Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft has already come out and clarified Steve Ballmer’s recent statement that Project Natal would be rolling out sometime in 2010 (possibly in the form of a new Xbox console), but it looks like the man himself also felt the need to set the record straight. Speaking with IGN, Ballmer said that he “confused the issue with my poorly chosen words,” adding that, “there is no news in my comments. Things are as reported after E3. Sorry.” Of course, this would be somewhat understandable if it were an isolated incident, but as you no doubt recall, Ballmer also recently dropped word of an earlier than expected Zune HD release date, which prompted yet another quick “clarification” from Microsoft. But hey, he only works there.

[Via Joystiq, image courtesy guardian.co.uk]

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Ballmer apologizes for letting slip wrong Natal release date originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite our incessant pleading, not a soul at Microsoft — including newly-minted media darling Kudo Tsunoda — would give up a release window for Project Natal, except to say “not in 2009.” Well, at least we know we won’t be waiting too far into the future. Company CEO and cheerleader Steve Ballmer told attendees to his speech at The Executives Club of Chicago today that the Xbox 360 motion control interface is coming in 2010. That’s still a large timeframe, but hey, at least you can go ahead and start planning your block-breaking 2011 New Year’s Eve party now.

Update: Looks like Steve might’ve spoken out of turn. Microsoft just us over an official statement reiterating that they “have not confirmed a launch date at this time.” Full reading after the break.

Continue reading Project Natal recognizing retail shelves in 2010, says Ballmer (update: maybe not)

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Project Natal recognizing retail shelves in 2010, says Ballmer (update: maybe not) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor mongers seem hell bent on Microsoft building a brand new Xbox, despite what we assumed was wonderful news that current Xbox owners wouldn’t have to shell out for new hardware to handle Project Natal. Well, Microsoft has already hit back against 1UP‘s rumor of a new Xbox coming in Fall 2010, calling the report “nonsense.” Others have pointed out that the camera hardware actually does almost all of its own processing, so a slight hardware bump to the 360 would be kind of pointless — though most seem to agree that Microsoft will package Natal with the 360 in a new SKU akin to the Arcade or Elite.

Meanwhile, TeamXbox, the ones who seemed to think the Zune HD was a portable game console of sorts, have a new rumor in the works: the next Xbox 360 won’t be out in 2010 because Microsoft is going to wait for 3D-capable TVs to become more commonplace and launch a stereoscopic 3D console at that time. It sounds enticing, but given the fact that the Wii has succeeded directly in the face of its next-gen television empowering PS3 and Xbox 360 competition, we can’t say it’s the most likely of ideas — if anything, Microsoft will need to have some solid backwards compatibility for us 2D “Take On Me” types.

[Via PC World]

Read – Microsoft sources play down reports of new Xbox
Read – TeamXbox predicts 3D Xbox

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Like weeds: new Natal Xbox rumor shot down, 3D Xbox rumor pops up to take its place originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yesterday I made a passing reference to Sarah Palin in this space and got eight responses, six of them bizarrely hostile. Thank you. You don’t know how much that meant to me. I didn’t think anyone read the introductions.

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3. Your Xbox gaming console becomes a DVD player in one step when you buy the Xbox DVD Playback kit from Buy.com. It’s going for $5.19, including shipping. The kit includes a remote and a sensor. Plug in the sensor and you’re ready to start watching.

Looks like our old friend Jimmy Fallon will be demoing Microsoft’s Project Natal on Late Night tonight, and this backstage pic from rehearsal is the first shot we’ve seen of the prototype hardware anywhere. Of course, Redmond’s made it clear that the final product will look a lot different — probably something more like the press pic — so don’t get crazy over this, but at least everyone’s burning curiosity has been satiated. Now, Jimmy, if you could just hammer out a ship date, that’d be great.

Filed under: Gaming

Project Natal prototype hardware pictured on Jimmy Fallon’s set originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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