Next Xbox expected to launch in November, cost $499 or $299 with subscription

Without a doubt, the next generation Xbox is the most highly anticipated launch from the company in some time. While the Surface announcement generated quite a bit of noise, the next generation Xbox will be the follow-up to one of Microsoft's best hardware products in the history of the company, so as you can imagine, expectations are quite high.

Paul Thurrott, who nailed the launch date of the console, is back with more information and seeing as he got it right the first time around, we have reason to believe his new information is as credible as the first wave of content. According to Paul, the next Xbox will launch in early November and will have a price of $499 or $299 with a monthly $10 subscription.

In addition to the above information, the console will have a Blu-ray drive and as previously expected will be based on the core of Windows 8.

The critical information above, if accurate, is the release and price as Microsoft typically holds this information close to the vest before letting the public know these two crucial pieces of information.

We fully expect Microsoft's next console to be a true media hub in the living room with a significant focus on content, as well as gaming. Seeing that Microsoft is building out its Windows 8 ecosystems with phones, tablets, and PCs, the Xbox is the missing link for the ecosystem.