Microsoft Moving Into Chip Design With Xbox Next

adamsmith_uk writes "According to ZDNet, Microsoft will more actively participate in chip design for the next version of its Xbox gaming console, tentatively called Xbox Next. By switching from using relatively standard parts to more customized silicon, the company can better optimize its game console, due in 2005. At the same time, the move potentially gives the company a toehold in a completely new market."

Comments

wonderful

[Naito]

now we can build BSODs into hardware!

Re:wonderful

[tankdilla]

"The Borg are the absolute personification of evil in the galaxy. Their singular goal for biological and technological perfection compels them to assimilate all that stands in their way." -- The Borg

Substitute Microsoft for The Borg. It's not that much of a difference. They started as an OS. Then came software apps and games. Soon to come antivirus, mainframes, and chips. What's next?

Port 139?

[Troll the Bones]

So they'll hardwire port 139 open on the metal?
Best Mr. Burns voice: Excellent

XBox NeXT?

[dwm]

Steve Jobs: "Get my lawyer on the line!"

Re:XBox NeXT?

[rootofevil]

i believe you mean his "iLitigator"

Bill Gates loves Steve Jobs

[oscast]

"X"Box - OS X
"next" - NeXT

Those who previously doubted Bill Gates love obsession with Steve Jobs be damed...

Re:MicroApple?

[Tim C]

their ability to "borrow" technology and ideas is slightly disturbing.

Then don't think of it as "borrowing" - think of it as learning. Surely that's something any good techy aspires to - to continue learning for as long as possible?

The joke's already been made...

[AvantLegion]

... but seriously, the new Xbox looking like a NeXT Cube would be cool. :)

NeXT-Box sounds better than "Xbox Next" anyway.

Although I am partial to "XX-Box", and eventually, "XXX-Box".

Its not just the 'next' name

[drgroove]

but the chip as well:
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,6106 5,00.ht ml?tw=wn_culthead_4

So, the new XBox will be called Next, and will be running a G5 chip.

Only thing left to happen now is for Apple to come out with a video game console running on an Intel P4 called "Apple ME", and we'll know for a fact that the whole world has gone to hell.

Re:IBM is good

[ivan256]

Do you really need somebody to tell you how to think?

Great

[Madmonky1]

"Soon to come antivirus, mainframes, and chips."

So now I'm supposed to trust MS with anitvirus?

Service packs

[0WaitState]

Microsoft involved in chip design? Um, so how do apply service packs to silicon?

Special Silicone

[kaffeinekiwi]

I thought they used up all the special silicone when they published Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball...

Re:Terrific....

[tommck]

"It is clear that Microsoft wants to get a lot of their DNA into it,"

Ugh! Mental image of Bill Gates putting his ... DNA into it...(shudder)

Re:DRM

[Demodian]

Hopefully, they will remember this and not port the Micoso~1 Office Game to XBox. While slaying the Werd beast in Look-Out tower with the Point of Power is difficult enough on the PC, we could use better RPG titles to make it worth the price of the new box.

Unfortunately, the ability to hack a system into a useful device is not prevented by it being something other than a PC. Plenty of network boxes, PDAs, and embedded devices run Linux or any other non-M$ OS.

It will simply be a matter of time before the system would be reversed far enough anyway to do some good for the mod community.

Re:MicroApple?

[bill_mcgonigle]

In more ways than one.

1987 - Steve Jobs forms NeXT computer
1995 - Apple merges with NeXT
1998 - Apple announces new OS "Mac OS X"
2000 - Microsoft announced gaming platform - "X Box"
2003 - Microsoft commits to PowerPC for Xbox, called Next.

It's a funny thing about trademarks - you have to defend them by law. So, if you have limitless funds and you want to drain some cash from a competitor, just make a new product with a name similar to your competitors', and expect to change it later.

P.S. I know, X window system, directX, etc.