[Xlive.DoomIII++]

When word got out that Microsoft was exploring the possibility of not including a hard drive in the next Xbox, millions of gamers immediately cried foul. Obviously at this point nothing is set in stone, but some recent happenings have definitely made things a bit more interesting. Today, those who believe that Microsoft might not include a hard drive in the next Xbox, found a few facts to base their theories on.

M-Systems Ltd. announced today it has entered into a technology development agreement with Microsoft Corporation to develop customized memory units for “future Xbox products”.



Who Is M-Systems?

M-Systems is a company that develops and manufactures data storage solutions based on flash memory, a.k.a. solid-state memory. They were the first company in the world to introduce a flash disk back in 1990.

M-Systems offers a wide range of solutions from its Smart DiskOnKey technology, which is intended for removable storage solutions, to their DiskOnchip offer, a high-performance, non-removable single-chip technology.


But probably their most interesting solution is their FFD (Fast Flash Disk) products, which are solid-state flash drives intended to replace hard drives in military and aerospace applications.

"What we're going to offer for the Xbox doesn't currently exist," Ronit Maor, Chief Financial Officer of the Israel-based unit of M-Systems, recently told C|Net.


Conspiracy Theory

So, the million dollar question is; will Microsoft remove the Xbox’s built-in hard drive in its successor? If so, what alternatives are they considering? Recordable capabilities for the DVD drive? Remote storage accessible via Xbox Live? PC hard drives for large content and flash media for most frequently used content? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.