[Rumor] Xbox 3 Specs Leaked, Include WiFi AR Glasses

[DoctorFinger]

This one gets the rumor tag because it's unconfirmed. It could very well be a fake, but if so it's one hell of an impressively detailed one.

A leaked internal presentation from Microsoft appears to show the future of the Xbox line through 2015. That includes the Xbox 720, a new Kinect and a set of WiFi/4G enabled augmented reality glasses dubbed Project Fortaleza.

The document itself is from August 2010, but it includes developments such as the Metro dashboard from 2011 and the recently announced Smart Glass initiative for touch devices. That doesn't mean the document is 100% legitimate, but it adds to the credibility. But that's the old Xbox. What we really care about is the new one, which Microsoft dubs Xbox 720 in the document.

The key points: they're aiming for a Fall 2013 launch at a price of $299. The date is what we assumed it to be. The price is about $100 less than I would have expected, and is a very pleasant surprise. The console would be about 8x as powerful as the current Xbox with 11-13 CPUs and 2 GPUs plus 4 GB DDR 4 RAM spread across three main sections: backwards compatibility, core and applications. The display would support native 1080p and 3D and include a Blu-Ray drive.

- Kinect v2. The new Kinect will be two units set a distance apart to generate a stereoscopic view of the room. It will only get an incremental boost in power, but that still means tracking up to four players simultaneously and enhanced spatial recognition. Microsoft is really pushing the transmedia experience here, promising things like a 'virtual sports bar' where you use Kinect to play pool with your buddies while multiple video streams show on virtual TVs in the background.

- TV and movie experiences. I mentioned 1080p, 3D and BR. The 720 will feature new, low power modes for app use and streaming. It will also work as a whole home DVR and it will stream media content - eventually including games - to any device. You'll also be able to run concurrent apps, for example getting football scores on a ticker while you play Gears of War 5.

- Project Fortaleza. This is the most fascinating bit, glasses which connect wirelessly to the 720 and provide augmented reality features, such as a virtual opponent appearing in your living room. Fortaleza is set to launch in 2014, a year after the 720, with a 4G version designed for use outside the home launching a year later in 2015.

Also in 2015, Microsoft plans to start a cloud gaming service. "Access to the latest and greatest" with "no new hardware required." By then you'll be able to stream games not only to your 720 but to mobile devices and even to the Fortaleza glasses themselves.

There's plenty more at the link, including more detailed hardware descriptions and lots of marketing speak.

Again, all of this comes from a nearly two year old powerpoint presentation. Some of this is bound to have changed in the intervening months, but it does give you an idea of what Microsoft has planned for the Xbox in the next few years.

Source - Polygon; Scribd document link

[Serapth]

If this is true, I will eat my own testicles*







* note, hyperbole, commentor won't actually eat own testicles

[Troggles]

If this is true, I will also eat Serapth's testicles.

[Serapth]

Testicles for everyone!

[Squidbot]

I better get in line for the testicular repast.

[KamaItachi]

I would gladly donate my testicles if it would help this be true.

[jpc_theoneandonly]

I will gladly share my testicles with all of you! As well as partake in the eating of Serapth's testes.

[bapenguin]

Microsoft would never refer to the next Xbox as the "Xbox 720" internally.

[Purple Santa]

Originally Posted by bapenguin

Microsoft would never refer to the next Xbox as the "Xbox 720" internally.

Don't rain on on our testicle parade

[DoctorFinger]

Originally Posted by bapenguin

Microsoft would never refer to the next Xbox as the "Xbox 720" internally.

But i could see them using it in a pitch to retailers and content partners.

[Serapth]

Anyone else want one of this generations consoles to be gimmick free?

Just more of the same, with a better CPU, faster networking, a slightly better controller and more storage? No fucking waggle, AR, holograms, heartbeat sensors or magic books.

Just a console, but better?

I would buy that.

[Serapth]

Oh, and you spelled augmented wrong in the tag.

[Shjinta]

That's not a lot of memory to support all that hardware.. That's my only issue. Looks cool. I haven't bought a Kinect so I won't get half the stuff that goes with this system anyway.

[Widgetcraft]

Originally Posted by Serapth

Anyone else want one of this generations consoles to be gimmick free?

Just more of the same, with a better CPU, faster networking, a slightly better controller and more storage? No fucking waggle, AR, holograms, heartbeat sensors or magic books.

Just a console, but better?

I would buy that.

I wouldn't mind having AR glasses if it means that AR can actually be fucking AR. This weird shit of putting an altered picture of what I'm doing on my TV has virtually no appeal to me. It kind of works on handhelds, but AR glasses would be way more convincing.

[Kelegacy]

Originally Posted by Serapth

Anyone else want one of this generations consoles to be gimmick free?

Just more of the same, with a better CPU, faster networking, a slightly better controller and more storage? No fucking waggle, AR, holograms, heartbeat sensors or magic books.

Just a console, but better?

I would buy that.

I am tired of gimmicks. Wearing glasses would suck to play games. That's why I am not into 3D HDTVs. And I think the Kinect is a pile of shit. It sold well but the software is shit, as was to be expected.

I just want to keep playing fun games in a way that works. This looks like it's aimed at more casual gamers and with gimmicks comes 90% awful implementation. Maybe it's Microsoft's Wii?

But whatever. As long as the PC doesn't turn into a Wii in the coming years, I'll stick with gaming there, as it is so far the only one that doesn't seem to have crazy gimmicks. There are motion controllers and stuff, but I haven't seen a single game support them exclusively.

[Deadend]

Originally Posted by Shjinta

That's not a lot of memory to support all that hardware.. That's my only issue. Looks cool. I haven't bought a Kinect so I won't get half the stuff that goes with this system anyway.

well, it's about 8x as much as the 360 has.

I'm also not sure if it's real, as the lack of Durango makes it seem off.

The specs seem reasonable, up until the Kinect 2 being 2 Kinects. As the Kinect already has 2 cameras, and it's current limitations are in the software used for detection.

So yeah, I think it's fake. And 2014 augmented reality glasses? From Microsoft?
Hah.
Microsoft is always a year or two late to the party, so I'm doubtful we will have those glasses this soon.
The earlier stuff seems feasible including price, even though the high number of CPUs seems..odd.

I'm going with fake still.

[Narradisall]

The gimmicks are 'optional'.

I'm more interested in the launch lineup myself.

[Shadowstorm]

Only 4 GB of memory? Granted, it's saying DDR 4 memory which is something that I first overlooked, but I would have figured just a little bit more of a bump in that direction considering the longevity that consoles are taking (360 launched in 2005).

[GunnyMo]

I think I can speak for the old people on CoG: this scares me and is very complicated. Can we just have a controller interface that lets us play games. Also, who wants grilled cheese and weak tea?

[Kelegacy]

Originally Posted by GunnyMo

I think I can speak for the old people on CoG: this scares me and is very complicated. Can we just have a controller interface that lets us play games. Also, who wants grilled cheese and weak tea?

I guess this is what the old folks felt like when we were kids. They were all like, "computers are ruining typewriters" and "sex used to be just simple before this newfangled reverse cowgirl jazz".

Now I look at the changes things go through and am appalled while the younger kids who don't have a frame of reference get excited.

Ah well. But yes I'll take a grilled cheese. And no cream or sugar in the tea please.