Leaked Microsoft document suggests future Xbox plans
updated 08:48 pm EDT, Sun June 17, 2012
Document detail SmartGlass, possible augmented reality
A file thought to be a Microsoft company presentation about the future of the Xbox was briefly leaked online before being removed, reports say. The 56-page document -- dated to August 2010 -- describes concepts such as a new Xbox, augmented reality glasses, Xbox TV apps, and SmartGlass. It was removed from Scribd following a takedown notice from a law firm listing Microsoft as a client.
A future console named the Xbox 720 seems to be following a plan to make the console an all-in-one media box. Blu-ray support, true 1080p video, an always-on state for updates and an increase in performance are alluded to. SmartGlass references, meanwhile, suggest that Microsoft spent at least two years on the concept before a recent E3 announcement. Xbox TV, something which has already been deployed worldwide, is hinted at gaining background recording.
A research project, "Fortaleza" Kinect Glasses, appears to be very similar to Project Glass, a technology by Google. Few details exist, but demonstration drawings suggest using them for games as opposed to Google's more utilitarian approach. Labels indicate there could be both Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity, allowing for use outside of the home.
Possible inclusion of six or eight 2GHz x86 or ARM cores with 4GB DDR4 memory in the 720 matches the low-end of previous rumors, although the listing of three 3.2GHz PPC cores would aid the console with backwards compatibility. A 10-year lifespan and $300 price point are earmarked.
Scribd, where the document was hosted, currently shows a content removal request from Covington & Burling LLP. Although the notice mentions the law firm by name and not its client, it is likely to have been on behalf of Microsoft. Covington & Burling last worked with Microsoft in 2011, according to firm's website, advising the software giant during its acquisition of Skype. [via The Verge]
