Could M$ announce a PowerPC based computer before then end of the year?
Since the next-gen xbox will be using a variation of the powerpc couldn't M$ try to still some of Apple thunder by also releasing a seperate (or combo xbox/mini-pc) M$ brand mini-media computer (no clone versions).
While it would never be as good as a Mac Mini but wouldn't
a $299 PowerPc based mini-pc thats branded as a M$ product that utilized next-gen xbox LIVE online services for downloading games, music and movies steel some thunder away from Apple?
While it would never be as good as a Mac Mini but wouldn't
a $299 PowerPc based mini-pc thats branded as a M$ product that utilized next-gen xbox LIVE online services for downloading games, music and movies steel some thunder away from Apple?
Comments
so readers, cancell frm your memory the world avalon and put the successor of longhorn instead!
Originally posted by wmf
Xbox2 is a console; Mac mini is a computer. One goes on your desk, and one goes on your TV. If you're in the market for a computer, you aren't going to buy a console and vice versa. They don't compete.
I understand that, but that wasn't the point of my thread. M$ could utilize the technology they are using in the next-gen xbox and create an entirely seperate product that would compete against the mac mini as a small, cheap, powerpc-based computer. M$ would keep this little M$-branded powerpc to themselves and would not let dell, HP, Sony, or any other pc manufacturer make clones of it.
This M$-branded mini-computer would play next-gen xbox games but not generic pc games and M$ would create an entire new suite of (more media-centered) applications for it and keep the price-points lower then traditional pc apps.
Gates himself has said some pretty scarey things about the xbox2 being not only a games console, but a media centre. This is M$'s way to invade our living rooms, despite their claims a few years back that xbox is all about the games.
"We didn't do Xbox just to do a video game, we did it to be part of our vision of the digital lifestyle, and with the next generation, we really get to go there." bill gates, this month.
The mini-mac is very similar in that regard, but more for the desk, rather then the couch.
Originally posted by quamb
yes- they could, and will - infact I believe they are.
Gates himself has said some pretty scarey things about the xbox2 being not only a games console, but a media centre. This is M$'s way to invade our living rooms, despite their claims a few years back that xbox is all about the games.
"We didn't do Xbox just to do a video game, we did it to be part of our vision of the digital lifestyle, and with the next generation, we really get to go there." bill gates, this month.
The mini-mac is very similar in that regard, but more for the desk, rather then the couch.
It would be interesting if M$ sells the next-gen xbox for around $249 without a hardrive to keep the advertised price low. It would be interesting if the hardrive would sell for $100 but when the hardrive is connected to the next-gen xbox it allow it to also have computer-like functions and be able to run additional media-centered apps.
M$ could sell 2 versions of xbox2:
One without hardrive for $249 and the customer could either buy 500mb-1gig flash memory cards, use online storage on the next version of LIVE, or shell out an additional $100 for the optional Hardrive.
Second one would have the hardrive built-in for $349 but besides having all the xbox2 funtionality it would come with additional media-centered apps and wirless keyboard, mouse and remote comtrol.
Originally posted by johnsocal
M$ could utilize the technology they are using in the next-gen xbox and create an entirely seperate product that would compete against the mac mini as a small, cheap, powerpc-based computer. M$ would keep this little M$-branded powerpc to themselves and would not let dell, HP, Sony, or any other pc manufacturer make clones of it.
This M$-branded mini-computer would play next-gen xbox games but not generic pc games and M$ would create an entire new suite of (more media-centered) applications for it and keep the price-points lower then traditional pc apps.
It would take years for Microsoft to develop and debug that software.
Originally posted by wmf
It would take years for Microsoft to develop and debug that software.
Yup, their WODF methodology is an impediment sometimes
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Write Once Debug Forever
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These new apps could be part of an expanded LIVE service that would cost an extra $4.99 a month over the monthly/yearly fee for online gaming.
Originally posted by gelosilente
and don' t forget that selling hardware prvent ms from monopoly abuse lawsuit, in fact in her hardware ms could install what software want, like apple. and considering the "anti-piracy-virus-malware" tecnology from ms (sorry, forgot the name) if you want to install an application it must be an approved by ms one
Microsoft is an illegal monopoly on Intel hardware. If it were to enter the PPC hardware market, it legal status on Intel hardware would remain. The notion of Microsoft entering the business of selling personal computers, however, is one of the sillier conjectures to be posted on this forum in quite a while. Microsoft makes money by selling overpriced software to businesses. With the exception of Dell, Intel-based hardware CPU makers lose money. Apple can make money on its hardware because it can sell its CPUs at a premium. Nobody wants to pay Apple prices for Microsoft hardware. This means that Microsoft would likely lose money on every unit sold.
I will leave it to others to discuss the issues involved in starting a major new hardware platform--Microsoft or not.
Originally posted by Mr. Me
Microsoft is an illegal monopoly on Intel hardware. If it were to enter the PPC hardware market, it legal status on Intel hardware would remain. The notion of Microsoft entering the business of selling personal computers, however, is one of the sillier conjectures to be posted on this forum in quite a while. Microsoft makes money by selling overpriced software to businesses. With the exception of Dell, Intel-based hardware CPU makers lose money. Apple can make money on its hardware because it can sell its CPUs at a premium. Nobody wants to pay Apple prices for Microsoft hardware. This means that Microsoft would likely lose money on every unit sold.
I will leave it to others to discuss the issues involved in starting a major new hardware platform--Microsoft or not.
M$ looses money on xbox hardware in the hope of making a profit on games and it could be possible that M$ could make this xbox2/powerpc computer for very little profit but make their money on games and selling a premium versions of their online service LIVE. Their LIVE service could easily be expanded into music, movies, downloadable games, and additional media applications.
M$ could always buy Tivo and add the tivo service into their Hardrive and into their LIVE-subscription for a small monthly fee of $4.99 or so.
M$ might realize the future of profits will come from the sales of content and monthly service charges.
Unlike a game console, you wouldn't be buying a new OS every week to cover the cost of a loss leader.
Wait, this is M$ we're talking about? I could stand corrected!
Originally posted by JimDreamworx
Does M$ lose money on the hardware sales of XBox?
Unlike a game console, you wouldn't be buying a new OS every week to cover the cost of a loss leader.
Wait, this is M$ we're talking about? I could stand corrected!
All video game console makers like nintendo, Sony and M$ all lose significant amounts of money on the actual hardware for years but the money made on licensing fees for those proprietary games made for each system is where the money is really made. Eventually game console makers can get production costs low enough where then can make a few bucks on the hardware but this doesnt usually happen until 3+ years after its introduction and in M$ case they still lose money on each xbox console sold.
M$ wouldn't need to make money by selling an OS on this new media computer since they would make money on content and subscription fees.
M$ could sell their mini computer at a loss like every video game console maker does and they would make their profit on games, monthly subscription fees to LIVE that could be expanded to include music, movies and etc.
I could see M$ buying tivo in the attempt to get the name "tivo" as well as the millions who subscribe to that service. M$ then would bundle Tivo's subscription fees with LIVE and M$ would have instant access to millions of existing Tivo customers in which M$ could offer a special deal on M$'s new powerpc/xbox2/media computer with built-in Tivo.
Originally posted by Kassandra
sucessor to longhorn is Blackcomb, likly 10 or more years away
this is on topic !!!!