You probably heard Microsoft crowing about its new partnerships with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System, Ultimate Fighting Championship and Warner Bros. to bring an initial lineup of over 1,000 hours of TV shows and movies to Xbox 360 gamers in the U.S. by the end of the year.

Gates and Co. are saying the Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution over the Internet directly to the consumer. 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. Of course, the press release didn't mention anything about download times and how snappy the service will be.

While there is no word on the final pricing of such features (they've only said "competitive"), it's definitely an interesting step for Microsoft to take and it beat Apple to the punch by promising to have the service up and running by the end of the month. (You may remember that Steve Jobs unveiled a "future product" at its "Show Time" event back in September. The product was a TV-box, dubbed iTV, that promises seamless, wireless media control between the PC, TV and video services. Jobs' product won't be available until the first quarter of 2007.)

Either way, Microsoft is taking advantage of the growing trend toward integrating all media systems in the home to the on-demand model. Obviously, XBox Live will require a strong broadband connection with low latency, as is required by most games.

My question is, how many networks, connections, feeds, pipes, and platforms do consumer electronics makers expect us to have? Most people have cable or satellite TV service, a home PC, a broadband connection. They may or may not have VoIP, cell phones, Wi-Fi, and other technologies floating about the house. What about media storage devices, with vast digital music or video libraries? Homes didn't used to have networks. Now, with the array of devices and services available, you'll find more and more networks in homes across the globe, many supporting multiple PCs and more.

There has to be a saturation point somewhere with the amount of gadgetry with which we can fill our homes. Clearly, Microsoft doesn't think we've reached it yet.

 

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