News - Microsoft document hints at the future of Xbox and it's Augmented

[HEXUS]

Shows a timeline from 2013 and the Xbox 720 over to 2015 and Augmented Reality.

Read more.

[billybear]

Those glasses look like the chunky Nvidia 3D Vision glasses. I expect the final product will end up looking more like Google's project glass.

[scaryjim]

bundled with a Kinect 2 which will feature improved camera and microphone quality, with support for stereo imaging and an extended range-of-motion for both improved near and far distance play.

Makes a lot of sense if they can sort out software that can recognise the same object in two different pictures - stereoscopic vision is key to depth sensing and accurate placement in 3D space, and a stereoscopic Kinect could add ... well ... depth to the whole experience (no pun intended).

[crossy]

the Xbox 720 is expected to launch with a $299 price tag, coming bundled with a Kinect 2 which will feature improved camera and microphone quality, with support for stereo imaging and an extended range-of-motion for both improved near and far distance play

If that's the genuine price, then that's actually pretty good for a console+Kinect bundle. If I can find someone who's still doing trade-ins and that is the price (okay, £299) then put me down for a pre-order.

a spec sheet for the Xbox 720 was included, which suggested that Microsoft is looking to create a console based around either ARM or Intel x86 technology, featuring six to eight cores clocked at around 2GHz, 4GB of DDR4 RAM and a 64 ALU GPU

Okay spec, although I've got to wonder what kind of longevity they're planning for - GPU especially looks a light "light" to me. When they're saying "ARM or Intel x86" I'm wondering if the latter could be some derivative of what Intel's currently doing for smartphones. However, given that they were quoted as saying that single-core is best for Android, I'm a bit dubious.

the 720 may feature a Xenon processor for backwards compatibility with the 360

Yes, please - software compatibility with all those nice '360 titles I've still got.

the Xbox 720 will likely include a subset of Windows 8 or Windows RT, with a locked Metro dashboard with support for HTML 5.

No escaping Metro is there! However, if "Kinect2" does actually allow proper "near distance" (2-3 feet) operation then I'll quietly suggest that Metro could be an asset.

[wtfitskeagan]

Hopefully they will be able to bypass the legal portion conflicting the use of backwards compatibility. Would have bought a PS3 if they had kept the backwards compatibility. 'Course I could buy an older model, but I'm a stickler for new and upgraded.

[crossy]

Hopefully they will be able to bypass the legal portion conflicting the use of backwards compatibility.

What "legal position" would that be? The only one I can think of is that perhaps EA and Activision (pauses to spit) insisted on agreements that their "XBox" titles were only to "be utilised on the aforementioned console and no others" (or whatever weasel words were actually used) - therefore "preventing" use on some then-mythical next gen console.

That said, if Microsoft do provide that "XBox360 mode" on the '720 (and I'm praying they do!) then - as far as I'm concerned - EA and Activision can go and attempt self-insemination ... if I've bought a title like CoD, and it's possible to run it on my shiny new next-gen console then I am going to do so.

Not having a go at you, but anything about EA/Activision and licensing usually gets me into rant mode...

[rinoz]

I've had a read of the 56 page document, very interesting. Looks like the 720 will become a full blown multimedia machine and not just a games console. It seems from one of the pics graphics will be from ATI as I think Nvidia will be on the PS4. There is mention of a 10 year life cycle and it will be modular with dvr functions. Plus any software technologies on the 720 will not be available for the 360.

If it does come out in 2013 with those specs & price, Microsoft will be onto a winner and I will for once may queue up to buy it!