Rumors of Natal-enabled Xbox 360 in 2010
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: microsoft, xbox, 360, natal, xbox360 | Themes: Digital Entertainment
Taiwanese sources say that there will be an upgraded Xbox 360 next year.

We heard about a new Project Natal-enabled Xbox 360 coming next year when Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer spoke at a previous event. Microsoft's PR team quickly scrambled and clarified that the comments did not indicate new hardware.
Speculation surrounding new Xbox 360 hardware is back, as Digitimes reports that Aptina has won exclusive rights to supply a 1.3-megapixel camera part for a new version of the Xbox 360 console for the second half of 2010.
Members of the Xbox team said that the Xbox 360 is "not even halfway through the current console generation lifecycle," so it wouldn't make sense for a new console yet – but we think that added functionality to an existing platform sounds plausible. After all, the latest Xbox 360s have technologies that the launch units didn't have, such as built-in flash memory, larger hard drives and HDMI video out. Now if only Microsoft would integrate in Wi-Fi…
-
Previous News Article
Sam Raimi to Direct World of... -
Next News Article
Barnes and Noble Announces...







Yeh, definitely built in Wifi would be nice. And all sku's should be a 120gb or larger hard drive.
And a permanent repair to the RRoD would be nice as well!!
I would rather have wireless over this.
You would rather have wireless over the experience that Project Natal is going to bring?? LoL. You know you can get wireless on 360. It is just not integrated.
i would have bought a 360 if there was a possibly in a price reduction in Live? i just want to play against/with other people online. I don't need a million other extra features.
I hate when people bring up the cost of XBOX Live service. Get over it. You wouldn't buy a 360 even if Microsoft reduced or made the service free.
You mean the crapbox 360 does not have built in WiFi? That I didn't know. My PS3 hooks right up to my wireless network and always has at WEP2 level.
Go ahead and watch your adverts on Xbox live and be sure to pay MS to use it, mine is free on the PS3. Think I will watch a Blue Ray movie now.
But the games, waaa, That's why my main gaming is a PC.
So essentially Regulas you spent $600 for a blu-ray player with wifi ability?
Paying $50/yr is peanuts for a live subscription that has some of the best games for consoles.
wep2, why would you use that garbage? i think you meant wpa2 right? but yeah add 100 dollars and you get wi-fi with an xbox....stupid if you ask me. even the wii and ds family have built in wi-fi!
600 bucks for a PS3? Maybe when it came out. I got mine on ebay for 350 and it came with a game (Resistance 2). So yah, I completely agree with Regulas. And yes, my main gaming is PC also, I use my PS3 for Blu-Ray, sharing my music and video (yes I know Xbox does this), watching netflix and Hulu, (that too). I could have gotten an Xbox or a PS3 for about 350 out the door. I chose the blu-ray player with built in wireless. Simple enough. I am a FPS and RTS guy, so naturally I play PC most of the time. The PS3 acts as a 300 dollar media center PC.
i would have bought a 360 if there was a possibly in a price reduction in Live? i just want to play against/with other people online. I don't need a million other extra features.
It's called Amazon or your Sunday paper. I can pick up an 12 month membership for like $35.
In my opinion I don't car about in built wifi I'd rather rely on a wired connection that I know is foolproof(plus my 360 is two meters away from my router). Instead I would like my 360 to be quieter, but I am not going out and buying a brand new console to do so.
Anybody thinking xbox live is overpriced is just speaking plain stupid. £35 a year is what I pay that's nearly £3 a month, people go on about how it isn't worth and how pc is better for gaming, What they don't go complain about is paying £8 a month on online games.
Also people still hanging on to their ps3, in my experience seem to have some stupid customer loyalty thing going on. It costs more to make a game for ps3 than for xbox(means less game companies like making games for ps3), it's online capabilities are nowhere near as good as xbox live(especialy with future updates), it's controllers imho are less comfortable than 360, and to put it simply it's too overpriced by far for what you get.
I hate when people bring up the cost of XBOX Live service. Get over it. You wouldn't buy a 360 even if Microsoft reduced or made the service free.
I would. My brother already has both so I don't need to choose, but I think if either of us had to live with just one, we'd choose PS3, and if I ever moved out on my own and wanted to buy either one, I'd buy PS3 simply because it's a much better value.
Now back to Natal. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. It's a glorified EyeToy, and major game designers who aren't getting paid to spin Microsoft BS would agree with me. I wouldn't have a problem with Natal, but it annoys me that people say it will be a Wii killer and that it will work with almost any 360 game. There are too many functions that are necessary for a game that a camera can't emulate. Which means whatever you saw in that horrible Jimmy Fallon tech demo is all you'll be able to do with it. It's just Microsoft's desperate attempt to convert uneducated Wii owners and other casual gamers. And like I said, I wouldn't have a problem with it if they didn't misrepresent their product.
At best, it will be a fun toy to show off to friends, but the novelty will wear off. Kind of like when people get webcams with the different backgrounds and overlays and turn themselves into werewolves and stuff. It's fun and funny for about 5 minutes.
Considering the price of the 360 pro right now you can't really complain that it has no wifi. Yes the PS3 has wifi, but its also $100 more.
I have both system at the moment, they're comparable to each other on a gaming level. PS3 has the blu-ray, 360 has the XBL (yes its a monthly fee, but for $3 a month I at least get a usable online service, PSN is from the stone age in comparison to XBL).
My number gripe with both systems is the noise level, both the 360 and PS3 are plain annoying to hear in the background. I hate watching a blu-ray with the whirr of the PS3 fan, likewise if I'm watching videos with the 360. In that respect I'd rather have a stand alone blu-ray player or a NMT thats actually silent. When I'm gaming the noise doesn't bother me.
360 does have better better controllers than PS3 though, I'll give it that. Both systems have about equal number of exclusives worth having. PS3 is a better value though, and has better features. And I laugh at anyone who pays $50 a month for a crappy online service. Xbox Live sucks. Simple as that. Ir would suck even if it were a free service, but at least then no one would have reason to complain. If 360 had built in WiFi and free online, it would be a much better buy. Instead, it's the choice for Halo/Gears of War fanboys and uneducated consumers. For the neutral, intelligent gamer, PS3 is a better choice.
just to play online i have to pay after buying the game. gtfo fanbois.
"1.3-megapixel camera"
I think my 4 year old phone has better resolution then that.
360 does have better better controllers than PS3 though, I'll give it that. Both systems have about equal number of exclusives worth having. PS3 is a better value though, and has better features. And I laugh at anyone who pays $50 a month for a crappy online service. Xbox Live sucks. Simple as that. Ir would suck even if it were a free service, but at least then no one would have reason to complain. If 360 had built in WiFi and free online, it would be a much better buy. Instead, it's the choice for Halo/Gears of War fanboys and uneducated consumers. For the neutral, intelligent gamer, PS3 is a better choice.
Actually Xbox live is a much better services than PSN. And its $50 a year..and thats if you dont find the deal. Its 3 bucks a month. Its not budget breaking by any stretch of the imagination. Also the 360 has better games. I dont need the PS3 for a blu ray player..they have these things called entertainment systems that have blu ray players in them.
I dunno why this turned into 360/PS3 pissing match...
Natal looks pretty cool i think. If Natal can do 1/2 what M$ claims i may just get myself a 360.
the PSN is not free... by any stretch of the imagination... someone along the line is paying for it and i'll bet money it's the consumers...
this argument about built in wifi is dumb. not everyone wants or needs wireless and the choice to add it on after the fact is great. not only that, but wireless devices often die. try replacing that built in one on your ps3 after warranty expires and that is the most common time for them to fail. not to mention the fact that an add on adapter will allow you to upgrade to any new wireless standard that may appear or that you prefer. in my opinion, the way MS went with the 360, modular, is the way to go. this also gives them the option to adopt a bluray player if they so wish in the future. and since it's USB anyway, i wouldn't doubt it would be possible to home brew one without MS's consent...
when given the choice between total flexibility or cheap built in crap, i'll choose flexibility... that's why i build my own PCs and don't buy OEM/Prebuilts...
Yeah, I don't like the XBox but that's my choice; please don't turn this into another console flamewar.
This new interface looks interesting, I just hope it can deliver. I was so disapointed the first time I played my new wii and relised that the motion sensing actually made games less rather than more immersive - you're always thinking about the control system as it doesn't replicate movement properly. It ius a cool idea but sadly it got over-hyped at the launch and now too many developers have implemented it in very gimmicky ways.
If natal does work like the hype claims then I can think of loads of cool uses for the tech, but after the wiimote I won't be getting my hopes up until someone finally creates a holodeck...
I dont know why everyone keeps saying the ps3 is a better buy when it has inferior graphics, resolution and framerate in majority of games. you can check the comparison on ign and eurogamer
I don't own a 360, but if Microsoft can deliver with Natal, I'll get one. I don't think it's a rip-off attempt to garner Wii users. I have a Wii and PS3. Honestly, there is not a lot of good software for the Wii. The Wii sold on a lot of hype, I believe. I'm glad Nintendo tried something different, but they had better start delivering some killer software soon. There is still no game on the Wii that takes its controls and blows everything out of the water.
I'm also very interested in what Sony can pull off for their motion peripheral. One problem I have forseen with FPSs and motion control, is the ability to "drag" and lift like with a mouse. This could easily be solved, though - I know an excellent method.
*inability
PCs are superior to all of them so it's all irrelevant to me. I can play games, do work, surf the net, listen to music, and anything else I want. Games are almost always best on PC. The only benefit console gaming has besides its price and convenience compared to PC is that it's a lot easier to play a game with someone else whether it's co-op in an FPS or a sports game or whatever. A lot harder to do that on PC. I wish PC game developers would do like companies used to do in the old days and include network licenses with games so that you can legally install the game on another machine for LAN play. Bungie did it, I'm pretty sure Blizzard did it too.
i would have bought a 360 if there was a possibly in a price reduction in Live? i just want to play against/with other people online. I don't need a million other extra features.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6874103129
there a price drop its been there forever
now go get a 360. i doubt you will
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6874103129there a price drop its been there forevernow go get a 360. i doubt you will
no moron. its because playing online in servers or matches should be free after I've purchased the game, paid for my internet, and bought the console. so many moron fanboys that can't take any criticism of their god..woops i mean 360. $10 off. wow big price cut. how many RROD's have you had loser?
I find it very sad when people compare Games consoles, and get over animated about how one does so much more than the other, I personally have owned an Xbox360 since its release, this was because it was released earlier than the PS3, and has had consistantly good quality games available. Until KillZone 2, there was very little on the PS3 that interested me enough to even consider buying one. Now on the other hand with Uncharted 2, and The Last Guardian, starting to see the developers getting to grips with the PS3 hardware,i will probably buy one.
If you are in anyway buying a Games Console for Branding and NOT purely for the quality of games then your seriously missing the point.
Some of the games due out on both formats look amazing Alan Wake (when it finaly is released) is one of the best looking titles on any platform including the PC.
I would also like to point out to PC fanboys, that the amount of money you need to spend on a quality gaming rig, you could buy all three of the current Gen consoles. And considering how little exclusive games there are left on the PC, PC fanboys should reconsider thier position. Crysis 3... on consoles as well. (ps i own a nice PC but having to run a patch, seting up graphics settings, downloading newest drivers and hoping everything works is a considerably larger hassle than turning on the console and playing it)
On the Subject of Project Natal, why would anyone bother ripping into it? its a fantastic idea that if works could change the face of gaming and interaction in the living room.. or if it fails, is a peripheral you don't "need" to buy. Give microsoft and Sony for thier magic wand ideas credit for trying to bring something interesting if not totaly original to the table.
It annoys me greatly when people spam abuse about hardware and peripherals. Its about GAMES. if you bought a ps3 for a bluray player as your primary reason, then your a fool. and considering you can pickup an Xbox and standalone bluray player for the same price as a PS3, then GAMES should be your ONLY concern when considering which console to get.
On a final note, although most people only buy one console and stick with it, there is Always the opportunity to change at a later date, and considering they expect the current generation to last twice as long (unlike previous 5yr turnarounds) then your "new" console you would have upgraded to after the 5yrs can simply be - getting the other one. You will then be enjoying both and having the benifit of all the games available without the need to complain or compare whos is better.
Cheers
RO
How did a peripheral become a PS3 vs 360 debate.
If the E3 demo was representative of the in-home Natal experience, I don't believe anyone can argue how great Natal will be, not just for gaming but for other applications like in Minority Report.
I think it is a good move for the 360 because Natal could probably be used with future Xbox consoles - one can hope.
Strangely, I do think there is another 3-4 years left on the 360 platform because I don't think Sony will attempt to make another, expensive to manufacture, PS4 anytime soon - Sony doesn't abandon their consoles like Sega.
i'd gladly pay $4/month to have XBL. online play is superior to the ps3 and if wifi is really THAT important, pick up a wireless receiver.
as for the natal project, the only thing it will be used for is dashboard functions and tiger woods pga.
i think if microsoft really wants to excite their customers, they should focus on improving the 360 internally.
the fans are shit and the entire cooling system guarantees a malfunction.
i don't need glitter and flashy lights to slaughter zombies on cod, and i certainly don't need the rings of death.