Valve 'jumping in' to hardware market

Valve currently has a job posting for an industrial engineer and, avoiding any definitive statements on what it means, declares it is getting into the hardware business. "OMG, STEAM BOX!!!!11!one!" may be your first conclusion, but let's take a breather.

"We're frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we're jumping in," the job listing for the "Industrial Designer" notes on the company's site. "Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven't really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There's a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked."

So, while the end results could be something simple, the idea of Valve creating the "Steam Box," a piece of hardware that combines the best elements of consoles and PC with full access to the Steam digital distribution library, is the Holy Grail. The rumors remain compelling, even as Valve half-denies it, while skunkworks hardware initiatives keep popping up.