Xbox vets behind MSFT's portable game device
by Vladimir Cole 
{ Mar 20th 2006 at 7:55AM }
Dean Takahashi of The Mercury News breaks news this morning that Microsoft is working on a portable gaming device that--like the PSP--does video, music, and games too. This news confirms numerous rumors that such a device was in the works.
J Allard is leading the team, with Greg Gibson (system designer for Xbox 360) and Bryan Lee (finance chief for Xbox business), according to the report.
The device is still in its early stages and may not hit store shelves until 2007, writes Takahashi. That's just about enough time for Sony's redesigned PSP and Nintendo's re-re-redesigned DS to be right there with it.
[Thanks, Karsten]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jordan @ Mar 20th 2006 8:11AM
A really good question is what games is it going to play? I don't see how it would be able to play 360 games...but I can see Xbox games on one. Maybe I'm just not tech savvey enough to know these things...eh...
king louse @ Mar 20th 2006 8:21AM
it's almost impossible for me to imagine them doing this without stealing nintendo's touch screen idea.
RP @ Mar 20th 2006 8:26AM
Of course it isn't going to play 360 games. The 360 is that big for a reason!
Regula Oblique @ Mar 20th 2006 8:26AM
Well whatever it is I know it's going to be a powerhouse that I will be staying away from. Just looking at this current gen of handhelds comparing my psp to my ds, the psp is everything you would think you wanted (movies,games,pictures,music) but I finally realized that a handheld cant be that crazy it has to be simple as like the ds. Knowing microsoft they will be targeting sony like always for a psp killer which will probably have double the load times and triple the battery draining power, and trust me when u need your 5 min gaming fix while waiting in the doctors office and the game hasn't started yet thats just not acceptable, so until otherwise ill leave all my future handheld purchases with nintendo, because they have been doing it right for over a decade and will hopefully continue.
Regula RANT
Josh @ Mar 20th 2006 8:31AM
Whoopie! Another PSP! I can't wait to watch 2-hour long movies over multiple bus rides and listen to music on my oversized, monstrous, battery-sucking MP3 player, or play games on my crappy attempt at making a home console portable!
tao @ Mar 20th 2006 8:46AM
"2. it's almost impossible for me to imagine them doing this without stealing nintendo's touch screen idea."
I'm a huge nintendo fan, and I actually hope that MS does take the touchscreen idea. It further paints nintendo as the leading interface innovator in the industry.
It also strengthens the idea that the revolution's freehand style will be made into the next 'dualshock'.
The U @ Mar 20th 2006 8:48AM
shouldn't they wait until the 360 is established and off running first?
damn...
Princess Zelda @ Mar 20th 2006 8:49AM
I'm curious to see what the Xbox team could do in buillding portable gaming machine. Will it have the power to play Xbox games? In portable gaming machines the battery consumption controls how powerful the handheld will be. I love the Xbox for it's racing games and would enjoy a portable with Forza Motorsports or Project Gotham racing on it.
"Nintendo's re-re-redesigned DS to be right there with it."
I think a new Gameboy should be getting ready to be released around 2007-2008.
DG @ Mar 20th 2006 8:52AM
Wow. What a terrible idea. Can't Microsoft just concentrate on one major release at a time? Tablet PC kind of went nowhere, Origami is probably going to do the same, the Xbox 360 just came out, Windows Vista is coming out at the end of the year, and now this.
I recognize that Microsoft is bigger than anything, but how can they possibly do all of these things at once and also do them well?
And really, considering the PSP's failure, why make another?
Edwin @ Mar 20th 2006 8:53AM
because a touchscreen is an idea that nobody would have ever come up with
brain sushi @ Mar 20th 2006 8:55AM
Will the extreme heat melt your hands to the device?
-"Timmy did you do your homework like a good little boy?"
-"Yes Sir, daddy/"
-"Tiiimmmy, you better be telling me the truth"
-"I aaaammmmm"
-"Let me see your hands.......RED AND BLACK!!! MY GOD, THE STENCH OF BURNT FLESH IS HORRIBLE!!! I KNEW IT! YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING WITH YOUR X-BOX666!!!! YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR A WEEK!"
-"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" *sniffle sniffle*
jamEs @ Mar 20th 2006 8:56AM
I don't think this makes any sense for Microsoft. The PSP has had a lacklustre track record so far and hasn't really made any large headway against the big N. Microsoft releasing a handheld would probably more then likely cut into the PSP marketshare then Nintendo's.
Dirty Lizard @ Mar 20th 2006 9:05AM
Answer to Edwin: Yes!
Stu L Tissimus @ Mar 20th 2006 9:08AM
Microsoft? Portable device? Hah! *looks at Origami*
Cue the battery life comments...
Sol @ Mar 20th 2006 9:19AM
Picture a touch-screen PSP with built-in flash memory in the region of 20 GB and you have the X-Boy. Games will be downloadable from either the XBox 360 or PCs. Of course it will also play WMVs and WMAs, feature wi-fi and online play. Will Nintendo lose any sleep over it? No. Will Apple? Yeah, right.
32_Footsteps @ Mar 20th 2006 9:21AM
Honestly, is the market big enough to support more than two handheld systems? They'd really have to blow people out of the water and combine great hardware with a great price point to pull it off.
Though I could see Microsoft just trying to unseat the PSP and be content, for the time being, as second place. Work their way up the mountain, so to speak.
RP @ Mar 20th 2006 9:45AM
"built-in flash memory in the region of 20 GB"
HA! Not a ruddy chance of that. It would cost a bloody foooooooooortune. It'll probably have a microdrive in it.
ncxcstud @ Mar 20th 2006 9:58AM
The only thing that would sell me on a portable microsoft system would be that it would play xbox dvds. Yes, it'd be a bit big, but think about it...
You can buy a PSP, but you have to buy a proprietary format...and choose between what movie you want..the DVD version or the UMD version..and then you have to decide what crappy game you want to play inbetween (though, their recent offereings have been much better)
Now, if you had microsoft come in with a machine that played DVD movies and all of your XBOX games, without having to 're-buy' anything...that could sell.
It'd be a bit bigger, but I'm sure they could figure out a way to make it look smaller than it really is.
Hell, the fashion industry has being doing that with fat people for years :)
Kamalot @ Mar 20th 2006 10:05AM
Why is it that every device these days has to do multiple things?
Why is it that a device designed to do nothing but games isn't good enough. If you are REALLY into games, you'll cary a gaming system. If are really into movies, you'll carry a portable DVD player. If you are really into music, you'll have an iPod. If you need multiple things, you'll most likely have a Treo or a PDA.
If I want games, and the best games designed for a portable system, I'll pick up a system that was designed from the ground up to be a gaming system first. Everything else be damned.
Doc Occ @ Mar 20th 2006 10:18AM
Come on guys it won't play DVD's or 360 games. It's going to be like the ipod where you upload any media that it uses. With the new hard drives out imagine a 150-200 Gb hard drive like they are developing for telephones. It makes sense, it uses a sync blade on 360 & marketplace to get new games.
f | j | D @ Mar 20th 2006 10:21AM
The Japaneese won't buy it.... so it would just be the european and american markets to go for.
mocax @ Mar 20th 2006 10:22AM
Likely it'll run on that Origami micro PC thingy Microsoft introduced a short while back.
djphatjive @ Mar 20th 2006 10:25AM
Steal Nintendos touchscreen? HELLO????? Havent pocket pc's been out for a while?, The apple Neuton had a touch screen. I think Nintendo stole from everyone else. And besides. All microsoft has to do is make a pocket ps that is more or less held sideways so that its widescreen, put some bottons in the right places and there ya go. Most of the Pocket PC' have double the processor speed, and a few have a graphics card in them. So really they have had one already, just need to redesign the case and there ya go. Now getting people to program games for it. Who knows. But you know its going to run some kind of windows and have office on it. Making it like 600 dollars.
32_Footsteps @ Mar 20th 2006 10:26AM
A point I've made before, but bears mentioning again:
You can buy a portable DVD player for under $130 these days. These can play music, and many can play mp3s (burned to a disc). So for price point, keep in mind that if you can't deliver a portable experience that would beat out buying a DS and a portable DVD player (which would run you around $250-$260), then you are going to fail. It's that simple.
Nossy @ Mar 20th 2006 10:36AM
More competition is good for the consumer. The portable system will probably be a juiced up UMPC. There are some pretty impressive ULV Intel Centrino processor that are faster than the Pentium 3 processor in the Xbox, combine with a Geforce 5200 Go with 32MB VRAM and you have yourself something a little better than the Xbox. Maybe a touchscreen/electromagnetic surface that can be used to interact with the 360. I'm guessing it won't support MPEG-4/DVix/Xvid and more likely WMV, Duh. Which is a shame. WMA with DRM and MP3.
I'm guessing that Xbox1 games will be downloadable on Live Marketplace and fitted into the portable device via memory card.
TheMayor87 @ Mar 20th 2006 10:38AM
i just hope they get the idea that portables are for "pick-up-and-play" gaming. i see too many games on the market that try to be console games. that's not what i want when i have a few seconds of downtime.
oz @ Mar 20th 2006 10:45AM
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK FANS-ITS GOT 2 STICKS. It looks very much like my 360 controller with a screen added on. Would this dualism then negate a touch screen capability? Dunno...waddya think??
Josh @ Mar 20th 2006 10:48AM
oz, how serious are you?
C @ Mar 20th 2006 10:58AM
I agree with Doc Occ. I think they'll be competing with the ipod even more then the PSP considering MS is about to launch a music service with MTV. It'll probably have a HD comparable in size with video iPods. They'll market it as having the same capacity as the video ipod, but with games for the same prices. It'll probably be able to play games downloaded from xbox live arcade and also use another media format you can buy in stores.
akira @ Mar 20th 2006 10:59AM
this is a bad idea. The Xbox itself does not have enough memorable titles to support gaming on it itself. Just imagine the trouble when you factor in buying a portable device, just not to have any great games to play. I mean, we already have the Nintendo variants and the psp, so the market is really not demanding another player. Microsoft should just come out, rather improve that brick of crap they call the umpc, make it more like a tablet just thinner and cheaper. Put that in a portable, not crappy xbox games.
nizzy1115 @ Mar 20th 2006 11:28AM
@ #24. "TAKE A CLOSER LOOK FANS-ITS GOT 2 STICKS. It looks very much like my 360 controller with a screen added on. Would this dualism then negate a touch screen capability? Dunno...waddya think??"
Ummm...That picture was just a photoshop of the 360 controller. It was never meant to be anything like the real thing!
And BTW, this idea was on other blogs about 5 months ago i believe. It was right along with thier plans to make an iPod beater.
David @ Mar 20th 2006 11:33AM
Thank yousomeone with common sense(comment 20)Everyone goes on about Nintendo being innovative with their touch screen while I have been using my p900 and PDA while the GB advance was out both of them had better graphics
mr. @ Mar 20th 2006 11:36AM
All of these people talkking about battery life and the power it might have should reall read the whol article it links to.
"One benefit of waiting longer is that the handheld will likely have sufficient technology in it to run a lot of original Xbox games from a few years ago. Hence, it wouldn't be hard to create a new library of games for the handheld."
" Signs of activity have surfaced. Transmeta, a maker of low-power chip technology, said last year that it had assigned 30 engineers to work with Microsoft on a secret project. Transmeta's engineers work on ways to take the power out of computing chips so that they can be used in handheld devices with long battery lives."
Gonzo @ Mar 20th 2006 11:53AM
I knew it wasn't that tablet pc thing.
This should be an awesome devise.
If it's not, We still have the GBA, DS & PSP. I'm imagining that the "x-pod" (as my friends, I , and a few others I noticed have been calling it) is going to be allot like the psp but a little smaller but much sturdier and easier to get movies and music onto than the psp or gba. Like if the psp was made by nintendo. Maybe they'll do something revolutionary and actually allow people to load mp3s and avi.s directly onto the machine or a flash card. I'm also hoping that they also go for a card slot design or cartridges as those load times just aren't befitting of a portable system. Space shouldn't be a problem, you can fit many gigs of info on every type of flash card.
I have to say I'm more excited about this than I was about the psp or ds. I agree with most of you that this thing's biggest problem (with a card slot or a disc like system) will be power. We all know the infamous xboxes power supplies, I'm just hoping the xpod won't need a small nuclear reactor to run for more than 3 hrs. The article does give me hope though.
Scooby Doo @ Mar 20th 2006 11:59AM
I have to admit, I like the design and the potential for this device, but I doubt Microsoft would make it a unit I would buy. I could picture having a unit that functions as a portable game player and potentially second controler, but Microsoft will probably try and make it some all-in-one portable media player.
I think it would be awesome for the unit to give extra functionality for a current 360 game, like the way the GBA worked with the GameCube. It would also be cool play exclusive titles or rip Xbox games onto the unit, although remember that a screen that small could make things like a HUD or on-screen text very difficult to read.
However knowing Microsoft, they'll try and throw in all of this other functionality to drum up business for other services they offer (like XBL or their music service), so that it will be far out of a price range I'd be willing to pay.
I know that competition is good and all, but I don't think that's always true in the handheld market. Unlike a console, it's just too hard for me to spend all that extra money to own every handheld. It seems like there's never a unit that has both a great library AND no technical problems. The only competitor that I thought had a great library was the TurboGrafx and it needed a constant diet of batteries. The PSP finally provided some good competition, but it's library is still lackluster compared to the DS. We won't talk about the other pocket/handheld units which I've made the mistake buying. Let's just say there's a reason I don't buy the latest and greatest thing anymore.
skyrous @ Mar 20th 2006 12:06PM
Nintendo didn't invent the touch screen but they are the first to turn the idea into a dedicated game player, and to make an entire library of games to support it. It's bash no matter what syndrome. If the DS had failed everybody would be talking about what a bad idea it was (what if virtual boy had been a success?). Since since the DS is a success the same people now say that the DS obviously wasn't an innovative idea. Certainly I can't see the xbox portable having such features. even with the DS being a hit the rest of the industry still considers it a relative novelty.
As to MS getting into portables I can't think of any reason for them too. A multifunction device will need to be drastically better AND cheaper than the PSP. And they can't compete with nintendo in library, quality, or franchises. Sony was much better placed to take on nintendo's handheld dominance and they couldn't do it.
bladestar @ Mar 20th 2006 12:12PM
To all those MS hates I can understand your agony which is why no matter what Microsoft comes with or plans to make is simply not worth spending 1 hour playing but yet you spend many more hours reading forums like this one and of course posting stupid comments! I dont consider myself a Xbox fan boy since I didnt even owned an original Xbox (I was too busy with my PS2, but I was impressed this time around with the 360 so I gave it a shot, and to those that never tried it I recommend it. Now about the MS handhelds which I hope is true I can see how this can add more pain to MS haters, I am sure you can use it as an Xbox 360 controller
Here are some possibilities to annoy the MS haters:
1) Play Ghost Recon on your 360 using the handheld as a controller. You can see a mini map, display the position of enemies, give commands to your squat using the touch screen, etc.
2) Since it a touch screen it can be use a keyboard so you can write emails, browse the internet, etc. so you dont have to use your controller to type which sucks.
3) Download games directly from XBOX live and play games like Geometry wars.
Finally, I dont understand what makes people so mad about Microsoft; you should be thankful that SONY is having some competition. Do you think youll be getting a system like PS3 now with online service if XBOX live wouldnt exist? We would probably still be playing 16 bits games. Heck I am buying a PS3 when it comes out! And I hope PS3 kicks ass, so Microsoft is forced to do better! But dont hate when companies like Microsoft make companies like SONY work a little harder before they can take your money, embrace it since all this is for your own good!
darryl @ Mar 20th 2006 12:33PM
"Sony was much better placed to take on nintendo's handheld dominance and they couldn't do it."
You talk like the verdict is in. The PSP is directly behind the DS, and I mean directly... Well, It's obvious to me that Nintendo is trying really hard to break away, by releasing an Apple-DS for example. The PSP is just starting it's ascent.
"And really, considering the PSP's failure, why make another?"
How in the world does someone who makes such stupid comments get a star, let a lone 3 of them!? Confirms the feeling that this site is seriously Nintendo biased. It's funny how DS fans so quickly dismiss the PSP... a tinge of envy I detect.
As far a Microsoft entering the handheld market... Good. Why not? More competition the better I think.
David @ Mar 20th 2006 1:10PM
innovative means:
"Creating value out of new ideas, new products, new services or new ways of doing things."
Which means nintendo didn;t bring anything new to the game.Touchscreen gaming has existed way before DS.Just because its discovered its way into a mainstream console doesn't mean it didn't exist before.
I agree with(comment 26)to many damn DS fanboys on this website.I find them the most spiteful out of all of the fanboys when other products are released.Its funny how they seem to think 360 and PS3 will both fail and Revolution will be king considering the faliure of Gamecube and RARE's departure from them
Scooby Doo @ Mar 20th 2006 1:47PM
You know, something dawned on me regarding this device. Gryoscopic and motion detecting sensors aren't an exclusive technology. With that picture looking just like regular controller, you wonder if they're not thinking of adding that kind of functionality to compete with the Revolution. I doubt that will happen, but it's fun to speculate.
Also, I have a real hard time believing that the DS was NOT innovative. No one is arguing that touchscreens themselves were a new idea, but to make that one of the focal points of a system, and one that solved a big pain point of controller vs. mouse and keyboard, that's just brilliant by anyone's definition. The PSP is a great unit for some people, but it's hard to debate against the DS winning the first round. It might just be me and the sites and blogs I read, but I've heard from a number of people who say they don't play their PSP while everyone seems to love their DS. Sony has established themselves in the marketplace and that's a major hurdle, but they don't seem to be focusing on the demographic that buys a handheld for GAMES.
Vincent @ Mar 20th 2006 2:37PM
38.You obviously have innovation mixed up then. What David means is that the way nintendo fanboys go on about the DS is like its somethinh made from heaven
rainking187 @ Mar 20th 2006 2:53PM
Initial reports have it weighing 37 pounds. If there's a Halo game for this, it will probably sell, sadly. I seriously doubt I will even consider getting it unless Microsoft stops putting out so many FPS and starts releasing some interesting games. Didn't Microsoft have contracts with a bunch of japanese companies to put out games? What happened to that? So far the only interesting games that are coming out for the 360 are Ninety-Nine Nights and eNCHANT arM.
Justin @ Mar 20th 2006 2:55PM
It makes sense. sony and nintendo have a mini console
Slick Rick @ Mar 20th 2006 3:07PM
this is another great photoshop creation. done by picasso in the late 13th century wile watching his full screen apple ipod video.
Josh @ Mar 20th 2006 3:31PM
David, how is the GameCube a failure, if it's in second place in worldwide sales? And Rare was not a serious loss, as their games are not of the highest quality they used to be.
bobbyd @ Mar 20th 2006 3:43PM
I am just here to spread some PSP knowledge. I am a proud PSP owner! and 38. is right i don't play my PSP as much as i used to. But i still use it everyday. Not playing PSP games, but for watching movies and playing older roms. I think the PSP would of by-pass'd the DS if Sony didn't require you to update your firmware to play it. My step-son has a DS and its great for him but its so plasticy(?) If MS can make a product comparable to the PSP and have a better line up of games, I would swap out my PSP for it. They also have to allow homebrew!!!
nugget @ Mar 20th 2006 3:47PM
Ok as far as the DS touch screen and the comments about fanboys taking it as an item from heaven you guys are worng. The touch screen idea for *GAMES* was never really explored until Nintendo released the DS. Many people liked this and love it now. I personaly do like it, but I am not a fanboy of the DS. I know my opnion is biased but people can not blindly take everyone's comment about how they like the DS as a fanboy comment. And as for the GC/Nintendo sales doing bad they need to realize that Nintendo is more than just the GC, not like it is doing bad, and has the GBA series and the DS. So even if the GC was a failure they still have the GBA series and DS line that preform very well. Many people may not consider them "consoles" but they are they play games which if I'm correct thats what many consoles are designed to do, NES, SNES, N64, PS1, PS2, GC, Xbox, Xbox360 are all designed to play games, granted some do more, but you need to play games in order for it to be a game console so they are consoles by general definition.
David @ Mar 20th 2006 4:02PM
Worldwide Hardware Sales (End of 2005)
PS2 - 101.37 million
Xbox - 24 million
GameCube - 20.61 million
RARE's games on N64 were the only games keeping it living.Since their departure there has not been a third party developer that has been a success on gamecube.Considering xbox was last in race on next gen they have done exceedingly well since their first experience in console gaming.When i find gamecubes in their peek being sold for 30-40 i find that sad.I have been a nintendo fanboy all my life but since n64 which was my favourite console of all time i have not been happy.However revolution look likes it going in the right direction.Their advertising and brand awareness is key to win the next war.
MaGiXX @ Mar 20th 2006 5:02PM
Better and more realistic picture:
http://mgx-studios.com/uploads/Images/Xbox360Portable3-Magixx.jpg
amiga_tone @ Mar 20th 2006 5:40PM
David, the Cube has been around much longer than the XBox. Last year was pretty much the final year of the Cube. I would hardly consider your stats worthy of comparison.
From a different perspective, as of the end of 2005 had the Cube sold 20.61 million consoles over a period of what, 3-4 years? I think it still puts it ahead of the XBox which has only been aroudn for at least 2.