Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote - Kotaku Comments

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Aitrus233 — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:44:15 MDT

This irks me because I had an idea for a set top box that would use Wiimote like functionality to access menus....aaaaand it turns out somebody thought of it 2 years before I did.

Aitrus233

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

RTW — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:07:08 MDT

@kelvinc: That's the thing, it's about making money, whatever the means. As a consumer, I'd just like to have variation, not everyone having the same product under a different brand name.

RTW

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

labrats5 — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:57:21 MDT

I saw this coming about a year ago. wiimote is the best way to interact with your TV, period. Not just games. So naturally Apple would want one for its AppleTV. that said, there is plenty they can do to improve it. Make it smaller, make it not need a sensor bar,make it less finicky in rooms with lots of light, etc.

I don't see why everyone is so shocked and angry that Apple would want to do this. Nintendo seems to have no interest in making the wii a TV computer/media streamer, despite the fact that they have the best interface tool for the job. Apple is just filling an obvious niche in the obviously correct way.

labrats5

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

daCuk — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:48:26 MDT

Do you hear that?

The sound of dozens of Nintendo lawyers just getting ready to sue Apple.....

daCuk

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

BlackIceJoe — Fri, 09 May 2008 09:12:31 MDT

So can we say Apple will join the console wars in 2011? If so I hope Apple teams up with Sega for a comeback.

BlackIceJoe

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Superstar90 — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:31:19 MDT

@DaiMacculate:
So you facepalmed the past you?!

Superstar90

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

DaiMacculate — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:34:23 MDT

@DaiMacculate: Way to close your tags, genius. :facepalm:

DaiMacculate

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

DaiMacculate — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:33:12 MDT

I don't know if this is the solution, but the current apple remote does suck ass for many things, text entry not the least of them.

Of course, you can always hack your aTV (its a simple USB flash process now) and get VNC on it so you can use a Mouse+Keyboard or even hack the USB itself for M+K compatibility, but it hasn't had the ridiculous sales of the iPhone so the dev community for it is not nearly as advanced, less emulator projects, etc etc.

What I don't get is why not just have the remote be in the Nano or Mini's form factor and put a scroll wheel on it, that would be halfway there in terms of improving navigation in the aTV menu. Its another Steve thing I imagine, given that this is from 2006 Ive probably had a larger, far more functional remote with this tech in it at prototype and Steve looked at it and said something to the effect of "Wow that big bulky thing is not our style and/or will look bad in MY house, lets just use the existing remote and save money in the process."

See, even Apple users have their pet peeves about the company....Steve Jobs obsessive tinkering in UI matters for the sake of his personal aesthetic viewpoint is mine :P

DaiMacculate

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

kelvinc — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:13:30 MDT

@RTW:

"I'll give Sony one thing, they were gonna make a boomerang controller which was at least a little different, but it still sucked."

That's pretty much the response to your own request.
Everyone copying everyone else sucks, but there's only so much you can do about the ergonomics, and generally speaking what we have now is pretty good.
That's why there's a bandwagon effect: 99% of all the "innovations" suck so if someone figures out to improve the ergonomics, or at least not f*ck it up, everyone joins because there's "diminishing marginal returns" to this whole thing.

kelvinc

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Black-Dog-Howls — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:37:02 MDT

@rannic: If they hadn't said the Wiimote was a wiimote I could have, with 100% guarantee, told you that it looked like a TV or DVD remote.

Black-Dog-Howls

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

maraxusofk — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:31:44 MDT

Originality: its overated.

maraxusofk

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Garonyldas — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:25:08 MDT

Apple's next move will be to create their mascot, an Italian carpenter. However, he won't wear a mustache and we'll constantly find him wearing black turtlenecks.

Garonyldas

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

RTW — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:18:49 MDT

I wish companies would get away from the Ipod and now Wii designs, what's with all the rectangular shit. It's like Ipod comes up with the circular control display and then everyone copies it, Nintendo comes out with a sad excuse for a remote (imo) and everyone wants to make the same looking thing. I'll give Sony one thing, they were gonna make a boomerang controller which was at least a little different, but it still sucked.

Let's think more outside of the box instead of in each others pockets.

RTW

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Garonyldas — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:03:06 MDT

It doesn't look like that remote is wireless, in which case, DO NOT WANT.

Garonyldas

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

rannic — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:03:07 MDT

@rannic: And, furthermore, I couldn't give less of a flying fuck what various tech companies do in the near future, so long as they provide us with better experiences. I'm just trying to use my Internet Psychic Powers to predict the future. :v

rannic

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

LittleBigPlaneteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:02:38 MDT

@TheCleaningGuy:

Also, just wanted to say that if it were another company using the Spider-man font, the people who hold the rights to the movie may have a case to file suit against them.

The only reason Sony can get away with using that typefont is because they own the rights to the movie :)

Here's how the designer of the PS3, Teiyu Goto explains it:

"Take the PS2 logo - we created it to blend in with the rectangular shape of the console. Personally, I feel very strongly that the logo would not have looked right on PS3.

"If you really look at the PS3 contour carefully, it is rounded when viewing the console in profile. Rather than creating a typography with all the risks that entails, it was wiser to use the one from Spider-Man, for which Sony has the rights.

"It was also the wish of President Kutaragi, who insisted that I use this typography. In fact, the logo was one of the first elements he decided on and the logo may have been the motivating force behind the shape of PS3."

Not to get off topic or anything :D

LittleBigPlaneteer

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Killer7 — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:58:38 MDT

By the looks of it, this sure is shaping to be a waggle fest generation. Iwata was right about expecting the blue ocean to turn red.

I'm not sure how 360 can do any better with motion control than Sony did since the SixAxis has ended up being an underused gimmick.

Then there's Apple. Please don't make this into some gimmicky iPod peripheral.

Killer7

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

rannic — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:56:31 MDT

@Black-Dog-Howls: Fair enough. But if I hadn't been told this was an Apple product, by looking at the patent image, I'd have guessed with 99% certainty this was a Wii patent.

rannic

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

LittleBigPlaneteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:55:49 MDT

@TheCleaningGuy:

Well I wasn't expecting anyone to take me seriously :P

I've read so many times where people claim a company is ripping on Apple simply because a product is glossy/translucent white, as if Apple owns the color, or even pioneered its use.

LittleBigPlaneteer

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

TheCleaningGuy — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:51:03 MDT

@LittleBigPlaneteer: That's kind of like saying the PS3 copied Spiderman because of the font of the Playstation 3 logo. Aesthetically, glossy white is an appealing color, and not exclusively Apple's. Much like the matte white on the 360 isn't exclusively tupperware's, and the glossy black on the ps3 isnt a blatant ripoff of the Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass.
Sorry about this post's rambling tone, I'm rather tired right now.

TheCleaningGuy

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

LittleBigPlaneteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:47:12 MDT

@Kaizuden:

Yes, yes it was :D

LittleBigPlaneteer

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Kaizuden — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:45:13 MDT

@LittleBigPlaneteer:

I... really hope that was a mockery of the elitist... It's too hard to tell most of the time!

Kaizuden

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

LittleBigPlaneteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:44:45 MDT

@Netnavi:

Waggle prints money!!!

LittleBigPlaneteer

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Netnavi — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:43:18 MDT

looks like Nintendos on to something. Companies are biting the crap outta this chumpie!!!

(for you 90's kids)

Netnavi

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

LittleBigPlaneteer — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:38:27 MDT

@Kaizuden:

Actually when you think about it, The Wiimote copied Apple. Did you notice that it is using glossy white? Clearly ripping off Apple's trademarked color

LittleBigPlaneteer

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Kaizuden — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:31:47 MDT

Mmm, I can't wait till a Apple elitist comes up and touts how superiour this will be against the Wiimote/MSmote or such.

Kaizuden

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Laughin_Caulk — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:28:28 MDT

IR positioning is nothing new, but this is a fucking wiimote clone, no doubt about it.

Laughin_Caulk

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Black-Dog-Howls — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:26:33 MDT

@rannic: Depends on the tech used. After all you can't really patent a general idea. Sony and Microsoft lost the rumble battle because of the tech inside, not because of the idea of rumble.

If Apple puts out a motion device, which has existed prior to the wiimote, then any violations of patents would be based solely on the tech and execution.

Black-Dog-Howls

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Bigfoot — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:25:49 MDT

I can't wait to see the 1,000's of accessories that will be available for this product.

Bigfoot

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

rannic — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:21:14 MDT

"What's stopping Apple from adding some Wii-like titles to iTunes, available to AppleTV users? Nothing, that's what."

Other than Nintendo's patents, I guess. I'm no lawyer, but I'd thought that Nintendo had filed beaucoup patents on the Wii, and the whole 3D motion-detection via IR sensor bar thing. But again, no lawyer here.

rannic

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

cheeses — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:16:06 MDT

Yeah Luke, and the Wii Remote (and more specifically the Wii) looks more than a little like something Apple made.

cheeses

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

Interstella5555 — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:09:52 MDT

Like many, many Apple patents, this one will probably never see the light of day. That said, looks like it could be pretty cool (Play iPhone games on TV?)

Interstella5555

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

PatMan33 — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:07:57 MDT

Nifty!

PatMan33

Apple Patent Looks More Than A Little Like The Wii Remote

xkotaku — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:07:18 MDT

i got a small apple remote attach to my imac. the apple remote does cool tricks.

xkotaku