Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!

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Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!

Posted 12/02/2008 at 6:01:00am | by Words by Jon Phillips and Illustrations by Adam Benton

Would you like your App Store gaming for here or to go? Apple docks its handhelds—and more than doubles the fun of a single download.

Click image to embiggen

prototype toc Let’s speak in hypotheticals. Let’s say--just for the sake of argument--that the iPhone and iPod touch have delivered the promise of an entirely new handheld gaming platform. Let’s say that game developers have all developed nerd crushes on the platform’s mighty ARM processor, a processor that can be clocked up to 620MHz, if battery life is of no concern, as well as a processor--a mobile processor, mind you--that closely matches the firepower of processors found in console systems like the Sega Dreamcast, Sony PS2, and original Xbox. Let’s just say that. And let’s also say--again, just for the sake of argument--that the marketing cronies of all those nerd game developers are obsessing over the platform’s content delivery system, the App Store, which makes downloading a bazillion games every month incredibly difficult to resist.

Sounds like a recipe for greatness, right? Well, it is once you take this nifty little gaming platform and assign it double duty as both a handheld and a console system.

The GameDock accommodates the iPhone and iPod touch and hooks directly to your TV and the Internet. Whether you download a game wirelessly via the handheld or wiredly via the GameDock, you pay just once for two versions of the same title.

This is where things get interesting. When you download a game straight to your handheld, you can immediately begin playing the touch-controlled version of the game. And it’s glorious! And the next time you seat your handheld in the GameDock, the console immediately sucks down the full, expanded version of the game from the App Store, and stores it in its voluminous hard drive. So now you can play the console version of the very same game--with more features, more content, expanded controls, and, thanks to the GameDock’s integrated graphics processor, better visuals.

And should you first download a game when your handheld is seated in the GameDock, the “mini” version of the game shoots straight into your iPhone or touch, ready to play the next time you disengage from the console and hit the road.

Of course, the GameDock scheme wouldn’t be quite so interesting if not for its seamless integration of content. For some game titles, the handheld version of the game exists as sort of an autonomous “mini game”--its gameplay model runs independent of the console version’s. But for other titles, the handheld and console versions of the same game work together. Gameplay models obviously differ between the mobile and full versions, but each version hooks into the other in creative, novel, symbiotic ways. And through the power of syncing, your progress in level- and achievement-based games is saved and always propelled forward, regardless of which version you’re playing.

A remarkable new gaming platform? Yes, let’s just say that.

Next, build your own machine with the LMac.

COMMENTS: 43

TAGS: Apple Design, prototypes

COMMENTS

Tricked
Submitted by the_saltminer on Tue, 2008-12-02 08:53

When I read the headline, I thought these were actual prototypes from Apple. Turns out MacLife just made this stuff up. Interesting concepts and pretty 3D renders. But "Future Apple Hardware? Four Outrageous Prototypes Revealed!" implies that MacLife did some investigative reporting when in fact, this is all fiction.

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had a great idea. "Hey,
Submitted by adeletwo6789 on Thu, 2009-10-29 07:33

had a great idea. "Hey, let's coursework | coursework writing | coursework help | custom coursework get someone to swallow an iPod shuffle." In theory it sounded like a plan the entire Internet could get behind. Video of a sword swallower placing the button-less iPod shuffle in a safe place.
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Maybe we overestimated our
Submitted by JonPhillips on Tue, 2008-12-02 09:40

Maybe we overestimated our audience's familiarity with Apple and its practices? Because with all due respect, it's well established that Apple doesn't share *any* prototypes with anyone, ever, let alone "outrageous" ones. Regardless, I apologize for the confusion.
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Jon, are you kidding?
Submitted by user on Sat, 2008-12-06 14:34

You apologize for the confusion? How sincere. Considering that I also initially thought the prototypes were Apple's, I'd like an apology for being called "overestimated."Then I'll apologize for cancelling my MacLife renewal.It was fun while it lasted.

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Yeesh!
Submitted by mathue on Mon, 2008-12-15 09:57

Yeesh! Talk about the ultimate in offended indignation. Apology? You're practically bleeding drama! I guess I just can't understand why someone would go into meltdown mode over this, honestly. If this can set you off one wonders how you would manage to get through any day without going postal every hour. You need to seriously take a king sized chill pill. : )

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Good my dream teacher sikis
Submitted by Bilinmiyo on Fri, 2009-06-19 14:49

Good my dream teacher sikis

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Who is your dream
Submitted by McCain on Tue, 2009-11-17 05:27

Who is your dream teacher?Apartment in Dubai

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Manipulation of expectations is not honest
Submitted by cyberlogos on Wed, 2009-01-14 19:36

I was absolutely ready to purchase the infamous tribook when I visited this forum and found out it was a hoax to call more attention from the public in here. I am so disappointed and my hope is that the Apple guys read this to make it come true. The cynical comments about diminishing this effect are only accomplices and claque.

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Whu?
Submitted by mathue on Mon, 2008-12-15 10:04

I don't feel there is any apology necessary. Only the overdramatic and adolescent amongst us will get bent out of shape over this. Nicely done and more, more, more!

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huh?
Submitted by bryan1884 on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:19

whats the deal with the legos?

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Legos
Submitted by Roberto Baldwin on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:56

I'm seriously considering ripping apart the Mac|Life Mac mini and rebuilding it with Legos.
Does that make me a super nerd?
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add to my post
Submitted by bryan1884 on Tue, 2008-12-02 10:29

i did want to point out however that I think the tribook and the icom were both very creative!

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The Lego Mac's not the only easily breakable one here
Submitted by pauldacheez on Tue, 2008-12-02 12:52

The problem with the triBook is that the screen's obnoxiously wide. Not only will it annoy people nearby, but imagine some guy accidentally elbowing a screen off...

Also it looks kinda ugly and there's too much bezel between the screens.

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Perfectly cromulent
Submitted by dizastor on Tue, 2008-12-02 15:06

Clicking the image embiggens us all

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its nice to dream
Submitted by djpink889 on Tue, 2008-12-02 15:43

while these products most likely won't become a reality, its nice to dream. i think it would be great to have any of these products. especially the tri-book and icom.

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iCom
Submitted by Applefreak72 on Tue, 2008-12-02 16:40

That's not possible at all!!!

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Most things are "possible" when Apple and technology converge...
Submitted by saintlouisranger on Tue, 2008-12-02 18:34

Hello applefreak72,It seems that Apple can indeed make a silk purse out of a sows' ear. I have been selling the MacBook Air, light, sexy, under powered, over priced with a perception of weakness in the shell and that, "I am afraid I'm going to break it feeling." If folks will spend $2,700 for a 17" MacBook Pro - What would they pay for a triBook? The iCom is a real winner, I can see a number of those devices in every home... Well done to Jon Phillips and Adam Benton. Imaginative and fun...

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Thank you!
Submitted by JonPhillips on Thu, 2008-12-04 11:03

Thank you!
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Nothing new with Tri-book
Submitted by DanKnight58 on Mon, 2008-12-15 08:13

Low End Mac conceived of this six years ago - http://lowendmac.com/rumormill/02/1104.html

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best product never made
Submitted by jbach220 on Sat, 2008-12-27 07:49

As these products were presented I believed them to be real prototypes. The iCom is by far one of the most intriguing concepts I have ever come across. What makes it so convincing as a true prototype is that it is such a typical Mac design. I'm putting this product on watch. As soon as something like this is put into production - whether it be in 12 months or 12 years - there will be one on my nightstand.

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I like the iCom
Submitted by GregA on Tue, 2009-01-20 14:57

I like the iCom concept, and I'm surprised Apple hasn't done something in this area. (forget the holoscreen).

I really think Apple could make a killer product, designed to replace every phone in your home (or business), and also get rid of alarm clocks forever.

Probably based on the iPhone (touch screen, iPhone apps, wifi), but no battery or 3G - just add VoIP, small music speakers, and a wireless buttonless handset on the side.

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Love this idea
Submitted by Estrates on Sun, 2009-01-25 12:56

Seriously... who wouldnt love the compactness of this "netbook"?

One open you can then have additional real estate in an instant without sacrificing resolution. watch blu ray and play widescreen FPS games...now this is the "WOW FACTOR"

I would buy 2 of these in an instant, maybe 3 if the GFX card(s) were acceptable.
Awesome concept, apple should consider this...HP will grab this first though since Apple seems to not accept "outside" concepts, tragedy really.

9.9/10 imo

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legos
Submitted by mago on Fri, 2009-04-17 08:47

WTF the legos dude?

Also, embiggen? That's german??

--- magos para contratar

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GameDock
Submitted by tcbritt on Wed, 2009-04-08 04:30

This concept would work great with the AppleTV box used as the GameDock. The touch control game could be downloaded to the iPhone from the App Store and to the AppleTV through iTunes. The users could begin playing the game on the iPhone while traveling or at work, then could resume or replay the game in its full screen glory on the home HDTV through AppleTV, which the iPhone/iPod Touch used as wireless controller. The accelerometer could provide controls similar to Nintendo Wii, and the touch screen could be implemented as well. Thoughts?

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Believe it or not, these prototypes DO excist
Submitted by BoilerMacUser on Tue, 2009-05-05 18:48

So, I noticed that 50% of the comments deny the existence of any of these products and 50% are all thumbs up.

I can tell you all right now, Apple does have these prototypes and they do work.

I have the proviledge of knowing someone working for the R&D department at Apple. Through this individual, I was able to see these prototypes.

The tribook is amazing....they are planning on making some changes to it before releasing it, but you can definitely count on seeing these hitting retail stores with-in the next 3 to 4 years.

Good bye external monitors!!

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