Master modders at Xbox-Scene discover Microsoft has quietly doubled the amount of internal flash memory in its $199 console; The question is: Why?
When the hard-drive-less Xbox 360 Arcade succeeded the Core model last year, it initially came with a detachable, external 256MB memory card to store the New Xbox Experience firmware. Later models of the $199 console featured 256MB of internal flash memory attached to the newer-model "Jasper" motherboards, which were redesigned to be less susceptible to the hardware failures which prompted a billion-dollar warranty extension in 2007.
The first sign of something bigger?
Now, it appears Microsoft has increased the Xbox 360's internal memory to 512MB. The new configuration surfaced on Xbox-Scene, a hardware site staffed by expert modders who regularly dissect the console with religious fervor. During one such virtual vivisection, one user noticed the motherboard on a Japanese edition of the console manufactured on April 9, 2009, was sporting the larger memory size.
With Microsoft's game division struggling to eke out a profit, it seems curious that the company would increase the production cost of its console voluntarily. One factor for the change could be a mandatory increase dictated by the firmware file size necessary to operate the Xbox 360 dashboard, which was the reason for the installment of the flash memory in the first place. As announced at its E3 Press Conference, Microsoft is planning to add a variety of functionalities to the dashboard this year, including the integration of the social network Facebook, omnipresent microblogging service Twitter, and Internet radio service (and GameSpot sister site) Last.fm.
Another theory is that the increase may be paving the way for a firmware update needed to operate Project Natal (shown below), the motion-sensing peripheral unveiled at E3. Though project director Kudo Tsunoda made a point of saying the console would work with all past, current, and future Xbox 360s, he did not say whether or not older, hard-drive-less consoles would require a minimum amount of memory to do so.
Unfortunately, the reasons behind the memory increase remain shrouded in mystery, as Microsoft had not responded to requests for comment on the memory increase as of press time.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6212127.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;2
