Apple patent filing details possible "remote wand" for Apple TV, again
By Donald Melanson 
posted Mar 12th 2009 1:54PM
posted Mar 12th 2009 1:54PM
We've already seen some patent evidence that Apple has at least been considering a Wiimote-like controller for the Apple TV, and a newly published patent filing has now thrown yet more fuel onto the fire, although, as with all Apple patents, that's hardly a guarantee of anything. Still, this latest filing is nothing if not detailed, and it clearly shows the so-called "remote wand" being used to control just about every aspect of the Apple TV, with the wand being twisted and turned to flip through a music library, rotate pictures, and simply control a cursor on the screen -- there's even a glimpse of it being used with a paint application. So, it's certainly possible, perhaps even likely given Apple's increasing distaste for buttons, but just keep all those Apple patents for head-mounted displays in the back of your mind lest you get too excited.
Good God, this is turning out to be an exciting year for Apple. I just read that their orders for the new Macs are larger than they expected and they're having to ramp up production... in a RECESSION!!! I hope this remote works with the new Mac Mini.
Don't worry, the new Nano is the new remote..
To navigate up, shake remote upward
To navigate down, shake remote downward
To Press Ok, shake remote downward and hold
To go back, shake remote downard twice and hold
To go to main menu, Point remote at top left corner of your television, shake three times and hold.
Too bad the iPhone/Touch don't have infrared ports - or perhaps, an infrared as the sleep/wake button.
They'd have made great universal remotes.
I think Apple will make a great remote. Hopefully they will make a back-less remote that you can't lose parts too.
@Flilt: If you shake it more than three times, you're playing with it.
Where did you read this? I'd like to read it.
lol ... even if Apple will see one mac, one iphone and one ipod they will still say it is above expectations... Apple been doing that for years, too low expectations to claim higher results .
It looks like a patent for a 2x4 to me.
you'll have to send it in to apple once the battery goes dead,
and if you lose it, which you will because it's tiny, it will use your entertainment-center's speakers to say all of its previous locations and then its current location but you wont be able to understand it because it be using Albert as the System Voice
Apple wouldn't know innovation if it bit it on the ass.
APPLE = ultimate "ME-TOO"
Apple - please make something new, that just works, first time, without countless updates. Stop testing your sh1t on the public without their consent.
@Beastage
I think that Paul is referring to reports from Apple's manufacturing partners in China who are saying that they are receiving increased orders from Apple. Apple themselves are saying nothing on the subject but the inference from this is that Apple expected to sell x desktop Macs and now they are finding that they underestimated demand. It is, of course, entirely possible that they just made a total mess of their planning and are simply having to fix that issue.
The Q2 financial reports are the only real measurement that is going to matter on this subject.
Um, anyone heard of prior art?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2176025602905109829
If this patent is passed it proves the total absurdity of the system.
This patent already passed when Nintendo applied for it. Let Apple make some prototypes and Nintendo will have their asses.
learn your patent rules... patents are narrowly defined, a remote with no buttons is completely different from a remote with 3 buttons. such as a click on a desktop device is completely different from a click on a mobile device. Not saying its right just saying thats the way it is.
That 'Fiire' remote is just a re branded Gyration remote. Their technology is also what powers the Wii-mote.
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2855864&CatId=358
That's one of the major points of the feature set of LinuxMCE, but its all due to a remote that's also available for Windows.
Either way, your point remains the same, Apple shouldn't get a patent for this at all.
My point was that accelerometer based remotes have already been used, even if you get as specific as using them to control a media player/ tv front end system. if patents really are so specific that you can completely steal the main idea, change the number of buttons and resubmit, then good lord are we in trouble.
The patent is about point device using motion, not how many buttons the remote has.
We'll see what happens, but I think Nintendo won't accept this, since Apple is now interested in gaming, and this looks like a Wii clone.
I can hear Nintendo's lawyers barking already.
And you notice no shouts of "me too" "rip off" "copycat" device from the usual suspects.
Heck not even a word of this being stolen from Nintendo.
Cant have consistency now, can we?
Wii! This'll be fun.
I guess we have enough consistency with you trolls posting on Every. Single. Apple. Post.
Look on Every. Single. Zune. Post. and you will see a comment from Jubei calling it a me-too product from 'Miscreantsoft'.
If you folks call out Microsoft on copying, which seems fair to me, you should also call out Apple when they do the same thing.
Damn straight... apple is ripping off the wii-mote. I bet a bajillion dollars the damn thing will be plastic and white. Come on nintendo, make use of that new money and hired a battalion of lawyers and sue the ass out of apple.
Apple - we care more about filing patents and suing others than making a simple device that can copy and paste!
Ahhh. more Meat and Potatoes news for us to ponder.
This is a good read...
i took the liberty of ranking myself up +
Buttons are communist.
Exactly.
Why should a button spend its life doing a dictated job...
Touch screen can change whenevereerer it want too...
Apple is the freedom fighter!
I agree. I don't understand why people don't like Minority Report.
Yet another thing Apple are ripping off then they will claim that they invented it and they made it popular and everyone will wank over how great Apple is.
Just read the posts from:
iHenchman#1
Paul A. Chapel
phanboy
Flashpoint
If they aren't the same person, then they make up a good cross-section of the population of Apple shills on Engadget.
Seriously, who cares? These topics are the most pointless in technology and has absolutely no impact on the customer. Being first is not important but being the best is. Debate which solution is best but please don't waste your time on these idiotic discussions like they actually matter.
It will probably have no buttons!
-Roll wand counterclockwise to decrease volume
-Roll wand clockwise to increase volume
-Bounce wand once to play
-Bounce wand again to pause
-Bounce wand twice to skip to next track
-Bounce wand three times to skip to previous track
-etc.
Do a barrel roll! - To turn the power on.
the iPhone already has an accelerometer that could be used to manipulate the appleTV menus.
i don't exactly treat my remotes well, and have a tendency to drop them, toss them around. I can't wait until it falls off the couch and changes the channel to Vivid.
"oh yeah hun, the remote keeps going back to this channel, can't figure out why."
Is that John Mayer?
I thought it was Astley.
Apple... You've been Rick Roll'd!
LMAO
My first thought was "I just got rickrolled by an Apple patent application.
ooooo! apple is inventing the wiimote!!! AWESOME!!!
I can't wait until they invent the joystick!!!
ruh roh. apple post. time for everyone to break out their ePen0r
Well I'm off for a shuffle with my big fat classic. It certainly isn't a nano when touched.
/gets coat.
I really miss the old AppleTV menu system in Version 1. This Version 2 is shoving the iTunes store in my face and I have to dig a few clicks deeper into "My Movies" or "My Music" to get what I really want.
i'm sure someone is already using the actual wiimote for the apple tv.
what does apple have against buttons?
A button used to bully Steve Jobs when he was at school.
Actually, Steve Jobs used to bully a button at school, and just never let it go.
Really, Apple's methodology of late would appear to shift from "anyone can pick it up and use it" to "minimalism above all else".
Dangerous considering their core market - people who find technology intimidating.
Steve Jobs has no bellybutton.
Apple has always been extremely racist against buttons. From the one buttoned mouse, apparently designed so as to not "confuse" users, to the mighty mouse, in which the buttons are hidden and regularly go unnoticed. The iPod touch and iPhone have just one button, everything else is touch based. And now the new Shuffle, which is universally accepted as a piece of crap (except by Apple fanbois).
I shudder when I think "What if Apple had designed the typewriter, the layout of which exists in today's keyboards?". We would probably be using a device with one button and a slider.
PS: If you support Apple, you support APARTHEID!!!!11one
The ideal interface would be would to have one button with 'Do whatever I want, 100% accurately and when I want you to'
Unfortunately we aren't there yet.
"What if Apple had designed the typewriter..."
Yeah because the qwerty layout is just so awesome. It was designed to SLOW DOWN typing so keys would not jam.
Reverse evolution......
Lets see, today I sit on the couch and touch a button, tomorrow I have to point and shake the whole remote, whats next.....
How about a touchscreen tv where I get up and walk to the tv to make things happen....and then to make things even better we can go from the touchscreen to a round knob you turn....wait I am getting the feeling I am like the guy in the movie that ages backwards.
Dont get me wrong, i love my wii remote when playing games, but when navigating the screen it is a pain.
You can do this now with the Kodak Theatre HD Player. It has a pointer remote with all of 3 buttons. The remote is way more precise and easy to use than the Wiimote so the on-screen keyboards are a breeze to use. Being Kodak it's simple to browse 100s or 1,000s of photos, and the result is that everything is better. Not surprising for Mac users since adding a mouse to computers did the same thing once upon a time. This is the same for TVs.
The best example might be YouTube. It's on AppleTV and Kodak Theatre, but the Theatre version is easier to use and search because of the remote. The WIRED review thought it was great.
The problem with almost all of these devices is not so much the system itself or its interface but rather a lack of content. The assumption is that the user will provide the content but unless you want to spend time ripping DVDs or downloading illegal content via BitTorrent, your choices are very limited. Given this I am only interested in players that are backed up with some sort of movie store (NetFlix, AmazonOnDemand, etc.), which is what the Kodak seems to lack. Presently the AppleTV is the only option since I live outside the US.
Personally, I'd love to try out the Vudu system but the bastards have no plans to offer an international service.
All the fundamental patents here are owned by Hillcrest Labs, who are suing Nintendo as we speak. Apple, you are about to get bitch-slapped on this one.
Wand = New ipod shuffle?
Apple new ideas are increasingly seeming like solutions looking for a problem.
It's not Nintendo they need to be worried about, it's Hillcrest Labs. Nintendo has no patent protection on the Wii that I know of -- that's why Hillcrest is suing them to stop shipments into the U.S. There's no way this patent can get around those are well, they're too fundamental. This is interesting for sure, but I bet ZillionTV has theirs in the market sooner, and with patent protection (they use the Hillcrest stuff). Although I've seen some interesting hacks lately on the Apple gear that could make this a reality with no thanks to Apple. We'll see.
And when this comes out, it will be hailed by the media as "innovative". What a POS society we live in.
Well, it sounds nice but it isn't my first choice concern when it comes to the Apple TV. Rather, I'm looking for something at a more reasonable price given that it's going to spend its time buying content from the iTunes Store. Further, I want them to sort out their movie rental service so that movies are available to rent when the likes of Blockbusters gets them, and movies should always be available to rent rather than disappearing from the library.