GameSpot

If the rumors are to be believed, the guts of the new Xbox, presumably some kind of insane multicore CPU and crazy powerful graphics chipset, will be teased nice and early as part of Microsoft's final showing at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. Expect it to be properly revealed, with a name and everything, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in early June. If that timing is accurate, it seems likely that we'll see it in stores by the 2013 holiday season.

But what of the box itself? Given Microsoft's recent efforts at unification across its Windows, Mobile, and Xbox product lines, it seems clear that the 720 or whatever they end up calling it (surely not that) will be the ultimate personification of that strategy. There are strong signs suggesting that, like with Nintendo's Wii U, a tablet component figures heavily into the new design. That saucy Windows 8 Metro interface (now also seen on the Xbox Dashboard) just begs to be touched. Speculation as to the form it will take has been rife for the past few months, with some even suggesting that the core of the new platform will be akin to a tablet PC that wirelessly connects to a base station, which in turn plugs into your TV. If this is the case, a premium Xbox Next setup could feasibly include a base station, a tablet, a conventional controller of some kind, and the recently discussed high-def evolution of the Kinect. Thank goodness for wireless connections if that's the case; otherwise, we're in for one hell of a mess of cables.

http://uk.gamespot.com/special_feature/2012-predictions/image-feature/index.html

What if they make all the new Windows 8 tables run Xbox and Xbox Live and have them ingrate with the Current Xbox 360?

Windows Phone 7 already does that to some extent. (and even some Ios and Android.)

So it's not a new system, but new integration on tables to work with the current system. It would just expand more options on their business and the tables could work in the new NextBox as well.

If they do release a new system this year, I think it will really hurt WiiU's launch.

All these rumors about next gen machines, other than the Wii U, are all based on such flimsy sources that I can't believe so many people find it worth speculating over. We know next to nothing about PS4 and Xbox Next. There's as much evidence to suggest that they will run on hamster power and output dreams instead of video.

Can't we all just wait for the hype machine to leave the station before guessing. I doubt Sony and Microsoft have finalized their specs yet and people are already convinced they know what to expect.

We are reaching rumour overload.

I find myself doubting this one.

I hope not, tablet controllers are so not my style.

Please no. If its some weird tablet-ass console then consider me buying a PS4 next gen.

This is not happening.

The next Xbox won't be a tablet. It won't be tablet-like either. You may be able to use a Windows 8 tablet (called slates) with the next Xbox, but the console itself won't utilize it as a major means of operating the console.

The whole intention of Kinect is to take a device out of the hands of a user, and give them an interface they can work with using both their hands or through speech. A slate would be an expensive, unnecessary device when you consider for a moment that even based on this rumor they'll be including the next version of Kinect with it.

It ain't gonna happen.

Just like the companion app for WP7 (pretty amazing by the way), the upcoming W8 tablets will surely be able to interact quite nicely with the Nextbox. I think this will be a nice bonus feature but will in no way be required like the Wii U.

Nappa: HEY! Vegeta what does scouter say about the RUMOR POWER LEVEL!!
Vegeta: It's OVER 9000!!
Nappa: WHAT 9000!!

This isn't even a rumour it's just speculation by some editors at gamespot, not sure why anyone would be bothered to post it TBH. It's not even realistic speculation, "oh MS have touchscreen devices that means next Xbox will have a tablet like Nintendo derp"