Ms Handheld Rumours Won't Go Away

March 20th, 2006, 16:59 Posted By: wraggster

If ever there was a rumour that wouldn't go away, it's the one that suggests Microsoft is working on a handheld games device which would take on the PSP, DS and iPod. Just as we had satisfied ourselves that the Origami handheld PC wasn't that device, The Mercury News - local newspaper for San Jose where the Game Developers Conference is currently taking place - has reported that Microsoft is working on another game-specific handheld.
According to The Mercury News, "sources familiar with the project" have suggested that J Allard is leading the handheld gaming device team, with Xbox system designer Greg Gibson and finance chief Bryan Lee acting as his sidekicks. Those sources suggest the as yet unnamed machine would be closer in spirit to the PSP than the iPod.

The Mercury News also revealed that Microsoft is working on a rival to Apple's iTunes service, codenamed Alexandria, which would clearly require a hardware vehicle of its own. Unsurprisingly, it has no details of a likely launch date, although you would imagine that would be at least a year away, if not two. By which time the PSP and the DS will have both been updated and, surely, several new iPods will have appeared.
May we suggest, Microsoft, that, depending on whether it concentrates on music or games, you could call the handheld either the Xpod or the Xboy? Of course, we'd expect a small fee if you take our advice...

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