Sony files to patent Wii-mote

[Gadfly2317]

http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1165459947

This is an unbelievabley funny read, especially in light of the recent comments by the Sony exec calling the Wii more "Intuitive and fun." We thought he just slipped up, but apparently not, as Sony wants its own intuitive pointing device.

How can you be the market leader in gaming when you copy the Xbox(standard harddrive) are trying to copy Xbox Live and Nintendo's Virtual Console, Copy the GC/GBA connectivity feature with the PsP, try to rip off your competitors controller. . . and on and on and on. This is not a leader, its a desperately parasitic follower, fat, bloated, and out of fresh ideas of its own. Of course, they probably don't intend this patent for gaming. . . just a more "fun and intuitive way" to navigate the extra's on Blue Ray movies.

Screw it, here's the whole article:

"Sony Patent Looks to Simulate Parts of Wii Remote
12/6/2006, 9:52pm Eastern Time

Sony Computer Entertainment has applied for a patent with the United States Patent Office for a pointing device that also uses a sensor receiver unit. In other words, a Wii remote-like pointer and a Wii-like sensor bar.

As it is described, it seems to only describe the pointing capability, such as in the Wii remote. It does not get specific on how it would be used, but Sony could see it as a future add-on to its current controller, or as a peripheral like an Eye Toy, if it is designed for the PlayStation 3.

In the patent application, Sony describes other types of input devices, and the advantages its invention would create.

"To implement a pointer-based user interface in consumer electronics devices, some remote controls for consumer electronics devices include a digital or analog joystick to control an on-screen pointer of a pointer-based on-screen display. Unfortunately, users often find controlling a pointer using a joystick to be difficult, non-intuitive, and frustrating."

The patent goes on to describe the disadvantages of other pointing devices, such as a mouse, since it requires a flat surface, and a light gun, since it does not work on non-CRT TVs such as plasma and LCD displays. It does not mention that the Wii remote solves both problems.

(dm)
"

[Zilla Man]

http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1165459947

This is an unbelievabley funny read, especially in light of the recent comments by the Sony exec calling the Wii more "Intuitive and fun." We thought he just slipped up, but apparently not, as Sony wants its own intuitive pointing device.

How can you be the market leader in gaming when you copy the Xbox(standard harddrive) are trying to copy Xbox Live and Nintendo's Virtual Console, Copy the GC/GBA connectivity feature with the PsP, try to rip off your competitors controller. . . and on and on and on. This is not a leader, its a desperately parasitic follower, fat, bloated, and out of fresh ideas of its own. Of course, they probably don't intend this patent for gaming. . . just a more "fun and intuitive way" to navigate the extra's on Blue Ray movies.

Screw it, here's the whole article:

"Sony Patent Looks to Simulate Parts of Wii Remote
12/6/2006, 9:52pm Eastern Time

Sony Computer Entertainment has applied for a patent with the United States Patent Office for a pointing device that also uses a sensor receiver unit. In other words, a Wii remote-like pointer and a Wii-like sensor bar.

As it is described, it seems to only describe the pointing capability, such as in the Wii remote. It does not get specific on how it would be used, but Sony could see it as a future add-on to its current controller, or as a peripheral like an Eye Toy, if it is designed for the PlayStation 3.

In the patent application, Sony describes other types of input devices, and the advantages its invention would create.

"To implement a pointer-based user interface in consumer electronics devices, some remote controls for consumer electronics devices include a digital or analog joystick to control an on-screen pointer of a pointer-based on-screen display. Unfortunately, users often find controlling a pointer using a joystick to be difficult, non-intuitive, and frustrating."

The patent goes on to describe the disadvantages of other pointing devices, such as a mouse, since it requires a flat surface, and a light gun, since it does not work on non-CRT TVs such as plasma and LCD displays. It does not mention that the Wii remote solves both problems.

(dm)
"

So what? Nintendo did the exact same thing by making the Wii backwards cimpoatible with the Cube. Who was the first videogame company to do that?:

BTW, the Wii mote wasn't even the 1st controller to use that type of technology. The Microsoft Sidewinder did it years ago. But as we all know Nintendo never copies anything because, well, they're nothing but innovators...:rolleyes:

[GameLegend]

Just add this to the other hate copy cat points we have against Sony.
-analog stick
-rumble
-connectivity rip off
-wiimote wannabee
-xbox live wannabee

but i mean, the xbox live network has been praised. Whats wrong with a competitor wanting to please the consumer as well. I mean, the xbox netowork is already good, atleast they have something to refer to, to make theirs better.

Same goes for the wiimote.

Well, still a part of me, still finds it annoying. Why? Is it becuase they are not giving credit where its due? Because they belittled the wiimote, only to want to do it themselves now, and the wosrt part, not admit it, not yet atleast. And still be the market leader. Wheres the justice.

Whatever its business.

[Gadfly2317]

So what? Nintendo did the exact same thing by making the Wii backwards cimpoatible with the Cube. Who was the first videogame company to do that?:

BTW, the Wii mote wasn't even the 1st controller to use that type of technology. The Microsoft Sidewinder did it years ago. But as we all know Nintendo never copies anything because, well, they're nothing but innovators...:rolleyes:

Weak. Really, really freaking weak.

[Zilla Man]

Weak. Really, really freaking weak.

Way to address my sentient points, Gaddy.:rolleyes: You're starting to sound more and more like NEO.

[NEO-360]

Way to address my sentient points, Gaddy.:rolleyes: You're starting to sound more and more like NEO.

And thats a bad thing to sound like me? Would you rather have everyone sound like you Zilla Man? If that was the case everybody in System Wars would be like this: :sleep:

Anyway after Sony had about a billion Dreamcast ports during the first 6 months of the PS2's lifespan there was no doubt in my mind that Sony will copy anything from anybody to make a buck.

The fact that they want to copy something thats apparently successful is in fact whether alot of us like it or not a very smart and ambitious business move.

I wish Nintendo would've thought that way when they created the Wii. Just think how much more the Wii could've been if it would've had everything either the 360 or the PS3 has under the hood?

But they chose to be primitive once again with their console rather than have what their competitors have. Yes there are a few nice touches for the Wii but overall IMO this is another GC with a fresh coat of paint on it. I do like being able to download classic titles though.

So does it surprise me that Sony is trying to once again put something on the market to rival Nintendo? Nope. It wont surprise me when that idea tanks either. There are some things that some people simply does better than others. (DS above and beyond the PSP)

But once again Sony is copying and pasting in the videogame world. Cant wait to see whats next on the copying/ pasting playbook for Sony.:rolleyes:

[Gadfly2317]

Way to address my sentient points, Gaddy.:rolleyes: You're starting to sound more and more like NEO.

Sentient points? Zilla, normally you make sentient points, but we've got a veritable laundry list of things--extremely specific and unique things being done by MS and Nintendo--that Sony has unabashedly copied like a fourth grader cheating on a test. . . . and what is your big sentient response? "Well, uhm, the Wii is backwards compatible and Ps2 was b/c first, so whose the big copy cat now?"

If you can't see why I thought that was too weak for an explicated response, I don't know how to make it any clearer. As to your other sentient point, I used to have a Sidewinder for my PC, and I don't recall it being anything like the Wii AT ALL so I wasn't sure what you were talking about.

[Zilla Man]

Sentient points? Zilla, normally you make sentient points, but we've got a veritable laundry list of things--extremely specific and unique things being done by MS and Nintendo--that Sony has unabashedly copied like a fourth grader cheating on a test. . . . and what is your big sentient response? "Well, uhm, the Wii is backwards compatible and Ps2 was b/c first, so whose the big copy cat now?"

If you can't see why I thought that was too weak for an explicated response, I don't know how to make it any clearer.

How is it weak? Sony "copied" from Nintendo and Nintendo copied from Sony. It's the Pot calling the Kettle black. That's a fact, Gaddy. Just because you can't admit it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

And yes, MS not only had this technology before Nintendo, but Sony had it on their console before anyone else:

http://wii.qj.net/Nintendo-tells-Sony-Stop-Copying-Me-But-who-s-copying-who-/pg/49/aid/42419

"It's nothing new to hear about the rivalry between Nintendo and Sony after this years E3 expo since both have controllers that are sporting various forms of motion sensor technology. Today, Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton openly attacked Sony for stealing Nintendo's ideas, past and present. Yarnton said "Historically we're always developing new things. We know Sony have had a lot of issues with their rumble feature and they've had to withdraw it - because they didn't innovate, they copied"; obviously referring to both the past legal drama involving rumble technology, and motion-sensing ideas in the PS3 controller which is allegedly copying Nintendo's Wii controller.

However, it is common knowledge that motion sensor technology has been around of quite some time now. For example, Microsoft's Sidewinder Freestyle Pro 1.0 for the PC has been around for over a decade; and although we cannot find an exact date of when it was released (probably because the internet wasn't used so much back then), it was developed for Windows 95/98, and so would have been fist released in the late 1990's. But this wasn't the only controller using motion sensor technology in the 1990's.

Here's a snippet of a gaming show that features a Playstation 1 controller called the "Tiltforce 2" made by Pelican accessories. This controller had motion sensor technology back in 1999! Sure, it wasn't made by Sony, but how could they copy something that was already available on their original console?"

So please, stop whining about Nintendo being this great innovator that gets ripped off all the time and look at the facts.Try taking off your Fisher Price glasses for once and admit that Nintendo does the same thing.

[Cuddly Knife]

If not for Nintendo and the Wii, the PS3 would've never had motion-sensing methinks.

Just a side note. In the latest GI, a lot of the reviews for the Wii talk about good things for the Wiimote, but when they tralk about the Six-Axis motion sensing, they say on pretty much all the reviews that it's tacked-on, and would probably make the games better if they never had it to begin with.

[Glockstar]

If not for Nintendo and the Wii, the PS3 would've never had motion-sensing methinks.

I think you're right. And that's what bugs so much about Sony.

GameLegend said it, they just don't seem to give any credit to the companies who are truly forging ahead in this industry. They only seem to belittle their competitors - and they do it as they're copying them. They don't deserve to be where they are. Really.

[ilnadmy]

they just don't seem to give any credit to the companies who are truly forging ahead in this industry. They only seem to belittle their competitors - and they do it as they're copying them.

Hey! Stop bad-mouthing Microsoft! I thought you were supposed to be one of their suppo....oh wait, you're talking about Sony.

Carry on.

[folken001]

If not for Nintendo and the Wii, the PS3 would've never had motion-sensing methinks.

Just a side note. In the latest GI, a lot of the reviews for the Wii talk about good things for the Wiimote, but when they tralk about the Six-Axis motion sensing, they say on pretty much all the reviews that it's tacked-on, and would probably make the games better if they never had it to begin with.
And GI gave Resistance a 9.5, same as GoW. I am sure you agree with that?

PS3's sixaxis and Wiimote are quite different. And Wiimote isn't the first sensor known to mankind.

ilnadmy has a great point. M$ doesn't give people credit either. Did M$ give Linux credit for being open source? Oh wait, it didn't. M$ bad mouthed it then stole the idea. What a surprise.

[Zilla Man]

I think you're right. And that's what bugs so much about Sony.

GameLegend said it, they just don't seem to give any credit to the companies who are truly forging ahead in this industry. They only seem to belittle their competitors - and they do it as they're copying them. They don't deserve to be where they are. Really.

Yeah, because MS never copied or stole anything from anybody...:rolleyes:

Seamus Blackly, the creator of the Xbox, has satedin several interviews that he pitched the Xbox to Bill Gates as "a more advanced version of the Playstation (right down to the controllers)" using PC parts.

I don't think that even the most ardent Xbot would deny that out of all 3 companies MS is the least innovative.

Can't wait for Glocky's next post: how the MS Windows GUI wasn't stolen from Apple... :idea:

[GameLegend]

How is it weak? Sony "copied" from Nintendo and Nintendo copied from Sony. It's the Pot calling the Kettle black. That's a fact, Gaddy. Just because you can't admit it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

And yes, MS not only had this technology before Nintendo, but Sony had it on their console before anyone else:



Zilla be quite for a second. Nintendo did do backwards compatiablity before sony.
Just in the handheld relm, but the concept still stands.

Gameboy colour played gameboy games. Gameboy colour was made b4 PS2, so that take argument and cram it. I dont care if nintendo did it in handheld, they still did it before sony.

I dont care who copies who anymore. I just wish the corporate world gave credit to where its due. I think sony wouldnt of gained so much negativity if they just said they were inspired by Wii to add this function, instead of saying, "oh look we have a secret, and we thought this all by ourselves, its revolutionary!"

[Gadfly2317]

So please, stop whining about Nintendo being this great innovator that gets ripped off all the time and look at the facts.Try taking off your Fisher Price glasses for once and admit that Nintendo does the same thing.

No one has ever suggested NIntendo is the sole-innovator in the Universe, or even in just gaming, or that every idea they've ever had was plucked, immaculate and intact from the nether regions inhabited by the nine muses. Virtually all things on earth have some sort of precedent.

But it is no fanboy argument--its an industry consensus--that Nintendo has been one of the biggest trailblazers, leaders, innovators,etc, for over 20 years. And its indisputable that Sony has wholesale copied a LOT, especially right now. The Ps3 is not showing leadership, its showing a tremendous amout of ME TOO ME TOO.

Hell, one of the major gaming outlets just published a breakdown of the Ps3 controller, showing from the design how the tilt-functionality was a late-addition to the design. You can blah all you want about Nintendo not "inventing" motion control. The point is, they went out and figured out a way to put together the nun-chuck control, highly unique, and to forge ahead with motion as the main control rather than a pad full of buttons which has been the standard for AGES now. And what did Sony do? Did they lead? No, they pulled off a gimped together copy.

I've also never claimed Sony has made no contributions to gaming. . . they have. I'm one of the bigger fans of the PsP here, actually, probably own as many games for it as anyone here. But that doesn't change the fact I see Sony faltering, acting out of fear, not leading, but actually outright stealing others ideas, as thought they fear those ideas will defeat them if they don't have them for themselves. This is actually happening. . . in objective reality, not just in some demented fanboy universe. I really don't think its me that is wearing the Fisher Price or George Foreman Grill sunglasses here.

[Superior Beatslayer]

So what? Nintendo did the exact same thing by making the Wii backwards cimpoatible with the Cube. Who was the first videogame company to do that?:

BTW, the Wii mote wasn't even the 1st controller to use that type of technology. The Microsoft Sidewinder did it years ago. But as we all know Nintendo never copies anything because, well, they're nothing but innovators...:rolleyes:

True, but this is way more blatent, not too mention it will fail miserably.

[theWacoKid]

Nintendo copied sony because they made the wii b/c with the gamecube?! WTF kind of retarded reasoning is that? Nintendo has made b/c a priority with their handheld units for ages, long before sony did what they did with the ps2. There's no technology that nintendo appropriated or copied from sony. Lame, totally lame. Embaressingly so.

[Gadfly2317]

Nintendo copied sony because they made the wii b/c with the gamecube?! WTF kind of retarded reasoning is that? Nintendo has made b/c a priority with their handheld units for ages, long before sony did what they did with the ps2. There's no technology that nintendo appropriated or copied from sony. Lame, totally lame. Embaressingly so.


DOH!!!! B/c gaming system, Nintendo did it before Soy. I say Soy, because with out the "N". . . that's about what they'd be compared to real meat.

And speaking of the handhelds, for more examples of blatant "Sony copies Nintendo shamelessly" we have only to look at their weak attempts to emulate the "brain training" phenomena, and the straight up rip-off of Advance Wars called "Field Commander." And it's not that Field Commander is bad, but you can't deny its almost identical game structure.

[NEO-360]

DOH!!!! B/c gaming system, Nintendo did it before Soy. I say Soy, because with out the "N". . . that's about what they'd be compared to real meat.

And speaking of the handhelds, for more examples of blatant "Sony copies Nintendo shamelessly" we have only to look at their weak attempts to emulate the "brain training" phenomena, and the straight up rip-off of Advance Wars called "Field Commander." And it's not that Field Commander is bad, but you can't deny its almost identical game structure.

Good post Gadfly.:)