14 DAY TRIAL // The Apple TV has a lot of potential, no doubt about it. Apple is probably sad for not fully exploiting it earlier and that's probably why this Apple TV Patent filling has surfaced, hinting at the possibility of widgets with the digital media receiver.
The aim is associating Dashboard-like widgets with various kinds of video content, according to appleinsider.com. Widgets, as Apple implies, could become available depending on the content currently displayed in the Apple TV user interface. For example, a ball game could invoke the popping up of a widget, advertising tickets for an upcoming game.
Then again, not everyone likes to be interrupted by pop-ups while watching a game, or a movie or whatever (actually, no one does). As such, Apple is also thinking of throwing in a special remote, which the Apple TV owner could use to trigger widget display and start browsing through the options. I'm telling you it sounds fairly possible if you just add some transparency to the whole widget thing.
Anyway, here's Apple's thoughts, in regards to the newly filled patent: "For example, while the user is viewing a musical performance a ticket widget can be displayed over the content or elsewhere in the user interface, which can be access by the user to purchase concert tickets or receive other information related to the concert or performer," Apple said. "In the example (pictured left) ... the widget could be triggered by a marker in the content which corresponds with a portion of the concert where the performer is not performing, or can be based on a period of inactivity (e.g., the DVD player is placed on "pause"). In some implementations, the widget can be displayed as part of a DVD menu system."
Sounds pretty neat, huh? Maybe we'll hear some more during that February event, if it actually takes place. That's a "maybe" and an "if," which is too much to even begin speculation, so let's just wait and see if Apple confirms it first.
