PS2 and Apple

[d8n_two]

This is partially rumor and partially an idea. I was recently at a friends house who had his PS2 running the Linux kit that is available for it. He was also telling me that he had heard Apple had been condisering a similar package that included a "lite" version of OS X that could run on the PS2 platform. I think this would be a brilliant move on Apple's part.

Why?

1) OS X to the people: They like to talk about how great OS X is, but they don't really advertise it and few public labs (schools, libraries) have made the conversion. So few people can really experience it without dishing out the money for a new Mac. Apple could sell a $200 package with OS X (Lite or whatever), 40GB HDD, keyboard, and a mouse, a very inexpensive option to use OS X.

2) Digital Hub into the living room: With OS X in a PS2, Apple can now run some of their iApps on a machine fully connected to all audio/visual devices. The PS2 also has USB and i.Link (~Firewire) connectivity as well for the iPod or digital camera. Wouldn't Apple rather have iPod users sync with OS X on PS2 than Windows on a Dell? Throw in Rendezvous, and the PS2 could interact and play iTunes play lists, display iPhoto libraries, or QuickTime movies from a networked Mac. The rumored upcoming 802.11~ network adapter for the PS2 makes this even easier. Plus, Apple now has all the apps one might want to use in the living room: e-mail reader, web browser, mp3, and digital photos and movies.

3) Throw the Apple brand into the mix: Gaming is becoming the most popular and lucrative area of home entertainment, and having the Apple brand name in the arena would be a plus. With this plan they can associate themselves with the top console (arguably) without taking the financial risk of creating their own device.

Why not?

1) It could cannibalize hardware sales.
2) Apple could have another device in mind to handle some of these digital hub ideas.

I think it's a good idea to at least consider. It might not be doable or even profitable. Maybe I just want more out of my PS2 that I got for Christmas. Or maybe I just need to take sleeping pills so I don't stay up all night thinking about stuff like this. Anyway, I just thought I'd see what you guys thought.

[mightyjlr]

I think your friend made that up, or heard it from some very misinformed people. That is the most unlikely thing that will ever happen to OSX.

[d8n_two]

My friend heard it a long time ago when the Linux pack was released for the PS2. His sources certainly weren't of any authority, but probably off of message boards like this. I was just throwing the idea out their regardless of the likelihood of such rumors being true.

[drustar]

i don't think it's something apple would want to do. that would mean merging with sony. it's like sony being the hardware supplier and have apple produce a software to go along with it? besides, sony is plainly about PC.

that's just what i think.

[binaryDigit]

An interesting idea indeed, however, how does this make sense for Apple? AFAIK, Apple has never made anything for a third company product that didn't involve getting that product to work _WITH_ an Apple product. I guess it can be argued that OSX Lite would allow the PS2 to work with a Mac, but to what end? Remember that the Linux Kit for the PS2 does not turn it into a PS2 game playing workstation. It's _either_ a low powered Linux workstation, _OR_ your game system. And other than hackers (good sense)/nerds, why would a consumer want to install OSX on it? The only way this would make sense is perhaps if on PS3, Sony used OSX as it's underlying OS always, but then I doubt that makes any sense because that's just not what people want to do. The PS2's tv resolution is too low to do any decent surfing (in a pinch yes, but not anything that's going to make anyone want to replace their primary computer).

I'm rambling so let me just sum up. An interesting idea, that can at least partially be accomplished by porting Darwin. But no real big win for Apple since consoles are the ultimate in "I don't care what OS (or even if there is an OS) driving this thing, give me GT3!.

[d8n_two]

A merger wouldn't be necessary, rather an agreement between Sony and Apple. The reason Sony went with Linux in the first place was partially to position itself against Microsoft and the XBOX. The Linux kit is kind of clunky and hard to use (in my opinion), so an easy to use version of OS X would seem beneficial to Sony as well. Since I haven't used the PS2 with Linux extensively, I didn't realize that it couldn't be used as a game station after it was installed. So in that manner, this idea isn't good at all.

At the very least, I think it would be very cool if my iMac and PS2 could communicate and add some A/V functionality. I really want an easy way to experience the digital media on my 2-year-old iMac on the high-end a/v equipment in my living room. The Tivo/Rendezvous connection might do the trick. We'll see.

[binaryDigit]

Hope I didn't imply that a merger was necessary, because that is absoutely the last thing I wanted to say

And it's not that you can't use the PS2 as a "game" system while running Linux, you just can't use it to play PS2 games. You can run ported Linux games though, but I don't think that's what most people were hoping for.

All that being said, I too think it would be interesting to see more collaboration between Apple and Sony, esp. since they share a common enemy and they've done stuff together before (eg PB100).

One thing to note is that a $299 PS2 (original price), plus $149 linux kit, plus $150 monitor and you're at the price of an iMac, so other than the form factor, better game oriented hardware, and perhaps market penetration, it's not an easy argument to make.

One last thing, don't forget that Apple has already had a (aborted) go at the console market, remember the Pippen, well neither does anyone else

[d8n_two]

The "merger" comment was in response to another post bD. I'm new to the Apple world (2+ years), but I have heard about Pippen.

My desire is less in having Apple involved in gaming as it is having a device that nicely connects my Mac with my a/v equipment. I know that Rendezvous is heading in this direction. If this idea were possible it would provide a nice added use to the PS2 (given that you could still use it in normal console mode). I don't know. It's just a wild idea that snowballed in my mind last night as I was going to sleep.