HD Video Downloads for Xbox 360
From Xbox.com(thanks Magnus):Beginning Nov. 22, on its first anniversary, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console in history to provide high-definition TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will have access to the full-length TV shows as downloads to own and movies to rent via download from the Xbox Live® network, the worldwide leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content.
Lots of blah-blah-blah marketing-speak, but the short version is that you own the t.v. shows you buy (so they can be deleted from your hard drive and re-downloaded whenever you choose), while you rent the movies. An HD movie is going to be over 4GB in size, so even the 20GB units will be able to download HD movies on demand.
Why did I use the phrase "even the 20GB units?" Because this clearly means that Microsoft is going to offer the 60GB unit that's been rumored for a few months. It would match the Sony unit in drive capacity, and they need a larger drive if they're going to push this video on demand feature.
There's an IGN article with a bit more information here, including pricing and some technical details.
So Microsoft has an HD-DVD player option and HD video on demand. They clearly aren't conceding anything at this point to Sony. And I wouldn't be surprised in the least if they have additional announcements to make before the PS3 launches.
Oh, and in regards to Sony, I've been busting their chops for a year--because they deserved it--but I'll say this about the PS3: it's tremendously impressive that the unit is so quiet. Nearly silent, if the previews are accurate. That's quite an engineering feat.
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