And another unexpected update, this time from Microsoft

For any console gamer out there, knowledge that their Microsoft Xbox 360 was slowly, but inexorably headed towards the dreaded Red Ring of Death was hard to deal with. Well, we have waited long enough and Microsoft has finally announced the release of an updated Xbox 360 console.

Dubbed the Xbox 360 Slim (although that is not yet an official label), the new design has promised to address some ongoing issues with the console. First of all, the new console is now black, with a glossy finish. I personally liked the previous white console, but a cosmetic upgrade is always nice. Secondly, MS now includes a 250GB HDD with the new console, and with the ability to copy games to the HDD, this seems a reasonable new feature. Thirdly, WiFi is now built into the device, allowing access to Xbox Live without cables or separate adapters.

Fourthly, MS has managed to reduce the operating noise of the console significantly, which will be a blessing to those people that have been using their Xbox 360 as a multimedia entertainment centre. And finally, MS has apparently addressed the Ring of Death issue and claims that the new console will not suffer the same fate.

There are precious few images circulating online, so I have taken the liberty of using MS provided wallpapers of the new console to wet you appetite. Enjoy.