CES 2007: IPTV Coming to Xbox 360
On-Demand programming is coming to your 360 in 2007.
showUSloc=(checkLocale('uk')||checkLocale('au'));document.writeln(showUSloc ? 'US, ' : '');January 7, 2007 - The Xbox 360 is taking over your living room.
In addition to more than 300 games and endless hours of downloadable content via Xbox Live Video Marketplace, Xbox 360 owners can also look forward to IPTV by the end of 2007.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Sunday, Microsoft announced that IPTV will be coming to the Xbox 360 in the holiday period of 2007. IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television, is the delivery of digital television over a network infrastructure.
The service is similar to On Demand cable in which you can select and watch digital programming in a matter of seconds with the touch of a few buttons on your cable remote. Among a number of international providers, Microsoft announced that AT&T would be a service provider in the United States. It's possible that more providers will be announced later.
At CES, Microsoft showed a quick demonstration, quickly flipping through channels and looking at a picture-in-picture to preview other channels. Microsoft also said that it will be possible to talk to your friends over Xbox Live using a headset as you both watch IPTV.
While no cost of the IPTV service has been announced, an Xbox Live membership or, at the very least, a broadband connection are expected requirements to receive the service. For Microsoft, the announcement is exciting as the Xbox 360 console continues to grow into a full home entertainment system in just one box.
And if you don't like videogames, Bill Gates also announced that Microsoft is designing a kitchen counter that electronically displays recipes and cooking tips on your counter tops. Delicious.
We'll have more as CES continues.
