The Pippin (Japanese: ピピンアットマーク; named PiPP!N) is a technology that is no longer in use. It was created by Apple Computer as an open multimedia platform, meaning it allowed different types of media to be used together. Apple stated that the Pippin was aimed at homes as an important part of the consumer audio, video, and television systems.
The Pippin was based on the Macintosh platform, which used the older version of the Mac OS system. Apple made a demonstration device called the Pippin Power Player to show the platform at events and to the media, to attract software and hardware companies. Apple allowed other companies to use the Pippin technology. Bandai Company Ltd. created the ATMARK and @WORLD models, which focused on gaming and entertainment in Japan, Canada, and the United States. Katz Media created the KMP 2000, which focused on specific industries in Europe and Canada.
Naming
The Pippin platform was named after the Newtown Pippin, a type of apple that is smaller and more sour than the McIntosh apple (which is named after the Macintosh). Apple stated that the Pippin platform was meant to be used for more than just game consoles. "Apple believes that over time, Pippin will be used in many ways, such as for home communication devices and other purposes. Apple did not want to choose a name that was tied to one specific product type, because the platform will be used by many people and made in different forms by various companies." The platform was first called "Sweet Pea" during early planning.
The word "Pippin" was used by Apple before the platform was created. The Apple ProFile, an external hard drive for the Apple III and Lisa computers, was given the temporary name "Pippin" during its development.
History
Apple did not plan to release the Pippin on its own. Instead, Apple wanted to let other companies use the Pippin platform by licensing the technology, similar to how JVC shared the VHS format in the 1970s. Apple hoped third-party companies would create Pippin systems to help increase the Macintosh’s market share, a goal similar to Apple’s clone strategy in the late 1990s. Apple encouraged companies to make different versions of the Pippin, as long as they followed Apple’s design to avoid confusion. Licensees could improve systems by changing the look, adding phone features, improving video and sound, or increasing memory.
In 1993, Bandai wanted to create a smaller version of the Macintosh for playing CD-ROM games. Bandai’s leader, Makoto Yamashina, chose the Macintosh platform over others.
In early 1994, Bandai asked Apple to help create a gaming console. The original design used a Macintosh Classic II with a 16 MHz Motorola 68030 processor running Macintosh software. Apple would design the main circuit board, and Bandai would handle the case and packaging. This plan was seen as the fastest and most cost-effective way to bring the product to market.
Bandai marketed its Pippin models as game consoles, so many releases were games, entertainment software, or educational software. However, unlike other consoles, the Pippin did not have special chips for graphics or sound. Because the Pippin used Macintosh software, developers could use tools like 2D and 3D QuickDraw for graphics. Apple encouraged hardware makers to create 3D graphics hardware so the main processor could focus on other tasks. The system did not support MPEG video, only QuickTime.
Bandai originally did not plan to include Internet connectivity. However, customer feedback asked for this feature. To add Internet access, Apple included a modem in the Pippin. Two years earlier, Apple had already changed its Macintosh systems to use GeoPort, a technology that let software mimic a modem. Adding GeoPort to the Pippin required Apple to switch from the 68030 processor to the PowerPC 603 processor, which was cheaper and better for embedded systems.
On December 13, 1994, Apple announced the Pippin platform in Tokyo and its partnership with Bandai. In March 1996, the white-colored Bandai Pippin ATMARK sold in Japan for 64,800 yen, including a dial-up modem and four CD-ROMs. Yamashina predicted 200,000 units would sell in Japan within a year.
After licensing the Pippin, Apple did not market the platform. Bandai handled all marketing and spent $93 million on advertising. The licensing agreement prevented Bandai and Katz Media from calling the Pippin a “computer” to avoid confusion with Apple’s Macintosh line. Apple expected to earn $20 per Pippin sold and a few dollars per software title.
In October 1995, Mitsubishi Electric planned to join Bandai as a licensee, though it never signed a deal with Apple. Mitsubishi made systems for Bandai as an original equipment manufacturer.
Bandai planned to launch the Pippin in 1995 but delayed the release until March 1996 in Japan and June 1996 in the U.S. The black-colored Bandai Pippin @WORLD sold in the U.S. for $599, including a six-month Internet plan. Bandai predicted 200,000 units would sell in Japan and 300,000 in the U.S. within a year.
To attract developers, Apple promoted the Pippin as scalable, meaning software for one model would work on future models. Apple compared this to Nintendo’s systems, where older games did not work on newer consoles. The Pippin’s CD-ROMs had no region restrictions, so games for the ATMARK would work on the @WORLD. Apple also stated it would not regulate content on the platform, allowing creative freedom for artists. An example was the Yellows series, which included nude images.
Developers needed to register with Apple, get developer kits, and receive discounts on tools like the Power Macintosh AV system. At the May 1995 WWDC, details for developers were shared. Bandai included a “Pippin Security Key” in its development kit, which let users bypass the Pippin’s authentication system.
Merlin Media created Pippin demonstration CD-ROMs.
On May 21, 1996, Oracle and 30 other companies announced plans to build computers based on the Network Computer platform, which used Java and Internet software. Apple joined this effort through the Pippin. Katz Media used the idea to remove floppy disks from the Pippin, a feature two years ahead of the iMac.
A June 1996 issue of Mac Fan magazine in Japan focused entirely on the Pippin.
Apple planned to grow the Pippin alongside the Macintosh line. In July 1996, Apple’s CEO Gil Amelio announced the Pippin 1997 Reference Platform, which would include technologies like FireWire and SCSI ports. In May 1997, Bandai announced a docking station with Ethernet support for $139, though it was never sold.
In 1997, Bandai created two prototype units for display at the MACWORLD Expo/Tokyo '97. The ATMARK-PD was designed to replace the original ATMARK model.
Apple Bandai Pippin
The Bandai Pippin was designed to be a low-cost computer system primarily for running CD-based multimedia software, such as games. It also functioned as a type of computer that connects to a main computer. The system uses a version of the System 7.5.2 operating system. It includes a 66 MHz PowerPC 603 processor, a modem that can transfer data at 14.4 kb/s, a 4×-speed CD-ROM drive, and a video output that connects to a standard television.
In Japan, Bandai created systems called the Pippin Atmark. These systems often had a platinum color similar to many Apple Macintosh models from that time.
In the United States and most of Europe, Bandai named the system the Bandai Pippin @WORLD, pronounced "at-world." The @WORLD system has the same technical features as the Pippin Atmark but uses an English version of the Mac OS. Most Western systems were black in color.
System overview
The Pippin platform is based on the PowerPC Platform, which was designed and supported by IBM and Apple. The PowerPC 603 processor uses a type of design called RISC, which helps other parts of the system work well with the Pippin's CPU. For example, instead of using a fully-featured analog modem, the Pippin uses a GeoPort serial port. The Pippin supports generic dial-up Internet service providers (ISPs), such as Prodigy, America Online, and eWorld.
The address bus of the PowerPC 603 can access memory up to 64 MB. However, the operating system can only use up to 37 MB of memory. Because of the specialized hardware design of the Pippin, the maximum amount of RAM that can be added is 32 MB. Bandai officially produced memory upgrade modules in sizes of 2, 4, 8, and 16 MB. These memory chips are attached to a printed circuit board inside a plastic housing, making it easier for users to install them. Japanese hackers created an aftermarket 16 MB module, but because it was larger than the space available, users had to remove the logic board from the Pippin to install it.
Apple encouraged hardware developers to create peripherals that are compatible with a standard called PCI. These devices could be connected to the Pippin through a docking station. A special slot called an X-PCI is located on the bottom of the Pippin system and is used by docking stations. A docking station can include hardware such as SCSI or floppy disk drive controllers, video interfaces, codecs, or network interfaces like Ethernet. The logic board sends PCI signals through the X-PCI slot to the docking station. However, docking stations on the Pippin do not support connecting multiple devices at once. For example, a user would need to remove a floppy disk drive docking station to use a magneto-optical drive docking station. Katz Media made a generic docking station with a PCI slot, allowing users to install PCI cards. No PCI-based peripherals were specifically designed for the Pippin.
The operating system is not stored on the Pippin's internal storage. Instead, it is found on the CD-ROMs that come with each software release. This allowed Apple to update the operating system without requiring users to buy new hardware. However, once software releases ended, it became impossible to upgrade the operating system or install new features. The system automatically restarts when the CD-ROM eject button is pressed, so users could not load software from one CD-ROM and then switch to another. Apple intended the Pippin to be an appliance and encouraged users to buy a fully upgradable Macintosh system if they needed more flexibility. Bandai never updated its system software beyond version 7.5.2. Some hardware enthusiasts were able to run later versions of the operating system, such as Mac OS 8.0, but only on systems with a special ROM-BIOS.
Apple stated that the features of Pippin-based products varied depending on the manufacturer. The Bandai versions of the Pippin had the same specifications, except for color, across both the ATMARK and @WORLD packages. The Katz Media version included features like an external SCSI interface, more onboard memory, and no RSA technology.
Every Pippin package includes a dial-up analog modem and a corded AppleJack gamepad. Early versions had a 14.4 kbit/s modem, while later versions had a 33.6 kbit/s modem. These modems used the GeoPort interface.
Originally, the Pippin was meant to expand through docking stations. However, Apple hoped third-party companies would create add-ons like PCMCIA slots or MPEG-2 codecs. Some add-ons were made by Bandai and others, including a docking station with a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, a magneto-optical drive docking station, a wireless AppleJack controller, and a keyboard with a stylus.
On a typical PowerPC-based Macintosh system, the boot process involves loading a bootstrap loader from ROM, then loading the Process Manager from the startup device, finding a "blessed" System Folder, and launching the Finder. Because the Pippin used non-writable CD-ROMs, changes were needed for the boot process. Developers using the 7.5.2 system software installed a program called "PippinFinder" into the System Folder, making the CD-ROM bootable on the Pippin. After development, PippinFinder was removed, and the Pippin-specific software was added. An alias of the main program was placed in the Startup Items folder so the application would launch automatically. Developers could not use a hard drive cache for downloaded content and had to share 128 KB of NVRAM with the system.
The standard Finder interface was replaced with a simpler one called "Pippin Launch." In Finder, users see folders and files. In Pippin Launch, icons are clickable squares, and users cannot use features like "New Folder."
Among developers, "Pippinized" refers to creating CD-ROMs that can boot on a Pippin device. The system and application software are prepared on an external hard drive and tested using a special tool only available to developers. After a CD-R is created, it must be sent to an authorized CD stamping company for authentication. The Pippin used RSA's public/private key system for this process.
Apple stated that Pippin titles could play on Macintosh computers. Titles based on older 68k technology could run on both Power Macintosh and 68k-based Macintosh systems. Titles written in PowerPC code might also work on both platforms, depending on whether the developer used
Reception
In May 1996, PC Graphics Report interviewed a Bandai executive, noting that trying to sell a gaming console as a computer showed a lack of understanding about American culture. At the time, many people in Japan were not familiar with computers, and some did not know what the "@" symbol meant, as seen in the name @WORLD. American buyers struggled to understand how to use the device to access the Internet. Bandai executives were confused by the idea that some Americans were not interested in using the Internet. Even among those who used the Internet, the Pippin was not the preferred choice. A July 1996 article in Electronic Gaming Monthly stated that the Sega Saturn, along with its separate Netlink device, cost less than $400, making it a cheaper option for Internet use than the Pippin. Devices that were hard to use often failed in the U.S. market.
The Pippin had limited memory, which prevented it from running the standard Netscape 2.0 web browser or supporting features like Java and VRML. Text displayed on common TV screens was difficult to read. The $599 price (equivalent to $1,200 in 2025) was too high, especially when the Pippin was first released in late 1996. In May 2006, the Pippin was ranked 22nd on PC World’s list of the "25 Worst Tech Products of All Time."