac I didn't mean you, and therefore am excused from flames) have a reaction to Apple products that upon purchase, causes them to flip over, their trousers to fly off, and finally their heads to end up firmly planted in their own anus.
It's known as "irrational investment in a product's image syndrome", or alternatively "STFU". Symptoms include the belief that they've joined some sort of elite social club, the need to compulsively display their chosen product in public, and the need to tell every PC owner to get a Mac. Nobody knows how this disease spreads... It just works!
It's enough to have Mac owners wandering around with their sickening air of superiority because they own a crippled, overpriced, semi-PC thats glossy and has their willy etched on it... we don't need a similar group of gamers thanks. For some reason, many people (note I did not say ALL people, so if you own a Mac I didn't mean you, and therefore am excused from flames) have a reaction to Apple products that upon purchase, causes them to flip over, their trousers to fly off, and finally their heads to end up firmly planted in their own anus.
It's known as "irrational investment in a product's image syndrome", or alternatively "STFU". Symptoms include the belief that they've joined some sort of elite social club, the need to compulsively display their chosen product in public, and the need to tell every PC owner to get a Mac. Nobody knows how this disease spreads... It just works!
*smugly types on his powerbook*
You should stop bitching and get yourself a nice shiny Mac.
It's enough to have Mac owners wandering around with their sickening air of superiority because they own a crippled, overpriced, semi-PC thats glossy and has their willy etched on it... we don't need a similar group of gamers thanks. For some reason, many people (note I did not say ALL people, so if you own a Mac I didn't mean you, and therefore am excused from flames) have a reaction to Apple products that upon purchase, causes them to flip over, their trousers to fly off, and finally their heads to end up firmly planted in their own anus.
It's known as "irrational investment in a product's image syndrome", or alternatively "STFU". Symptoms include the belief that they've joined some sort of elite social club, the need to compulsively display their chosen product in public, and the need to tell every PC owner to get a Mac. Nobody knows how this disease spreads... It just works!
It's enough to have Mac owners wandering around with their sickening air of superiority because they own a crippled, overpriced, semi-PC thats glossy and has their willy etched on it... we don't need a similar group of gamers thanks. For some reason, many people (note I did not say ALL people, so if you own a Mac I didn't mean you, and therefore am excused from flames) have a reaction to Apple products that upon purchase, causes them to flip over, their trousers to fly off, and finally their heads to end up firmly planted in their own anus.
It's known as "irrational investment in a product's image syndrome", or alternatively "STFU". Symptoms include the belief that they've joined some sort of elite social club, the need to compulsively display their chosen product in public, and the need to tell every PC owner to get a Mac. Nobody knows how this disease spreads... It just works!
The attitude of that kind of Mac owner put me off getting one for ages, but I gave in after getting fed up of Windows and hearing all the problems of Vista.
I certainly wouldn't rush out and tell a PC owner to get one, they are quite expensive, and there are very few games for them, but I don't have to buy anti-virus software or run Ad-Aware every time I've been online, and so far I haven't had a single crash, so I'm happy.
Some people can put up with PC flaws, but I'd had enough.
One slight Mac problem though: the fastest mouse pointer speed setting is still too slow. Sigh. But I can live with it.
If Apple do start making games, perhaps I can finally get one for my iMac! Though I've never been much of a PC gamer, I have a few, which I actually stopped playing due to the need to reboot every few months. An Apple games console seems unlikely, I think they'll integrate something into their existing hardware lines.
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Macs rule and don't you forget it 
