Then again, maybe the next Xbox will have a hard drive

[Yankeez]

or not....

The likely fate of the game console's storage medium--the subject of ongoing speculation as Microsoft closely guards details on the planned successor to the current Xbox--got a new twist this week from a patent granted to the software giant.

U.S. patent 6,716,102, granted Tuesday to Microsoft, covers methods for storing data about games in progress.

The patent specifically references "a gaming system (that) includes a hard disk drive for storing applications and other data," indicating Microsoft may be more committed to equipping future Xbox configurations with onboard storage than previously thought.

A Microsoft representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beyond confirming agreements with key suppliers--including chipmakers IBM, ATI Technologies and Silicon Integrated Systems--Microsoft has steadfastly refused to discuss plans for the successor to the current Xbox.

But company insiders have suggested the next version of the console--expected to hit the market late next year--may not include a hard drive, one of several measures intended to cut production costs for the money-losing product. That idea was bolstered in February, when flash memory products manufacturer M-Systems announced it had signed a contract to create high-capacity removable storage devices for future versions of the Xbox.

But the new patent describes internal, hard-drive storage as a key advantage for the Xbox over competing game consoles, allowing larger storage capacity and room to segregate data on individual games from other information, such as hardware and system settings.

Source

[skorp]

Hard drive on the Xbox is a must!

Whether they want it optional to have it already available internally or have it installed later I don’t care as long as there is an option.

I'll buy one with it! I don't mind spending more.... Unless they give us the option to install a hard drive with bigger storage space. Hmmm… :wink:

[Bakeman]

I really don't care if it's a harddrive, just as long as there is some sort of large internal storage.

And it won't stop me from getting the next xbox, but it would be nice if they could reduce the size of the system.

[AlBoogy]

I really think they originally threw out the idea to see how the gamers would react. My question is, if they didnt include a hd how would they transmit dl content?

[Yankeez]

I really think they originally threw out the idea to see how the gamers would react. My question is, if they didnt include a hd how would they transmit dl content?

flash memory, its basically like a small hard drive, i would much rather have flash but for some reason alot of people dont like it,

[Trento52]

Yeah i am more interested in flash because i think it will be more quieter, quicker, and smaller size too. But if it can't hold music and stuff like that i don't care much for it.

[SoundX]

Thank god, I really didn't want to go back to all this card stuff, and the hardrive just the way to go.

[Bakeman]

I believe flash memory doesn't have any moving parts. And yes it's much smaller.
Could have been the new cool way of going about it.

Either way, I dont' know why people were freaking out about no HD. HD or no HD, it was gonna have some sort of internal storage.

[ScorpionX]

Looks like this is false :

Microsoft Corp. this week was issued a patent (#6,716,102) for a hard-drive like storage device for a game console, according to Globtechnology.com. However, on closer inspection, the patent, while issued on April 6, 2004, was filed in March 9, 2001 -- several months prior to the debut of the first Xbox, not the second one.
The patent filing, named "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION REGARDING STORED DATA IN A GAMING SYSTEM" and the concurrent image display the means for saving a game in progress storage. The lengthy patent further discusses the needs for improved storage and a device very much like the Xbox's hard drive. Again, on closer inspection of the detailed image of said device, it's clear the image is that of the Xbox itself. The first Xbox.

As it remains, Microsoft is still rumored to be in the process of finding a cheaper save-storage medium, and has an agreement with M-Systems to produce high-capacity removable storage devices suitable for Xbox Next.
We'll have more on Xbox Next as soon as possible.

Source

[BinaryXtreme]

Hard drive on the Xbox is a must!

Whether they want it optional to have it already available internally or have it installed later I don’t care as long as there is an option.

I'll buy one with it! I don't mind spending more.... Unless they give us the option to install a hard drive with bigger storage space. Hmmm… :wink:

Absolutely. Without an internal hard drive, I will not buy it. Hopefully Microsoft will make the right decision.

[kenji]

Music isn't much of an ordeal for me because very few games support it(why?). Deathrow is the main game that I use the music thing in. Even if the game doesn't have a music support, nothing is stopping me from blasting music from my computer or stereo.

I like have the memory storage for games a lot. Memory cards are a pain and more trouble than they are worth.

[AlBoogy]

flash memory, its basically like a small hard drive, i would much rather have flash but for some reason alot of people dont like it,

Do any computers use flash memory? It sounds to me that if flash memory was used the cost to make the console would be some absurd amount.

[LiquidX]

I wouldnt mind losing the HD to flash RAM as long as I would never have to buy a memory card again. I like custom soundtracks but I would be willing to leave it out if flash RAM allowed for faster caching/sending of data. As long as there is SOME internal storage Im happy. I dont care what it costs MS, we're still going to have to pay at least $300 at launch so cheaper parts for them doesnt help us much.

[OC Noob]

Do any computers use flash memory? It sounds to me that if flash memory was used the cost to make the console would be some absurd amount.

M-Systems is suposed to have a new method of high capacity solid state storage and it may be giving MS a very good deal just to get its name out. Selling 1, 2, 5, or even 10 gb storage cards sold to MS at cost or a bit over could get them a lot of advertising.

I'd expect 1 gb cards for about $30-50. Two of those would be pleanty for downloadable content and music. I think I get about 200 MP3's in about a GB of space.

This is all speculation on my part though.

[Faithhammer]

Flash Drives would be nice, but they still seem to be rather expensive for the most part. It seems doubtful they could produce the same or greater capacity as the hard drives, while keeping costs down, in a limited amout of time. But you never know what M$ will come up with.

[blazenko]

Absolutely. Without an internal hard drive, I will not buy it. Hopefully Microsoft will make the right decision.

Y not wut do u really do with a hard drive? The hard drive is wut made the xbox so big, and so loud. And in the nextbox the power will bo so huge that the extra heat the hard drive would give would require another fan or something! All of that just to be able to play ur cd's that u downloaded to ur hard drive? Flash memory might not be able to hold as much as a hard drive but u still won't need a memory card and that's all i care about.

[l Maximus l]

I think the next generation flash memory is going to hold a hell of a lot more than any of us would have thought. In fact, I think Flash memory is going to eventually replace hard-drives as a whole...and yes, I also mean PCs and the like.

Think about how easy it would be to bring all of your memory in a chip that fits right in your pocket. I think it's sweet!

Don't worry, dudes...MS is not going to screw up XBox Next...that's for damn sure. Hard-drive or no hard-drive..it's going to rock!

Oh yeah...I also predict the launch of the next Perfect Dark as a launch title for XBox Next...I guess time will tell

[Shadow20002]

Yeah.. it will rock!

[bretman1234]

Although not having a hard drive on XBox Next would be a bit of a downgrade, seeing M$ use flash memory would be interesting. I agree with Yankeez, having a flash drive on the XBox Next would be kinda cool.

Would it look similar to this?

[l Maximus l]

It could look similar to that, however, by the time XBox Next comes out, they'll likely hold a poop load of more memory...should be cool.

hehe...I said poop.