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Charlie Owen, a former Media Center team member wrote a post this week about Media Center expanding its marketplace, specifically going from the current enthusiast market to a more mainstream market.  Charlie analysis comes to the pretty simple answer of “It’s possible, but highly unlikely at this point.” I had previously come to this conclusion, but to me the real question is “will Microsoft attempt to develop for the enthusiast market?”  Lucky for me, Charlie replied to my comment with exactly what I was expecting Charlie: “No. That’s because they have never done so. The enthusiast market is always a … Continue reading Going Beyond The Enthusiast Market

Microsoft rewrites the rules on fun with controller-free entertainment, Facebook for your TV, plus instant on 1080p HD streaming video. LOS ANGELES — June 1, 2009 — The future of home entertainment has a new name: Xbox 360. Today, Microsoft Corp. opened the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with a historic Xbox 360 briefing that rocked, tweeted, revved and awakened the world to a new era of fun and entertainment. In addition to premiering 10 exclusive new games, revolutionizing the way we watch TV, and making it easier than ever to connect to friends, Xbox also welcomed visionary filmmaker Steven Spielberg … Continue reading Xbox Unveils Entertainment Experiences That Put Everyone Center Stage

This week Microsoft took the wraps off the next Zune, dubbed Zune HD.  It seems to be your basic next-generation touch screen only media player with the common additions of WiFi and an web browser (IE based).  There are some other interesting parts such as a HD Radio tuner, an OLED screen, multitouch, and even HD output at 720p via a dock. The most interesting part of the announcement is not the device, but rather the service.  The Zune Marketplace will now integrate with the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, finally drawing a realistic picture of Microsoft’s “3 screen” vision of the … Continue reading Microsoft Connects the Dots with Zune HD, Zune Marketplace, and Xbox

Year-over-year growth jumps as Xbox 360 console sales hit 30 million globally and Xbox LIVE community reaches 20 million users. REDMOND, Wash. — May 28, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. announced today that sales of Xbox 360 consoles have passed the 30 million mark globally, with its Xbox LIVE community swelling to more than 20 million active members. After the biggest year in its history in 2008, Xbox 360 achieved the highest percentage growth in hardware sales of any console so far in 2009, up 28 percent over the previous year.1 The success of the platform can be measured across the … Continue reading Xbox 360 Sees Record Growth in 2009

Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE. REDMOND, Wash. — May 26, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is … Continue reading Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player

Developing…. “new interactive entertainment genre with the premiere of the Xbox LIVE Primetime channel, which brings together the best of TV and gaming. Xbox LIVE Primetime will debut with an online version of the popular TV show “1 vs. 100” that enables thousands of gamers to play together with real hosts and compete for real prizes.”

Driven by record sales at retail along with an 84 percent jump in online consumer spending; global install base lead over PlayStation 3 expands to more than 8 million units. REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 5, 2009 — Despite a tough economy, the gaming industry held strong in 2008 and Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system recorded the biggest year in Xbox history, with more consoles, games and online entertainment experiences sold than any previous year. It was a year in which life-to-date unit sales of Xbox 360 systems climbed to 28 million consoles worldwide — expanding the … Continue reading Xbox 360 Records Its Biggest Year Ever

2008 was going to be the year of IPTV, and while AT&T and Verizon (actually QAM) have made great strides in the IPTV marketplace, Microsoft hasn’t done much to push what was promised on their end (Note: Microsoft powers AT&Ts IPTV DVRs).  Of course the prime example here is the concept of using your Xbox 360 as an IPTV DVR. The concept had been thrown around online for some time, but at CES 2008 Microsoft made it official and announced they were working with BT in the UK to bring the functionality to life.  That’s about the last time I … Continue reading ‘08 Disappointments: Xbox IPTV

Microsoft has officially dropped the price of all Xbox 360 SKUs.  The Arcade is now officially $200, or rather still the best value for an Extender if you can live without additional file format support and live with the fact that it has a fan. Read more here.

I never thought I would get a dozen posts out of this topic, but what do you know!  Some said I was dead wrong when I predicted that Microsoft wasn’t planning on adding Blu-ray to the Xbox 360.  After covering the issue from every different angle possible (Here,  Here,  Here, Here,  Here, Here, Here,  Here, Here, Here, Here) I still couldn’t come up with a good reason why it was in Microsoft’s best interest to add Blu-ray to the Xbox.  It isn’t hard to come up with reasons why potential or existing Xbox 360 buyers want Blu-ray, but taking a … Continue reading My Twelfth Post on Xbox 360 Not Getting Blu-ray