CES: Xbox 360 will get IPTV in 2007

Microsoft officially confirmed that they will bring their IPTV platform to the Xbox 360 by the 2007 holiday season. Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach revealed the details during the Microsoft keynote presentation at this year's CES in Las Vegas. IPTV on the Xbox 360 aims to make television another form of entertainment that can be enhanced with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live. Expect to see features like DVR and improved video communication capabilities, among other things.

Tapping into an expanded set of entertainment experiences, users will be able to watch their favorite sporting event live while chatting with their friends, for example, or participate in a match on Xbox Live^® while they record a TV program in the background.

While they talk about turning your Xbox 360 into DVR, they don't say a word about larger hard drives going on sale. How am I supposed to fit all forty episodes of The Office and onto the Xbox 360's stock 20GB hard drive? Another problem is that the availability of the IPTV service in your area depends on their partners. If you don't have access to one of their providers, you won't get IPTV. Interestingly, there was no mention of the rumored Xbox 360 v2.