Pocket PC Adapter for Xbox?

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/?http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/news_story.php?id=46758">http://www.pcpro.co.uk/?http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/news_story.php?id=46758</a><br /><br />Microsoft has gained FCC approval for a wireless add-on to the X-Box that will be ready for this Christmas season. What caught my eye in this announcement though was this: "New video game services such as XSNsports.com - a collaboration between Microsoft and ESPN - will allow gamers to compete with their friends in a 16-game user-created season or challenge top-ranked online competitors in worldwide tournaments. There may be some sort of add-on device for a Pocket PC such as the new gamepad offered by Sprint PCS and Samsung Electronics."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2003/20030829-xbox.gif" /><br /><br />Interesting. Do you have an Xbox? Would this interest you? How would you like to see the Pocket PC used with an Xbox?

[Scott R]

I don't interpret that sentence to mean that they're planning to connect the Pocket PC to the XBox, a la Nintendo's GameCube/GBA concept, though the fact that the quote is contained within an article about the XBox does create confusion. I interpret that line to simply mean that someone (Microsoft?) is planning to create a game controller for the Pocket PC. Of course, every Pocket PC manufacturer uses a different connector, so they'd have to make a variety of connectors for them. An interesting idea would be a Bluetooth game controller.

Scott

[Ed Hansberry]

I don't interpret that sentence to mean that they're planning to connect the Pocket PC to the XBox, a la Nintendo's GameCube/GBA concept, though the fact that the quote is contained within an article about the XBox does create confusion. I interpret that line to simply mean that someone (Microsoft?) is planning to create a game controller for the Pocket PC. Of course, every Pocket PC manufacturer uses a different connector, so they'd have to make a variety of connectors for them.
Why? That is what TCP/IP is for. Pocket PCs and Xbox supports it and by Christmas, the latter will be WiFi enabled.
An interesting idea would be a Bluetooth game controller.
Yeah. Along with a bazillion bluetooth posts by people trying to get the devices to recognize each other and establish a partnership.

[Jacob]

Yeah. Along with a bazillion bluetooth posts by people trying to get the devices to recognize each other and establish a partnership.

As opposed to the bazillion WiFi posts about people trying to connect :)

I wonder how secure this WiFi connection would be...

[JonnoB]

Why? That is what TCP/IP is for. Pocket PCs and Xbox supports it and by Christmas, the latter will be WiFi enabled.


I have two XBox systems and both are already connected via WiFi. What is happening that would make this different from what you can already do? The only link I can see is perhaps with the new LIVE enhancements (I can track friends via PC now) is that there is some sort of Pocket PC interface to organizing and setting up a LIVE game. Maybe there is some persistent world (True Fantasy?) that can be played via Pocket PC or XBox online...

The Pocket PC is also the perfect size for a HUD console.

[Scott R]

Again, I'm merely stating that the quote that makes reference to the Pocket PC sounds a bit out of place in this article. It alludes to a recent game controller for a Sprint PCS phone. If you haven't seen it, it's basically a game controller shell that the phone slides into. As such, I interpret that line to mean that someone is coming out with a similar attachment for the Pocket PC, not that the Pocket PC would act as a controller (via Wi-Fi) for the XBox, though the latter would certainly be more interesting.

Do we even know where that line comes from? It's not quoted as being something a Microsoft rep said. Could it just be some sort of speculation on the part of the author of that article? Again, there's not really enough detail, IMO, to even know what they're talking about as it relates to the PPC. The only thing clear in the article is that MS is coming out with a Wi-Fi adaptor for the XBox.

Scott

[galego2]

My personal opinion in all of this is Microsoft is working to bring the total entertainment value of the Xbox to many devices - not to play game, but to stay in touch with other users and games.

For example, part of the XSN Sports Network allows a game invitation to be sent to someone not on the Xbox at the time - mainly to a SmartPhone or Pocket PC device. As a matter-of-fact, when Microsoft was getting ready to start pushing Xbox Live, they had a trailer of "Dark Master" playing another gamer. The original trailer has been edited and the scenes showing off the SmartPhone integration were removed.

The trailer showed "Dark Master" sending a request to a friend for help. The friend was offline, though. As the group moved from game to game, they continued to send requests to join to this person. At the end of the trailer, the person picked up her phone and saw the requests, the scores from the games, and proceeded to make fun of "Dark Master" since he lost.

But, I think this is really what Microsoft is pushing for and this information seems to allude to this type of thing a little more. But, as a previous post noted, Microsoft does have a lot of requests for wireless headsets for Xbox Live and wireless controllers and this could just be a hint of one of those. If it is for the Pocket PC, I think it will just be for alerts and game information rather than a GBA type connector.

[Andy Sjostrom]

Mobility is extending things to anywhere. Microsoft needs to extend not only the "Xbox experience" to anywhere, but all its other products as well.

Smartphones and Pocket PCs would gain a tremendous momentum if coupled with the Xbox.

BTW, has anyone heard if there will be a new Xbox game based on OddWorld?

[JonnoB]

BTW, has anyone heard if there will be a new Xbox game based on OddWorld?

You mean with Abe and Munch or some other characters?

[GoldKey]

I was thinking this could be more along the lines of something like the memory card for Dreamcast. It was a playable unit on its own plus it could display things for use in the game so your oponent could not see them.

[michael]

BTW, has anyone heard if there will be a new Xbox game based on OddWorld?

There is a new game coming - it was shown on a Discovery Channel show about the xbox - Gamespot have a bit of info (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/adventure/oddworldtentativetitle/news_6030268.html)

[bjornkeizers]

I also have [in addition to every other modern console] an Xbox, and I'd love to see it use my pocket pc in one way or another. Maybe sync my avantgo through a Live connection? Play head-to-head Snails over live with voice comms? Who knows!

[surur]

Wow... nearly 50% of PPC'rs have an X-box... Looks to me like Jason should be looking at the gaming companies for advertising too..

Surur

[bjornkeizers]

38%.. 8O Damn! That's amazing! I never figured this crowd for a gamer crowd.. no offense, but most of you aren't exactly the prototype gamers :D

How about a games & consoles forum then? That'd be sweet. 8) I got dibs on the Half Life 2 conversation :D