MS goes for control, Disneyesque experience for Xbox Live
Microsoft habitually announces billion dollar bets that aren't really, but Xbox Live really is one. That's not to say the stated billions are correct of course, but if this one flops it'll still cost Redmond a pretty penny. In the event of failure Microsoft would be left clutching four datacentres, a sophisticated broadband voice, data and messaging network waiting for clients that aren't coming, and - bizarrely - some kind of online Disneyesque experience.
And it's risky because - as was not the case in the pre-XP hype period - Microsoft is trying to carve its way into and dominate an entirely new market that it doesn't already own. As The Register has been known to observe in the past, Microsoft is actually not very good at this kind of stuff, so don't get your hopes up (or do, depending on your inclinations).
The script for Xbox Live is approximately as follows: Find out more at The Register USA
- Transmeta blades power landmark supercomputer breakthrough
- More mobo makers expected to showcase system products at Computex Taipei 2002
- Graphics card shipments grow slightly, thanks to falling DRAM prices and 845B0 board clear-out
- Central China becomes the new production camp of mobo makers
- Japanese display producers to further boost capacity this year
- Late May DRAM contract prices slide 10%
- China's fragmented home-grown mobile-phone industry needs consolidation to compete
- Taiwan's dry spell drives PCB suppliers to outsource
- Topco to hike 6" blank wafer prices 10-15% starting July
- IPO? Taiwan's largest TFT LCD polarizer producer applies for stock listing
- Launch of Intel 845G drags down prices of DRAM for graphics cards
- Matrox introduces Parhelia-512 graphics chip
- MORE MOBOS! Jetway chairman: Stronger demand for mobos likely
- AMD K8-based chipsets ready, boards to be unveiled at Computex Taipei
- Tosh preps curved LCD screen
- Net radio wins reprieve
- Hyunju PCs launch in Europe
- Hynix small shareholders want blood
