Xbox to tempt parents with online banking option

Microsoft's Xbox software development team is apparently fiddling around with a version of Microsoft Money for the machine that started out as a games console but is increasingly mutating into a home PC.

If Microsoft does indeed have a broader view of Xbox than simply a state-of-the-art, then a Money port shouldn't surprise anyone. Redmond is already building in TiVo-style TV recording features into the box, and online banking is another obvious consumer-friendly application to pursue.

According to Xbox fanboy site, Xbox365, account details will be encrypted and held on the console's hard drive. Users' decryption keys, however, are stored on a Compact Flash card - the card has to be inserted into the machine before data can be pulled off the hard drive.

Xbox365 also notes that Xbox beta units are running way too hot, thanks to the latest rev. of Nvidia's graphics chip. Again, we're not entirely surprised - with over a year to go before Xbox debuts, we'd expect Nvidia to be more concerned with getting its chip working than finer points like heat dissipation. Calm down, dudes, it'll all be sorted out by launch. ®