Microsoft tech exec shifts focus to Xbox

A Microsoft guru who was in charge of high-end networking stuff in the Windows division is now coming to the Xbox team.

Dave Cutler, a man who was instrumental in the development of Microsoft’s networking-centric Windows NT platform as well as the company’s Azure software, is coming to the entertainment side of the company.

In what is only one of a rare few examples of high-ranking Microsoft employees shifting from the technical software side to the Xbox side, Cutler will be tasked primarily with building up the Xbox 360 as a highly inter-connected device that acts as a complete home entertainment console, not just a game console.

Microsoft wants it to dominate all of your living room needs – from movies to music and even other activities like Web browsing and social networking.

Cutler’s expertise will come in quite handy as the Xbox 360 operating system is based on Windows NT.

No doubt he will also be working on new features and experiences to bring to the Xbox 720, or whatever the console successor happens to be named.

Microsoft is good at presenting a lot of really high-concept, lofty ideas, but some have had issues with the company’s inability to deliver on those high promises.

We’ll see if Cutler helps with that.