Do you ever think that there will ever be an Xbox portable?

not until they can beat sony fully in hardware and try to get rid of nintendo in their money making business.

MS MS MS trying to rule the world?? naughty naughty.

Peter Moore said that Zune would get games "by 2008". Zune was always planned as a series of devices, each with different roles. So far there's only one model, but there will be a flash-based Zune (a la the iPod Nano) and Zune 2.0 by the holiday season this year. It seems logical that if MS tries to break the handheld market, it will be using a device that is part of the Zune ecosystem.

Also, it's worth pointing out that Zune Marketplace points are identical to (and interchangable with) Xbox Live Marketplace points - I use the same account for both. I think by the holiday season this year we will see greater integration of the two marketplaces leading up to a Live Anywhere portable gaming/media player device in under the Zune brand.

nobackfire000

I don't think Microsoft is able to make a trustworthy console, therefor making a handheld would be disastrous.

Peter Moore said that Zune would get games "by 2008". Zune was always planned as a series of devices, each with different roles. So far there's only one model, but there will be a flash-based Zune (a la the iPod Nano) and Zune 2.0 by the holiday season this year. It seems logical that if MS tries to break the handheld market, it will be using a device that is part of the Zune ecosystem.

Also, it's worth pointing out that Zune Marketplace points are identical to (and interchangable with) Xbox Live Marketplace points - I use the same account for both. I think by the holiday season this year we will see greater integration of the two marketplaces leading up to a Live Anywhere portable gaming/media player device in under the Zune brand.

grayoldwolf

M$ isn't entirely stupid. They're letting Sony and Nintendo duke out the hand-held wars. The only way to truly profit and thrive in the hand-held market is to give your hand-held the same attention you give your console, which is whey the DS is great and the PSP sucks. PSP may be a better hardware system, but there aren't any games at all worth having, while the DS is just a mini-N64 with really enjoyable games. M$, I'm pretty sure, understands this, so untill they feel comfortable in governing both a console and a hand-held, they won't make a true hand-held system.

As for the Zune, I think it's great, but there are too many i-Tards out there, willing to throw another $300 away as soon as the next iPood comes out. Sorry, but the whole circling touch pad on the iPood sucks.Buttons are way more accurate and easier to use. The idea of making different kinds of Zunes is cool too, and somewhat believable with the way the Points are set up. I could see being able to play Live Arcade games, but that's about it. I don't think they would push full-fledged games... actually, I'd really like to be able to play Live Arcade games on the go, like Worms, Geo Wars, Alien Homonid... CASTLEVANIA... yeah, they better make that crap available real fast. Now my hopes are up...

I don't think there will be a portable Xbox, not after the Zune experience (Ipod killer? hell no!) Although Microsoft is kinda special: if they want a portable Xbox, they are going to release it no matter what, after all, they have the millions and millions of dollars needed to do it.danlher

To be fair, MS have never said that Zune would be an "iPod killer" - the press gave it that label. And you're right about MS having deep pockets. They knew they'd make a loss on Xbox, they knew that Xbox 360 would take a while to be profitable (should happen later this year) and they knew that at least the first two generations of Zune would struggle. But they entered these markets knowing that they could take an initial loss (for years even) but would ultimately make money.

They'll take a similar strategy with a portable gaming device, I'm sure. I don't think that it's a coincidence that J Allard, the man who was responsible for heading Xbox 360, has been moved to the Zune project.

For the record, I have a Zune and it's a great piece of kit. Much better than my iPods were, and with a lot more potential too. It's really well made, and the current issues with the 360 should not lead one to assume that the Zune is similarly badly designed. Zune rocks! Believe me, I'm picky when it comes to hardware, and I'd have taken the thing back to the store if it sucked.

Peter Moore said that Zune would get games "by 2008". Zune was always planned as a series of devices, each with different roles. So far there's only one model, but there will be a flash-based Zune (a la the iPod Nano) and Zune 2.0 by the holiday season this year. It seems logical that if MS tries to break the handheld market, it will be using a device that is part of the Zune ecosystem.

Also, it's worth pointing out that Zune Marketplace points are identical to (and interchangable with) Xbox Live Marketplace points - I use the same account for both. I think by the holiday season this year we will see greater integration of the two marketplaces leading up to a Live Anywhere portable gaming/media player device in under the Zune brand.

grayoldwolf

[QUOTE="grayoldwolf"]

Peter Moore said that Zune would get games "by 2008". Zune was always planned as a series of devices, each with different roles. So far there's only one model, but there will be a flash-based Zune (a la the iPod Nano) and Zune 2.0 by the holiday season this year. It seems logical that if MS tries to break the handheld market, it will be using a device that is part of the Zune ecosystem.

Also, it's worth pointing out that Zune Marketplace points are identical to (and interchangable with) Xbox Live Marketplace points - I use the same account for both. I think by the holiday season this year we will see greater integration of the two marketplaces leading up to a Live Anywhere portable gaming/media player device in under the Zune brand.

limpbizkit818

All we have are rumours, but I use pretty good sources, the best being Gizmodo.com. You should check the siteout and search for "Zune" and "Zune 2.0".

Another good source is Zuneinsider.net - its a blog by one of the Zune team, and if you read between the lines of some of his posts he does give out hints that confirm or deny rumours. And he gives out free songs every Friday too. :D