IntelliTXT laced Xbit Laboratories ( watch where you put that mouse ) is speculating that a HD DVD / Xbox 360 bundle is on the horizon. Equally polluted gameindustry.biz is reporting retail sources as saying the external HD DVD drive will be available for the holiday season for £199 in the UK.

The Blu-Ray drive is about the only attractive aspect of the PS3. I bought a HDTV a couple of years back and have been chomping at the bit for HD movies. If Microsoft were to offer a relatively ( remember the PS3 is gonna be around $600 US ) inexpensive HD DVD option I for one would be very, very interested.

This brings to mind something I have been thinking for some time. Is Microsoft playing by the "rules"? It has been estimated that Gates and Co. have lost 2 billion so for on its games groups. That's a lot of money. Can any company really expect to compete when Microsoft can just spend and spend without having to worry whether it makes money this year or even decade or not? It may not have "won" the first round. Heck it may not win this round, but eventually this unrelenting pressure and unlimited war chest almost guarantees that Microsoft will win in the end.

Should we be concerned that Microsoft's personal computer tax ( Windows ) is subsidizing its battle with Sony? Do we the consumer benefit from getting a system well below what it costs to make? What happens when Microsoft dominates the space?

The last part is easy to answe: the same that has happened since Microsoft got a stranglehold of desktop computing.

Unless you count exclusive game titles; games being the main reason to buy a system in the first place. If one is not interested in PS3 exclusives then, I can certainly see how HD for 360 might sway somebody looking for a cheaper system that has HD.

Regarding Microsoft, I opted out of the X-Box and will do that same for the 360. I prefer to support Microsoft as little as possible, in part due to business practices, and in part due to the possible monopolization of the console market. I don't have time to play all games for every system anyways. However, the X-Box IS a great system and certainly worthy of purchase.

This is very good news for me. I am thinking of going to get the Wii60 combo package, and after the Wii comes out and I grab it I'm aiming my sights at the 360. Of course being broke it might take me a year or so, since I dont have an after-school job yet. So yea, Im glad this is happening because if the price is affordable I might grab that too. Of course, if it'll cost more then I wont get it.