[surly]

The Xbox 720 will not be called that when it is finally announced. Instead, Microsoft will be reverting to the name of its first games console released 11 years ago, Xbox. In addition, it will be seen as a hub to a number of devices to carry an "X" branding, one of which will be the much-rumoured 7-inch gaming tablet, which Pocket-lint has learnt will be called X-Surface, not Xbox Surface as previously thought. The X-Surface will not be a Windows 8 or Windows RT device, we have been told by a tipster very close to the project who, naturally, wishes to remain anonymous. Instead, it will be a standalone portable gaming system. On launch, we are informed, it will be able to access the games, music and video hubs of the new Xbox, but will not have any apps of its own. It will not have a desktop as part of its operating system, rather be entirely focused on playing full console-quality games. Although there are no technical specifications touted, we have also been told that the X-Surface tablet has much improved hardware over a Surface RT. With the source claiming that he/she "witnessed Unreal Engine 3 demos running at a solid 60fps". There are also unconfirmed rumours that the X-Surface will have a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless protocol for compatibility with Xbox 360 controllers and, it is said, future control devices.

One incorrect former rumour about the new Xbox that has been quashed by the tipster is that one of the cores will be dedicated to running the operating system. The OS will have a similar look to Windows 8, with moveable tiles, but won't be literally using that software. It will also require two-cores to run, as it will remain active in the background in order to provide full multitasking functionality. "Very much akin to Nintendo's offerings on 3DS and Wii U - but on a far larger scale," explained the source. A couple of the features of multitasking explained to us include video calling in games (with users able to determine which corner of the screen to place the feed), and the ability to take screengrabs to save to hard drive or SkyDrive.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/4945...xbox-x-surface

Dunno how reputable/reliable they are when it comes to rumours, but it's some stuff I hadn't read about until today.

[TheDrowningMan]

Oh yeah, THAT would sell well to the casual market at launch. No possibility of confusion and indifference.

[VertPin]

Wii vs wii u
Xbox vs Xbox 360 vs Xbox

Wat. I like Sonys model so much more. Ps1, ps2, ps3 etc

[Ein Bear]

Oh, so that's what the '360' meant. We're stuck in a never ending loop of Xbox branding.

[Chittagong]

Tablet with a true Call of Duty, Xbox Live and the 360 controller will sell like gangbusters.

Gang.

Busters.

[famousmortimer]

Completely suspect sounding info.

[Gemüsepizza]

Two cores? Rather bad news if true... and this tablet thing sounds strange. Doesn't the surface cost almost 500€ with a 10 inch screen? And this "X-Surface" will be more powerful? And then you can't even have dedicated games on this new device? Are they streamed? How do you control them?

[Forkball]

Call it...

X

It's a black box with a big green X on it. No information, just the X. Hire me Microsoft.

[Bjoern the Smexy]

FFS, first all these reboots of games and movies with their original names attached, now consoles jump on the same train?

At least call it Xbox Next or something.

Call it... X It's a black box with a big green X on it. No information, just the X. Hire me Microsoft.

If it looks like a hybrid of the original Xbox and GameCube, I might be totally sold.

[Sec0nd]

Seems like it will cause some brand confusion. Also, an X-Surface sound kind of strange and not something Microsoft would do.

[Phonomezer]

Oh yeah, THAT would sell well to the casual market at launch. No possibility of confusion and indifference.

The difference being that Microsoft know how to market their consoles.

[Aiii]

Wii vs wii u Xbox vs Xbox 360 vs Xbox Wat. I like Sonys model so much more. Ps1, ps2, ps3 etc

Numbering systems is so underrated. :)

[Danthrax]

So Microsoft is jumping into the handheld market with a Vita/PSP-like pitch: "It plays console games on the go!"

And Microsoft is falling in love with its own brand so much that it's getting stupid with naming its next console, much like Nintendo with the Wii U.

Welp. Looks like Sony has an opening in the next console generation and the 3DS will remain virtually unrivaled.

[famousmortimer]

Tablet with a true Call of Duty, Xbox Live and the 360 controller will sell like gangbusters. Gang. Busters.

I don't agree. I think the people playing call of duty are perfectly happy playing it exactly where they are and aren't looking to go portable. I thought it was silly that Sony/Vita fans thought it was going to be a killer app for that platform (regardless of quality).



Dudes who play COD, by and large, don't want to buy new stuff. They want to buy call of duty, each year, for the system they already own.

[ekim]

A mobile device with dedicated games is a stupid idea. They should've made it a low power streaming device on which I can play the 720 games at home off tv.

[monome]

I don't understand the point a non-Windows 8 tablet.

[gofreak]

Instead, it will be a standalone portable gaming system. On launch, we are informed, it will be able to access the games, music and video hubs of the new Xbox, but will not have any apps of its own. It will not have a desktop as part of its operating system, rather be entirely focused on playing full console-quality games.

This sounds odd.

It will just stream from the console?

Or it will play some subset of 'full' Xbox games on its own?

All in all, though, it sounds pretty much in line with what we've been hearing elsewhere.

[Fragamemnon]

If the X-Surface was produced to consume XBLA releases+specialized X-Surface games, I would be interested in getting one. The actual Xbox console holds no sway with me as a PC gamer.

[fixuis]

This is also from the article..

Microsoft is working with AMD on the central and graphics processors. The CPU will be 8-core, as previously rumoured, although each core will be running at 1.9GHz instead of the 1.6GHz reported. The rumours on the graphics trip were true, being an 800MHz GPU. "One benchmark used internally has been a custom build Watch Dogs E3 demo which runs at 55-60fps with only five cores at 100 per cent," we were told.

[MikeE21286]

Tablet with a true Call of Duty, Xbox Live and the 360 controller will sell like gangbusters. Gang. Busters.

How do you play that? On a stand?

[Danthrax]

The thing is, the mass market already calls the Xbox 360 simply "the Xbox," so what would people call this new console? "The new Xbox"?

I think this is going to create confusion, unless their plan is to abruptly kill off the 360 and make the transition to selling the new Xbox as seamless as possible.

[Alx]

I don't think brand recognition would be a problem. For the casual market (or anybody, actually), there would only be the "old" Xbox and the "new" Xbox, until the old one is forgotten (everybody already calls the 360 "the Xbox" anyway).

I'm highly skeptical about the success of that X-tablet though... because most people will already have/want a tablet not dedicated to gaming, and because mobile gaming with non-mobile games always sounded like a bad idea (and the difficulties of the PSP consoles seem to confirm it).

[nofi]

[goomba]

FFS, first all these reboots of games and movies with their original names attached, now consoles jump on the same train? At least call it Xbox Next or something. If it looks like a hybrid of the original Xbox and GameCube, I might be totally sold.

Having "Next" in the name wont happen because then what do you call the one after that ?

[Yoshiya]

X-Surface sounds like total bs and there's no way they wouldn't use an Xbox tablet to push the WinRT/WP8 app ecosystem.

Damn I really like this. Better branding than MS has ever seen before, for certain.

[Blearth]

The thing is, the mass market already calls the Xbox 360 simply "the Xbox," so what would people call this new console? "The new Xbox"? I think this is going to create confusion, unless their plan is to abruptly kill off the 360 and make the transition to selling the new Xbox as seamless as possible.

Worked just fine for the iPad.

[Ein Bear]

Having "Next" in the name wont happen because then what do you call the one after that ?

Next Xbox Next

[Aiii]

I don't think brand recognition would be a problem. For the casual market (or anybody, actually), there would only be the "old" Xbox and the "new" Xbox, until the old one is forgotten (everybody already calls the 360 "the Xbox" anyway). I'm highly skeptical about the success of that X-tablet though... because most people will already have/want a tablet not dedicated for gaming, and because mobile gaming with non-mobile games always sounded like a bad idea (and the difficulties of the PSP consoles seem to confirm it).

I disagree, it has always been "The 360" for me, and no doubt for many others.

Other than that, you are correct that it doesn't matter, as long as people can tell it's a new system (which they will by the looks and games).

[surly]

A mobile device with dedicated games is a stupid idea. They should've made it a low power streaming device on which I can play the 720 games at home off tv.

According to the article, the X-Surface will have access to the games, movies and music hubs on the Xbox and you will be able to stream games and content over a proprietary wireless connection, so it sounds like it would do what the Wii-U does, but with all games.

The entire article could be complete horse shit of course! lol. There have been rumours of MS making a 7" tablet for gaming going around for a while though. To be any good as a companion device for Durango, it would have to have proper controls though.

[antonz]

This is also from the article..

Interesting info.

Trying to see where they are coming from though. Only 5 cores at 100% is a hell of alot when you only have 6 dedicated to gaming.

[Reiko]

Did anyone notice the Watch Dogs at 50-60fps part?

[Phonomezer]

I disagree, it has always been "The 360" for me, and no doubt for many others.

When Kinect came out people were just referring to it as "Xbox" on twitter.

[clockpunk]

I rather liked the idea that it could be called 'Infinity'... but that's just me! :p

[gofreak]

This is also from the article..

Yeah, that's interesting, although a bit funky. '5 cores at 100%' is a bit of an odd thing to say.

Can any of 'our insiders' verify if the information about the CPU clock is true, or if any of the other information is true?

I think it should heavily noted that Pocket-lint says their source is anonymous even to them.

[Danthrax]

Worked just fine for the iPad.

I suppose. Maybe that's their thinking. Try to use an Apple strategy in releasing Xbox hardware.

[famousmortimer]

Why are we acting as if this true?

[Hanmik]

so a reboot..? do we have to protect the Xbox then..?

[monome]

No comixology on a tablet means no buy.

[Pie and Beans]

With all those 8's on its innards, aint no way thats not becoming part of the marketing. Xbox Infinity or Xbox Loop is what I think it'll be, even if they dont just go oddly for Xbox 8.

[Danthrax]

I disagree, it has always been "The 360" for me, and no doubt for many others. Other than that, you are correct that it doesn't matter, as long as people can tell it's a new system (which they will by the looks and games).

You should read some police blotters sometime. Police write in their reports that an "Xbox" has been stolen in a burglary, but I'm sure they meant an Xbox 360. They don't know the difference.

[Reiko]

so a reboot..? do we have to protect the Xbox then..?

From Geohot.

[Dawg]

Tablet with a true Call of Duty, Xbox Live and the 360 controller will sell like gangbusters. Gang. Busters.

Only problem is... the reason that tablet games sell so much, is because they're dirt cheap. iOS/Android has CoD clones for like <5$ (?). Why should they buy CoD for 60$ then? And I don't think Activision will lower the price/make CoD more tablet like. (60$ CoD still earns more despite 'less sales' than 5$ iOS games)

[Meisadragon]

Pocket Lint Publishes Anonymous Note Sent to Most Media Outlets!!!

https://twitter.com/Rob_Crossley_/st...32819582296064

lol.

[speedpop]

But GAF told me it doesn't like playing on tablets. Or any controller with tablets. Or whatever.

[ArtHands]

I prefer a "Xbox Next"

xbox360 is quite a mouthful

[Dabanton]

At this point it seems a ton of people have seen this thing but can't give firm info to protect their 'sources' of course.

I consider it all click bait.

But GAF told me it doesn't like playing on tablets. Or any controller with tablets. Or whatever.

Who is GAF?

[famousmortimer]

https://twitter.com/Rob_Crossley_/st...32819582296064 lol.

LMFAO


I think, for (slightly) old time's sake, this thread should become caturday.

[Phonomezer]

https://twitter.com/Rob_Crossley_/st...32819582296064 lol.

lmao

LMFAO I think, for (slightly) old time's sake, this thread should become caturday.

[monome]

With all those 8's on its innards, aint no way thats not becoming part of the marketing. Xbox Infinity or Xbox Loop is what I think it'll be, even if they dont just go oddly for Xbox 8.

I disagree.

Xbox planned as a hub rather than a straight console, with an ecosystem of products/apps is a sound idea.

the marketing, the vendors etc...will make it clearer to customers how far things are compatible.

it's war for the digital account, and MS has interest in building an XBOX account rather than play the naming war.

that said X-etc is a shit. Feels like the 90's. it's xbox or MS better find a suitable name replacement. i'm not married to the "xbox" name.

[Hanmik]

From Geohot.

lol.. or maybe..



but seriously this sounds like a good idea to me. I like the sound of XBOX much better than 720... and the X branding is actually a nice idea..