xbox 2 and powermac G5

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Some new xbox 2, or xbox 360, pictures have recently surfaced on the internet. Numerous sites have, over the last couple of day, reported similar things. teamxbox.com reported that the xbox 2 developement kit was indeed a powermac G5



http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/8096/X...t-Kit-Spotted/



Now, new pictures, from different websites, show what the new xbox will most likely look like.



http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/8112/Xbox-360-Exposed/



Now, is it just me, or did micorsoft use an Apple computer to develop thier software and then, take Apple's looks from the powermac G5 and put them into their design. The new xbox also runs on two G5 processors. Why not call it an Apple or just buy 1 million powermacs slap on microsoft and xbox stickers and call it a day.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Maybe this is Microsoft's attempt to kill the mac - if you can load MacOS onto an xbox, then it will kill Apple's hardware buisiness. Any chance of that?
  • Reply 2 of 13
    Thats just not possible. Microsoft can't use mac software that would be illegal. But, what if it worked the other way around: you could play xbox games on powermac. I guess that you just need a small software upgrade. I'm sure someone could develope it.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    stoostoo Posts: 1,490member
    While running Xbox 2 games on other hardware is theoretically possible, it's probably not feasible. There's a lot more to XBox 2/PowerMacs than the CPU, not to mention that legal ramifications. Current PCs are probably too slow to emulate the ancilliary hardware.



    Edit; does anyone know if the Xbox 2 SDK is just a normal PowerMac + Radeon X800, or if there is any "irregular" hardware in there?
  • Reply 4 of 13
    no idea, specs unclear at this time to me.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    dave k.dave k. Posts: 1,306member
    I wonder if Microsoft will sell to Mac users a software application that will allow Macs to run XBOX 360 software?
  • Reply 6 of 13
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dave K.

    I wonder if Microsoft will sell to Mac users a software application that will allow Macs to run XBOX 360 software?



    I don't think they would. One reason why macs arent as popular is their gaming options (or lack thereof). If you add a whole bunch of games to macs, what just happend? Microsoft loses marketshare to people who now are attacted to Mac os X. At the momment, microsoft contains 90% of the market share, and thus forth, selling a software translator to allow macs to read xbox (2/360) games would only generate small amounts of revenue...especially considering that most useres of the macs are in the creative professional field. The possibility of a third party (most likely either an individual or mac gaming company) coming up with a translator is very high, assuming their are no legal/licencing issues related.
  • Reply 7 of 13
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    So - this is pretty significant for apple. If there is a shareware hack that lets you play xbox 2 games on the mac, then mac sales will jump up - all Apple needs to do is make sure that the xbox2 is absolutely not compatible with Mac OS X, and have nothing to do with the xbox->apple utility.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    I'm not sure it's certain the Xbox uses actual dual G5s... only that the devkit, which has been out for a year now, uses them.



    I think this is irrelevant to Apple/Macs. The only connection is that Xbox uses PPC chips. All next-gen systems are using some PPC-derived solution, but all designs are still so different and proprietary that it makes compatibility with PCs/Macs not at all likely.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    imiloaimiloa Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dave K.

    I wonder if Microsoft will sell to Mac users a software application that will allow Macs to run XBOX 360 software?



    on the other hand, if XBOX games ran on macs, MSFT could make a lot more money on game sales.



    ie: most console makers sell the hardware around cost levels, making their real money in game sales/licensing. to point, last i heard, MSFT was still *losing* money on every xbox they sold.



    so if the games ran on macs, MSFT has a wider audience for xbox games, while shipping fewer xbox2 consoles at break-even or loss.



    what a whacky world, eh?
  • Reply 10 of 13
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I'm pretty sure those Macs are not running Mac OS anyway. They are running a specially compiled version of NT4 compiled specifically for development of games for the XBOX 360 on the PPC. Nothing will just work in OS X. Every game would still need to be ported.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by imiloa

    on the other hand, if XBOX games ran on macs, MSFT could make a lot more money on game sales.



    ie: most console makers sell the hardware around cost levels, making their real money in game sales/licensing. to point, last i heard, MSFT was still *losing* money on every xbox they sold.



    so if the games ran on macs, MSFT has a wider audience for xbox games, while shipping fewer xbox2 consoles at break-even or loss.



    what a whacky world, eh?




    Don't even begin to pretend to imagine even for the smallest fraction of a second that the revenue potential for mac games would be greater than the revenue for OS/business software.



    The difference is absurd. Several hundred orders of magnitude absurd.
  • Reply 12 of 13
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    ChevalierMalFet, Nice name.



    I agree that it's absurd that 2% of the computing community would use a Mac to play XBOX games when most of them already own an XBOX. I do. I think it's the best thing since online gaming, and the best way to play games online. XBOX live is the killer app.



    Needless to say there is 0% profit (they would probably loose money) for M$ to waste it's time and port an XBOX game to the Mac. YOu have to remember the Mac community is only 2% of all computer users, and 1.5% of them don't even game, and at least .3% will already own an XBOX 360º if they do game.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    Quote:

    I'm pretty sure those Macs are not running Mac OS anyway. They are running a specially compiled version of NT4 compiled specifically for development of games for the XBOX 360 on the PPC. Nothing will just work in OS X. Every game would still need to be ported





    but ya know, since technically the xbox 360 and macs use the same hardware, porting the games should be a lot easier. i don't know a lot about programming games and such, but i would think it would be easier than it is now, going from a completely different platform. now all they'll really have to do is change it for a different OS and such. maybe there's hope for mac gaming...
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