J Allard, Microsoft's "chief experience officer" and owner of Xbox shoes, has put his name to a mysterious Microsoft patent for a "magic wand".
The "wand" patent, made public a few days ago but filed in November 2007, sounds like the infamous "Newton" Wii Remote-alike that was doing the rounds in internet rumour-town
this time last year.
The listing describes the device (pictured in electrician-vision on this page) as a gadget that can "utilize one or more sensor from a collection of sensors to determine an orientation or gesture in connection with the wand". In other words, it's an Xbox Wii Remote.
Apparently the device can also "detect" the person holding it and automatically display their avatar on screen, and communicate in "a manner similar to a cellular phone or walkie-talkie with other wands."
Microsoft's already dished out the "no comment" on this one (as if it'd say something else) and considering the date of the patent - and the emergence of the very real-looking
360 motion cam -
we reckon the 360 Wii Remote could, quite simply, be old news. Or something that was being worked on but isn't any more. Not in the same form at least.
If J Allard's (ahem) wand comes out in public at E3 though, we'll soon let you know about it.
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