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Microsoft Picks IBM for XBox 2

Originally posted by iGAV
abit risky if it's not backward compatible though isn't it.... that's why the PS2 has been such a huge success because earlier investments haven't been made redundant by upgraded hardware.

Either way Xbox2 Vs PS3 is going to be a monster of a battle! Damn do I wish I was in games design and dev. $$$$$$$$ :eek: :p :p
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Oh, good, maybe XBox 2 and PS3 graphics will finally match the 1st generation Gamecube's!

Can anyone say "Gamecube 2"?

:D
 
that would be pretty cool to run osx on a hacked xbox or ps3. running your favorite os on there would certainly help them become the ultimate entertainment center, especially if they add dvr like some of the rumor mills have mentioned.
 
What if?

What if PC makers started using IBMs chips instead of Intel or AMD? What if Microsoft made a version of Windows that runs on a G5 chip? Gives the whole Apple vrs Intel debate a whole new twist doesn't it?
 
Backward compatibility with Virtual PC

Maybe Microsoft is planning to provide backward compatibility with XBOX 1st Gen with Virtual PC?
Think about that. They are working on the next release of Virual PC for Mac that will emulate x86 on PPC platform, including G5. They discovered just how powerful is 970. Including Virtual PC on XBOX2/PPC970 would provide cost efficient way for MS to switch processors and XBOX1 backward compatibily.
 
Hacking the Xbox

I wonder if we will be able to hack the Xbox and run OS X on it. Oh the irony!
 
Re: Backward compatibility with Virtual PC

Originally posted by tutubibi
Maybe Microsoft is planning to provide backward compatibility with XBOX 1st Gen with Virtual PC?
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Yeah, and if it works as well on an Xbox as it does on a G4... :rolleyes:

People are willing to tolerate slowness to a certain extent on a computer. They won't tolerate it on a video game system.
 
tutubibi:

Maybe Microsoft is planning to provide backward compatibility with XBOX 1st Gen with Virtual PC?
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Well the Xbox #1 is only a 733mhz P3, so maybe they could do that at reasonable speed. Still, this seems like a lot of effort, I wonder what the big gain is... lower cost to manufacture? Perhaps they forsee IBM having far better performance for a given amount of heat (cheaper power components, cheaper heatsinks, etc)? I better go read this article or whatever it is....

They discovered just how powerful is 970.
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Well... its compeditive but really not blowing anyone out of the water.
 
Re: What if?

Originally posted by xtekdiver
What if PC makers started using IBMs chips instead of Intel or AMD? What if Microsoft made a version of Windows that runs on a G5 chip? Gives the whole Apple vrs Intel debate a whole new twist doesn't it?
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Interesting idea. So does this mean the start of MSRumors.com? :eek:

P-Worm
 
Re: Hacking the Xbox

Originally posted by xtekdiver
I wonder if we will be able to hack the Xbox and run OS X on it. Oh the irony!
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I doubt this will be true becuase they wont be using a G4/5/6.

I really find this interesting because wasn't the point of using x86 processors to lure PC Game vendors into porting (in most cases, with no code mods) their games to Xbox.

Im guessing they don't like there marketshare right now and they like the future of IBMs CPUs.

But who will win the Video race? Has Microsoft commited to either yet for XBOX2?

In fact, has anyone committed to either (NVidia or ATI) with their next gen consoles?
 
This is actually good news. It will help move things away from Intel and the monopoly they desire.
 
Maybe they want to try to stop people playing Xbox games on a PC.

Backwards compatibility isn't a big issue I don't think. Once people see the graphics leap in next generation games they don't bother with the older ones, plus they could just run them on their Xbox. I think that happened with PlayStation. (Although I agree graphics aren't everything!)

Nintendo went for what is basically an (alti-vec-enhanced?) G3 PPC processor to cut costs with the GameCube and so they are not making much of a loss on the hardware. Microsoft, on the other hand, was making massive losses per Xbox sold and I think the Xbox is yet to break even (software sales are where the money is). So although it's hardly an issue for Microsoft, maybe it's simply a cost-cutting issue :p

But I thought that, despite denials from Microsoft, the Xbox ran Windows architecture under the hood, so isn't this just an unncessary complication for Microsoft?
 
I wonder if IBM will develop totally new processor for Xbox or use existing technology? IBM already makes processor for Nintendo and developing a new processor for PlayStation 3. And of course Apple gets G5 processors. My guess is Microsoft might not want to use something that is used in all these other machines and opt for something more exclusive.
 
Some awesome games for Ps1

Originally posted by flyfish29
On the surface I thoght it was great to be able to play my old games on PS2 and loved that my hardware would work on it as well, but really, are that many people playing their old PS1 games using a PS2? I did for a while, but that was only because there were so few games out on the ps2 initially...I would hope this time they have many more games out on the new platform before it is released...ps3 and Xbox 2 due in 2006 I think.
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There will never be an Intelligent Qube for the PS2 or beyond - due to a contractual dispute. Also, the Ps1 had Tecmo Stackers and Devil Dice - these three are the best puzzle games beyond Tetris, in my opinion, IQ far surpassing it.

That said, I play all of them on my Mac with Connectix Virtual Game Station in 9 and FlareStorm (which can play Ps2 games now) in OSX.

On topic: This is good news indeed for futuring gaming on the Mac.
 
At best LinuxPPC

Originally posted by mrsebastian
that would be pretty cool to run osx on a hacked xbox or ps3. running your favorite os on there would certainly help them become the ultimate entertainment center, especially if they add dvr like some of the rumor mills have mentioned.
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At best you'd be able to run Linux PPC. But I believe the real reason Microsoft wants to move to IBM processors is BECAUSE of Linux.

They really hate that lots of hackers are turning them into mini linux terminals. Maybe they feel the IBM chip will make that more difficult, odd though, that's what OS IBM uses.
 
Some relevant items...

There has been some question as to whether Nintendo was going to come out with next generation hardware.
Nintendo recently stated they would- but I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft had approached them about making a console together, allowing Nintendo to focus on making money from games, and still getting a cut of licensing and networking revenues. Basing a new console on a PPC derivative would allow it to be backward compatible with the GameCube.

I would guess a Cell based machine if not for the fact that would upset Sony too much. I can't imagine they want to start from scratch.

A third alternative may be that IBM has obtained an Operton/AthlonFX liscense and will be manufacturing an advanced x86 derivative for them...
 
Originally posted by Foxer
Is there an estimated street date for Xbox2? The current is 2 years old, and if they're still trying to decide what processor goes in the next one, that would seem to me that it will be awhile before release.
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This just says "future XBox products ... to be announced at a later date".

Fits "XBox 3" as well as XBox 2.
 
Originally posted by mrsebastian
that would be pretty cool to run osx on a hacked xbox or ps3. running your favorite os on there would certainly help them become the ultimate entertainment center, especially if they add dvr like some of the rumor mills have mentioned.
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Well, I don't hear of OSX running on any current PowerPC systems like the IBM Unix boxes or the GameCube. The GameCube is running on PowerPC... there are lots of PowerPC things out there.. but to get an OS to run on a device is much more involved than just having the same processor.
 
Does IBM automatically imply PPC? It seems like they'd stick with their x86 guns, and IBM has plenty of those, as well..
 
Originally posted by flyfish29
On the surface I thoght it was great to be able to play my old games on PS2 and loved that my hardware would work on it as well, but really, are that many people playing their old PS1 games using a PS2? I did for a while, but that was only because there were so few games out on the ps2 initially...I would hope this time they have many more games out on the new platform before it is released...ps3 and Xbox 2 due in 2006 I think.
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but what almost guaranteed the success of the PS2 was that (most) Playstation games would be compatible and thus increased the desirability of the new system through reduced risk, think Atari Jaguar and how that bombed.

But you nailed it on the head, you played your old games on the system until new PS2 games filtered through, without that retro-ability how many people would have risked buying a PS2?? because at the time, there was still talk of the PS2 bombing as well, the Xbox suffered a similar rumour scare, and at the beginning looked like it was going to bomb... big time as well!

It remains to be seen though if loads of new games are available from the offset, no company is willing to risk millions upon millions of dollars creating games, until they're sure that the console has a market.

From what I've been reading about the PS3 though, is that it's going to move gaming, form, function to another level.... and will be more than just another box, and if any one company can pull this offf, it's Sony.
 
Originally posted by sethypoo
Jog my memory, please.
:)
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Bill Gates licensed DOS to IBM, thus building the Microsoft empire.

Originally posted by Macco
So even Microsoft admits that PPC processors have something to them? Any idea why they would choose to use IBM processors?
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Is this a precursor of porting Windows XP to PPC processors and abandoning Intel forever? They considered it with CHRP, why not now? You heard it here first.

Originally posted by Marble
Does IBM automatically imply PPC? It seems like they'd stick with their x86 guns, and IBM has plenty of those, as well..
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IBM does not produce x86 processors, only POWER and PowerPC. (If you get pedantic and name their mainframe and/or supercomputer processor lines, I'm going to kick you.).

Another question: Why is hardware innovation in consoles so slow? You buy an Xbox and it's the same for three years. A three year old Mac is crap! I don't get it.

As for emulation, there was a PS1 emulator for Mac awhile ago, Virtual Game Station. It's not that hard.
 
Originally posted by ddtlm
tutubibi:

Well... its compeditive but really not blowing anyone out of the water.
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Oh really now? It's a bit more than just competitive. You might want to go talk to those guys at VA Tech and see what they have to say about that...
 
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