The XBOX 360 has so many new features as opposed to the older version. Some features that really stand out are the wireless remotes, the 20gb hard drive and the aesthetically pleasing exterior casing.

Firstly the XBOX 360 is available in a choice of silver or black. Both are very appealing and it is a matter of personal choice which one the consumer wants to choose. Additionally you can remove nearly all the plates from the exterior casing to replace with whatever color you want.

The wireless remotes are a blessing. No more tangled remote wires or having to sit close to the console just to be able to play the many wonderful games.

The 20gb hard drive is more than ample to store multimedia such as videos and music. The hard drive is also upgradeable leaving the option to upgrade later down the track but this won’t be necessary. Just to give you an idea of how much 20gb can hold, it can store either 5 full length dvd movies or upwards of 6000 mp3 songs.

Below the visually appealing exterior lies a lot of processing power. The XBOX 360 has 3 3.2GHz processor. Standard personal computers have just the one processor. Imagine 3 times the processing power of a well decked out personal computer and you’ll understand what kind of power the XBOX 360 has.

To match the processing power the XBOX 360 has a custom ATI graphics processor. The ATI graphics processor has a whopping 512mb of RAM and runs at a speed of 500MHz. This is enough to make light work of any high end game.

Besides the major feature of the XBOX 360 that I’ve listed above, it also comes with many additional accessories such as the wireless headset and so forth. The XBOX 360 is a great innovation in the world of gaming and will continue to increase in popularity making it a formidable opponent to sony’s playstation 3.

The overheating problem is one of the most common issues and it can be fixed most of the time by putting the console in a more ventilated place. However, hardware failure (i.e., the three flashing lights) is the worst. You can unplug and restart the console and sometimes this fixes the issue but often you will see the same error or after playing for a while it will happen again. The system will need to have repairs done. Microsoft is able to perform these repairs, but the unit has to be shipped to them. This can take a few weeks and depending on the severity of the problem can cost you around $150 to have the problem fixed. So hopefully after a few weeks and $150 later Microsoft was able to fix the issue and your Xbox 360 is returned without being damaged in transit.

Or, you can fix the three flashing red lights issue yourself. To do this you will need the Xbox 360 Repair Guide. This guide offers simple easy to follow instructions on how to fix all hardware failures as well as other Xbox issues like overheating, graphics errors, and freeze ups. Many people have reported getting their Xbox 360 back in working order in around an hour after reading the instructions. And others have even started their own Xbox 360 repair business buying problem consoles, fixing them, and selling them doubling their money! As you can see this solution far out ways the turnaround time from Microsoft and it’s much cheaper in fact you can make money from it.

Who designed the Xbox 360?
Xbox 360 is designed by the very innovative Astro studios, San Francisco, USA in collaboration with Hers Experimental Design Laboratory, Osaka, Japan, resulting in sleek and stylish exterior packed with powerful hardware, software and services.

The Xbox 360 comes with:
Xbox Gamer Guide: An entertainment gateway that connects to your games, movie, friends, music and available downloadable content. The Xbox Guide Button, a one touch interface gives you instant access to content you want, be it the gamer card of the player who just invited you to play, or to new downloadable content for the game you are currently running.

Personalized interface: Xbox 360 lets you create your own customised system for a unique experience. With changeable facia plates, it is very easy to change the make up of your console. Power on your system and you can customize the look and feel of the System Guide and Gamer Guide with various unique skins. The faces and skins can form a unique combination to reflect your personality.

Ring of Light:

The Xbox 360 console is divided into four glowing quadrants which are also collectively called the Ring of Light. This Ring of Light, along with the Xbox Guide button controls the entire system. The guide button visually connects you to your games. The Guide button apart from connecting and controlling your experience also controls the startup and shutdown of the system. The Xbox 360 supports both wired and wireless controllers and accessories by the virtue of which all operations can be controlled from the comfort of your couch.

Xbox Live: Xbox 360′s Xbox Live is where games and entertainment come alive. This is a unified interface where you can play with anyone, anytime anywhere. By connecting your Xbox 360 to a broadband internet connection, you can instantly access Xbox Live Silver, to announce your digital identity via your gamer tag or gamer card. You can talk to others using voice chat, and access the Xbox Live Marketplace — all right out of the box, at no extra cost. When you upgrade to Xbox Live Gold, you get access to the ever exciting world of online multiplayer gaming. By using intelligent matchmaking, and accessing all your achievements and statistics, Xbox Live Gold brings you nearer to your competition at your terms.

Games:

Xbox 360 redefines the whole gaming experience in terms of what they look like, sound like, feel like, and play like in order to engage you like never before. All Xbox 360 titles have resolutions of 1080i and 720p resolution in 16:9 widescreen formats, anti-aliasing support for movie-like graphics and of course, multi-channel surround sound.

Not to mention you can amplify your music, photos, video, and TV. You can watch DVD movies in the comfort of your couch. Xbox 360 also supports progressive-scan DVD’s. The Xbox 360 hard drive can be used to rip music and share your latest albums and pictures with friends and family.

Xbox 360 Accessories Fact Sheet

A successor of the Xbox gaming system, Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 and its unique line of Xbox 360 system accessories extend your digital entertainment experience beyond the console.

Xbox 360 Faceplates

A never before feature – Xbox 360 is centralized around gamers. As a fully customizable design, Xbox 360 gives you the freedom of changing the look of the console to reflect your tastes and personality. The face plates like most Nokia Cellular phones can be changed with extreme ease to express your moods or your sense of style.

* Interchangeable faceplates allow you to create a unique system.
* Find cool, swappable and changeable cutting-edge designs.
* Faceplates come in a lot of varieties and designs.
* Regardless of chosen faceplates, the system remains fully functional.

Xbox 360 Memory Unit
Xbox 360 comes with a 64MB memory unit to further enhance your gaming experience. This memory unit facilitates you to save the in-game achievements and gamer profiles. These units are portable and enable you to start off from where you left quickly and easily. You can easily carry around the Memory Unit in a carrying case which is extremely portable and can fit on a keychain. This memory unit is absolute plug’n'play. Xbox 360 can hold up to two memory units, thus making it upgradeable.

Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote
The Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote is designed in such a way that it becomes an integrated control center for the entire Xbox 360 system. The Media Remote facilitates your entry into the world of digital entertainment by the touch of a single button. Play DVD’s, music, control your TV and your PC with a single integrated controller. This option is to let you kick back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Accessories Designed for Xbox Live

Xbox Live Camera
The Xbox Live Camera for Xbox 360 lets you video chat and message with your friends and gives up the true gaming and entertainment experience. As an integrated part of Xbox 360′s Xbox Live experience you can connect and communicate with friends while playing, listening to music or watching movies. When you play motion-detection-enabled games online the Xbox live camera inserts you into the game and helps you control the characters.

Xbox 360 Headset
The Xbox 360 Headset enlivens the online gaming experience beyond your imagination helping you to talk to friends, your team mates to finalize strategies or trash talk your opponents out of the game through Xbox Live, all this during play time. Xbox Live also comes with a message service which you can use to leave short vocal messages for your family or friends.

Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
The Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter takes your Xbox 360 experience way beyond your home, synchronizing with the Xbox 360 main system seamlessly. You can transfer videos and music to your Xbox 360 system from your PC with ease, chat up your colleagues and friends, play games using Xbox Live, and more without wiring it all up.

Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
Xbox 360 through the optimized wireless technology offers the ultimate in wireless gaming within a 30 ft range for 40 hours with the help of 2 AA batteries. With warning systems in place you can plug & charge with ample notice for uninterrupted playing. The wireless controller also supports the Xbox 360 headset for voice communication. The wireless controller has all the functionality of the standard controller enabling you to use all the gaming and entertainment features from your couch. The wired controller comes with a 9 ft cable.

Powerful and futuristic the Xbox360 includes HD gaming, perfect sound, and sensational graphics. The system offers high-end gaming with several exciting possibilities. It revolutionizes video game consoles and is, in actuality, a computer dedicated to gaming. It is not just a gaming machine it is a media center that allows you to play games, network with other gamers around 360 of them, rip, stream, and download high definition movies, music, digital pictures, games, music, and play DVDs and CDs. It is what makes dreams into realities.

The Xbox360 has around 18 titles in the US including games like Call of Duty 2, Dead or Alive 4, Every Party, FIFA 06, NBA live, Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero, and Project Gotham Racing 3. Technically, it has advanced graphics and a 115 GFLOPS theoretical peak performance. All games support a six channel Dolby Digital Sound with no voice echo.

Apart from video and DVD playing the X box 360 live market place allows the user to connect to Xbox live even if offline. Users can view messages and game invites sent by other Xbox live members. The live market place allows download of avatars, trailers, as well as game demos.

With the Xbox360 a person can view a complete record of games played, play games downloaded from marketplace, play game demos, watch movie as well as game trailers, listen to music customized for the user, view pictures as well as videos stored on a camera or any other portable device, and activate the media center extender.

The Xbox 360 has backward compatibility and so, users can play games originally developed for the earlier versions of the box. Wireless connectivity and wireless controllers offer great freedom and connectivity at large distances. And, you can download and play arcade style games using the Xbox Live Arcade. Game demos and trailers are offered free but full versions of games have to be purchased using Xbox Live Marketplace using Microsoft points which can be bought through Live or via game cards sold retail.

Technically a few small glitches have been reported. There is what is known as the Xbox360 screen or death which is an error screen. This stops the console and the user is requested to contact technical support. Another problem is that of the Xbox 360 freezing due to overheating. To solve this, users are requested to ensure proper airflow and a cooler environment. If the Xbox is moved from its vertical to its horizontal position while reading a disc, the movement causes the pickup assembly to brush against the disc resulting in radial scratches. Often the Xbox displays red lights instead of a green ring of light to indicate errors.

The X box360 transforms gaming experience into something futuristic and exciting.

We can definitely cite quite a number of differences between the Xbox and its later model. But whether these differences would count at all, would really matter mostly on the individual characteristics of the consumers. It really depends on whether the person asking this question is somebody who simply wants to be able to play a video game at home during his past time. Or, whether this person is a total technological fan who is always out to get the latest model of gizmos.

First of all, the Xbox 360 is the latest model of Microsoft’s gaming console. One might naturally expect that some of the features found inside the latest model would not be found in its predecessor. They would definitely not want to release something supposedly new that is basically the same as the older model, would they? That’s the fact for every new edition of something that has been created before, especially regarding technological equipments and devices. There is always something added to it.

Improvement is always something that comes along in a new innovation. If you are a person who is quite meticulous about details, you would surely be able to notice slight differences between the computer graphics offered by the Xbox and its newer version.

The design of the new Xbox 360 is supposed to be able to work better with HDTVs. These matters are really to be able to go along with the other technological marvels in this day. They would naturally want to keep up and become as compatible as possible with the current state-of-the-art.

However, tests have been conducted using the Xbox 360. What they found was that, without the proper equipment to match the specifications of the game console, all the new innovations in its features would simply go to waste. If for example you connect it to a television set that only has an RF connection, you would basically get a quality of graphics that is probably 10 years behind what is being offered by the modern day.

Some of the other features that you would want to take into consideration are the wireless controllers available for the Xbox 360, its network gaming capability via a broadband connection, hard disc storage, and USB compatibility. It’s basically a home entertainment system on its own. You would be able to view pictures and video from a digital camera, play music, etc.

Backwards compatibility is also an added feature that would allow you to play old Xbox games using the new game console. If you have the older one, then you would not be able to play the latest games that are to come.

As for me, I think that both of the units would be able to perform just as well. If you are satisfied with the conventional features of the old model, then go for it. It isn’t really that out-of-date you know. But if you think that the difference between the Xbox 360 and the older version Xbox is that big, then go for it! You would definitely be getting some more great features out of the newer version. That is, of course, worth some extra money. Or you could simply wait for about a year and extend your patience until the prices go down. But by then there would probably be a 720 version of it.

Do you know what’s special about the Xbox 360? Here are some of the features you can expect from Xbox 360:

Ring of Light and Xbox Guide Button. The ring of light is the power button and it is divided into four quadrants that can display a number of different colors depending on what is going on.

The Xbox Guide button is prominently featured on the controller as well as the Xbox 360 remote. This will allow you to instantly access information on person who just challenged you on Xbox Live. Or you can even jump right to where you can find downloadable content for the game you are currently playing. The Xbox Guide button will also allow you to turn the Xbox 360 system on and off from the comfort of your couch. That is one great idea that is has long been overdue.

Xbox Live – There will be two types of Xbox Live for the Xbox 360.

The Silver version is free. It allows you to access the Xbox Live Marketplace as well as communicate with your friends using voice chat. However, you cannot play games online.

With the Gold version of Xbox Live, you get all of the possible features. Most importantly, you can play games online. Your achievements and statistics will be stored so you can check them whenever you want. You will also be able to use video chat and video messaging. Microsoft has announced that all new Xbox 360 owners will get Gold Service feature for the first month. After that, the pricing will be similar to Xbox Live on the current Xbox.

Xbox Live Marketplace. Another great feature of Xbox 360. The marketplace is an area where you will be able to download game demos and trailers as well as new content for games such as new levels, characters, vehicles, weapons, and many others. Some things are free of charge but you will have to pay for some premium content.

Digital Entertainment. The Xbox 360 allows you to rip your music to the hard drive to be used during games. It will also stream music off of any MP3 player that you plug into the USB 2.0 ports. This is including Sony PSP.

You can also upload photos to the hard drive and share them with your friends on Xbox Live. The Xbox 360 also features DVD movies. Unlike the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 can display them in progressive scan. It seems like DVD playback will be available out of the box and will not require the purchase of an extra remote or anything. Definitely an improvement.

Personalizing your console. With the interchangeable faces of the system itself, you can change the color of your system whenever you want by simply snapping on a new face.

You do not even have to buy new faces because you could simply paint the stock face yourself.

It is guaranteed that Microsoft will roll out a line of limited edition and collectible faces to lure people in, though.

You will also be able to customize the look and feel of the Xbox Guide browser on the system. Suspiciously similar to changing themes in Windows on your computer. Customization is always a good thing and while these features do not really mean anything in the long run, they certainly provide a nice change every once in awhile.

Xbox 360 and its great features are a great deal unto itself.

Basically, the hard drive is the one playing a major role in how you can use the Xbox 360. You are given the choice of saving the progress of the game on the hard drive, as well as rip your CDs to it.

You can transfer music, videos, and photos from your mp3 player or other USB devices. It will also be necessary to spend more time on Xbox Live because custom content, patches, and other downloadable content needs to be put stored somewhere and a little 64MB memory card isn’t going to cut it.

The hard drive is required for backwards compatibility. The other bonus to having such a hard drive is that loading time is faster especially in some games and other performances boosts.

With all these Xbox features up for grabs, what more can you ask for?

The Apple XBox 360 is generally considered to be the big cheese when it comes to home video game systems. And why shouldn’t it be? The XBox 360 is a popular video game player on the market, and Microsoft is continually updating, upgrading and offering more accessories and products for their device than any other manufacturer out there today.

However, even though the XBox 360 is the world’s most popular video game system, that doesn’t mean that you should simply run out to your nearest electronic goods retailer and pick up the first XBox 360 that you see. As with any vital purchase decision, research is the key to making an informed buying choice.

Even though the XBox 360 enjoys unparallel popularity, there are certain things that you should bear in mind before you ultimately purchase your XBox 360:

** IS THE XBox 360 RIGHT FOR ME

There’s the original XBox, the XBox 360, and the Xbox Online too. Each variation of the Xbox or Xbox 360 has different features and functions than the other. And while the new XBox 360 should be easy to locate in a wide range of stores, other versions might be difficult to locate if they are discontinued or sold out. You should definitely research exactly which XBox you want before you purchase it.

** DO I WANT ACCESSORIES

You can easily purchase a simple XBox 360 for your pleasure, but you’ll then have to consider where you will use your XBox 360 and how you’ll use it. Will you just keep it with you at home for playing? Will you take it with you to a friend’s house, or even work and school? For each use of the XBox 360, there are many accessories that you can purchase to store and protect your device. You will have to ask yourself if you are willing to spend the extra money for the wide range of XBox 360 accessories that Microsoft has to offer.

** HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH FOR ME

Are you a video game fanatic, playing everything your eyes can possibly take all the time? Or do you have a limited amount of games that you absolutely love? If you’re the former, then you will want to get an XBox 360 with the greatest memory capacity that you can afford. The larger the memory capacities, the more games you can download, store and play on your Xbox. But, if you are the latter, then you won’t need to spend so much on an XBox 360, as you will not require an exceptionally large memory capacity.

** ASK WHAT YOUR XBox 360 CAN DO FOR YOU

We all know that the XBox 360 is great for playing games and movies. However, XBox 360s can be much more than simple video game system. Your XBox 360 can connect you online to the world if you want. You can shop for Microsoft and Xbox 360 items right from your console if you want. If you want your XBox 360 to be everything you need, then you should expect to shell out extra money for it. However, if you just want your XBox 360 to play games and nothing else, then you won’t have to spend as much money.

No matter what kind of XBox 360 you get or how you plan on using it, you should do a bit of research before you make that purchase. It’s never a good thing when you buy something you don’t really need, or when you purchase something that does not meet your needs and expectations. However, when armed with knowledge, you will be certain to purchase the right XBox 360 for you.

Let’s leave the format war between Sony and Microsoft and explore a gaming phenomena that unquestionably improves current gaming trends — Artificial Intelligence, or AI to many. Touted to make new breakthroughs and trends in the world of gaming, AI is the enabling of intricate decision-making capabilities in a software. Speaking of AI, the Xbox 360 boasts of an AI-capable system designed and developed by many brilliant and innovative engineers. Though the Xbox also has this feature, it is more pronounced and better in the new console combined with the HD DVD technology.

Of course, such high-quality consoles deserve top-notch games and the developers stepped up to the challenge. Game developers for Xbox and its new improved counterpart also added AI programs to their games, giving the in-game personas the ability to think like a real person. With the vast power of the new consoles, the whole universe of gaming comes alive. A summary of the improvements AI bring to online gaming: non-player characters or NPCs act in realistic manner, not to mention that allies are more helpful and enemies become more fiendish than ever.

Such simplistic notions cannot fully express the benefit of AI in a game sequence. The simplicity of the summation only contrives to hide the complexity of the AI behind the Xbox 360. But the concept of AI is not a modern one. In fact, AI is a subject of discussion, debates, and practical simulations within the academic setting for years. Chris Satchell, Microsoft’s General Manager for Game Development, attests to this fact. From the development of Pac-Man, game designers and developers have been employing the use of AI, even if it is just in its simplest state. Take Pac-Man for example, wherein the main objective is to eat as many golden pellets as possible without being eaten by the “ghosts.” This simplicity is matched by the elementary pre-scripted AI patterns used. The ghosts almost always follow a straight line but they deviate from their path when they sense your presence. It is noticeable especially when your Pac-Man does not change position at all — the ghosts move according to the path, changing directions only when they get close to you.

Twenty years later since Pac-Man, family computers, and many computer hardware changes, game developers still use the same simplistic AI tricks. The hardwares evolve to accommodate the intensity of the modern graphics as well as the sound system for more biting audio. However, despite these changes, AI programs continue to be a sort of last-minute addition. In fact, the programs are deemed to be unimportant in gaming. As a result, the NPCs, largely remained as stupid bots who don’t move even if caught in a crossfire. This is what the AI programs for the Xbox 360 take care of.

Satchell affirms that the new processing model composed of three powerful symmetric cores more than makes up for the lack of “reality” of the old console models. He asserts that this new Microsoft innovation is really a paradigmatic shift because the standard for game consoles and computer hardware is the use of a single core. He added that this shift to a three-core system will add considerable burden to the lives of game developers but add to greater delight of all Xbox 360 gamers. This is because a fully AI-capable three-core system provides greater flexibility and more cycles which make gaming more exciting and interesting.

The key to achieving that is to make sure that the AI programs of the new Xbox run smoothly on all three cores. Therefore, the developers need to take extensive sections from their codes and test it on all three cores. As a result of all these great efforts, the CPU’s main processor does not take all the burden of handling multiple tasks; instead, the added cores take over the job. The results are more efficient gaming, sharper graphics, quality audio, and thinking characters which give Xbox 360 games advantage over others.

Gamers and techies have waited with bated breath for advancements and innovations in gaming. To set the pulse racing and the mind thinking one needs to be challenged. This has become possible by computer technology and the wonderful world of gaming. Just as adventures and wars would have done in yester years these days it is technology that offers to quench the thirst for adventure. Microsoft has created a challenge in the form of the Xbox 360– a visionary, super powerful, multimedia console that brings to you the GenX gaming world. Of course, the markets being competitive present so many choices.

If you need to be convinced here are a few reasons why you must buy the Xbox360.

1. There are games galore for the thirsty. Kameo elements of power, Project Gotam 3, Perfect dark Zero, and many more. All unique, with great effects and gaming wizardry.

2. The Xbox360 has wireless controllers as well as internet connectivity. The premium pack presents great delights offering freedom of movement and a superb range of over 30 feet. Ergonomically designed the controller has skip wires, tangles and boomerangs.

3. With an aim to please even the most discerning palate, the Xbox360 has an amazing variety of games. Some are exclusively designed for the box like Condemned, and Dead or Alive. Titles that have been widely acknowledge by expert gamers are: Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo, King Kong, and Condemned.

4. Amazing and most welcome is the fact that over 200 Xbox games will be backwardly compatible with the Xbox360.

5. Xbox 360 brings with it the arcade marketplace. Imagine free games, cheap games, and addictive non-stop games. The possibilities are endless and thrilling.

6. The Graphics are stupendous and bring to life the games in virtual reality. Xbox360 has three 3.2 GH processors that run with a 500Mhz ATI graphics processor. Whew—let’s bow to power.

7. Endless possibilities with the Xbox360. Games, CDs, movies and customized music. It even connects to the Microsoft media center for a complete media sensation. You can let your creativity and innovativeness take wing.

8. The Xbox 360 is more than an everyday console. It is interactive and you can buy many things like bonus levels, episodic content, gamer specials, and gamer tag images. You can download demos, and bonus packs from game developers. A live platform with no limits marketplace for developers and publishers.

9. The Xbox360 is a keeper of records. It creates history. The gamer card becomes your identity with name, image, scores, games you like, and your aims and mottos. This takes online fraternities a step closer to one another.

10. Fulfils many dreams and fantasies. The games are the best, interesting, mind stimulating, and exciting. The Xbox 360 takes the gaming world forwards and offers options like downloads, online plays, movies, as well as a touch button marketplace for games.

The Xbox360 is a must for serious gamers. It indicates your dedication as a gamer and reflects your tastes and reputation in the cyber gaming universe. Opens up endless possibilities and takes you to the next generation gaming delights.