Apple Pippin
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The Apple Pippin was a technology for a multimedia title player (sometimes mistakenly referred to as a games console ) designed by Apple Computer in the mid-1990s. It was based around a 66 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, and ran a cut-down version of the Mac OS. The goal was to create an inexpensive computer aimed mostly at playing CD-based multimedia titles, especially games, but also functioning as a network computer. It featured a 4x CD-ROM drive and a video output that could connect to a standard television monitor.
Apple never intended to release its own Pippin. Instead it intended to license the technology to third parties, a model similar to that of the ill-fated 3DO. However the only Pippin licensee to release a product to market was Bandai.
By the time the Bandai Pippin was released, (1995 for Japan, 1996 for the United States) the market was already dominated by the Nintendo 64, Sony PlayStation, and Sega Saturn, machines which were much more powerful as game machines than the more general purpose Pippin. In addition, there was little ready-to-go software for Pippin, the only major publisher being Bandai itself. Costing US$599 on launch, it was also expensive: though touted as a "cheap" computer, this was only true if compared to the Macintosh. It was far more expensive than a PlayStation.
Ultimately, Pippin as a technology suffered because it was a late starter in the 3D generation of consoles, and was under-powered as a gaming machine and personal computer. Bandai's version died a quick death, only ever having a relatively limited release in the United States and Japan.
External links
- The Original Mac mini (http://mlagazine.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=138)
- Bandai Pippin Museum and Archive (http://www.macgeek.org/museum/pippin/)
- ASSEMbler's Bandai Pippin Page (http://assembler.roarvgm.com/Apple_Bandai_pippin/apple_bandai_pippin.html)
- Pippin World - Software Title Reviews (http://www.pippinworld.co.uk)fr:Pippin (console)