Well, I was thinking, instead of releasing a new xbox in 3 years, microsoft will let it have a full 8 year life cycle.(unlike the 4 year life cycle of the orig.)  Because , well, the economy of their powerbase needs to grow again.  If they released it  in 3 years, people will still be paying 500$ a week on gas and the less money they will have.

The should wait a while I think.

probably 5.5 years actually.. maybe 6

I think 2010 or 2011. That would give the 360 a longer lifespan the original, give ms a chance to make more money off their current machine and would likely beat the PS3 to market and if launched in 2010 might beat wii as well giving ms first mover advantage.

I wouldn't be surprised by a 5 year life cycle.

I think if the PS3 overtakes the 360, it's replacement will be moved up; if the 360 stays ahead, they'd want to leave this generation a while longer to run.

It could be a real pain for sony if just as they finally get the PS3 profitable, microsoft then releases a significantly more powerful console. Screwing over sony is as big a motivation for microsoft as making a profit is.

They don't want to risk a dominant playstation taking the PC's place for domestic multimedia purposes.

2010 at the latest, especially if the PS3 does surpass them this year, I don't know how long they'd wait but apparently, they are already in development on the next one. I don't know if it's past some ideas being thrown around, or what, but I heard that somewhere.

We won't see one before 2010, more like 2011 IMO. While the PS3 might pass the 360 around that time, MS won't care because there's a good chance the 360 will be breaking even around that time (sans RRoD costs).

Double that with the hit Sony is taking financially to keep the PS3 viable, they won't be releasing a new console before 2013 or so. That gives MS 4-5 years to jump over the PS3's tech and ~2 years get a foothold before the PS4 hits shelves.

By the time 2010-2011 rolls around, MS will be able to release a console that will destroy the PS3's capabilities for $250-300 at launch.

I think the new XBOX will come on 2013 or 2014 !
this XBOX will have 8 years or more ..
and over 50M .. which mean strong base for the new XBOX

I'm hoping that the new Xbox releases before then and MS keeps the 360 production running for a year or two afterward, a la Sony's Plastation strategy.

 I think we have shown with the PS3 and the N64 that a good strong base in one gen does not mean that it will transfer to the next.

2 years ?!!
PS4 will be new generation compared with the third XBOX !!