Microsoft unveils blue 360 development kit

ynnoj on 24 March 2009 - 19:29 · 60 comments & 12251 views

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As expected, developer related news seems to be the flavour of the week in San Francisco. Following Sony's announcement yesterday, Microsoft has just shown off some new developer tools, as well as an improved Xbox 360 development kit.

Sporting a cool blue finish, the new model has also had it's memory bumped to 1GB - double that of the standard Xbox 360. The famous four rings associated with the 360 are also said to glow blue, but there is currently no imagery to confirm this.

In addition to the new model, Microsoft also announced the upcoming release of XNA Game Studio 3.1. The update, which will be available 'in the next few months', will allow upcoming developers to utilise Avatars, video playback and Xbox Live parties in their creations.

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#1 Electric Bolt on 24 Mar 2009 - 19:40

Looks like a good replacement for the current Xbox 360 Elite.

(5 replies) #2 +what on 24 Mar 2009 - 19:40

Why couldn't we get this instead of that red pos?

*hopes he doesn't have to write a disclaimer to say he knows it's a development box*

#2.1 ynnoj on 24 Mar 2009 - 19:46

Tell me about it, this thing is actually HOT.

Apparently the rings glow blue too.

#2.2 GP007 on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:50

If enough people make enough noise about it MS might use the color scheme in the next round of Limited edition units. Since it seems that they will probably drop the Elite SKU? Or that was the talk going around last month.

#2.3 iamwhoiam on 25 Mar 2009 - 01:48

ynnoj said,

Apparently the rings glow blue too.

BROD??

#2.4 Recon415 on 25 Mar 2009 - 08:00

I WANT I WANT I WANT!

#2.5 Shane Pitman on 25 Mar 2009 - 15:52

iamwhoiam said,

BROD??

That would fit perfectly with the BSoD. They could simplify their support lines, "Thank you for calling Microsoft Support. Press 1 for BSoD, press 2 for BRoD...."

(1 reply) #3 Sam Symons Live on 24 Mar 2009 - 19:59

...that's pretty damn sweet.

#3.1 epple on 25 Mar 2009 - 14:03

Yeah it's sexy as hell! I'd buy one!

#4 Xero on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:01

Even I gotta admit thats a nice looking console.

#5 Mr. Andrews on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:01

I want to see some decent pictures of it first... but from those very dark ones, it looks very nice. Unfortunately it's for developers only :\

#6 Scirwode on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:08

Damn, that actually looks pretty snazzy. Reminds me of the new blue colour for the PSP-3000.

Scirwode

(2 replies) #7 +TCLN Ryster on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:16

Why 1gb? Whats the point of testing on hardware that no other 360 has?

#7.1 +dead.cell on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:18

That's what I was thinking. Perhaps for development purposes though?

#7.2 neufuse on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:34

TCLN Ryster said,

Why 1gb? Whats the point of testing on hardware that no other 360 has?

To hold debug code in memory without paging it...

#8 njlouch on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:33

That is sexy looking as hell!!!!

#9 d3nuo on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:42

:drool:

(1 reply) #10 iAwesomeness on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:44

I think microsoft would be on to something great if they actually sold this model, shame its only for developers but that blue is sweet!

#10.1 GP007 on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:52

I think we'll see more colors for limited edition units if they go with those and drop the Elite SKU. But I dunno. If enough people like this maybe they'll use it later on for retail units.

#11 bob_c_b on 24 Mar 2009 - 20:59

B.R.O.D. incoming...

(6 replies) #12 +techbeck on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:01

Hmmm, bluray player as well???

#12.1 +what on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:06

techbeck said,

Hmmm, bluray player as well???

Unfortunately, just because something's blue, doesn't make it a Blu-ray player

#12.2 +techbeck on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:32

what said,

Unfortunately, just because something's blue, doesn't make it a Blu-ray player

Yea, more along the lines of wishful thinking....

#12.3 Midnight Mick on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:55

techbeck said,

Hmmm, bluray player as well???

I can't see myself upgrading unless it has blu-ray...

#12.4 tablet_user on 24 Mar 2009 - 23:33

Midnight Mick said,

I can't see myself upgrading unless it has blu-ray...

so your not gonna upgrade your dev kit unless it plays blu-ray or do you just not know how to read the word Development Kit in the title?

#12.5 ufis on 25 Mar 2009 - 07:45

The 360 will never have blu-ray ever.
Sony owns blu-ray and they wouldn't ever let microsoft have it. Then no one would have a reason to buy the PS3.

#12.6 Richard Hammond on 25 Mar 2009 - 09:51

ufis said,

The 360 will never have blu-ray ever.
Sony owns blu-ray and they wouldn't ever let microsoft have it. Then no one would have a reason to buy the PS3.

Sony doesnt own Blu-Ray at all they are part of a consortium.

(1 reply) #13 WooHoo!!! on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:04

Nice. Make it so Microsoft. I want one that colour asap.

#13.1 PureLegend on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:03

Well the original 360 dev kits were essentially oversized Elites, so a new scheme based on this new kit isn't that crazy.

#14 saasn on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:36

That's sexy

#15 DigitalE on 24 Mar 2009 - 21:44

Looks amazing.

#16 +Harlem39s Finest on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:39

omg its beautiful !

(2 replies) #17 +troist on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:44

Why've they written XNA on the side of the HDD caddie? Surely most developers with dev kits wouldn't use XNA? Not doubting its a real dev kit, just questioning why they'd bother putting it there

Its a pretty awesome kit though

#17.1 GP007 on 24 Mar 2009 - 22:54

You can use XNA to make arcade type games just the same. YOu don't have to write down your own engine and code if you don't have to.

I don't see why devs wouldn't use XNA if they don't need anything more powerful.

#17.2 Silverskull on 25 Mar 2009 - 02:35

GP007 said,

IMO they should release this, say... as an online-only thing... for anyone who wants one. After all, it would be a great way to test XNA community games, right?

#18 Gladiatorus on 24 Mar 2009 - 23:05

Looks very nice, I WANT ONE!

#19 Shadrack on 24 Mar 2009 - 23:38

If I understand correctly, not just anyone can get a development kit... only developers and they are not cheep.

#20 insomniac9 on 24 Mar 2009 - 23:48

wow! that looks gorgeous. I want one

#21 TheLaughingMan on 25 Mar 2009 - 00:33

OMFG I WANT!

#22 Tech Star on 25 Mar 2009 - 00:44

I will buy this if they release the blue color.

#23 -T- on 25 Mar 2009 - 02:20

Forget the bag blowing in the wind, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen :p

Seriously though, this looks nice, I'd love it if they released this later for public. I can see how some people would jump to the BluRay assumption though

#24 M_Lyons10 on 25 Mar 2009 - 05:05

Wow, that's really a nice looking scheme... If that weren't just for developers I'd buy that in an instant...

NICE!

#25 Gamerhomie on 25 Mar 2009 - 06:24

WHOA.

#26 lflashl on 25 Mar 2009 - 07:34

wow now thats what the xbox should be coming out in!

#27 +NienorGT on 25 Mar 2009 - 07:50

Nice look, devs must be happy

But I'm more looking for that new Avatars capabilities...

#28 jamesyfx on 25 Mar 2009 - 07:56

Someone will probably release a mod/new case with this design on. Hopefully without those dorky XNA letters on the front, and that Aero-like pattern on the side!

(3 replies) #29 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00

#29.1 njlouch on 25 Mar 2009 - 09:45

I really REALLY hope so.

#29.2 flashdata on 25 Mar 2009 - 14:09

njlouch said,

I really REALLY hope so.

You really really hope that a bunch of mostly underaged chinese males and females who are underpaid and work under horrible working conditions and nonstop with little to no rest make you a toy so you can enjoy?

I believe Neowin has a 0 toleration policy again warez but comments like this should also not be tolerated.

#29.3 Dischordiant on 25 Mar 2009 - 14:35

flashdata said,

El Oh El at you for really blowing a comment out of proportion.

(1 reply) #30 +chrismaddern on 25 Mar 2009 - 10:55

I don't do a lot of 360 (or console) development so I may have missed something here, but why would you want to test on a machine with TWICE as much RAM as your target platform??!

#30.1 bangbang023 on 25 Mar 2009 - 17:29

From what I've read, it's to dump debugging data to instead of paging it on the HDD.

#31 PsykX on 25 Mar 2009 - 11:31

Wow, even I who never liked Microsoft's designs must admit that this thing is sexy.

(1 reply) #32 barteh on 25 Mar 2009 - 12:00

whats the difference between this and the normal 360?

#32.1 ynnoj on 25 Mar 2009 - 12:39

It's a development console.

#33 Examinus on 25 Mar 2009 - 13:22

What's that big blue thing sticking out the top?

#34 +nightwolf20024 on 25 Mar 2009 - 14:37

the hard drive. the dev consoles have bigger hard drives then the retail ones.

#35 ahhell on 25 Mar 2009 - 16:06

That thing looks awesome. It's infinitely better looking than that ****ing ugly Halo or red Res Evil one.

#36 emadof on 25 Mar 2009 - 17:27

its nicer when you get the blue ring of death.

#37 Disengage on 25 Mar 2009 - 17:40

I just creamed my pants. This thing is HAWT!

#38 WehageDK on 25 Mar 2009 - 20:27

Woah... How much space does that monstrosity of a harddrive have? :o

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