xbox 720

Bill Gates Nudges Past Carlos Slim to Reclaim World’s Richest Crown

Pulkit Chandna — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:32:47 +0000

Xbox 720 believed to be behind surge in Gates’ wealth

Despite having given away billions in charity in recent years, Microsoft founder and non-executive chairman Bill Gates is said to have dislodged Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim, also a noted philanthropist, from the top spot on the list of the world’s wealthiest people.

The Harvard dropout is the wealthiest man on the planet as per the Bloomberg Billionaires index, which is updated on a daily basis at 5:30 p.m. in New York. At the time of the last update, Bill Gates’ net worth was valued at $72.7 billion, a shade (relatively speaking) above his nearest rival Carlos Slim’s net worth of $72.1 billion.

So what exactly fueled Gates’ return to the top of the Bloomberg Billionaires list after a five-year hiatus? Forbes’ contributor Nigam Arora, a nuclear physicist who serves as the chief investment officer at The Arora Report, ascribes this recent rise in Bill Gates’ wealth to the prevailing market excitement over the upcoming launch of Microsoft’s next-gen console; ever since Microsoft announced the upcoming Xbox 720 launch event, scheduled for May 22, the company’s stock price and, in turn, Gates’ net worth have witnessed a steady rise.

In other words, where the markets are concerned, all this Xbox 720-related excitement has been able to offset the negative impact of disappointing first-quarter PC shipment numbers. But the question is: for how long? According to Arora, this “rally in Microsoft is overdone.”

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Rumor: Xbox 720 to be Based on ‘Core’ Windows 8

Pulkit Chandna — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 03:36:36 +0000

Will allegedly hit the market in November

The long wait for the terribly long-in-the-tooth Xbox 360’s successor is set to end on May 21, when Microsoft says it will finally lift the curtain on its eighth-generation console at a special event. Despite Microsoft’s formal announcement of the Xbox 720 curtain-raiser event, the rumor mill hasn’t stopped buzzing. With Xbox 720 rumors thus far running the gamut from the unlikely to the unreasonable, no one can blame you for thinking that you have heard it all. But have you?

The latest Xbox 720 rumors worthy of your attention come from a rather credible source; someone renowned for breaking Microsoft-related stories ahead of everyone else. If you haven’t guessed it already, we are talking about Paul Thurrott, who last month revealed May 21 to be the date of the Xbox 720’s unveiling — nearly a month before the official announcement in this regard.

According to Thurrott, among the many things that he knows about the next Xbox is the fact that it will be based on the “Core” version of Windows 8 and that it will, as a consequence, have a similar, if not the same, apps platform as Windows 8.

Other Xbox 720 details that he claims to know include the presence of a Blu-ray optical drive and the need of an active Internet connection in order for the console to be usable. Thurrott claims that when the console hits the market later this year — November if he is to be believed — it will be available either as “a standalone version for $499 and a $299 version that requires a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at an expected price of $10 per month.”

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Microsoft's Adam Orth Gone Following Twitter Outburst

Paul Lilly — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:33:59 +0000

Foot-in-mouth disease got the better of Adam Orth.

Today's lesson is to think before you speak, whether it's in person or especially in social media where your words are essentially carved in virtual stone. Lest anyone need reminded of this, just look at how things played out for Adam Orth, now a former creative director at Microsoft Studios. Less than a week after trolling potential Xbox 720 customers on Twitter about always-on consoles and telling them to #dealwithit, Orth is reportedly out of a job and will have to deal with finding employment.

Unidentified "sources close to the matter" told Game Informer that Orth is no longer with Microsoft, which the site says it confirmed with a call to Microsoft's switchboard. The sources say Orth resigned in the wake of his Twitter tirade, though it's not immediately clear if he stepped down voluntarily or was otherwise shown the door.

Orth found himself in hot water after choosing to defend the concept of an always-on console in a snarky manner. What ultimately cost him his job wasn't the fact that he wants every device to be always-on, as he stated in a Twitter post, but that he defended his position by talking down to other Twitter users.

"Those people should definitely get with the times and get the Internet. It's awesome," Orth stated in a Twitter post responding to a comment pointing out that a console requiring an always-on connection would screw users who have no access to the Internet or live in places where the Internet is spotty.

His series of condescending tweets, which he himself later dismissed as trolling, prompted Microsoft to issue an apology. The Redmond outfit said that Orth's "personal views are not reflective of those of the company," though it stopped short of squashing the always-on rumors that continue to run rampant on the web.

What's your opinion on this? Has justice been served, or is a forced resignation (if that's what indeed took place) too harsh?

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Microsoft Pushes Xbox 720 Event to May 21

Paul Lilly — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:56:10 +0000

Multiple sources claim Microsoft will unveil its next Xbox console in May.

It was originally rumored Microsoft would let the cat out of the bag regarding its next generation Xbox console at an event on April 24th, but now multiple sources are saying it won't happen until a month later on May 21st. At that time, Microsoft will reveal initial details about its Xbox 720 hardware (codenamed "Durango"), and hopefully will finally clear the air about the always-on rumors that were a source of controversy last week.

Microsoft recently apologized for comments posted to Twitter by Adam Orth, a creative director at Microsoft Studios, who used a snarky tone to defend the concept of an always-on console. While the delivery of Orth's comments may have needed some work, his message may not necessarily prove inaccurate, as Microsoft has refused to squash ongoing rumors that its next console will require a persistent Internet connection.

An answer to that question may or may not come at the upcoming event. According to The Verge, Microsoft is still planning a full unveil later this year at E3. Either way, it's shaping up to be a interesting holiday shopping season. The PlayStation 4 will be available to purchase by the end of the year, and barring any surprises, so will Durango.

Image Credit: Flickr (schreiblockade)

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Snarky Microsoft Director Tweets Support for Always-On Consoles

Paul Lilly — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:27:34 +0000

Uh Redmond, you have a problem, and his name is Adam Orth...

Microsoft has some damage control to take care of, and if any of the decision makers in Redmond have an ounce of sense, they'll issue an official statement, and perhaps an apology, STAT. For what, you ask? Well, it's never good when your games director takes to Twitter to argue with fans over sensitive subjects like always-on digital rights management (DRM), and it's even worse when he cops a condescending attitude the way Adam Orth did. Here's what happened.

Amid rumors that the next generation Xbox console -- Xbox 720 (Durango), or whatever it ends up being called -- will implement an always-on Internet requirement, Microsoft Studio's creative director Adam Orth went on a Twitter posting rampage in defense of such a scheme, and came off like a jerk in doing so. The Internet community didn't take too kindly to Orth's comments, and perhaps at the urging of Microsoft (or maybe common sense finally kicked in), he turned his Twitter settings to private. Ah, but this is the Internet we're talking about, and his tweets are all over the place. Here's the one that started it all:

"Sorry, I don't get the drama around having an 'always on' console. Every device is 'always on.' That's the world we live in. #dealwithit," Orth tweeted.

Naturally, his tweet didn't take long to elicit a response, and here's how the ensuing conversation went when a couple of readers disagreed with his statement:

Adam Orth: I want every device to be 'always on.'

Alex Wells: Off the top of my head I know 5 people who 360s who current have no access to the Internet. They would be screwed.

Adam Orth: Those people should definitely get with the times and get the Internet. It's awesome.

Manveer Heir: Did you learn nothing from Diablo III or SimCity? You know some people's Internet goes out right? Deal with it is a shitty reason.

Adam Orth: Electricity goes out too.

Manveer Heir: You've lived in LA, SF, Seattle... very connected places. Try living in Janesville, WI or Blacksburg, VA.

Adam Orth: Why on earth would I live there?

Adam Orth: Sometimes the electricity goes out. I will not purchase a vacuum cleaner.

Adam Orth: The mobile reception in the area live in is spotty and unreliable. I will not buy a mobile phone.

What we have is a classic example of how NOT to talk to your company's potential customers, not unless you're trying to drive them to the competition, which in this case would be Sony and it's upcoming PlayStation 4 console. What's even more shocking is that these comments come from someone that's pretty high up the totem pole.

Now, let's not get carried away and view this as confirmation that the Xbox 720 will requires an always-on connection. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But if not, Microsoft would be well served to come out and ease gamers' minds, don't you think?

As for Orth, he's since claimed he was merely trolling Heir personally and that this was all part of the "normal back and forth" they share, an explanation Heir seems to accept, even if the Internet community doesn't.

Update

Well, as we hoped, Microsoft offered an official statement on the matter, though disappointingly it decided not to stomp out rumors of an always-on requirement. Here's what Microsoft told Game Informer:

"We are aware of the comments made by an employee on Twitter. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views are not reflective of those of the company. We have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."

This is probably the best you can expect from Microsoft until it officially unveils the Xbox 720, which is rumored to be available by the holiday shopping season, same as the PS4.

Update #2

Since this article was first written, Microsoft has come out and issued an apology of sorts via its Major Nelson blog. It reads:

"We apologize for the inappropriate comments made by an employee on Twitter yesterday. This person is not a spokesperson for Microsoft, and his personal views do not reflect the customer centric approach we take to our products or how we would communicate directly with our loyal consumers. We are very sorry if this offended anyone, however we have not made any announcements about our product roadmap, and have no further comment on this matter."

Microsoft's carefully worded statement doesn't answer the question of whether or not its next Xbox console will feature an always-on Internet requirement, so the debate rages on. In addition, it's come to our attention that Adam Orth has deleted his LinkedIn account, though not his Twitter account, albeit it's still private.

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Xbox 720 Specs Reportedly Leaked

Pulkit Chandna — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:09:58 +0000

Xbox 720 will reportedly pack an eight-core 1.6GHz processor

The first reports about the Xbox 720 (or whatever Microsoft’s next-gen console ends up being called) began appearing as early as 2006, even prompting Microsoft EMEA (European, Middle East, and Africa) vice president Chris Lewis to plead for “a chance to catch a breath” when asked about the Xbox 360’s predecessor during an interview in October that year. Now that Microsoft has had more than enough time to do so, people are growing restless. And when that happens, the rumor mill experiences heightened activity.

VGLeaks, which claimed to have the dope on both Microsoft and Sony’s next-generation consoles over the weekend, has published an article detailing what it claims to be Durango’s (codename for Xbox 360’s successor) innards — complete with a block diagram (below) and all.

According to the site, Durango packs an eight-core x64 powerplant with each core clocked at 1.6GHz. Further, the console is said to have 8GB of RAM, an 800MHz GPU with 12 shader cores, 50 GB 6x Blu-ray Disc drive, hard drive, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi direct.

While this is nothing more than a rumor, it is not the most farfetched Xbox-related stuff we have come across recently. That honor belongs to Forbes columnist Adam Hartung’s suggestion that Microsoft’s entertainment division could end up getting “spun off, sold to someone like Sony or possibly Barnes & Noble, or dramatically reduced in size.”

Anyway, VGLeaks is now promising to leak the tech specs of Sony’s eighth-generation console (code-named Orbis) which according to a separate report will hit the market after the Xbox 720.

Image Credit: VGLeaks

Production May Have Started on Microsoft's Next Xbox Console

Paul Lilly — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:06:11 +0000

Ask Microsoft about its future console plans and the company will pretend that the world revolves around the Xbox 360, that it "found new ways to extend its lifecycle" through the Kinect and other enhancements, and that any talk of an Xbox 720 is merely rumors and speculation, which the company doesn't comment on. Unofficially, however, Microsoft's next console may have entered the production phase.

Call it the Xbox 720, Durango, or the 'new Xbox' (to borrow a page from Apple) if you wish, the point is that this electronic creature, which Microsoft refuses to acknowledge, is being assembled by Flextronics at one of its facilities in Texas, IGN reports. Flextronics is the same company that built the original Xbox and is currently building Xbox 360 hardware, and citing un-named sources, IGN claims Flextronics recently moved beyond the test-group phase and is now building Xbox 720 / Durango / new Xbox hardware.

That doesn't mean you'll be able to buy a next generation Xbox console this summer or even in time for the holiday shopping season. IGN believes these early production units will end up as development kits for game designers to get familiar with the new hardware, and they'll have at least a year, if not longer, to do so.

It's also highly unlikely Microsoft would unveil any new hardware anytime soon. Microsoft already squashed rumors that it would announce another console at E3, and if recent reports prove accurate, Microsoft will soon be promoting a subsidized $99 Xbox 360 4GB + Kinect bundle with a 2-year subscription agreement that includes Xbox Live Gold service and other perks, plus an extended warranty.

Next Generation Consoles "Unlikely" to Block Used Games, GameStop Says

Paul Lilly — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:31:35 +0000

GameStop's cash cow is its used game business. Sure, you can also buy new titles, game accessories, and even tablets at your local GameStop, and you can't purchase a game without the guy behind the counter pressuring you into pre-ordering half a dozen upcoming titles. But used games are the fuel that makes the company's engine run. You can imagine, then, why GameStop refuses to believe that next generation consoles will try to kill off the used game business model by linking software to your specific hardware. Sounds unfathomable, doesn't it?

GameStop agrees, though the notion has been thrown out there. In fact, there have been several rumors about how next generation game consoles could snuff out the used game market. One of them is that the Xbox 720, or whatever the 360's successor will be called, could ship without an optical drive and rely on a combination of streaming titles and local storage. Another rumor has Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo blocking used games by linking software to your hardware.

"We think it’s unlikely that there would be that next-gen console because the model simply hasn’t been proven to work," GameStop CEO dPaul Raines said during an earnings call, according to DigitalTrends. "Remember that used video games have a residual value. Remember that GameStop generates $1.2 billion of trade credits around the world with out used games mode. So consider taking used games out of that, you’d have to find new ways to sell the games, and our partners at the console companies have great relationships with us.”

It's hard to imagine hardware makers joining a crusade against used games led by publishers, let alone all three major players taking a stand. Even if two out of the three main console makers were to try and kill off used games, it would give the third remaining player a huge advantage over the competition, so either all three would have to be all-in, or none at all.

Our opinion? Used games aren't going anywhere any time soon. What's your take?

Image Credit: GameStop

No New Xbox Announcement at E3, Microsoft Says

Paul Lilly — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:40:22 +0000

After months of speculation, leaked reports, rumors, and anticipation that Microsoft might announce a new Xbox console at E3, the powers that be saw fit to temporarily depart from its longstanding policy of staying tight-lipped when it comes to unannounced products to put the kibosh on hopes we'd get our first glimpse of the Xbox 720, or the 'new Xbox,' to borrow a page from Apple.

"While we appreciate all the interest in our long-range plans for the future, we can confirm that there will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email making the rounds. "For us, 2012 is all about Xbox 360-and it’s the best year ever for Xbox 360."

One of the more recent rumors related to Microsoft's next generation console was that it would skip an optical drive altogether in favor of built-in storage and a media card slot, a controversial decision that may or may not be on the table. Either way, we won't find out at E3, and it will be at least 2013 before we see another console from Microsoft.

"The [Xbox 360] is coming off its biggest year ever-a year in which Xbox outsold all other consoles worldwide," Microsoft continued. "Xbox 360 didn’t just outsell other consoles, it also outsold all other TV-connected devices like DVD players, as well as digital media receivers and home theater systems. And in our seventh year, we sold more consoles than in any other year-defying convention."

Are you bummed that there won't be a new Xbox announcement at E3, or are you content with your current hardware?

Xbox 720 Rumors Range from the Unlikely (Blu-ray) to the Unreasonable (Anti-Used Games Mechanism)

Paul Lilly — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:28:43 +0000

With the Consumer Electronics Show now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to start looking forward to other tech conventions like the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which will kick off this summer. It's possible Microsoft will announce its next generation game console at E3, and in the process dispel or confirm the many rumors surrounding the Xbox 720.

Forbes rounded up some of the more interesting ones as of late, including one originating from IGN in which it's being reported the Xbox 720 will be six times more powerful than the 360 and is slated to ship in October or early November of next year.

"Our sources have confirmed that mass production of the system's GPU will indeed begin by the end of 2012 but will not, however, be based on AMD's 7000 series Southern Islands GPU," IGN says. "Instead, the processor will be derived from the 6000 series, which was introduced last year. More specifically, it will be akin to the Radeon HD 6670, which offers support for DirectX11, multi-display output, 3D and 1080p HD output."

That's certainly within the realm of possibility, and technically, so is another rumor that Microsoft will finally implement a Blu-ray drive into its game console with the 720.

"Microsoft will upgrade its disc technology for its next Xbox from DVDs to Blu-Ray discs, catching up to rival Sony, games industry sources tell Kotaku, Kotaku reports.

What makes the Blu-ray rumor so hard to believe is the number of times we've heard similar chatter of Microsoft releasing a Blu-ray version of the Xbox 360, only to be strongly refuted by the Redmond software and hardware giant.

Kotaku also claims to have "heard from one reliable industry source that Microsoft intends to incorporate some sort of anti-used game system." It's unclear how it would be implemented, and while it sounds ridiculous, would anyone really be surprised if a console maker tried to pull off a stunt like this?

Microsoft, of course, is keeping mum about its next generation console.

"As an innovator we're always thinking about what is next and how we can push the boundaries of technology like we did with Kinect," Microsoft said in canned statement to Kotaku. "We believe the key to extending the lifespan of a console is not just about the console hardware, but about the games and entertainment experiences being delivered to consumers. Beyond that we don't comment on rumors or speculation."

What are your predictions and/or wishlist for the Xbox 720?