Posting from Los Angeles: It may have been overshadowed by Microsoft's Kinect unveiling and ESPN partnership announcement, but the company's redesigned Xbox 360 is looking pretty interesting, as well.

Apart from a technology upgrade and a slimmer profile, the new console is "whisper quiet," promises Microsoft in the news release announcing the redesign. Assuming that's true, it would be a welcome change from the current Xbox 360, which has earned the nickname of the "aircraft carrier" in my household, based on the sound its fan puts into the living room.

The picture above is via Xbox Live's Major Nelson, who has posted more images on his Flickr account.

Microsoft says it's shipping the new Xbox 360 starting today. With a 250 GB hard drive and built-in wifi adapter, it will sell for just under $300, the same price as the current Xbox 360, which comes with a 120 GB hard drive and Ethernet adapter that requires the purchase of a separate wifi adapter for as much as $100 to make the console wireless.

Microsoft hasn't released the dimensions of the new console, but Microsoft interactive entertainment chief Don Mattrick unveiled it by lifting an existing Xbox 360 casing to reveal the smaller model.

By the way, retailer GameStop has started listing a standalone Xbox 360 Kinect motion-based controller for preorder at a price of $150, but Microsoft reiterates that it hasn't yet announced pricing for the peripheral, so the price appears to be an educated guess at this point.

Sony and Nintendo, Microsoft's biggest competitors in the video-game business, hold their media events at the E3 convention here on Tuesday.