It very interesting the direction that Microsoft is going. They have this habit of making it very clear what they intend to due very far out because they believe that no one will beat them to the punch. The XBOX2 will be in the market before the PS3. They won't make the same mistake twice.
This new pc design is just one piece to a bigger puzzle. Longhorn will be another. You are going to see a convergence of several seemingly abandoned products.
Ultimate TV
XBOX - Not really abandoned, but no current threat to PS2.
Media Center PC
The Athens design and Longhorn will be the binder for these technologies. They already said that work on DirectX will stop until they get the titles to run from the DVD just like an XBOX. Also, they are working on a standardized PC game controller just like an XBOX.
The only thing that the MCE pc's are missing is the ability to seamlessly integrate a DBS tuner. They have this from the Ultimate TV.
You throw in a DVD, it plays. You throw in a game, it plays.
Just a little technological commentary.
Slashdot Mirror
It very interesting the direction that Microsoft is going. They have this habit of making it very clear what they intend to due very far out because they believe that no one will beat them to the punch. The XBOX2 will be in the market before the PS3. They won't make the same mistake twice. This new pc design is just one piece to a bigger puzzle. Longhorn will be another. You are going to see a convergence of several seemingly abandoned products. Ultimate TV XBOX - Not really abandoned, but no current threat to PS2. Media Center PC The Athens design and Longhorn will be the binder for these technologies. They already said that work on DirectX will stop until they get the titles to run from the DVD just like an XBOX. Also, they are working on a standardized PC game controller just like an XBOX. The only thing that the MCE pc's are missing is the ability to seamlessly integrate a DBS tuner. They have this from the Ultimate TV. You throw in a DVD, it plays. You throw in a game, it plays. Just a little technological commentary.