The same Australian website which, back in May of 2007, reported that the PlayStation 4 would be with us in November 2008, is now claiming that Microsoft will produce a Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox 360, "as early as May 2008".

Apparently, "Insiders at Microsoft in the USA have told SmartHouse that Microsoft has already configured a standalone Blu-ray player that can be connected into an Xbox 360 and that subject to internal marketing and sales approvals the model could be on sale within 3 months."

Remember that this news comes from a site that also told us that Microsoft and Toshiba would be rolling out a 1080p Xbox 360 with in-built HD-DVD drive. Toshiba appeared not to agree, saying, "It’s got nothing to do with us. But we know Microsoft doesn’t want to include the HD DVD drive so as not to limit the user’s experience."

This was nearly as straightforward as Sony's quote to us regarding the imminent PS4; that was "Obviously, this is garbage".

Anyway, Smarthouse quotes what it calls the "Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment", Michael Ephraim saying, "We would welcome Microsoft to the Blu-ray stable. In fact it is quite logical for them as the PS3 has been very succesful (sic) in driving consumers to Blu-ray. In fact we believe that it has done more to win the format war than traditional Blu-ray player".

Nice piece of bitchery there from Ephraim, who is in fact, managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia and New Zealand.

We've contacted Microsoft today in order to receive the nicely worded, "We don't comment on rumour or speculation" - or possibly a "Yes, it's true, May will see a Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox 360"; possibly but highly improbably in the time frame.

This is, of course, not to say that Microsoft wouldn't see its way to adopting Blu-ray in the event that - as is being widely publicised - Toshiba is about to jump ship from HD-DVD. Doing so by May this year, however, is an enthusiastic prediction.

Stop Press: Microsoft has just told us: "'We don’t comment on rumour or speculation' for this".