Hasta La Gadget!

In the latest What The Tech podcast of Guys From Queens, tech blogger Paul Thurrott dished out a number of details about the next Xbox that he says he received back in January (of this year, I suppose). Thurrott says that the next Xbox (codenamed “Durango”) will cost $500 (USD), with a $300 subscription model. And yes, he also said that Microsoft’s next Xbox “must be Internet-connected to use.”

In addition to the price of the next Xbox – both financially and technologically – Thurrott also said that Microsoft will release a $99 Xbox 360 (codenamed “Stingray”) at the same time as the new Xbox, indicating that the new console will possibly not be backwards-compatible with Xbox 360 games. Thurrott also said that the next Xbox will be a Windows 8-based device, and as such will be discussed in Microsoft’s upcoming Build developer conference in June.

Thurrott then caps off the discussion by commenting on the much-maligned always on requirement of the next Xbox, which he seemed pretty certain about as well. He doesn’t think it’s a bad thing because the way he uses his Xbox 360 is an always online setup anyway. Skip to 54:44 in the video below for the relevant bits. Note that some language in the video is not safe for work:

I am in no position to say whether Thurrott’s take on the online bit is just propped up by anecdotal evidence or if it’s representative of how most Xbox 360 users interact with the current console. He’s also right in that we still don’t know in what way the next Xbox will require an online connection, if it ever will. What I do know is this: Microsoft should seriously listen to the criticisms about an online requirement. Because they might be risking turning each and every next Xbox game into a Diablo III or a SimCity.

[via Guys From Queens via NEOGAF]

Microsoft announced today via its blog that it will be selling its Mediaroom properties to Ericsson, in a deal that will see Ericsson become the dominant IPTV player in the industry with over 25 percent market share. Mediaroom operates as a pretty much separate company from Microsoft, with its own HQ in Mountain View and around 400 employees, and powers TV offerings like AT&T U-verse, as well as services from Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Telus. The deal clears the deck for Microsoft fo go all-in on Xbox as the focal point of its own TV efforts.

At Ericsson, Mediaroom will continue to operate essentially as per usual, with that company investing in growing the business, while at Microsoft, the sale allows Microsoft to dedicate “all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want,” Microsoft said in its blog post. The company also intends to partners with studios, labels, networks and operators to help accomplish that mission, and says it hopes to help usher in a future where TV becomes “more simple, tailored and intelligent.”

Microsoft built Mediaroom into the industry leader in IPTV after its introduction as Microsoft TV, which evolved into the Mediaroom platform in 2007. It’s the middleware that powers set-top boxes from a variety of manufacturers, and also has a home in the Xbox 360, which uses it to act as a set-top box for service from some IPTV operators, including AT&T and Telus.

Mediaroom is very much a behind-the-scenes tech, however, and doesn’t carry the power or branding of Xbox. Refocusing efforts on making that the central facet of their television strategy, instead of being distracted by middleware that arguably helps competitors position their own devices at the center of a living room TV experience makes sense at this stage for Microsoft.

This move also suggests we’ll see something exciting from Microsoft on the integrated TV front with the upcoming Xbox 360 successor, which is reportedly on track for a sneak preview towards the end of May. PlayStation may be doubling down on games and the gamer, but that means there’s even more opportunity for Microsoft to make an impression as the destination for all of a user’s entertainment needs.

Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth sent out some tweets responding to recent rumors regarding the Xbox 720 requiring an always-on internet connection for playing games, saying that he doesn’t get all of the hue and cry about an always-on console. Rumor has it that the next generation Xbox will be completely useless if it is not connected to the internet, users will not be able to play any games at all. Microsoft has not yet confirmed whether or not this is true about the upcoming Xbox, but it did release an official statement regarding the tweets Adam posted.

Microsoft says that it apologizes for inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter and reminds us that Adam is not a spokesperson for the company, adding that his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach Microsoft takes towards its products or the way in which they directly communicate with their “loyal consumers”. Apology aside, the company makes no mention about Xbox 720. It merely says that they have not yet made any announcement about their product roadmap and that they do not have any further comment on this particular matter.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: God of War: Ascension 1.0.4 Update Raises Level Cap, Spartan-Kicks Bugs, Philadelphia Building Acts As Pong Screen,

One thing is for certain, gamers aren’t exactly fans of games that require always on internet connectivity. This is evident from the backlash SimCity received for its always on DRM. Microsoft seems to be going in a completely different direction with the yet to be released Xbox 720. According to multiple sources the next Xbox might require gamers to have an always on internet connection just to play games on the console, and that the console will only continue to let them playing for three minutes in case the connection is disrupted.

That’s not all, according to the sources, no games or apps will be launched unless the console is connected to the internet. Previous rumors had suggested that Microsoft would require users to be connected to the internet while playing new games so that their activation codes can be verified, and users can be prevented from playing used games. Xbox 720 being useless without an internet connection is the first we’ve heard of this, Microsoft might want to rethink if it is actually planning on imposing this, considering Sony has already confirmed that PS4 will not require an online connection for starting or running any game.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Doom 4 To Skip Current Gen (Rumor), Amazing Alex Arrives At Windows Phone Store,

There’s been rampant speculation about what the new Xbox 720 (codenamed “Durango”) video game console might have in store for us later this year, and now we have some answers. As more and more companies jump on the smartwatch bandwagon, the it’s been revealed that the next-gen Xbox won’t be a console in the traditional sense at all. Instead, the entire gaming system will be worn on your wrist, now dubbed XWatch.

By putting the console on the wrist of its player, you’ll be able to play games anywhere you go. For multiplayer gaming, each player will need to wear their own XWatch, but there will no longer be a need for a Kinect, as the watch itself acts as the gesture controller for games. Guess this is how they’ll solve the problem of detecting more than four players as has been previously rumored.

In addition to acting as the game console and controller, you’ll be able to play games on the go, as the watch’s liquid-crystal display will be capable of playing a variety of old school games when not connected to your TV or a network.

There’s not much more detail known yet on the XWatch, but I’d expect well find out more in the coming weeks and months as the next-gen console wars heat up.

UPDATE: Happy April Fool’s Day!