Redesigned 360?

[bp9801]

It appears an ad for a redesigned 360 appeared online earlier. The ad shows off a pretty nice looking redesign for the system and what appears to be the final name for Project Natal. The ad says it is "compatible with Kinect" which could only be the new name for Natal. Also, the system is rumored to have a 250GB hard drive and built-in WiFi. We'll see if it comes to pass at E3.

 

Any thoughts on it?

[Andrewr05]

Certainly looks interesting.

 

 

 

I'm not really into Xbox though, but people tend to have good reactions to re-designed hardware so it may do pretty well...

[Propane]

Looks slick, but I'm pretty happy with my HDMI xbox and at any price this thing would be at, I doubt I'd have much interest.

[Guest_Jim_*]

Just saw this at Engadget too: Xbox 360 Slim outed by Italian ad?

I'm trying to figure out how it is "slim," as Engadget reports it. True, it is not next to a current model, but it does not look all that slim to me.

They also have another post stating that Kinect is the name for Natal: Microsoft Kinect revealed: Project Natal finally gets a name. They site USA Today as their source for that, so I'm thinking at least that much is true. Must say that Kinect is a decent name for it. Emphasizes both the added connection to the game, and the kinetics involved through personal movement. Not bad Microsoft, not bad.

Not enough to make me get a 360 though. Will probably wait until the next generation before I get another console.

Now, let me try to remember. They have been videos speculating on a PS4 (

,

) Nintendo's 3DS along with the next Zelda game, Metroid: Other M, more information on Halo: Reach and now this stuff, plus what ever has not been leaked yet. This could be an interesting E3.

[bp9801]

I think Engadget has it wrong on calling it the new 360 Slim. Yeah, it'll probably be a bit thinner than the regular 360 but I don't think its enough to justify calling it a "slim". I do like the built-in WiFi part if that is accurate.. no more MS charging us 100 bucks to get our 360 connected wirelessly when it should have been built-in from the start.

 

MS is supposed to have a pre-E3 event tonight so who knows if this gets announced during it or the actual MS conference tomorrow.

[bilcliff]

if it fixes RROD then i might get one to replace my currently busted one. however the included wireless kinda bugs me as i'm one of those people who shelled out for a wireless adapter. it will be interesting to see what will happen with pricing. from the comments in the article u linked, some people seem to think that the hard drive will no longer be removable. if this is the case i might have to pass as i still have data on my 20gb one from my busted 360

 

source

LOS ANGELES — There's a growing movement in video games — motion control. And Microsoft's latest twist: Its new system for the Xbox 360, dubbed Kinect and being unveiled this week, requires no controller at all.

 

Nintendo started the wave with simplified, wireless, movement-sensing Wii controllers in late 2006. Since then, consumers have bought more than 28 million Wiis. (In comparison, sales of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are about 20 million and 12.3 million, respectively.)

 

At the Electronic Entertainment Expo game convention beginning today, both Sony and Microsoft will reveal new details about their motion control systems, due later this year.

 

Microsoft got a head start Sunday night by incorporating its game system and footage from new titles into a performance by Cirque Du Soleil at the University of Southern California. The performance troupe, which spent four months developing "a customized experience," took its inspiration for the event from Kinect, the official name of what had been known as Project Natal under development.

 

The 4-year-old Xbox 360 has long seemed targeted at hard-core gamers, with a controller that could be intimidating.

 

"For lots of people, that controller is a barrier," says creative director Kudo Tsunoda. "We set out to make a new control paradigm where anybody can get in and play, without having to read the instructions or learn a complicated set of controls."

 

Kinect's built-in camera and microphone (due later this year, no price set) uses facial and voice recognition to let you, for instance, log onto Xbox Live, start games and pause movies. And a new menu lets you choose games or services such as Netflix by simply reaching out and pointing toward the screen selection. Video chat lets Xbox 360 homes connect; the smart camera widens when another person enters the room.

 

Microsoft's Marc Whitten credits Nintendo with setting things in motion: "They have done some amazing things and brought new people to the category. This is fundamentally different. It's (about) my body being the controller (and) being able to communicate with just my voice to the system."

 

Among games in the works:

•Kinectimals lets you train and play with 20 different virtual cats, including a lion, cheetah and tiger.

•Joyride, a racing game, lets players use their hands to hold an imaginary steering wheel — pull your hands toward you and push back out for an acceleration boost — and their bodies to execute jumps and tricks.

•Kinect Sports has six activities including boxing, bowling, beach volleyball, track and field, soccer and table tennis. To serve a volleyball, you mimic the real motion; in soccer, you can kick the ball or do a header.

•Kinect Adventures includes a river-raft time trial and obstacle course, playable by up to four players. On the raft, playing as a duo, you and a partner must lean one way or another to steer. Jumping helps the raft reach special areas for extra points.

•Dance Central, in development by MTV Games, brings a So You Think You Can Dance experience home.

•Star Wars characters and iconic Disney favorites will be featured in separate new games being developed at Microsoft in conjunction with LucasArts and Disney.

 

"This is (Microsoft's) attempt to leapfrog the Wii and broaden the appeal of the Xbox," says Geoff Keighley of Spike's GameTrailers. "The questions are, 'Does the controller-free environment make (the Xbox 360) more accessible?' and 'Is it fun?' "

IMO kinect is a horrible name. why they cant leave it as natal is beyond me. but considering if the above list is accurate half of what we've seen in the natal teasers aren't even going to come to fruition. for me natal or whatever it will be called is very much a pass. even though i have a wii, the motion control gaming still doesnt excite or impress me / isn't that fun IMO. also with kinect sports (assuming that is the name of it) half of these are in wii sports. if this comes bundled its going to reek of copy cat unless they make the experience drastically more different.

[Deathmineral]

Let's see... just to speculate how much this will cost. A xbox 360 arcade is about $200, but with a redesign I'm sure they will bump the price $50 if not more. So that puts it at $250, add in wireless for $100, the 250 gb hard drive for $130 and you have a $480 system right there. However that price is a little steep so I'm sure they will drop it down to $450 or $400.

[bp9801]

Somehow I don't see the redesign costing more than 400 bucks. Possibly with a Kinect bundle, but I think they'd have it at 350 at the most. The 120GB PS3 Slim costs 300 bucks and the 250GB model costs 350. I don't see MS putting out a console that costs more than the $350 Sony, but I have been wrong before when it pertains to MS.

[Deathmineral]

Somehow I don't see the redesign costing more than 400 bucks. Possibly with a Kinect bundle, but I think they'd have it at 350 at the most. The 120GB PS3 Slim costs 300 bucks and the 250GB model costs 350. I don't see MS putting out a console that costs more than the $350 Sony, but I have been wrong before when it pertains to MS.

You're probably right. I was just poking fun at the overpriced accessories of the 360 is. I personally never thought microsoft would release a system with wireless built in seeing as how it's $80-$100 accessory.

[bp9801]

You're probably right. I was just poking fun at the overpriced accessories of the 360 is. I personally never thought microsoft would release a system with wireless built in seeing as how it's $80-$100 accessory.

 

Oh I know, MS loves to overprice accessories. I refused to pay 100 bucks for the wireless adapter so I got a used one and was able to knock the price down to 50 bucks. Still expensive for something that should have been built-in imo, but I didn't want to run cables all over my apartment.

[Shadowtroop]

wow 300 bucks. that's a decent price point, might pick one up if my xbox RROD's for the 5th time lol

[WhenKittensATK]

Price $300 (Same price as the 120GB 360 without Wifi)

Built in Wireless N

250 GB HDD

"Available today" (so probably see it sometime this week)

 

Pictures of the new 360: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/new-xbox-360-shipping-today-for-299-250gb-hdd-built-in-wifi/

 

Backpanel shows: 3 USB, 1 USB or Firewire (can't tell), Ethernet, Standard RCA/Component adapter, HDMI, Optical built in, and a smaller PSU connector.