@Zapp

They can always make versions without an optical disk, or where you can connect an external USB one if you really need it temporarily, and having USB or other slots for Flash will be a given for any device in the future.
I'm just saying that I can see all these kinds of devices dealing with multiple physical media types, but as ways to bring the content under a unified way to treat it, based on internal storage and centralized DRM.
Relying on the characteristics - such as read speed or encryption - of a single type of physical media doesn't seem where we are going, to me.

@ Driver di dispositivo senza firma

A console is designed around a unified technological solution. If they were to allow multiple different media types to be used then they would either have to unify the media interface with something like a SSD type cache in between or use the lowest common denominator which is either an optical drive or mechanical HDD.

Now I know I don't have a particularly strong argument at this point, you've won at pretty much every point haha!

I don't know how much the required flash would cost, I don't know what the logistical troubles there would be in shipping games and I don't know what Microsoft would ultimately want to do with their console. Its an attraction of simplicity really with flash, at least on the console side.

Seriously, what are you smoking?

I reckon the nex gen console can easily sport a 500 GB HDD. Heck thats enough for 70 current full size games.

Any game that wants to be bigger can be accomodated no problem.

Also consider. Lower priced initial games with additional content costing more and taking up more storage.

Off line downloads will reduce downloading time. My Sky Satellite box already does this downloading pay per view films at night and only unencrypting them if I choose to pay. Just do the same with games. Insta Play. ( I really should trademark that)

Cleverly structured games could be up and running in as little as 20 minutes with the rest of the content and levels downloading in the background.

Given the nex gen offerings are at least 36 months away this is all easily achievable.

As for the cost of offering a 500 GB HDD. This would be easily offset by increased revenue from Game manufacturers who would enjoy zero piracy and no undercutting sales through second hand resells.

In answer to your specific question. I smoke Marlboro lights if I've had too much to drink.

There will not be enough people with the needed internet connection to replace a physical medium.

They are pretty much forced to use Blu-Ray as their physical media unless they want to make a console like the Wii that doesn't do multi-media. Because like it or not that is the format the movie studios have decided to adopt.
As far as portability, you could install your games to HDD and you would still have portability by being able to de-tach your hard drive especially if they made the new HDD as small as a standard iPod.

Isn't Microsoft having issues with some of their games taking up a number of DVD's currently?