An interesting news piece on TeamXbox.com today confirms that like the Toshiba-developed CPU that will run the PS3, so the IBM technology used in Microsoft's 2 will also use a 65-nanometer manufacturing process. The manufacturing of the CPU will commence production in 2005.

"It'll be built on a 65-nanometer process," TeamXbox were informed. "IBM has already taped out experimental samples at its East Fishkill fab but it will take between 12 to 18 months for them to deliver commercial parts. Anyway, they're way ahead of Intel."

So there you have it; finally the next-generation of we've been conjecturing about for so long is beginning to take shape.

By Luke Guttridge