Microsoft: Use Xbox 360 as IPTV STB

Microsoft's Bill Gates told the audience at CES that IPTV providers like AT&T and BT can now use the Xbox 360 as their set-top box in those deployments. The Xbox 360 can now act as an alternative receiver and recorder, which could drive the letters I-P-T-V into the common vernacular. Gaming has always been the supposed killer app of interactive television, so by selling IPTV to the gaming generation, Microsoft may have come up with a brilliant marketing angle. Microsoft seems to have sold this influential blogger over at Kotaku, who probably rarely if ever reports on IPTV. Also, if you combine this announcement with today's top story, Comcast and other providers may be unwittingly supporting Xbox 360's as their STBs in the near future.

For more on Microsoft's Xbox 360 IPTV announcement:
- check out this article from the Seattle PI