Rumour: Xbox 360 announcement at CES

With the 2008 CES opening next week, rumours are rampant that Bill Gates will make an Xbox 360 announcement as part of his keynote.

Gates has previously indicated that this yearâs keynote will be his last as he steps down from his full-time Microsoft role this June to focus on his charity work.

Analysts are currently speculating that the announcement may involve the previously rumoured Xbox 360 SKU with a built-in HD-DVD player. It may also relate to Microsoft licensing the Xbox technology to other manufacturers for use in creating hybrid game console/DVR/HD-DVD machines.

Microsoft has not commented upon the rumours, and Toshiba denied earlier rumours that it was involved with Xbox 360 hardware developments.

The 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show runs January 7-10 in Las Vegas, Nevada.