White may be the trendiest of all colors when it comes to gadgets these days, but Microsoft apparently decided it's time to go back to its darker gaming roots for the
Xbox 360 Elite. The matte-black Elite may be a step back in terms of color, but it's definitely a step forward in other areas. Engadget is reporting (after correctly
predicting) that the new model will have a 120-gigabyte hard drive perched on top, a full six times bigger than the existing
Xbox 360 Premium's measly 20 gigs. It will also offer digital audio and video output via
HDMI (High-Def Media Interface) to better support the latest HDTVs and home theaters in lieu of the analog, component video output found on current 360's. The 360 Elite will run you $479, settling in at $80 higher than the current Premium and a rather sizable $120 less than Sony's upper-tier 60 gig PS3.
What does this mean for gamers? Well, not an awful lot, actually. Microsoft recently launched an online video store that enables gamers to rent or purchase high-definition movies and TV-shows and download them directly to the 360's hard drive. 20 gigs doesn't leave an awful lot of room for high-def video, but given that rentals expire within a few days and you can re-download purchased videos as many times as you like, you can get by with it. The bigger hard drive will definitely be a bonus if Microsoft delivers on promises of adding
IPTV functionality to the 360, effectively turning it into an Internet-driven cable box and DVR, but nobody's talking on exactly when that'll be.
Likewise, though HDMI has become the standard input for high-definition displays going forward, right now it doesn't add much value, offering a minimal (at best) boost in visual clarity over the 360's current
component or
VGA offerings. HDMI
can handle both digital video and high-quality uncompressed audio, potentially meaning fewer cables cluttering up your entertainment center, but unless you have a fancy new audio-video receiver with HDMI inputs you'll still need to run separate audio cables.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly if you're thinking of upgrading, Microsoft isn't saying how or even
if you'll be able to transfer your saved games from your current 360 should you decide to upgrade to this black beauty. Should none of that discourage you, start saving your pennies now, because it launches in North America on April 29th. No word yet on European or other territory launches.
From
Engadget 
Thanks to TV watching robots and other Quality of Service technology, French analysts at Witbe have determined the average channel change takes 1.9 seconds, using the up/down button on a remote, 3.4 if it's chosen directly by number. 
