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News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies (and TGB News!)
Xbox
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Charlie Owen, a former Media Center team member wrote a post this
week about Media Center expanding its marketplace, specifically going from
the current enthusiast market to a more mainstream market. Charlie analysis comes to the pretty simple
answer of “It's
possible, but highly unlikely at this point.”
I had previously come to this conclusion, but to me
the real question is “will Microsoft attempt to develop for the
enthusiast market?” Lucky for me,
Charlie replied to my comment with exactly what I was expecting
Charlie: “No. That's because they have never done so. The enthusiast market is
always a subset of the overall market any product targets. Put another way:
Where the goal is making a profit you wouldn't sacrifice a broad market
opportunity of 100 for the narrow enthusiast market of 10. Making a
Microsoft-sized profit is different than making a profit if you were a much
smaller company.”
In other words the future for Media Center is one or two
options. Option 1: Microsoft stops
development of Media Center (very unlikely). Option 2:
Microsoft transitions Media Center to a market which has the possibility to
create a “Microsoft-sized profit.” (Hint: TV on your PC) Re-quoting
myself from early this year, the days of Media Center being billed as the
do-it-all center of your home are over.
My opinion continues to be that Microsoft will focus more
and more on the Xbox
360 as the center of the home. The
benefits of the Xbox 360 over Media Center are almost endless from a business
perspective. The massive amount of end
users (an unquestionable 30 million, with 20 million of them being Xbox Live
subscribers) means content providers are going to flock to the platform. Microsoft can sit back and rake in yearly
recurring revenue from these 20 million Xbox Live subscribers along with the
massive amounts of licensing accessories and the Xbox 360 brand. Media Center on the other hard makes
Microsoft absolutely no money as it is a part of the standard Windows SKU (eg.
No one except members of The Green Button ever purchased a Windows license just
to get Media Center).
There are still people holding out hope for Media Center to
become a platform for the home. The
recent announcement that Dish
Network will not be shipping their tuner anytime soon didn’t
surprise me one bit. Why would Dish
bother to continue with Media Center when it is pretty clear Microsoft is
moving away from the consumer they thought they were buying into? This same concept is at play with Media
Center Extender’s. There is still some
hope that Toshiba will be releasing an Extender, but I think the concept
that most people miss is that whether it gets released or not means little in
the grand scheme of things. If
Microsoft’s heart is not in providing a platform for the home, you can really
know going into your purchase that you’re going to end up disappointed at some
point.
The biggest question mark might be Windows Home Server. For years I have said the concept of
including Media Center in Windows Home Server is pointless
and does nothing to expand the current market. If HP ditched Extender’s and CableCARD due to
poor sales, why exactly would they have the least bit of interest in shipping a
Media Center+Home Server box? If OEMs
are not interested, why is Microsoft going to develop it?
Most people underestimate the OEMs when talking about Media
Center. OEMs are really responsible for
Media Center from start to finish from a customer’s perspective. HP and Dell have shown they have little
interest in Media Center by either discounting CableCARD PCs, killing off
Extender’s, and even in HPs case killing off their HT-styled z-series Media
Centers. Dish
Network and DIRECTV
are just as important and have shown that they are increasing less interested.
Microsoft’s latest attempt to make a market for Media Center
has been the custom integrator channel, and some have big
expectations for what Microsoft might have in store. Sadly most of the possibilities have already
been proven false, and based on what I’ve been told from those in the industry
interest in Media Center in the custom channel is dropping fast. I’m interest to see how much longer Microsoft
attempts to push into the market. With
their partner OEMs such as HP, Linksys, Dish Network pulling out these leaves
the custom OEMs like Niveus Media and Life|ware to pick up the slack. Unfortunately there is only such much they
can do. If Microsoft’s commitment in the
channel falls it might be the end of the custom market experiment.
So once again the question is what’s next. Recently there have been some great new
bloggers show up in the Media Center community with some great
suggestions. I’m done with
suggestions. Microsoft knows exactly
what we want, let’s not pretend they don’t.
The issue is it is no longer in their best interest to pursue most of
it. What’s next? Who knows.
All I want at this point is for Microsoft to publicly provide a roadmap
for what Media Center is to become.
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This week Microsoft took the wraps off the next Zune, dubbed
Zune HD. It seems to be your basic next-generation touch screen only
media player with the common additions of WiFi and an web browser (IE based).
There are some other interesting parts such as a HD Radio tuner, an OLED
screen, multitouch, and even HD output at 720p via a dock.
The most interesting part of the announcement is not the
device, but rather the service. The Zune Marketplace will now integrate
with the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, finally drawing a realistic picture of
Microsoft’s “3 screen” vision of the future. Getting the most press is the HD Radio tuner, the non-HD
resolution of the OLED screen, and the concept of Microsoft competing with the
iPod touch.
HD Radio tuner doesn’t do much for me, it will give people a
chance to explore something they likely have never heard of before, and
apparently the FM radio tuner has been a big selling point among existing Zune
buyers. The resolution on the OLED screen is only 480x272, which many
have noted is not even close to HD. I’m not really sure why people think
they need 1080p on a portable player, the lower resolution screen likely
benefits the majority of people who put low-bitrate and resolution content on
the device in the first place. If you have HD content, the dock now
outputs 720p over HDMI. The big question
in terms of resolution is actually what codec’s and resolutions it supports
syncing. If it supports all popular
codecs and HD resolutions, that means I can sync without transcoding.
I have never seen the Zune as a good competitor to the iPod,
I don’t feel much different about this one. Microsoft is still playing
catch-up here by connecting their services. This is something Apple has
mostly had for years. Within the next 2-3 years I can finally see the
landscape start to change a bit, but Microsoft is going to have a very hard
time going after Apple when you compare numbers.
Lacking is any mention of Media Center, which wasn’t a shock
to me personally. I firmly believe Microsoft has moved on from what most
reading this wanted Media Center to be, and of course for years I’ve said the
Xbox was the real competition to Media Center (this will become much clearer as
we go on). Connecting the Xbox, Zune, and Windows finally makes all of
the products marketable. Microsoft also
just announced that Xbox
360 has sold 30 million units and has 20 million on Xbox LIVE.
A few have noted that all the details have not been released
and that Media Center integration could still be there. I don’t
anticipate it, but would welcome it. I doubt we will see this act as a
Media Center Extender as many have wanted. If Microsoft could of improved
anywhere in the Zune-Media Center connection I hope it was with syncing
content, mainly TV. The Zune does support syncing TV, but it doesn’t
support anything copy protected (CableCARD, likely any future premium Cable/Sat
services), and also doesn't support syncing content with Dolby Digital audio.
If this stays true just about the only TV content the Zune can sync (in the US)
will be analog cable/satellite captures. Even OTA content will be purely
Dolby Digital next months, so even your favorite local channels will not sync
unless Microsoft decides to change.
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Developing….
“new interactive entertainment genre with the premiere of
the Xbox LIVE Primetime channel, which brings together the best of TV and
gaming. Xbox LIVE Primetime will debut with an online version of the popular TV
show “1 vs. 100” that enables thousands of gamers to play together with real
hosts and compete for real prizes."
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Driven by record sales at retail along with an 84 percent
jump in online consumer spending; global install base lead over PlayStation 3
expands to more than 8 million units.
REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 5, 2009 — Despite a tough
economy, the gaming industry held strong in 2008 and Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360
video game and entertainment system recorded the biggest year in Xbox history,
with more consoles, games and online entertainment experiences sold than any previous
year. It was a year in which life-to-date unit sales of Xbox 360 systems
climbed to 28 million consoles worldwide — expanding the product’s lead over
Sony PlayStation 3 to more than 8 million units. The Xbox LIVE community also
grew to more than 17 million active members, as online consumer spending
increased 84 percent from last year. Since the launch of the Xbox 360 three
years ago, more than $1 billion has been spent on Xbox LIVE. This amazing
growth was fueled by the launch of the New Xbox Experience1; the
broadest selection of hit games, TV shows, and movies available; and
mass-market price points, starting at $199.
Xbox 360 is experiencing record-setting sales around the
globe, particularly in Japan and Europe, nearly doubling market share in these
key territories. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) specifically,
Xbox 360 has now sold more than 8 million units, extending its lead over the
PS3 by more than 1 million units.
“For Xbox, 2008 will be remembered around the world as a
pivotal growth year at retail and online — even in the face of tough economic
conditions,” said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of the Interactive
Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “Worldwide, a record number of players
flocked to our broadest games and entertainment lineup ever, while the New Xbox
Experience thrilled millions of fans by making our console even more engaging.
And yet, we’ve only provided a glimpse into the new world of interactive
entertainment that we’re imagining. The best of Xbox 360 is yet to come.”
One of the biggest trends in 2008 was consumers taking
advantage of the convenience and value with digital distribution of games and
entertainment content. One of the most popular offerings this holiday was
Netflix on Xbox 360, which as a Netflix member provides users with access to
unlimited viewing of more than 12,000 movies and TV shows in DVD quality as
well as many in high definition. 2 In addition, Xbox LIVE is home to
the largest library of downloadable games, game add-ons, movies and TV shows.
Read
Full Press Release
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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2008 was going to be the year of IPTV, and while AT&T and
Verizon (actually QAM) have made great strides in the IPTV marketplace, Microsoft hasn’t done
much to push what was promised on their end (Note: Microsoft powers AT&Ts
IPTV DVRs). Of course the prime example
here is the concept of using your Xbox
360 as an IPTV DVR.
The concept had been thrown around online for some time, but
at CES 2008 Microsoft made it official and announced they were working with BT in
the UK to bring the functionality to life.
That’s about the last time I heard anything on that subject. I’m not sure if the service never launched
with BT, but to say the concept has been anything but a failure would be
pushing it.
AT&T is still the only [major] US provider using Microsoft’s
MediaRoom IPTV software, which means they are just about the only option for
this concept coming to life in the US. I
don’t see the concept that appealing for IPTV providers (I
actually said it would flop in Nov ‘07), but it will be interesting to see
if CES 2009 brings anything about Xbox and IPTV back into the spotlight.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Microsoft has officially dropped the price of all Xbox 360
SKUs. The Arcade is now officially $200,
or rather still the best value for an Extender if you can live without
additional file format support and live with the fact that it has a fan.
Read
more here.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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I never thought I would get a dozen posts out of this topic,
but what do you know! Some said I was
dead wrong when I predicted that Microsoft wasn’t planning on adding Blu-ray to
the Xbox 360. After covering the issue
from every different angle possible (Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here,
Here)
I still couldn’t come up with a good reason why it was in Microsoft’s best
interest to add Blu-ray to the Xbox. It
isn’t hard to come up with reasons why potential or existing Xbox 360 buyers
want Blu-ray, but taking a Microsoft perspective is a bit different.
Cut to today, Forbes
has a story that quotes Shane Kim, vice president of strategy and business
development for Microsoft Entertainment division
saying “I
can categorically say that we're not working on a Blu-Ray player for Xbox 360.”
What is Microsoft’s focus?
Digital distribution. As I’ve
talked about either today Netflix
adds just another option for downloads/streams on the Xbox 360 (but
not Media Center Extenders) and while I don’t
think Microsoft should just focus on digital distribution you know that is
their goal and it isn’t going to change.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Yesterday Microsoft announced that they are partnering with
Netflix to bring
Netflix’s streaming content to the Xbox 360 Dashboard. What was not announced however is the same in
Media Center. The good news is that
Microsoft now has the backend to make it work.
The bad news that knowing them Netflix streaming may never be ported to
Media Center. Looks like the Xbox
360 Dashboard is still Media Center biggest enemy.
On the same Netflix partnership, I think people might be
getting too worked up about the usefulness.
While Netflix has a great amount of content that you have heard of and
might want to watch, it is not going to replace you renting or buying new
movies. Netflix content is really a complement to your Netflix subscription (movies in the mail), and not a pure streaming service. I feel like a lot of people are expecting this to change the world, and that's clearly not the goal of the partnership or Netflix streaming in general. This does give a better mix of content directly accessible via the Xbox 360 Dashboard, so if you already get movies this way it will be a very nice digital distribution mix.
Oh, and of course you need to be
an Xbox Live Gold member ($60/year) to get access. If you are a Media Center user something like
vmcNetflix
might be your best bet. Bottom line, great news but I don't think this is going to change the world or make as big of a splash as some seem to be expecting.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Xbox 360 promises best and broadest entertainment lineup
ever; more fun, social and simple-to-use experience.
LOS ANGELES — July 14, 2008 — As Xbox 360 readies for
the next wave of audience expansion, Microsoft Corp. today announced a new Xbox
experience that will reinvent home entertainment from the inside out, changing
the way we play games, watch movies and TV shows, and even become contestants
in game shows. It all begins this fall with a bold new look and feel that is
fun, social and simple to use.
The announcement was made during the E3 Media and Business
Summit in Los Angeles. It came amid the unveiling of an exclusive partnership
with Netflix Inc. that will give Xbox 360 users instant access to more than
10,000 feature films and television shows with a click of a button.
Also on the docket: The best and broadest entertainment
lineup the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has ever seen. In its
strongest broadening play yet, Xbox announced Xbox LIVE Primetime, the next
evolution in game shows slated for Xbox LIVE this fall; TV shows and movies
from world leaders in entertainment including NBC Universal, Universal Studios
Home Entertainment, SCI FI Channel and USA Network domestically and Constantin
and MGM internationally; and blockbuster games “Lips,” “Rock Band 2,” “Scene
It? Box Office Smash,” “You’re in the Movies” and the much anticipated “Final
Fantasy XIII.”
“We’re entering a new age in entertainment, and Xbox 360 is
uniquely positioned to become the heart of the living room,” said Don Mattrick,
senior vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.
“The new Xbox experience offers more content than you can find from any device
that connects to the television. That convergence of entertainment and gaming
will bring new people and more families to the category, driving a record year for
the games industry.”
“This year more than any other, Xbox 360 has something for
everyone — whether you love playing games with friends or are simply looking
for the best in entertainment,” Mattrick said.
Netflix Jumps In With Entertainment for Everyone
The exclusive partnership offers Netflix subscribers the
ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the
television via the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Xbox 360 will
be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to
Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix subscribers at no additional cost.
From the Netflix Web site, subscribers simply add movies and
TV episodes to their instant Queue, which will appear automatically on the TV
screen via Xbox 360. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as
30 seconds. In addition to instantly streaming Netflix movies to the TV, Xbox
LIVE Gold members can browse and rate movies, fast-forward, pause and rewind,
all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or remote.
Netflix on Xbox 360 will launch this fall with the release
of the new Xbox experience, a new generation of games and entertainment
experiences that will be available for Xbox 360 this fall.
The New Xbox Experience
The new Xbox experience represents the first time in history
that a mass market consumer electronics device has been reinvented through free
software, giving people more fun and intuitive ways to interact, play and enjoy
entertainment.
“Xbox LIVE is the world’s fastest-growing online social
network on TV,” said John Schappert, corporate vice president of Interactive
Entertainment LIVE, Software and Services Business at Microsoft. “We doubled
our membership the past two years, growing from 3 million to 6 million, and
then from 6 million to 12 million. And today, we are adding a new member every
five seconds. With the best and broadest social entertainment experiences
launching this fall, the future is limitless.”
Some of the features that make the new Xbox experience
groundbreaking are the following:
Read
Full Press Release
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Exclusive agreement creates game-changing home entertainment
experience; more than 10,000 movies and TV episodes will be available to watch
instantly at no additional cost to paying subscribers.
LOS ANGELES — July 14, 2008 — An exciting new home
theater experience is coming to living rooms this holiday season. At the E3
Media and Business Summit, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) and Netflix, Inc.
(Nasdaq: NFLX), the world’s largest online movie rental service, today unveiled
an exclusive partnership to offer consumers the ability to instantly stream
movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via the Xbox 360 video
game and entertainment system. Xbox 360 will be the only game system that lets
users instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix. This movie
watching innovation will be available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also
Netflix subscribers and will let those users enjoy streaming movies from
Netflix on Xbox LIVE at no additional cost.
A growing library of more than 10,000 movies and TV episodes
will be available from Netflix when it launches on Xbox LIVE in late fall, with
more choices added over time. Through this agreement, along with the existing
Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store, Xbox 360 will be home to more movies and TV
shows on demand than any other device connected to the TV. Xbox LIVE quickly
and easily connects consumers and their friends to the entertainment they want
— with no PC required for viewing.
Netflix on Xbox 360 is an important component of the new
Xbox experience, a new generation of games and entertainment experiences that
will be available on Xbox 360 consoles this fall. The new Xbox experience, also
announced today at the E3 Media and Business Summit, represents the first time
in history that a mass-market consumer electronics device has been re-invented
through free software, giving people more fun and intuitive ways to interact,
play and enjoy entertainment content.
“Watching movies at home will never be the same. Netflix on
Xbox 360 is an entertainment first, and we are bringing friends together with
the best in entertainment content like no other device in the living room,”
said John Schappert, corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment
LIVE, Software and Services Business at Microsoft. “We are creating a
completely new social entertainment experience, and Xbox 360 will be the only
video game system where you can access your library of instantly streamable
movies from Netflix and turn any room into a virtual movie theater.”
From the Netflix Web site, members simply add movies and TV
episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will be
automatically displayed on the TV screen via Xbox 360 and available to watch
instantly. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds.
In addition to instantly streaming movies to the TV, Xbox LIVE Gold members can
fast-forward, pause and rewind, all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or
Media Remote. In all, the user interface creates a highly personalized
experience that puts viewers in control.
“Netflix and Xbox 360 are a perfect combination, the leading
online movie rental service and the leading games and entertainment system
joining forces to create an all-in-one entertainment experience with content
for everyone,” said Reed Hastings, chairman and CEO of Netflix. “For Netflix,
it represents an important step forward in making instantly streaming movies on
the TV more broadly available to our members.”
The library of movies and TV episodes that will be available
for instant streaming from Netflix via Xbox 360 includes scores of Academy
Award winners and nominees, episodes from a number of popular, currently
running and classic TV shows, and 24 of the movies rated by the American Film
Institute as the greatest ever.
Today, Xbox LIVE members can also download movies and
purchase TV shows from the industry-leading Xbox LIVE Marketplace Video Store,
currently packed with content from more than 45 networks and studios. The Xbox
LIVE Marketplace Video Store offers more than twice the high-definition content
than the nearest cable provider and more than 6,000 hours of TV shows and
movies.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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60GB storage now included with Xbox 360; 20GB console will
drop to $299.99 in U.S. and Canada.
REDMOND, Wash. — July 13, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. is
giving consumers more gigabytes for their buck. The company today announced an
Xbox 360 console with triple the storage space of the original console, but for
the same price of $349 (U.S.) estimated retail price (ERP).
Available in retail stores in the U.S. and Canada starting
in early August, the upgraded Xbox 360 will include a 60GB hard drive for
storing the growing wealth of digital entertainment available for the console,
including music, movies, television shows and game content. In addition,
Microsoft today dropped the price of its 20GB Xbox 360 console in the U.S. and
Canada to just $299 (U.S.) (ERP) while supplies last, a savings of $50.
“We know consumers need more and more space to store the
amazing digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we’re giving it to them at no
extra charge,” said Albert Penello, Xbox director of product management at
Microsoft. “No one device offers the depth and breadth of entertainment that
Xbox 360 can deliver, and now you’ll have three times the storage to manage all
that great content.”
Xbox 360 is just one of three Xbox 360 gaming and
entertainment systems Microsoft offers. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Arcade, which
comes with a 256MB memory unit and five Xbox LIVE Arcade games, is a value for
the whole family for $279 (U.S.) (ERP), and the premium Xbox 360 Elite console
is available with a 120GB hard drive for $449 (U.S.) (ERP).
Out of the box, the Xbox 360 console is ready to provide an
incredible gaming and entertainment experience:
- Xbox 360 console. The console is equipped with a cool white
finish and three powerful core processors capable of producing the best in high
definition (HD) entertainment (up to 1080p for gaming), 16:9 cinematic aspect
ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound, and
high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) output.
- 60 GB Hard Drive. The 60GB detachable hard drive allows
gamers to save their games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures,
trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace,
the premier one-stop digital download center for entertainment.
- Upscaling DVD Player. With an HDMI cable (sold separately),
watch your favorite DVDs in near high-definition using the upscaling
capabilities of Xbox 360.
- Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. This award-winning,
high-performance wireless controller features the Xbox Guide Button for quick,
in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a
battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries.
- Xbox 360 Headset. The headset lets friends and family around
the world chat while playing games, watching movies, or sending voice messages
on Xbox LIVE.
- Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. For no additional cost, Xbox
360 owners can chat with friends online, collect Achievements to improve their
Gamerscores, send and receive voice and text messages, and access Xbox LIVE
Marketplace content such as game demos, and purchase or rent HD movies and TV
shows, as well as the best in downloadable games from Xbox LIVE Arcade.
(Broadband Internet access required.)
- One-month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold. An Xbox LIVE Gold
Membership provides a complete online entertainment experience. Those who
subscribe to this premium service can engage in competitive online multiplayer
matches, tailor their matchmaking via feedback and accomplishments, and chat
with an entire group of friends at a time.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system
delivering the best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online
gaming network that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of nearly
400 games in 37 countries. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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We don’t even have to wait until tomorrow to find out that
the Xbox
360 isn’t getting Blu-ray. Why? Because
Robbie Bach was asked if Microsoft had plans for Blu-ray to appear in the next generation Xbox (Via
Engadget) and answered “No. There is nothing to even talk about right now with regard to the
next generation. That is so far out that there isn't anything to talk
about.” Now I’m sure some of you will
tell me that he didn’t deny Xbox 360 with Blu-ray and instead just talked about
the next generation, but trust me Blu-ray is not coming to the Xbox 360 tomorrow or anytime
soon. He also touches on Xbox 360
lasting longer than the previous Xbox as I also
talked about today.
Robbie also went on record again saying the ZunePhone (eg. first
party hardware) isn’t happening, but does suggest that a Phone+Zune
software might be on the way as I suggested a few months ago. I can
actually say it will be happening and that I know Microsoft is currently trying
to get OEMs on board. The Zune software
(or a variation of it) will appear on several different OEMs handsets. Not sure if it will just be Windows Mobile,
but I’d love to see them open it up to other platforms.
Lastly on the mobile side, Bach said “We don't make phones ourselves. We don't have any
plans to make phones ourselves” which I thought
was interesting considering Microsoft now owns Danger. Danger isn’t a hardware company per-say, but
I guess it can shine a bit of light on what Microsoft isn’t planning to do with
their new acquisition.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Another day, another
horrible rumor. Microsoft will not
announce that the Xbox 360 is getting Blu-ray on Monday.
This latest rumor does give me a good chance to cover Shane Kim of Microsoft Game Studios saying the Xbox 360
is set
to last seven years. This would clearly go against what I’ve been
saying about the shelf life of the Xbox 360 playing into Blu-ray considerations,
so I’ll admit that I’m wrong on that front.
That said, I still don’t see an Xbox Blu-ray addition near-term.
If they are going to stick with
the Xbox 360 and focus on games, the community aspect, media downloads, etc
then a Blu-ray Disc drive still doesn’t fit into their plans. An internal
drive isn’t can’t be used for games, an external drive is not going to allow
the Xbox 360 to compete with the price of the
PS3. There is still little advantage
from Microsoft’s perspective to do Blu-ray in the Xbox 360.
Console design and graphics are
getting to the point where the Xbox 720 will most likely not blow you away in
comparison to the Xbox 360. What has
more chance of bringing in gamers are new experiences, which is why you will
see that Xbox
motion sensing controller before year’s end. On the media side, downloads are still
Microsoft’s business more than ever, Blu-ray isn’t.
Update: Bach says
no Blu-ray on Xbox 720
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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Xbox LIVE tops 12 million members globally as Xbox 360 console sales hit
more than 19 million worldwide.
REDMOND, Wash. — May 14, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that
the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system has sold over 10 million units
in the U.S., making it the first current-generation gaming console to break the
10 million mark in the U.S. The U.S. install base contributes to global sales
of over 19 million, more than any other current-generation console.
“This year will be the largest in the history of the video game industry, with
Xbox 360 leading the charge in the U.S. and abroad,” said Don Mattrick,
senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the
Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. “History has shown us that the
first company to reach 10 million in console sales wins the generation battle.
We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry.”
This announcement comes on the heels of one of the biggest entertainment
launches in history, “Grand Theft Auto IV,” on April 29, 2008. Gamers eager to
experience “Grand Theft Auto IV” online helped boost Xbox LIVE global
membership to over 12 million this month. Fueled by an unparalleled combination
of access to friends and family, the best online gaming features, and the best
entertainment content, the Xbox LIVE service has doubled in membership in only
one year’s time.
“Reaching an installed base of 10 million consoles in the U.S. is a
significant achievement and an essential milestone on the road to market
leadership,” said Billy Pidgeon, research manager at IDC. “Perhaps more
important is the Xbox 360 worldwide online base — 12 million Xbox LIVE gamers
is the largest community in the connected console games sector, which
represents the greatest growth opportunity in the console market and where
Microsoft has been the leader for two generations.”
Xbox 360 leads with the industry’s highest software attach rate, more than
any other console this generation, and is home to the best-selling games. With
the launch of “Grand Theft Auto IV” in April, Xbox 360 is now the home to more
than 16 platinum titles that have sold through 1 million units or more,
including hits such as “Halo 3,” “Madden NFL 07” and “Madden NFL 08,” “Gears of
War,” “Guitar Hero II” and “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock,” and “Call of
Duty® 2,” Call of Duty 3” and “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,”
giving Xbox 360 two times more platinum-selling titles than the Wii and a 16:2
lead over the PlayStation 3 in game titles topping one million in sales. Games
not only sell better on the Xbox 360, they play better, too: Xbox 360 has 91
titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher, compared with just 22
titles for Wii and 50 titles for PlayStation 3.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a superior video game and entertainment system delivering the
best games, unique entertainment features and a unified online gaming network
that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a portfolio of nearly 400 games in 37
countries. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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I hope you didn’t really think Microsoft
was doing an Xbox 360 with Blu-ray, because they
are once again denying it. So, what do
you think is really going on?
- These sites are flat out making up
the rumors to drive web traffic
- OEMs think constant reports will
help get them a contract, suggesting they would be able to provide the drives at $xx to Microsoft.
- Microsoft has expressed interest
in Blu-ray Disc drives for the Xbox 360, reports are truly leaking out.
- Microsoft has expressed interest
in Blu-ray Disc drives for the “Xbox” (360 not implied, meaning it could be
Xbox 720).
- Other – Let me know
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
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