Portable Xbox Rumours Fed

Rumours on a Microsoft handheld are fed once more, this time from the technical sector.

From financial reports on Transmeta it becomes clear that the company has been working on a secret project for Microsoft since May 2005. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper, Transmeta is currently working on a low-energy consuming processor which will not be used for Microsofts Origami-project. Microsoft claims not to be ready to disclose any details yet.

The Efficeon processor measures a clockspeed of up to 1.7 Ghz while it is consuming a mere 7 watt. Compared to modern processors being developed nowadays, the Efficeon would most likely not stand the competition in the 'normal' market. However, a smaller version of the chip combined with the low-energy consuming feature, the chip could prove worthy in the handheld market.

One of the possibilities, according to the American newspaper San Jose Mercury News, is the development of the rumoured handheld by Microsoft. According to the newspaper, the handheld is currently in design by the same team that worked on the Xbox 360 and that the company has reorganised its game- and entertainment divisions to make the project feasible. The San Jose Mercury News does state that it could still take up to two years until the handheld would be released.

To make Transmeta even more interesting to keep an eye on, the company also has 140 people working on a yet-unnamed project by Sony...

src: Tweakers

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Comments

• 

  No-way San Jose!(clever!no?) MS has too much going on for the DS, I really think it's just another handheld computer. I still remember some guy from MS saying that they will never make a Xbox portable."never"

  NPC, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  I does exist, but I think it's not going for the games-sector so much, I pretty sure even microsoft must realise they won't beat Nintendo.

  yakutatazu, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  Not to offend the PSP people, but from the technical aspect, Origami is just like PSP. Origami is a glorified Pocket PC with the ability to play game; PSP is a glorified MP4 player with the ability to play game. Only Nintendo make "Video Game Consoles" with the purpose of "Playing Video Game". The statements above are referencing to Reggie's (President of Nintendo US) speech on Engadget interview on Feb '06.

  LeSomeGuy, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  If Microsoft want to suicide, they should go on with an handheld console. The handheld market doesn't have space for three contenders.

  Olpus Bonzo, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  perhaps no Rare on NDS? I dont want another platform. PSP, GBA and NDS are more than enough.

  webhero, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  it is real, but it is totally crap. it's like the size of the average 12 year old's lower arm. it is basically a pocket pc with the ability to play game. i would rather get a laptop with loads more memory and capabilities.

  JAZ3B, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  But laptops are very expensive and the new Origami machine looks interesting certainly.

  skarma, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  It's just a even more portable computer. AND IT WILL NOT INCLUDE HALO AND IT IS NOT A VG SYSTEM.

  Ali/FireGalaxy DS-x2, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
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  Its definately real, look at this: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/20/xbox-vets-behind-msfts-portable-game-device/

  vulcanfury, 30-11--0001 at 00:00