Rumour: Microsoft prepping 'Xplayer'?

Rumour: Microsoft prepping 'Xplayer'?

Tom Warren on 21 March 2006 - 08:05 · 13 comments & 7102 views

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Rumours abound on popular games forums and blogs alike are pointing towards Microsoft releasing something called 'Xplayer'.

Xplayer is a bid to capture the huge audience for handheld entertainment gadgets like Sony's PSP and Apple's iPod.

Microsoft is rumoured to be designing a project that combines video gaming, music and video onto one device to launch under their Windows Mobile family.

If the rumours turn out to be true then it will be at least a year before we see the device hit stores. With Microsoft's Xbox 360 already out months before the delayed PS3, could a portable Xbox be the icing on the cake to edge Microsoft's sales beyond that of Sony's?

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#1 wutang01 on 21 Mar 2006 - 08:45

Sounds interesting. It better be feature-packed and has a stylish design ...

#2 raid517 on 21 Mar 2006 - 10:39

Well give me something with a hard drive bigger than an iPod and that can play top branded games too and I'll be sold.

GJ

#3 MightyJordan on 21 Mar 2006 - 11:20

If this is true the 1st thing I'm wondering about is the price. With the Xbox currently at £100 and the PS2 at £110 I predict that this so-called "Xplayer" would cost less than a PSP which is currently at £180 so I think it would be £170 or £160.

This "Xplayer" rumour might be true because Microsoft officially announced a portable Xbox in development a few weeks ago. Most people, including me, thought that the other project codenamed "Origami" was the portable Xbox, mainly because in the trailer online it showed someone playing Halo. But now we know it's a new kind of portable PC.

#4 Smigit on 21 Mar 2006 - 12:22

well theres no reason why an oragami couldnt do this. Since hardware changes from vendor to vendor, all it would require is someone to create one with controls that are game friendly. The issue would be video power but I'm sure that wont be an issue in a year or two and ati or Nvidie will want to release solutions for the device. Besides that the last thing you need to worry about is battery life and the fact that games are optomised for fully fledged pc's so ingame resolution ect could be a problem. If not then theoretically you could play any pc game out on the device (assuming you meet the hardware requirements). Infact that would be kinda cool as it means you wouldnt need to buy portable versions of all your games.

my $0.02.
Of course there are issues with all this but in the end it could be done.

(1 reply) #5 minnow_trap on 21 Mar 2006 - 13:01

I'm just wondering if this "new possible unit" is going to endure overheating problems?

#5.1 rIaHc3 on 21 Mar 2006 - 14:28

Its a rumor and you are already showing your fanboy self off??? Amazing

#6 P1R4T3 on 21 Mar 2006 - 13:35

Well for the features its OK. But I really thing that this device should be really portable; like putting it in ur pocket. But if its gonna play games, then I guess its gonna be bigger. It would be cool if Microsoft release a portable music device which will really compete with Ipod; but with additional features; like playing mp3,mp4,aac,wma,ogg.
Anyways, I really dont like big stuff. Lets hope for a good design.
Go Microsoft!!

(2 replies) #7 Croquant on 21 Mar 2006 - 14:23

It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft actualy gets into the portable MP3 player market or not, but frankly I hope they stay away from it. The market is already dominated by Apple, and there's stiff compitition from a whole raft of other players. Microsoft would just be wasting their time.However, knowing Microsoft, they will press ahead anyways becasue their primary goal is to have a finger in every electronic pie. Naturaly, they would insist that you use only the "Windows Media" formats.. which would suck....

This is why I use a DRM-free flash-based MP3 player. Nobody's gonna tell me where I can listen to my music.

#7.1 P1R4T3 on 21 Mar 2006 - 14:44

Thats why Microsoft should get into the mp3 player market because it is dominated by one company only. Even though Ive heard that there are lots of decent mp3 players out there,Apple is sitting on top of everyone. Plus; its player supports format chosen by apple only. If microsoft gets into the game, its sure that its gonna play wma,but wat can make its player different than ipod?
This is why microsoft should have its player support the major audio formats used nowadays and also it should support DRM-free music. Well, thats my "dream" mp3 player; microsoft has its secret plan. And if microsoft doesnt do thats then its gonna be just "another" mp3 player that will confuse people.

#7.2 Smigit on 22 Mar 2006 - 03:03

"The market is already dominated by Apple, and there's stiff compitition from a whole raft of other players. Microsoft would just be wasting their time."

If we followed that logic then the Xbox would have never been created. Also the playstation wouldnt exist either since Nintendo was the main force.

I too would love to see them release a product. With their financial backing they will be able to do alot more potentially than some of these smaller companies can do.

(1 reply) #8 voidunknown on 21 Mar 2006 - 18:28

Funny. I remember posting this in the BPN 2 months ago...

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=425529&hl=

#8.1 yert* on 21 Mar 2006 - 20:22

haha funny; want a tissue?

#9 Cyranthus on 22 Mar 2006 - 05:15

Opinion: Stop posting articles based on rumors...

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Rumour: Microsoft prepping 'Xplayer'?

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