After dodging many, many questions about the Xbox 360's successor, (kind of like how OTHER companies never bother to verify rumors) Microsoft has finally confirmed what we all knew was on the way: there will be another Xbox.
And they even did it sneakily. In a podcast last week, the console was mentioned by Windows Live general manager Brian Hall. "We did this- we've had Hotmail for- and operated Hotmail for about 16 years. We obviously have Exchange, and Outlook that people use at work...We just decided it was time to do something new and bring the best from each of those- put them together and release it right in time for the new wave of products that we have coming out with Windows 8, with the new version of Office, with the new Windows Phone and the new Xbox."
What, you weren't expecting additional details or something, were you?
Last thing we've heard about the fabled "next box" were some tech rumors confirmed by developers, but not by Microsoft. Apart from that, rumors about the console, code-named "Durango," include lofty speculations at price, shipping with an integrated Kinect sensor, Blu-Ray drive, augmented 3D reality glasses dubbed "Fortaleza," and some sort of anti-used game technology. But keep in mind these are only rumors.
An alleged leaked document that Microsoft never confirmed as an internal document, but never the less demanded it be removed from several websites, also hinted that the console would serve as a "media hub," allowing users to:
* "Record TV in the background and serve up to any device in the household."
* "Stream your personal videos, music, photos and more and play them back from any device.
* "Start and play your favorite xbox games from other devices like phones and PCs with RemoteFX technology."
