14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is really working hard on spicing up the Xbox 360 line of products ahead of the Christmas shopping season, when most of the console makers are set to make most of the profits for the year. The company has announced that it plans to make the Xbox 360 Elite, which is now 100 dollars cheaper, the mainstream offer for gamers and now it seems that the company is preparing a new, wireless adapter to match the device.
An FCC filing shows that Microsoft is naming the new device the Wireless N Network Adapter and it will be offering faster speeds via the 802.11n network standard, while also looking much better than the old adapter, with its new, black color matching that of the Xbox 360 Elite. The device will connect to the console via the USB port and, at the moment, Microsoft has not yet said when it plans to release the new, wireless adapter or how much the device will cost gamers.
The Wireless N Network Adapter will likely make an appearance in stores sooner rather than later, as Microsoft has just announced that the Zune HD will be able to stream content from the Xbox 360 via a wireless connection and the company will aim to make sure that the transfer is made with as high a speed as possible.
It would make much more sense, given how cheap the technology is at the moment, for the wireless connection to be included in the console itself, rather than being offered as an external device, which is prone to having a higher cost and being less reliable. Still, it seems that the trend at this point in time is to offer less with a game console rather than more, as shown by Microsoft's decision to no longer bundle HDMI cables with the new, cheaper priced Xbox 360 Elite package.