CES 2007: Xbox news leaked ahead of Bill Gates CES keynote speech

Xbox to get update

7 January 2007 15:19 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Bill Gates is expected to announce upgrades and additions to the Xbox 360 games console at his keynote speech at CES 2007 in Las Vegas later today. According to a number of websites, new features will include a new version with 120GB hard drive and HDMI port plus improved IPTV (Internet Protocol television) features.

Currently the next generation games console is missing a HDMI socket for outputting a HD instead choosing to opt for a DVI to HDMI cable instead. The new revision, which would tie in with revisions to the unit's motherboard already announced would allow greater connectivity for the company's HD DVD drive announced before Christmas, and allow Microsoft to compete directly against Sony's PlayStation 3 console which comes with an HDMI socket as standard.

A new hard drive size would allow Microsoft to offer more content to gamers for download via its download service. Although only currently available in America, Microsoft already offers select television shows and movies via its Xbox Live service and an improved hard drive would mean future customers could download more content without fear of filling up their current drive.

IPTV is expected to be the next big thing in consumer electronics with Apple expected to release more details on its iTV product that allows you to stream movies from your computer wirelessly to your TV. It is expected in Steve Job's keynote speech on Tuesday that this technology will also feature a HDMI socket.

Mother broad revisions aren't a new feature of games consoles. The original Xbox had five in total and Sony used one of its board revisions, which normally involves reducing the amount of processors and microchips needed, to reduce the size of the console with both the PlayStation 2 and PSOne.