I know I know

but u never know with MS ...

a Natal projet for these holidays could be perfectly timed.

I also believe (and HOPE) Natal is only for next year ...

^I guess that would be a killer shocker and surprise!

If MS released Natal almost a year early, exactly what would we be playing on it? Tech demos? Because it takes a bit more than UNDER a year to crank out anything even remotely resembling the killer app that Natal needs to convince consumers that it's really for real.

If they did a half-assed approach like SCE and the PSEye, it would become nothing more than a footnote until something actually worth buying it for was released.

Since I'm one of those who believe MS will use the Natal launch as an opportunity to reinvent the console (NXE was beyond retarded as a marketing strategy to accomplish this same task) and introduce it to a new pool of consumers, a repackaging of the hardware itself would be a good idea.

Many owners of the original design would also buy one as they've already demonstrated the willingness to buy more than one.

As for the HDD, the clip on design could very easily be dropped and replaced with an internal slot bay (HDD cartridge) similar to what HP uses on their Pavillion PCs. The case doesn't have to be the same width as a 2.5" HDD in a plastic shell.

As for the heat/reliability issues, the rumored single die CPU/GPU chip would put a reduction on everything from amount of silicon, amount of voltage, amount of heat dissipation, etc.

From an engineering standpoint, it's completely doable.

Actually its a pretty simple plan I would do.

Combine CPU + GPU and use a shorter PCB (Valhalla revision)

WHOOPS! The console is now top heavy and likely to fall over, OH NOES.

Solution: Put powerbrick inside console.

Relief!

OMG WAIT!!!

Oh NOEZ, Natal needs to go in box toooooo.

Solution: Put Natal in box where powerbrick used to go.

May be there's something to this rumor, didn't stickball report awhile back about coming of slim 360 in '09. Though now I am thinking MS probably will wait for Natal and do complete make over for the 360.

One thing I do notice of late is the lack of any new faceplate for the 360 at my local gamestop. The last one I saw release was Street Fighter IV. 360 design didn't age well at all in my opinion and it look kinda dated now as we entering the next decade.

All we know is that Valhalla is on the way which would suggest a Slim console soon after.

I really like the look of the 360, so I don't care if they ever change it. It looks nice on my entertainment center (though I wish I had bought an elite so it would match all my other stuff). But I never quite understood the look of the PS3. It looks weird and awkward to me. I don't know, I guess I like consoles to look somewhat boxy. The PS3 always looked kind of slapped together in my eyes. I think it really does need a redesign.

"New 360 Slim, with twice the RROD and overheating as the regular 360".

Not Clever.

I would be shocked (no sarcasm) if a redesigned unit had anywhere near the number of hardware problems as even the current units.

Combined CPU/GPU on a smaller die process, reduction in chip set size, etc. will mean lower power requirements, lower heat, and higher reliability.

Plus MS has had more than just a few years to fine tune most of the kinks out of their manufacturing process (one would hope) as shown by higher levels of reliability with each subsequent redesign.

Claims like that are about as stupid as claims that a redesigned PS3 would cost the same (or more if you're really stupid) as the current models.