Jasper posts (Subscribe to this feed)
Ben Heck molds Jasper Xbox 360 into new and improved laptop
by David Hinkle 
{ Jul 6th 2009 at 11:45AM } 
Head past the break for a brief video showing off the new device.
Confirmed: New Xbox 360 Arcade systems have 512 MB on-board memory
by JC Fletcher { Jun 18th 2009 at 11:25AM }
The on-board storage was originally introduced to house the New Xbox Experience upgrade. According to Microsoft, this extra storage doesn't portend any new functionality: "We want to offer consumers a bit more memory at the same low price so they can enjoy more experiences on Xbox LIVE."
Xbox 360 Jasper units with 512MB internal memory spotted in the wild
by Richard Mitchell { Jun 17th 2009 at 5:00PM }
While the unit pictured above is Japanese, some members of the Xbox-Scene forums claim to have the board as well, meaning the new hardware may already be available in North America. We're not aware of any surefire way to spot one of these new units without taking them out of the box, though the ones we've seen mentioned were manufactured in April 2009. Outside the box, you'd just need to see how much memory was listed in the settings menu.
Anyone out there have one of these new Jaspers? Let us know in the comments.
[Via Xbox-Scene]
Ben Heck spots a Jasper in the wild, tears it up
by Justin McElroy { Dec 11th 2008 at 3:45PM }
But it's not all for the joy of the kill. Heck also tells you how you can distinguish a Jasper console from its stinky, 90nm GPU-having Falcon brethren. Here's hoping you've got the iron nerve to sift through the carnage to find the details. If you can't hack it, there's an even easier method of finding which console you own courtesy of AnandTech.
Jasper 360s: Secret to succesful identification
by Dustin Burg { Dec 11th 2008 at 10:30AM }
We spotted an informative writeup over at AnandTech regarding various Xbox 360 Jasper identification strategies. What's a Jasper? Well, Jasper is the codename for the latest Xbox 360 models to roll off production and house tiny 65nm CPU and GPUs. The smallest, coolest, least power demanding, most stable and generally "best" Xbox 360 version to be manufactured.
Anyhoo, if you're in the market for a 360, we highly recommend you try to secure a Jasper 360 using a few of AnandTech's Jasper identification strategies. They've detailed tips including console lot number matching, looking up the console wattage and - most accurate of all - looking at the power connector. Remember, Jaspers are teh hawtness. You want Jaspers.
Microsoft confirms 256MB internal memory for Xbox 360 Arcade
by James Ransom-Wiley { Dec 2nd 2008 at 5:50PM }
"We are constantly updating the console's more than 1700 internal components. We can confirm that we are moving to internal memory for the Xbox 360 Arcade. The physical internal memory is the same size as the previous external memory units -- 256MB."
While vague, the statement seems to imply that Arcade systems will no longer ship with external Memory Units, as reported by at least one Jasper hunter. Assuming this is the case, the Arcade SKU is now equipped to handle various memory-required functions like game saves and NXE (128MB) without the use of an external memory device. Of course, this also means the advantages of the once-bundled Memory Unit must be sought at an extra cost. Microsoft has not confirmed the installation of internal memory for other Xbox 360 SKUs nor has it confessed to outfitting its consoles with the Jasper chipset. (Don't hold your breath for that one.)
Finding Jasper: Shot of Xbox 360's 256MB internal storage
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Dec 1st 2008 at 5:33PM }
With Microsoft remaining mum on the specifics of internal hardware changes, images (and videos) like the one above represent our best means of finding Jasper. Are you out there, buddy?
Video proof of Jaspers with 256MB internal memory
by Richard Mitchell { Dec 1st 2008 at 2:45PM }
click to enlarge
Having hooked up his old 512MB Memory Unit and his old hard drive, he noticed that another storage option was listed on his Xbox. As you can see in the image above, there are storage options for the hard drive, the memory unit, and a third option titled MU. The third option lists 214MB of usable space, which is in line with what we reported over the weekend.
As if that wasn't enough, YouTube user BRB100779 has posted a video showing off the same memory screen and has gone to exhaustive links to prove that the image on the screen is legitimate. Find the video after the break.
We've contacted Microsoft for comment and will update this post when we receive more information.
Rumor: Jasper 360s get 256MB internal storage
by Dustin Burg { Nov 28th 2008 at 10:30AM }
Word on the street is that the Jasper Xbox 360s (consoles with a smaller 65nm chipset) are finally hitting retail shelves and along with the benefits of running cooler, requiring less power, and being generally more "stable", we're finding out that Jaspers may also have additional storage capabilities.
According to a Xbox-Scene who recently got their mitts on a Jasper 360, the on board flash chip storage has been increased from 12MB to a whopping 256MB. If true, the additional built-in storage would allow Microsoft to pre-install the New Xbox Experience without requiring a memory card or HDD. We're also told that 214MB of the on board storage can be used for game saves and XBLA storage. Nice!
Rumor: 'Jasper' Xbox 360 shipping, features 256MB on-board memory
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Nov 28th 2008 at 9:45AM }
Candid shots of nekkid motherboards? Check. Awkwardly filmed YouTube videos? Check. Rumor post on Joystiq? Very check. Why, someone must have spotted a new Xbox 360 variant in the wild!According to a post at Xbox-Scene, consoles containing the "Jasper" chipset, which promises a cooler 65nm GPU on the motherboard, have begun to arrive in the homes of consumers. Interestingly, it's claimed that Jasper features 256MB of on-board flash storage, no doubt a concession to the NXE's storage demands.
Tell us, commenters. Have you found Jasper?
[Via Engadget]
Rumor: Xbox 360 packing 65nm Jasper boards
by Christopher Grant { Sep 30th 2008 at 5:19PM }
Microsoft, of course, wouldn't confirm the shipment of new models, issuing us the boilerplate response, "We are constantly updating internal components on our consoles and therefore will not comment on details of specific components or manufacturing processes." Since we learned that Jasper systems would begin shipping as early as last month, and can speculate that the recent price drop was probably hinged on further lowering the system's manufacturing costs, we fully expect to see Jasper systems any day now. We're just not convinced this is the proof we've been waiting for. Caveat emptor.
[Via JOEyGADGET]
Opus-model 360s begining to flow?
by Terrence Stasse { Jun 18th 2008 at 1:30AM }
According to a specific poster over at GameTrailers, when a repaired RROD is now returned to its owner it includes a slip of paper marked "OPUS" as well as a new power supply. So if you've recently had a 360 red ring, keep an eye out for that little slip of paper when it returns, as it basically says that your 360 is now of the undead, and thus is quite unlikely to ever die again.
Rumor: Xbox 360 slimming down in 2009 [update]
by Ludwig Kietzmann { May 13th 2008 at 11:00PM }
Since it won't go anywhere near the Wii Fit balance board and is extremely likely to die during a heated workout, your obese Xbox 360 isn't going to get thinner in its lifetime. No, that's what the "Xbox 540" replacement is for, claims TG Daily. The site reckons that Microsoft will release a "mid-cycle refresh" of the system in Fall 2009, one built around a new and more compact "Valhalla" internal chipset. (Have we introduced you to Jasper yet?)The shrinking of innards will reportedly allow a redesign of the system's exterior, much like the PlayStation 2's second iteration. Our fancy next-gen games may be getting bigger on the screen, but much like our Wiis, it seems we'll end up with something smaller to play with. On. Play games on. Multiplayer games. Curses! is there any way out of that one?
Update: Microsoft says it has "no plans to release a new console in 2009."
[Via X3F]
Rumor: Xbox 540 (360 slim) in 2009?
by Terrence Stasse { May 12th 2008 at 8:30PM }
In a follow up to the news that the 360's internal hardware will be changed to the "Jasper" setup, there is now the news that the "Valhalla" update mentioned in that story is more than just a CPU and GPU on the same chip. TG Daily thinks that the Valhalla chip will be the heart of a complete hardware revision in Fall 2009, ala the slimline PS2. While that would seem the logical course of action, all that we know for sure is that the Valhalla chip will indeed be used in the "mid-cycle refresh" of the hardware, and that it is in fact an "all-in-one" chip. Whether or not Microsoft will actually change the outer shell or not is unknown, and the Valhalla hardware update could come and go without changing the outer look of the console at all.Jasper 65nm chips could hit 360s by August [update]
by Richard Mitchell { May 8th 2008 at 3:00PM }
According to Cens.com, the first 65nm GPU chip equipped Xbox 360s -- codenamed Jasper, the successor to current Falcon 360s, which incorporate a 65nm CPU but use a larger GPU -- will start showing up in by August of this year. IBM will reportedly manufacture and test the CPU chips, while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has reportedly been contracted to manufacture and the graphics chips, which will in turn be tested and packaged by Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASE). Nanya will be responsible for supplying flip-chip packaging substrates (don't ask us). Furthermore, CENS reports that industry watchers are betting on TSMC to win contracts to manufacture chips for Japser's successor, Valhalla, which will combine both the CPU and graphics chips into one super chip.
The upshot of all this is that new chips should be arriving this August, making for cooler, quieter 360s everywhere. that's something we can all enjoy, right? Oh, and no, there was no mention of Microsoft cramming Blu-Ray drives into either the Jasper or Valhalla.
[Via Joystiq]
Update: Clarified differences between Falcon and Jasper units
