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Xbox 540: the new 360

Posted by Duncan Madden on Thu 15 May 2008

Slim and lite version, updates, and trousers

It's been a good while since we've heard any decent Xbox 360-orientated rumours, but much like the great British bus, you wait ages for one and then a load turn up at once.

Top of the list is word from Taiwan of a new Xbox model, the 540, for launch in the autumn of 2009.

It will apparently feature the new Valhalla chip combining processor and graphics, enabling Microsoft to skinny its console down, PS2 style. It's also claimed to be faster and quieter, though there's no mention of the hoped-for Blu-ray drive to bring it in line with the PS3 after the HD DVD debacle.

Also in the rumours, from the good folk at Kotako, is a "potentially legitimate" list of new functions for the annual 360 spring update.

Way too long to divulge in full here, tantalising highlights include more confirmation of the Newton motion controller as well as bizarre hints of a news and weather service, extra hard drive game data and four-person video conferencing.

Microsoft has gone all out with a full denial saying it doesn't comment on rumours or speculation, and it's never seen the list before. Thwarted.

Last, unquestionably least, and sadly not a rumour (though we wish it was), is the latest must-have fashion add-on for only the most tragic of gamer, the Xbox lounge pants. Apparently endorsed by the catwalk stylists at Microsoft, these $18 strides show the Xbox gaming logo "tossed about on a black background". Not sure about you, but we won't be wearing any trousers that mention the word tossed, new or not.