Apple Files Dedicated Game Device Trademark
Though most of the application could apply to Apple's iPod line, at least one descriptor--"stand alone video game machines"--goes far beyond anything the company has offered thus far.
While some consider the 1996 Apple-created Pipin platform to be a game console, the short-lived hardware was licensed to and produced by third parties, not Apple, and marketed as a cheap multimedia computer.
Judging from the rest of the listing, which was uncovered by Trademork, any "stand alone video game machine" covered by the as-yet-unapproved trademark expansion would most likely be a battery-powered portable device that utilizes an LCD screen.
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the psp has had enough of a struggle contending with the DS, i wonder what apple has in store that make them think they can compete?
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look the handheld market is really up for grabs right now. Nintendo and sony are milking the proverbial cow, when much more advanced devices could be made. Anyone who taps that high end handheld market is going to make a killing. The one hurdle will of course be battery life. But memory+ storage space + cores(cpu/gpu) are already there in terms of portable gaming.
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But what they do have is the willingness to give their device mass storage, multiple functions, and to offer new content via their iTunes service. And they can do this for the same price that Nintendo and Sony are already at. They don't need to make a faster or more expensive device, they just need to make a cooler one with a better distribution model. Multi-touch wouldn't hurt either (just PLEASE give it a d-pad!).
It's not a given, but I do see their opening. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft thinking the exact same thing. A gaming device using iTunes or Live! would essentially be a portable version of Live! Arcade, which is exactly where portable gaming needs to go.
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