Blu-ray add-on coming to the Xbox 360?
Rumours flare up, again
Microsoft has commissioned two of the biggest names in consumer electronics to manufacture a Blu-ray Disc drive for the Xbox 360, market sources have claimed.
A joint venture between Samsung and Toshiba has been tasked with making the add-on drives for the console, an Xbit Labs report maintains. Although the drive’s technical specifications are still unknown, it’s alleged that the Blu-ray player will sell for between $100 and $150 (£51-87/€73-110).
Exactly when - or, indeed, if - the Xbox Blu-ray drive will appear in the shops isn’t known either. But with the Christmas season rapidly approaching, and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) following it in Las Vegas in early January, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that the drive could appear sometime between now and early 2009.
Microsoft claimed back in May this year that it had “no plans to introduce a Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360” - despite the failure of its favoured next-gen optical disc format, HD DVD.
However, price cuts alone won’t win it the console war, and the firm needs to close the functionality gap that exists between the Xbox 360 and the Blu-ray lovin’ PlayStation 3.
COMMENTS
Oh Dear
"Would you buy the cheapest baked beans or the best value baked beans? Me I buy the best value beans."
No, i buy the cheaper beans because they don't taste any different and they're cheaper. Therefore i save more money for other things i want to buy and don't shoot myself in the foot. I can also afford to buy two tins instead of one.
"Would you buy the cheapest car or the best value car? Me I buy the car. Clearly the roads are not full of ladas and trevants, so I think most people think the same..."
You buy the car? Ladas and trevants? This is the most ridiculous argument ever. Clearly you have no understanding of a "Cheap" car?
"Same applies for consoles."
STOP. You're argument fell apart earlier, you bring up cheap beans and cars and expect to follow that through with a console analagy? Oh dear.
"The PS3 is by far and away the best value console right now."
In your opinion. It depends on what you as the consumer want, which is why we have choice and I for one am glad that there is such thing. You could argue that the 360 is the best value because of its choice of packages, its back catalogue and the fact that they're not forcing features upon you. You could argue that the Wii is the best console as you may not have a HDTV and you want a new gaming experience.
The problem in these forums is that people are inflicting THEIR experiences and their needs. This is why you're in here and not out there marketing these products because you do not understand the general public. You only understand yourselves.
"Sure there will be cheapskates who want it cheaper, but that would sacrifice quality, and make it no better than the crappy 360, and these people will always want something cheaper, most of the people crying about PS3 cost, are those that cried to Sony last time, about launch PS3's being to expensive, and the same ones crying about losing hardware PS3 compatability due to cost reductions. Go Figure...."
And there it is, the argument instead falls into the usual MARK type insults that he frantically types trying to conjure together something to wind up his 360 or nintendo counterparts. Any console that is the highest cost on the market to the consumer will be the console that gets the complaints, FACT. It always happens to be the most unpopular one. You will not be happy until everyone is singing the PS3 praise, and even then you'll still not be happy.
Its all very very sad. Try playing on your console. Or do you not actually do that?
"If you want quality, you have to pay for it. PS3 offers insane amounts of value, at a very reasonable price."
Try explaining some day what this insane amount of value is, and do it like a man, and do it logically without comparing it to another console. Try to help us understand what it is that you love so much about it. Then someone may actually listen to you.
"Paris, she is cheap and nasty like the 360..."
Oh dear.
Every day Sony tries to make the PS3 a 360
They are in constant back-foot mode at the moment.
PS3 media services trying to be like a 360 (despite going on record saying they were focusing on using the PS3 as a way to launch the BluRay platform... LOL)
PSN - a very poor mans LIVE!
Resistance - poor mans Halo!
A UI that doesnt innovate and has just been ripped off from matey in the TV factory who thought it up for a WEGA.
I havn't seen anything in the last 5 years where Sony have innovated, they rely on FUD FUD and awful marketing which no one understands these days and are losing their marketshare.
FUD FUD FUD FUD I HAVE A NEW WORD!!!
Value is everything
Would you buy the cheapest baked beans or the best value baked beans? Me I buy the best value beans.
Would you buy the cheapest car or the best value car? Me I buy the car. Clearly the roads are not full of ladas and trevants, so I think most people think the same...
Same applies for consoles. The PS3 is by far and away the best value console right now. Sure there will be cheapskates who want it cheaper, but that would sacrifice quality, and make it no better than the crappy 360, and these people will always want something cheaper, most of the people crying about PS3 cost, are those that cried to Sony last time, about launch PS3's being to expensive, and the same ones crying about losing hardware PS3 compatability due to cost reductions. Go Figure....
If you want quality, you have to pay for it. PS3 offers insane amounts of value, at a very reasonable price.
Paris, she is cheap and nasty like the 360...
What?
What is The Register on about?
The 360 is winning against the PS3 even without the price cuts, with the price cuts doubling it's sales over the PS3 it's even more clear cut now.
Furthmore, whilst Bluray is a feature the PS3 has over the 360, it's only one feature, so to suggest one feature somehow is more features than the countless features the 360 has over the PS3 doesn't make a lot of sense unless you're a complete failure at basic math and by basic I mean like nursery level.
Besides, most people buy a games console to, you know, play games. Seeing as the 360 blitzes the PS3 in that respect it's no wonder it's ahead of the PS3 in hardware sales by a decent amount and software sales by a massive amount.
Are the poor old Register "journalists" still really so upset that they backed the wrong horse with the PS3 that even now when sales figures are settled, the final placings are already decided for this console round they still can't drop their subtle jabs at the 360?
Price is everything
This could be a very good thing, just as long as they get the price right. Having replaced a 360 HD-DVD drive with a standalone player already, because the cost came down to a level where it was affordable to do so, I'm used the way running films over Microsoft's console isn't ideal. But standalone Blu-ray players are coming down all the time. If they're going to do this, they need to do it both quickly and cheaply, before I just get a proper player instead. Or Sony drop the price of a PS3, for that matter.
