Microsoft's New Lean and Mean Xbox 360 Arrives June 2010

"Here today, and ready for tomorrow" is what is abuzz at Microsoft's Xbox website, and in the Xbox community. As the gaming industry's yearly E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) show was taking place in Los Angeles, the software (and hardware) giant, Microsoft, announced the anticipated arrival of their next generation gaming console to the world, the new Xbox 360 - also known as the Xbox 360 "S." As the updated console is sure to be sought after by many, here is what the new Xbox 360 delivers.

In a similar move seen with the PC industry years ago, white is out, and following in the footsteps of the latest incarnation of the Nintendo Wii, the new Xbox 360 will sport a high gloss black finish with touch sensitive buttons. Photos of the new console look sleek and sharp, however, as many laptop and portable device owners already know, such a glossy finish is certain to amplify every fingerprint smudge, and superficial scuff and scratch. Get those buffing and polishing rags ready. Noticeable in the photos, the new Xbox also has an updated style and look. The size of the console has been favorably reduced as was seen with the historic evolution of Sony Playstations, and while sporting a leaner form factor, it has been given an altered look from its predecessors. Gamers that want to protect that gloss finish will certainly have to invest in a whole new set of skins.

Obviously, the real and heavy interest in a next generation device lies within its technical specifications. The new Xbox brings some overdue mainstream features. Mass storage and wireless network access are no longer additional external options. Included with the new Xbox 360 is a 250 GB internal hard drive for storing HD movies, games, music and more. Built-in b/g/n Wi-Fi networking is also on board for convenient access to Xbox Live. The number of USB ports has been upped to five, new TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio connection supports digital audio which compliments the existing option of HDMI video, and the memory slot has been removed. A dedicated port for the upcoming Kinect technology is built-in, and will support the new sensor without the requirement for an additional power source as will be the case when connecting to the elder Xbox 360. One large fan replaces smaller fans, and with a new 45nm chipset and strategically designed air vents, Microsoft says the unit will run cooler and quieter.

The new Xbox 360 arrives at US retailers in June 2010 bundled with a wireless controller, a wired headset, and a composite a/v cable for connection to standard definition televisions.

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For more information including the announcements and updates, visit Xbox.com.