forwards-compatible
Latest
Rumor: The next Xbox will be 'forwards compatible'
Brace your earth brains for this one: Xbox Evolved is reporting that they heard from a "reliable source" that the next Xbox (let's call it the 720, just for laughs) will be ... are you ready for this? ... forwards compatible. Woah! Can you believe it? The next Xbox will have the ability to look into the future and play the games of tomorrow, with no present day knowledge of their existence or content.Well, not exactly like that. Xbox Evovled is using "fowards compatible" to mean that 360 games will be better on the 720, which could mean anything from improved graphics to additional features. (That only applies, of course, to 360 games that have been designed to do so.) That seems more like "improved backwards compatibility to us" but the concept -- which could really help to pad the launch lineup of the 720 -- is intriguing nonetheless.
Warner's first HD-DVD/DVD combo disc, additional titles announced
HD-DVD is moving the movement, with their latest announcement that we will see the first back-and-forwards compatible movie hitting store shelves May 9. Rumor Has It (which I have never heard of) will contain a high definition version on one side and a standard definition DVD on the other. The second piece of good news is that it will premiere on the same day as the standard definition release. The bad news is that this hybrid disc is going to cost you $39.99, a 135% premium over just the standard DVD as eHomeupgrade points out.Also announced today for HD-DVD release are Goodfellas, Swordfish and Training Day, all of which will cost $28.99.Now we'll see if anyone is really interested in future-proofing their DVD library, especially at such a price. Blu-ray also has similar types of discs on the way; with neither format expected to gain that much traction in its first year, getting consumers to build up libraries of content and locked into a format early could be key. That said, content will mark the true victor in the next generation wars, and with the "special features" provided by Eva Mendes and Halle Berry I see where Warner is going early and I kind of like it.
