Quoting an unnamed Singaporean Toshiba official and the marketing director of an Australian retailer, an Aussie electronics web site lit the gaming internets afire with Xbox speculation today.

The site, SmartHouse, reported that a new Xbox model (they don�t call it an Xbox 360) with a built-in HD-DVD drive and other goodies will debut either in late 2008 or at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

According to the SmartHouse report, the new Xbox will include the following features:

- Built-in HD-DVD drive
- Larger hard-drive
- "Extensive wireless networking capability"
- 1080p playback

The article also claims Toshiba and Microsoft have explored the idea of including a dual HD TV tuner, electronic program guide capability and a newly-standardized mp3 player docking port.

If the article is accurate, the two companies have also kicked around the idea of creating an "open standard chassis system that allows an Xbox to be slotted into a HD TV screen over 40-inch. The open standard bays will allow hard drives to be upgraded and expanded similar to the way that users can upgrade the hard drive on a PC."

The article also mentions the possibility that Toshiba itself may market a version of the purported unit under its own brand name.