Microsoft is hitting the reset button on the Xbox, unveiling a new version of the console Tuesday that the company is aiming at rivals old and new.
Microsoft portrayed the third-generation Xbox as a device that could take a central position in the entertainment lives of consumers. That space has become intensely competitive with similar consoles unveiled recently by traditional game makers Nintendo and Sony as well as an array of games, movies and other content from Amazon, Netflix, Google and Apple that can now be displayed on living room TVs.
Microsoft's latest console can stream live television, though officials were coy on the details. It will make video calls over Microsoft's Skype service. And it will offer new, exclusive content — including a TV series produced by Steven Spielberg, based on the company's popular "Halo" video game series, and a partnership with the NFL that will provide fans with live access to their fantasy football stats.