Xbox 2 & PC Hybrid? - Blue's News Comments

Xbox 2 & PC Hybrid?
[May 27, 2004, 10:20 am ET] – Share – Viewing Comments

Microsoft studying appeal of Xbox 2-PC hybrid on CNN Money describes low-key research Microsoft has been conducting to evaluate the appeal of combining PC functionality into the next generation Xbox, which they say may be available as early as next year. The Xbox, of course, is built on PC architecture, so the issues involved are much more conceptual than technological. Here is a bit of what they learned about this scenario, currently being tested with focus groups, that is apparently just one of several possible directions Microsoft may be taking with the Xbox 2:

The B/R/S Group, a California-based market research company that lists Microsoft and the Xbox division specifically as clients, has been gathering consumer feedback on a device it refers to as Xbox Next PC – "a videogame console system with a hard drive and a built-in fully functional PC." Mention of the device came on one of several slides shown to focus groups.

One slide describes the unit, which would require a PC monitor or high definition television, as being backward compatible with current and next-generation Xbox titles. It would also play PC games and include a fully functional version of Windows, CD burner, DVD player (with remote control), built-in access to Xbox Live and a hard drive. Control-wise, the system would come with both a keyboard and mouse and a standard Xbox controller. The price point this particular study tested was $599.

View : : :

Post Comment

Search Log In

Search Log In Post Comment

21.

Re: Here's my take
May 27, 2004, 14:39

Beamer

21.

Re: Here's my take May 27, 2004, 14:39

May 27, 2004, 14:39

Beamer

I'd pay $100 for an XCARD.

Aside from that consoles bore me, and I'd have no interest in the described device. At all.