BY MISHA DAVENPORT Staff Reporter
Microsoft has seen the future and it is in high-definition. HDTV to be precise.
The computer giant, maker of the No. 2 video-game console, the Xbox, put months of Internet rumors and speculation to bed Thursday with the unveiling of its next-generation console, the Xbox 360.
Microsoft's new machine, expected to be in stores this holiday season, was front and center during a special that aired on MTV Thursday night. Elijah Wood ("The Lord of the Rings") hosted and the Killers performed during the show, which gave the world its first glimpse of the new unit.
But on paper, the Xbox 360 is one powerful machine.
[EA's "The Godfather" and other Xbox 360 games will be built for high-definition TV, providing a lifelike appearance for characters like Vito Corleone. Microsoft's new console takes a cue from Sony's PlayStation 2. The device can be used either vertically or horizontally.]
Every game made for it will be built for high-definition TV. To accomplish that, the console features three central processing units, each working simultaneously at 3.2 GHz.
"You're going from one processor running at 730 MHz to three, each running at five times the power," says Jeff Henshaw, Microsoft's executive producer of Xbox Digital Entertainment.
The new system requires that much raw processing power in part to deliver games in high definition. But it also works on older televisions.
While prices for high-definition televisions continue to fall, the sets can cost $3,000 or more, placing them out of the price range of many consumers. Henshaw says his company is taking a gamble by anticipating more consumers will soon migrate to the new technology. But no more of a gamble than the 2002 introduction of Xbox Live service which emphasized broadband connectivity for online gameplay at a time when broadband service wasn't readily available in all areas.
"Broadband paid off for us," Henshaw says, "and we think high definition will pay off, too."
Jeff Karp, group vice president of marketing at Electronic Arts, the largest third-party software developer, says the system's processing power will be good for gamers.
"Artificial intelligence is more intelligent, and we're able to create for the first time emotionally believable characters in games like 'The Godfather,' 'Need For Speed: Most Wanted' and 'Madden NFL 2006.' "
Characters that previously seemed a bit zombie-ish come alive through facial animation and body movement. "It the thing about Xbox 360 I'm most excited about," Karp says. "We're really bringing athletes and characters to life. There's a fluidity and athleticism to them. It's a whole new level."
Another thing that may go the way of the past is film footage in games based on movies.
"We may not need real footage because the in-game visuals we're creating are just as good," Karp says. " 'The Godfather' is looking so realistic that the film footage isn't needed."
Henshaw wouldn't comment on the new device's sale date, its price or whether it will be backward-compatible with current Xbox games. Microsoft is expected to answer those questions at a press conference Monday.
One revelation: Xbox 360 will have three USB 2.0 ports for jacking in a digital camera, an iPod or -- yes, even rival Sony's PlayStation Portable.
"We don't require you to use our brand of X," Henshaw says. "It's not about proprietary technology, it's about getting people connected."
TECH SPECS
The Xbox 360 is one powerful machine. Here are the technical specifics alongside the original Xbox and rival Sony's PlayStation 2.
Xbox 360 Xbox PlayStation 2
Central processor Custom-designed, IBM Power PC-based CPU with three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each; six hardware threads total (two per core). Intel 733 MHz Pentium III; one hardware thread 128-bit "emotion engine" operating at 294.912 MHz
Graphics processor Microsoft and ATI custom-designed chip running at 500 MHz Microsoft and nVidia custom- designed chip running at 233 MHz Graphics synthesizer running at 150 MHz
Total memory 512 MB GDDR3 RAM 64 MB 32 MB
Main memory bandwidth 22.4 GB/second 6.4 GB/second main memory 3.2 GB/second
Hard drive Detachable, upgradable and possibly optional Yes Optional 40 GB hard drive.
Controllers Supports up to four wireless game controllers (expected to come with two) Supports up to four game controllers. Two controller ports, supports Dualshock 2 controllers
USB ports 3 USB 2.0 ports will support MP3 players, Web and digital cameras and Windows XP PCs. None Two USB ports support EyeToy and USB keyboards.
DVD movie playback Yes, with built-in progressive scan Remote-control accessory required Yes
Broadband-enabled (with connection required) Yes, with free online access to basic Xbox Live Silver. (Additional fee for Xbox Live Gold. Wi-Fi sold separately.) Yes, annual subscription to Xbox Live required Optional broadband or LAN Internet adapter; each online game may require a separate monthly subscription
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