Windows NT vet now working on Xbox multimedia strategy

Dave Cutler, the man responsible for Microsoft's Windows NT family of operating systems, is now working in the company's Xbox division.

According to a report on ZDNet, anonymous sources suggested that Cutler had moved from the Windows Azure project that had occupied him for the previous four years, to the Interactive Entertainment Business Software and Services group.

When approached for comment, Microsoft released the following statement:

"Dave is one of our brightest minds and is currently working on projects that will help advance our goals in the consumer space as we continue to grow the Xbox from a game-centric console to a complete home entertainment device."

Microsoft's ambition to own the living room is longstanding, but the Xbox 360 has made confident strides towards realising the goal in the last year.

December's Xbox Live dashboard overhaul shifted the focus of the service towards multimedia content, and the use of apps from content providers like Lovefilm, Last.fm and Sky have increased by 50 per cent since then.

Microsoft's Larry Hyrb (aka Major Nelson) also revealed that the use of Xbox Live video content has increased 140 per cent in one year.

During his CES keynote, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer described a new wave of Xbox Live content for Kinect based on interactive television, the first of which will be Kinect Sesame Street TV.