The Apple Pippin was an early foray by Apple to break into the games console market. Derived from the Apple Macintosh computer, using a cut down version of MacOS (v7), the aim of the Pippin was to create an inexpensive computer aimed mostly at playing CD-based multimedia software, especially games, but also functioning as a network computer.

The Apple Pippin was manufactured in large numbers by Bandai in Japan, and sold as the Apple Bandai Pippin, with the ATMARK and @WORLD consoles being produced between 1995-1997.

The ATMARK was designed for the Japanese market, whereas the @WORLD version aimed at the US and European markets, using the English version of the operating system.

Games were loaded from CD-ROM although this was limited by the 128K internal RAM and the need to include the operating system on every CD-ROM (as there was no hard drive), although later RAM expansions became available (up to 4MB).

With the price in the USA being $599, this could not compete with the cheaper gaming consoles, and it is estimated that less than 42,000 units were sold in total (with less than 5,000 reaching customers in the USA).

Oddly, even though Apple had dropped development and Bandai dropped support towards the end of 1997, Katz Media in Ireland took on the mantel and started producing the console under the name Katz Media Pippin (or KMP 2000).  

The Pippin product from Katz Media was available in two configurations. The basic multimedia configuration, good for running titles or single use business applications; and a higher end Internet version including a modem will allow online access and text input.

Katz Media signed agreements for use with internet shopping malls and were looking to develop a new system for development of an integrated internet access system for use in hotel rooms alongside cable television.  In total it is estimated only 2000 machines were made by Katz Media and very few of these ever reached the stores, before Apple pulled the plug completely.

Certainly the Katz Media Pippin KMP2000 remains the rarest version of this console.