Microsoft Xbox2 to Challenge Sony PS3

Ten days until the announcement of the second generation Xbox during an MTV special. Leaks says it will be branded the Xbox360. And indications are that the graphics will support 720p HDTV (1280x720) using NEC embedded DRAM (eDRAM), which allows ant-aliasing with minimal frame rate loss in the ATI graphics processing unit.

Samsung's HDTVs will be preferred, partly due to the sets 12 millisecond pixel switching speed -- no more smearing during high-speed transitions. If nothing else, Samsung sells 25,000 HDTVs for use in consumer point-of-sale stations. (Expect a long line, gamers).

Other rumored specs include:

• CPU will use three 3.0GHz PowerPC cores, each with 32KB L1 cache, 32KB instruction cache, and the three share 1MB of L2 cache. Later alpha decks only featured two cores.
• The graphics will be handled by a “next-gen” 500MHz ATI post-X800 adapter
  There will be 256MB RAM—no word on what type; memory cards will range from 64MB to 1GB
• There will be no “next-gen” (i.e. Blu-ray or HD-DVD) drive, but instead a dual-layer DVD
• There will be an optional hard drive (as we heard before)—no word on final size
• There will be a USB 2.0 camera for 1.2-megapixel shots and VGA-quality video
  5.1-channel audio is handled in software—X3DAudio to be exact (no word on in/outs)

Meanwhile, Sony is planning on shipping 2,000,000 Playstations a month this year, which is more game units per month than Aplle's hot iPods.

Should be a very interesting year as game stations morph into living room media consoles.

- Peter S. Kastner