Over on Spong there's some speculation on what Mr. Bill Gates might annouce at his final Consumer Electronics show in the role of chairman of Microsoft. According to the Seattle Times, who have always been a solid source for Microsoft news, there may well be a Toshiba produced version of the 360, which will feature an HD-DVD drive, a hard drive and recording capabilities.

If the newspaper is to be believed, expect something along the lines of the Panasonic Q Gamecube (pictured) or Hitachi Hi-Saturn Navi, which each reinvented established consoles as home appliances, (and flopped). While the idea of a 360 that looks like a DVD player is an odd one, as consoles continue to integrate with home cinemas and stereos, it could just be that the Seattle Times is onto something.

There's also talk of Microsoft licensing out the Xbox brand to other manufacturers (something that hasn't worked to well for console manufacturers in the past. Remember the 3DO?), and even speculation about a 360 with a built in HD-DVD. If Microsoft are to take the 360 in all these new directions the news is likely to divide opinion. Some will see it as a sign of the increasing success of the 360; others will feel their favourite console is getting diluted by other technologies.

Source:
Spong

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