Report: New Xbox Will Require Constant Web Connection
Will the new Xbox require a working internet connection?
Fresh reports suggest that the upcoming Xbox, rumored to be called the Xbox 720, Infinity, or Durango, could require an always on internet connection. Edge Magazine, the same company that said the Xbox 720 wouldn't be available in the United Kingdom until 2014, has said the next generation Xbox will require a constant internet connection in order to function.
Edge says the requirement will rule out a second hand game marker for the console but cites sources with first-hand experience of the new Xbox console that say that although the next Xbox will be "absolutely" committed to online functionality, games will still be made available to purchase in a physical format. Not only that, but Edge says Microsoft will abandon HD-DVD in favor of Blu-ray, stating that future Xbox games will be manufactured on 50GB Blu-ray discs.
Web connection as an aside, Edge's sources also commented on previously rumored sources for the new Xbox, stating that talk of a 1.6Ghz eight-core AMD CPU and a D3D11.x 800MHz graphics solution were true. They also mentioned 8GB of DDR3. and 8GB of DDR3 RAM.
Sony is expected to show off the next iteration of PlayStation later this month, so hopefully Microsoft won't be too far behind with the new Xbox. Then we'll finally know for sure.

So it's got 16GB of DDR3 RAM? Daaaaaaaamn son!
Or do you just suck at proof reading?
They're probably doing it to protect themselves from piracy or whatever (license key's and all that jazz) but come on, the world can only afford so much BS.
So it's got 16GB of DDR3 RAM? Daaaaaaaamn son!
Or do you just suck at proof reading?
They're probably doing it to protect themselves from piracy or whatever (license key's and all that jazz) but come on, the world can only afford so much BS.
Wait even if it's just a typo, that means the next xbox will have more ram (even if it's shared with the gpu). I guess it's time to replace my aging pc oO.
I really fear for Microsoft's future. I purchased a new Windows 8 tablet from Sony and while the hardware is great the OS and quality of apps are far from acceptable. I installed the latest Office and then quickly removed it, can't believe this piece of crap was written by the same company. Now crappy Xbox 720 specs that are nowhere close to next gen (1.6GHz with 800MHz GPU). I can see the 360 outselling the 720 for some time to come at this rate.
Doing the same with consoles could be the rebirth of the PC, as we've heard some say it's long overdue. In a down economy it's much harder to justify a $399 or $499 console price with mediocre guts when the previous two generations were somewhat revolutionary at their time and cost equally as much. Adding more fuel to the fire isn't going to make things better. Not to mention what happens when you tie a game to a console? Backwards compatibility for future consoles? Gone. Bringing your game to a friends house and not lugging around the whole console? Gone. RRoD forcing you to replace the console 3 times? Enjoy tech support. That's without even touching the Used Game portion. Ever want to play a game years later, but you lost the disc, scratched to hell, worn out, or sold it after you finished? Most of the time the only way to get old games is via the Used Game process.
Again. Don't think they'll do it, but they sure would love to.
What they dont realize is that the second hand market contributes to new game sales. The reason why early adopters wantonly plop down $60 for new games is partly because they know they can recoup some money on the resale of the game in the used market...and that recouped money helps fund the purchase of their next new game. Take that away and gamers will be VERY selective of the games they buy (I buy this game and that's it...cant sell it, loan it, or do anything else with it). This means LESS new game sales, where M$ sees revenue.
The only way I can see to overcome this (and keep these supposed restrictions) is to cut new game prices 30-40% or start their own used xbox game market (sell activation codes). Just my $.02.
there are still alot of people out there that do not have an internet connection and even those with not all of them have their console in an easy place to connect it to the internet
Muh gigavolts and mega hurts are too slow! Didn't you guys know clock speed means everything?
Then again, Microsoft is doing plenty of stupid decisions lately.
If this indeed true, the only way they'll learn is when the mistake affects their pocketbook.
The Radeon 7950 has an 800MHz GPU. Why you hating on 800MHz GPUs?
Also, the CPU might be decent for all we know. Getting clock frequency and core count doesn't come close to telling you how it performs, even assuming that this rumor is true.