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Apple TV A Gaming Platform?

I think it would be great if you could also sync your iPod games from iTunes to the :apple: TV, but the sad truth is that the :apple: TV doesn't have a controller that would allow you to play the games.
 
Well the specs of the AppleTV make it close to the speed of the Nintendo Wii.

1Ghz Pentium M
Geforce 7400Go 64MB
256MB RAM

So gaming is possible.

The silly thing is that the Apple TV has a better graphics card than the Mini and Macbook.
 
Perhaps PopCap simply meant that they are looking to see if its possible to put their games on the AppleTV? Even the Apple remote could work for Bejeweled...
 
The Apple TV could probably compete well against the Atari consoles from the 80's. I really cannot see it doing anything more than basic 'iPod' type games. Just a 'bonus' feature. It's never going to be a gaming console as far as I can see.
 
IMO, Apple would fare much better getting OS X to match Vista's support of DirectX 10 graphics, which will provide PCs with awesome gaming potential in future, by enabling the same in Leopard. This would help Mac-native gaming immensely & is very likely to increase Mac market share amongst home users. Improving the graphics capability in their consumer Macs would also be vital.

Having Apple TV serving up more Pacman-type stuff (maybe call it Macman?) simply ain't the way to go!
 
If the slip from the VP is literally true, it's possible, then, that AppleTV has been the killer app all along and that the absence of it at MacWorld was to keep it under the radar so MS doesn't catch on that they're targeting everything from Media Center to XBOX.

I've pointed out repeatedly on other forums that if AppleTV is any one thing, it's a bridge that can, in principle, facilitate any kind of media content. It's not a DVR, not a server, not a tumor... It's a bridge that connects your home entertainment system to your computer network, to facilitate access to really any kind of media that can be viewed, heard or audiovisually interacted with.

Granted, it doesn't seem like the ideal console but Apple is excellent at redefining how we think of and use technology. I'm very close to someone who turned down an opportunity to manage operations of the Cell Broadband Engine development for the PS3. One of the original concepts included developing the PS3 as an embedded technology in other home entertainment components to facilitate internet-based game purchasing, network play and things like that.

Sony dropped that concept but it still could work if deployed properly with the right support from gaming developers who fully "get" the concept... who get what this type of model needs to successfully supplant the existing game console model.
 
as far as games go:

so everyone is talking about how their would be limited control because of the apple remote and that :apple: tv will not be able to have that high quality games. I got to thinking, what about gambling. I always play full tilt poker with my friends, I think it would be easy to port over texas holdem, blackjack, all those casino games that only take like one or two buttons anyways. I think it would be really cool to play poker on my tv online with a bunch of other people, and to control it I have the apple remote. anyones thoughts?
 
Proto Media said:
so everyone is talking about how their would be limited control because of the apple remote and that :apple: tv will not be able to have that high quality games. I got to thinking, what about gambling. I always play full tilt poker with my friends, I think it would be easy to port over texas holdem, blackjack, all those casino games that only take like one or two buttons anyways. I think it would be really cool to play poker on my tv online with a bunch of other people, and to control it I have the apple remote. anyones thoughts?
Click to expand...

It seems it never occurred to anyone that Apple may deliberately have withheld discussion about all the potential functions of the USB port or IR sensor... Console controller anyone?

Sure, someone's going to say "But Apple said..." Yeah, but USB and IR can be configured to serve a number of functions and frankly no one here knows how the thing is internally wired or what the firmware is like... and even after release, if the firmware shows no signs of supporting a game controller it doesn't mean that Apple isn't keeping a future firmware/software upgrade secret until, let's say, if and when they launch gaming.
 
J Radical said:
Unless the :apple: TV has a graphics chip, a fair amount of RAM and a speedy processor this will never happen. The thing doesn't even have an optical drive FFS.

Teaming up with nintendo would be the only way to go, but I can't see it happening. If you want to make :apple: TV dominate the living room give it a bigger HD and use it as a home server.
Click to expand...

Now check on the hardware inside the Wii. I bet the Apple TV is a little more powerful.
 
Avatar74 said:
If the slip from the VP is literally true, it's possible, then, that AppleTV has been the killer app all along and that the absence of it at MacWorld was to keep it under the radar so MS doesn't catch on that they're targeting everything from Media Center to XBOX.
Click to expand...

I don't see it that way at all. Considering that Apple can't even be bothered to properly market OS X beyond a few dodgy internet ads, how do you think they'll stand a chance against Xbox 360 & the massive marketing campaign MS have launched behind their console?

As an all round entertainment & media centre, Xbox 360 would take some beating.
 
Gaming? With a... what's in the box? A Pentium M? Yeah right. Maybe some very simple games, but even the Wii is better equipped (well, it has a 3D chip), and that one can only compete because of it's innovative controller and games, which I don't see for the :apple: TV. XBOX 360 and PS3 are high end machines, Apple cannot compete with them. Also, except for the Wii all competitors have to pay for every console sold. Can Apple afford that?

Of course that's if Apple wants to compete with the big consoles... for simple quick mostly 2D games the :apple: TV should be enough.
 
Is it a coincidence that Apple wont show us the remote that is shipped with the :apple: TV? Just maybe its a new remote with a real iPod-like scroll wheel, the total experience would be so much bigger and we can play all our iPod games. :)

Apple is selling lots of iPod games so bringing them to other platforms is a smart move but i don't see them making specific :apple: TV games (not simple enough) nor teaming up with a game company and certainly not using a gamepad.
 

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Got a PS3 - need Apple integration

I just bought a PS3 primarily for the Bluray DVD playing capability. I am a HD nut. I bought the 20GB $499 version. This thing rocks. The quality is phenomenal.

For $499 it has the following

1) Cell processor running at > 3GHz. It has something like 8 cores. Simple ones though.
2) Slot loading Bluray drive. Plays DVD-Video, Audio-CD, SACD, BD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R, etc. No HD-DVD and I don't care.
3) Crazy fast graphics processor with at least 256 MB of RAM
4) Bluetooth
5) Four USB ports
6) Ethernet port
7) HDMI 1.3
8) Optical audio output
9) Bluetooth controller with rechargeable battery (recharge using USB).
10) 20GB user upgradeable 2.5" SATA HD.
11) I almost forgot - it plays games in upto 1080p resolution.
12) It plays MPEG2, MPEG4 including H.264, AAC audio, etc.

While the hardware is impressive for $499, the software does need work as far as a media console goes. The BD-ROM playback is awesome. DVD-Video, CD-Audio playback is also awesome.

It has rudimentary web browser. It does firmware upgrades through the network.

It does not however recognize any media stored in the local network. It is begging for Apple integration. What if we could merge the functionality of Apple TV into PS3. The hardware can easily handle it. What's even better is that the PS3 has bluetooth built-in and they sell a Bluetooth DVD remote. I bought this too and it is great.

Apple - Sony. You need each other in this. To battle microsoft.
In fact, if Apple sells a media server software for Windows and Mac that will integrate with the PS3 for even $50, it will be a hit. Think about it. The user can buy a PS3 (for which Sony loses money on) and then buy Apple's media server software ($50). If the user buys Apple TV, the media server is free.

Gamers can choose PS3. Non gamers can choose Apple TV. High end people can choose PS3, lower end people can choose Apple TV.

Knowing that Apple likes to develop their own hardware, I don't have any confidence this will ever happen, but I give kudos to Sony. The PS3 is a great machine.
 
Peace said:
Perhaps the new widescreen iPod will act as a game controller too ?
Click to expand...

Now that would be cool.

But I still maintain they will need a partnership with Nintendo to produce something that anyone would actually buy for the purpose of gaming.
 
Don't forget that there are lots of people involved with making a decision to make or upgrade a product. If those people think that Apple will make money doing it, then that is their choice. I don't necessarly think it would be a bad one.

It seems to me that some large companies multitask better than others. At least now, in the present, it looks like Apple might be one of those better multitasking companies.
 
kadajawi said:
XBOX 360 and PS3 are high end machines, Apple cannot compete with them. Also, except for the Wii all competitors have to pay for every console sold.
Click to expand...

Why is graphics everyone's main concern? At what point do we stop basing systems on graphic potential? What happens when game machines are so powerful it's like real life? Then what? How about quality of play or interactivity?

Now I have no numbers or statistics to back this up, but from my observations it seems the Wii is outselling the PS3. Nintendo hit it right - Stop worry about graphics and concentrate on GAMING experience. I teach, and not one of my students talk about the PS3. All talk is about the Wii and how much fun it is to play.

While I don't think Apple needs to branch out into new markets, the Apple TV is quite a powerful little machine. I think we all see games being downloaded in the future - maybe Apple has something up it's sleeve.
 
iPhone killer

Folks,
off-topic here, but recently there was a report of coming iPhone killer in a week's time and I pasted a link at that time. Seems like this is the one.

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06129_Samsung_Unveils_iPhone_Killer_with_3G_Support_F700.html

It bests the iPhone in many features but features has been there on many phone yet they are clunky at interfaces. It remains to be seen how this samsung baby will marvel. Sorry no price mention though :)
 
Not yet, rock the phone market first. Get a few more phones in the cell phone market first, reach your goal...then look at new markets
 
This is an outsider making a prediction. Why some people have their panties in a bunch?

Going against Sony, Microsoft and other in the game industry does not make a lot of sense without a lot of game publishers behind you. On top of that there is no money on the consoles at least not yet, the money is in the games. Apple may make some relativly simple games for the Apple TV but don't expect a 3D shooter or a big time multi-player game. A least not for at least 3 years at the earliest.
Its not the hardware that wins it, its the games and for that you need publishers behind you.
 
Gaming Extender

I had a bit of an out there thought.... I was thinking that one of the secrets to Leopard could be a new gaming environment. This turns every mac (prob intel only) into a gaming station. This would instantly put a gaming pltform into the hands of millions of Apple users. The :apple: TV will provide the link to your Television and a Wireless Controllers will be used over your home network. This would be great added marketing for Leopard and also the :apple: TV
 
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