SIS to make Xbox 360 south bridge chip
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
MICROSOFT WILL use Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS) to make the south bridge chip for the Xbox 360 console.
The Taiwan Economic News reported the chip will be made at UMC's eight inch fabs using a .15ยต (micron) process.
So SIS, which is a a subsidiary of UMC, takes the south bridge while TSMC, its rival, will straddle the north bridge. Read full story...
Keyboard controller add-on for Xbox 360 revealed
Microsoft relents on the Xbox no-keyboards edict at last
A Microsoft presentation about the Xbox 360 in Spain has revealed a new peripheral for the console - a miniature keyboard which fits onto the bottom of a standard joypad and allows the use of text messages and chat during play.
Although the company hasn't yet confirmed that the peripheral is genuine, the slide seems quite credible - being one of a lengthy set posted by Spanish website SecretGameZone from the "Campus Party" Xbox 360 event in Valencia. Read full story here...
XBOX 360 PRICE REPORTED
Unconfirmed reports stemming from Walmart employees have today suggested a North American retail price for the Xbox 360 and its launch titles, allegedly set to arrive in shop stores on November 4th.
Naturally a smidgeon of sceptism should be maintained until Microsoft makes an official announcement, however the $299.99 price point hardly appears to be out of the bounds of possibility and suggests a pound/dollar equation when Microsoft's next-gen format is launched upon UK shores later in the month. As widely believed games appear to be slightly more expensive then many would hope with the likes of Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3 marked at $59.99.
