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It sounds like Microsoft isn't prepared to just send out new systems though. They will try to repair them first. Regardless of Microsoft's definition of "immediately", it will still take at least 48 hours to ship consoles to and from consumers.

O'Donnell urged anyone with Xbox problems to call 1-800-4myXbox or go to http://www.xbox.com./ If the problems can't be immediately resolved, Microsoft will pay to ship the console overnight to a repair center, overnight it back once it's fixed, or ship a replacement.

If you were one of the Xbox's biggest fans and waited in line for 24 hours to be one of the first people in the world with a 360, how would you feel if MS told you to wait several days to play it? MS should be cross-shipping new systems to each and every person with a defective console and making sure it gets there by the next day. Not only this, but they should be instructing their customer service reps to reassure these avid Xbox afficionados that they appreciate their loyalty and will be compensating them with a free game or a month of Xbox Live or ANYTHING to apologize profusely! These are the people who will spread word-of-mouth advertising to all their friends. If the first thing they tell their peers is the story of Microsoft's crappy product quality and customer service, people will think twice before buying.

Whether Microsoft loses $150 per console is irrelevant. When you drop $500 on a product you expect it to blow your mind the minute you turn it on.

Microsoft had best take this issue VERY seriously if they want to convince people to get a 360 instead of a PS3. The Xbox's biggest fans, if mistreated, will complain long and loud.

Hell, you can't even get access to real development tools for the 360 without "working on approved titles for licensed publishers" (see this page). The reasoning behind all this is not to be jerks or anything, but to avoid having everybody and his brother flooding the game market with titles of a quality that might most charitably be described as shitful--and thus to prevent a reoccurrence of the Great Video Game Crash of 1984.

Cheap as milk, sounds more like a bargain to me , mister :|

But hasn't MS stated a few times that they own the IP on the chips? They can make them at their own foundries which allows them to get around the cost of materials portion. I imagine they paid a large lump sum for lifetime (or at least lifetime of the console.. maybe 10 years) rights to make as many chips as they want using the design they bought from IBM and ATI.

Anyway, they definitly seem to be in a better position this time around than the original Xbox.

A lot of people treat these like appliances. You don't expect that replacing a fridge (of the same size) would require to you put it somewhere else, do you?

from: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/getstarted/syste m/xbox360/connect-positionconsole.htm
Prevent the Console from Overheating
Do not block any ventilation openings on the console or power supply. Do not place the console or power supply on a bed, sofa, or other soft surface that may block ventilation openings. Do not place the console or power supply in a confined space, such as a bookcase, rack, or stereo cabinet, unless the space is well ventilated.

Do not place the console or power supply near any heat sources, such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or amplifiers.

How then should Joe Sixpack realize that the 360 needs to be treated differently? Divine Intervention?

A lot of people treat these like appliances.

You don't expect that replacing a fridge (of the same size) would require to you put it somewhere else, do you?

from http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/getstarted/syste m/xbox360/connect-positionconsole.htm
Prevent the Console from Overheating
Do not block any ventilation openings on the console or power supply. Do not place the console or power supply on a bed, sofa, or other soft surface that may block ventilation openings. Do not place the console or power supply in a confined space, such as a bookcase, rack, or stereo cabinet, unless the space is well ventilated.

Do not place the console or power supply near any heat sources, such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or amplifiers.

Don't underestimate m$ pricing. E.g. see what a
ethernet cable
costs in Europe. That is 30 euros, mister!
And for the Americans: that is 35 US dollar, for an ethernet cable.
Damn! That is a profit margin of at least 10000 percent.

    Bram

There are 18 games in the Xbox 360 launch catalogue. 14 of them are sequels. (11 of them are sports/racing games!)

Got love the sony fan boys. By a small collection of games you mean 200+ games that are certified to run.

Amped 3, Condemned, Kameo... the launch lineup's not as barren as you imply. It's not like any other consoles have ever launched with anything impressive. And for god's sake, Smash TV is available for the thing!

Here are some links you'll find useful:

Backwards compatible title list:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibil itygameslist.htm
Launch titles:
http://www.majornelson.com/2005/11/14/xbox-360-lau nch-day-titles/
Arcade titles:
http://www.majornelson.com/2005/11/15/xbox-live-ma rketplace-launch-content/

The list of backwards compatible games will grow over time, so if you're not already signed up for Xbox Live (even Silver, which is free), you should do so. Enjoy your 360!

What is claimed here seems extremely unlikely for a number of reasons.

1) When you have a hardwre sound processor, it's no more difficult to mix to 2 channels than to 1 or any other combination supported. You'll notice that cards like the Audigy can change speaker configuration on the fly with no problems. Thus it would make no sense to deliperatly handicap the system in this manner.

2) Microsoft is not stupid, contrary to what many /.ers seem to think. They are well aware of the number of people with stereo-only setups, and would have no reason to alienate them.

3) A quick look at Microsoft's site reveals stereo outputs on all the cables. Have a look at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/accessories/get connected.htm that's the cable page for the 360. Notice that all the cables there have stereo anologue audio outputs (the red and white RCA cables). Why would they include stereo outputs, if the sound out was only monaural?

So I'm going to guess that orignal poster is wrong. I can see one of three situations as to why:

1) The person he was talking to was not who he believed it to be. The number of pretenders on IRC is beyond count. It is easily possible someone was lying about who they were, and had enough knowledge to make it seem feasable to the uninformed.

2) The composer may be misinformed. Being good at composing and tracking music does not make one a sound expert. He may well misunderstand the capabilityes of the X-box.

3) The orignal poster may be lying about the conversation. Given the anti-MS attitudes on /. it's entirely possible.

Now of course I haven't had hand on an Xbox 360 so I cannot confirm for certianty that there is stereo output available, but I have a hard time believing there isn't. It wouldn't make sense, and all evidence suggests there is.

Also, even in the extremely unlikely event it was lacking, stereo folks aren't out of luck. All recievers made any time receantly that I'm aware of will happily downconvert 5.1 to stereo if requested. On mine, I simply push the "stereo" button. It disengages all the surround speakers and sub, and mixes everything to the front left and right speakers. The source cab be 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 DD or DTS, it doesn't matter, it will make it stereo at the push of a button.

Either way I would say you should probably not believe something that some random guy claims that some other guy on IRC said.

The short answer is yes, it will run many, but not all XB1 games.

For the long answer, read Microsoft's own compatibility list.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibil itygameslist.htm

Contrast this with the XBOX. It started off with lots of hype, never really went anywhere with its library, instead relying on technical superiority, and they're already coming out with the next console before this one has had five years.

Oh my god! A 5-year lifecycle! It's not like Nintendo has ever had a lifecycle that short.

As for the library, XBOX had a number of notable exclusives, and with Rare onboard it appears that the 360 will have a number of notable exclusives as well.

Enter the XBOX360. Now, the XBOX didn't have a great library, and so there's not much track record there. It's got slightly improved graphics (but probably not as good as the competition will have), some backward compatibility (but to a meager library), and the same old DVD format. People say "there are interesting games on the horizon," but honestly, I want to know: what are they?

Don't believe Sony's crapola. Most developers have said that the XBOX 360 is roughly equal to the PS3 in terms of graphical muscle. The ATI GPU in the 360 is no pushover, no matter what Sony would have you believe.

And I wouldn't call over 200 games "meager" in terms of backwards compatibility.

And there are interesting games now. Lots of Rare fans like myself have been waiting for another Perfect Dark, there's PGR3, DOA4, and, of course, all the 3rd party sports and racing games.

As for DVD, who gives a crap? DVD-9 holds more than 9 gigabytes of data - it's certainly enough for any PC game out there, and I fail to realize why it's a serious issue for the 360.

Contrast this to the competition. The PS3 promises what the PS2 promised (and delivered on): highly improved graphics, full backward compatibility, a higher capacity format and the ability to play next-gen movies. It's sitting on a vast library of 2 generations of games, and all indications point to the next generation being just as big.

You're assuming that Blue-Ray is the format of the future. And that backwards-compatibility is going to be 100% - hell, even newer PS2 revs are having trouble maintaining full backwards-compatibility.

The Revolution promises full backward compatibility to everything Nintendo owns (although details are fuzzy), a new form of controller that could really make console shooters something else (as well as open up new types of games), and most importantly, all the Nintendo franchise games.

The Revolution isn't even competitive in this area. Nintendo has segmented themselves into a different market segment through the odd controller, late launch, different pricepoint, and different hardware specs.

Oh, and I don't see you crapping on Nintendo for choosing DVD-9 for Revolution.

I can see why someone would want a PS3. I can see why someone would want a Nintendo Revolution. But why would someone want an XBOX360?

You don't get it, do you? The 360 isn't about improved hardware, it's about improved software. Downloadable demos & movies. Independant games. Intelligent matchmaking. Integrated VoIP. Connectivity with XP Media center boxes. Connectivity with portable media devices.

Want to voice chat with a buddy while playing a single-player game? No problem. Want to try Kameo before you plunk down $50? No problem. Want to customize the UI with themes and wallpapers? Yep. Want to stream some tunes from your PC or an iPod while you game? Yep. Want to play some cool indie mini-games in HD? Yep.

It does appear that the 360 will play quite a few old xbox games (hell it even appears to play BMX XXX, so the four people that bought that can breath a sigh of relief), but it does require you to purchase the hard drive. Full list of supported games are on the xbox site:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibil itygameslist.htm

I'm hoping to purchase a 360 myself, but am glad that I'll be able to play most of the recently released xbox games on it while I wait for the 360 to hit full stride. Although it is intersting that the current version of most of the EA sports titles aren't backward compatible, probably hoping to force people to buy the newly released 360 versions.

Yeah games are kinda what is important. I'm not going to buy either one to put on display and brag to my friends about, I'm going to buy one for the games, an xbox360 seems to be launching with 11 out of 18 games being sports or racing. Personally, I think racing games are a notch above retarded, and i'd rather physically play sports than watch them.

PS3 launches with like 5 sports/racing, so yes games are influencing me a bit

Well, I'm guessing you've already got a computer monitor, so VGA out is a good option.

Kinda off topic, but yup: The List

More info here.

Kinda off topic, but yup: The List

More info here.

The article seems clear that the Revolution won't support high definition video. Supporting it via one connection (VGA) while not others (HDTV) would seem to be the worst solution since it would still require development time and money to make and test it on HD for a more limited return. So if it has VGA-out, it'll probably just be 480i (or some upscaled version of the same). However, it is true that the Xbox 360 will have a VGA output option. Perhaps this is what you were thinking of?

No, I didn't! Is there any information on that? I can't find any, even for the Xbox 360 at the Gold level.

If it's true, it still doesn't address my point, which is to let users connect to non-proprietary and/or free servers. It looks like they don't even actually offer multiplayer for free.

No, I didn't! Is there any information on that? I can't find any, even for the Xbox 360 at the Gold level.

If it's true, it still doesn't address my point, which is to let users connect to non-proprietary and/or free servers. It looks like they don't even actually offer multiplayer for free.

No, I didn't! Is there any information on that? I can't find any, even for the Xbox 360 at the Gold level.

If it's true, it still doesn't address my point, which is to let users connect to non-proprietary and/or free servers. It looks like they don't even actually offer multiplayer for free.

"A Gamecube, PS2, and X-Box can not be stacked nicely."

Yup, you're right. And it's been said more recently than you migth expect (you're probably refering to intel, not the link I'm about to give you).

Enjoy: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/xbox360/xbox360 theguts.htm

Where the customer is wisely educated with the following:
Let's talk about the power challenge first. Is Xbox 360 really twice as powerful as Xbox? JR: Yes. Xbox had less than 100 watts of power; Xbox 360 has over 200 watts.

My god, it's powerfull!

Pretty cool interview with mechanical engineeer for the 360.. You can almost sense his disgust when talking about the environmental standards the new system has to live up to:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/xbox360/xbox360 theguts.htm

But the centralized features of XBox Live Silver (gamer card, friends list, the whole micropayments thing) really make sense to have set up by the console manufacturer. I'm really kind of stunned that Sony is waiting until the PS4 to implement these.

The original URL is http://assets.xbox.com/ja-jp/lounge/menu/drink.htm

It's the one at the wine section, about halfway down the page.

It looks really well designed. Doesn't really fit the whole windows perspective though. Looks a lot more like how a mac store should look like. Very clean in the pictures.

This might be a random question but can anyone tell me the name of this drink?

1. The PS3 will use Blu-ray.
2. The Xbox 360* doesn't use either of the BDFs**, but I doubt it won't change to accomodate one to support games with sharper details, longer storylines, or just more HD E3 trailers.

*I know they are "facts" from an official source that might not be true. Proving them isn't my job or worry now.

**Big Disk Format, a trademark (that I may/may not claim at the USPTO) of game kid.

I can't see where all the outrage is coming from. Paying a company for the privilege of using their trademarks and logos to sell your product is extremely commonplace in the manufacturing world: consider for example Microsoft's X-Box. Want to make a joystick for it that says it is "X-Box compatible". You can if you pay MS to certify it for you (clue: not cheap). Want to actually carry the X-Box logo in addition to this? Pay MS a royalty on every unit sold, and you're quite free to, assuming you've already paid them to certify it. Don't believe me? Details are here, straight from the horse's mouth: http://www.xbox.com/en-nz/dev/peripherals.htm

Are MS unusual in this practice? No, they are simply doing what everyone else with a valuable trademark that others want to use to increase sales of their own, otherwise totally unrelated goods does. All those "buzz-words" on the front of new TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, etc. mean paying somebody somewhere for the privilege. Same goes for detergents that carry lists of "recommended by" manufacturers' logos on their boxes, or companies who use the latest movie hit, sport star, pop idol, or whatever to sell canned drinks, Happy Meals, toys, T-shirts, etc., etc., etc.

Grow up, people, and stop trying to present this as some great Apple conspiracy. If Toshiba or Siemens got shirty about other companies using their name and logos without permission (and believe me, they would!), it wouldn't even be worthy of comment, but if Apple do the same, it's the sign of an evil monopoly. Boy, do you guys need to get a life!

Sorry this sounds like an ad, but Microsoft is already doing exactly this, via Xbox Live Arcade.

You can do this on Xbox 1 (or xbox 360 stripped down old hardware beta), but you need an Arcade disk (included in xbox live starter kits, some games) to install, and a Live subscription.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/livearcade/default.htm?l evel1=enuslive&level2=contentdownloads5&level3=liv earcade

They already have PopCap on board (bejeweled, bookworm, astropop), and
other games that seem ported from the web. Most of the games are simple and/or updates of older game styles not well served by today's console market (side scrolling shooters, marble madness, etc.).

Not sure if they're worth the $10 pricetag, but I think this former add-on (and Media Center Extender too) is going to be standard out of the box, though will probably require the hard drive to play. Including Hexic on the hard drive points to this happening.

Since the Xbox360 ships with a 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/factsheet.htm) I'm not quite sure where the idea came from that HD-DVD is the Xbox360 format of choice. Could it be, just maybe, that MS (and Intel) actually believe that HD-DVD is the better format? Why is it always a battle of game systems? It's not like anyone needs new game systems, I mean, World of Warcraft is already out.

hah .. you could just put 60 xbox 360s together to achieve that kind of power ..

xbox 360 specs

(Though... that would be pretty cool...) =)

A controller is meant to be held in two hands, often for long periods of time. Too big, and it becomes awkward. Too small or strangely shaped, and you'll get cramped up in whole new ways. All the new buttons, bells, and whistles (note: there are no actual bells and whistles, that's a figure of speech) don't mean a thing if the controller doesn't feel right in your hands.

I'll grant you the optical cable is still missing, yet they only go for $10 (more if you need longer runs I suppose).

OK, so there's an official list of North American launch titles. How many of the launch titles will likely be rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, other than perhaps the sport sims? If not, then how will Microsoft move enough consoles to claim a successful launch without selling to parents?

I think people getting ready to do some M$ bashing should look into the past and go over microsoft's releases. When they released NT, windows 95, 98, 2000, xp they always went for the median hardware configuration of the upcoming 6 to 10 years. That is part of the reason you could run windows XP on a 32MB Pentium-II (I've done it, and it chugs along just fine, enough to run a browser for surfing and playing flash games).

From the article: 2GB is the ideal configuration for 64-bit Vista, we're told. Vista 32-bit will work ideally at 1GB, and minimum 512. However, since 64-bit is handling data chunks that are double the size, you'll need double the memory, hence the 2GB. Nigel mentions DDR3 - which is a little odd, since the roadmap for DDR3, on Intel gear at least, doesn't really kick in until 2007. Unlike Linux, windows is not under released constantly for free, so M$ releases snapshots of Windows: in 95, 97, 98, 99, 2000 etc. Such foresight is good in many ways, I mean how many features that Vista has are currently available in Linux distros? Maybe we don't need them, or maybe Linux developers haven't developed such good relations with hardware companies yet.

Now, for the XBox 360 issue, you should know (if you are interested in further scrutiny) that it uses IBM Power PC chips (similar to those used in Apple G5). Add a couple of perks to that architecture and remove some and it seems that 360 isn't that badly priced at all. I'd like to see the people trashing 360 show similar zeal in ridiculing the PS3 which ironically isn't all that different (except for its cell architecture) and could be priced in the same bracket as the 360.

Please continue wanking...

There will be an xbox 360 vga cable for $30. Which is pretty cool, I loved the vga output on the dreamcast. Hopefully all the other consoles will have vga out, since HDTV hasn't happened in Europe yet.

p.s. I love PC gaming, console gaming and handheld gaming. And when you're thinking of the cost of PC gaming, don't forget that there are tons of great free games, lately I've played the FEAR demo, Nexuiz , Wesnoth and the Battlefield 2 demo, all of which are lots of fun. I spend more on my gamecube for less playing time (though better social multiplayer).

From: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/onlinespecs.htm

Xbox Live Silver level

Create an online Gamer Profile
Access the Xbox Live Marketplace
Engage in voice and text messaging
Talk to a single friend at a time using voice chat
Receive video messages from Gold level members
Access massively multiplayer online games (additional fees may apply)

Xbox Live Gold level

Paid level of service
All the features of Silver level, and additionally:
o Play multiplayer games online
o Video chat
o Multiplayer online tournaments
o Participate in Xbox Live online programming, such as Game with Fame, Play and Win, and Prime Time activities

The Silver Package (You're an idiot, btw)
Online Specs

1.gamers can chat with friends online, build and share gamer profiles, send and receive text and voice messages, and access Xbox Live Marketplace for new content such as game demos, trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade.

2. Subscribers to the Gold level of service will also enjoy access to online multiplayer gaming in their favorite games..

Xbox silver = Updates, Demos, patches.
Xbox Gold = Multiplayer gaming.

At least, thats what it says in that link.

The $400 bundle includes all that, but not if you buy the $300 version and later decide to get the $99 hard drive, which is what we're talking about.

Not that Microsoft people read Slashdot, but in case one happens to...

That's just too much for a game system. I usually buy the new consoles when they come out (proud owner of a PS2, XBox, and Atari 2600), but these prices have pushed them out of the realm of game system and into the realm of major electronics investment. Even the so-called "core bundle" is as expensive than what I paid for my surround-sound system. More expensive bundles are pushing what I paid for my flat screen HDTV, which is the centerpiece of my whole entertainment system.

I know that Microsoft is trying to push the XBox 360 as a high-end electronics component, but the vast majority of people are going to just see it as a fancy game system. If you look at the official fact sheet, there is little to support anything more than that. A Windows Media Center extender? How many people do they think own Windows Media Center PCs anyway?

I guess what I'm saying is that while the XBox 360 looks like a really kick-ass game system, $600 to $700 is just too much money to pay to watch the Dead or Alive girls do their thing.

And a 2.5" drive? Why the hell would they go and do that?

Take a look at a picture of the drive.

It's tiny and built to be mobile. I'm willing to bet that it's almost no time before the mp3 add-on hardware is released. At that point, thousands of people already have the device and the upgrade would be a fraction of the cost against a new iPod. They would be stupid not to do it.

1. Used for saved games
2. Free parts XBOX Live needs hard drive to save content

Both of which can be done on a memory card. MS has already said that the hard drive won't be required for Live.

The specs for the XBOX 360 haven't gone down since it was originally announced back at E3. It was cool back then, but now it's not?

Wrong:

Offering the greatest value in entertainment today, Microsoft detailed more key platform experiences that come standard with every Xbox 360 system:

• Detachable and expandable 20GB hard drive to download demos and trailers along with new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins, community-created content, and more to rip music for playback and to listen to custom playlists in every game.
• A wireless controller with Microsoft-patented wireless technology.

(Emphasis mine)

And this is still on their freakin' site.

I do think it's a mistake to sell the 360 without a HD. How is little Johnny going to save his game?

OMFG!!! I have no fucking clue! He can't! He -just- can't save!

Microsoft Announces Xbox 360 Price for Europe and North America: Starts at $299.99 U.S./299.99/£209.99

Feature-packed system brings high-definition gaming to the masses this holiday season.

LEIPZIG, Germany -- Aug. 17, 2005 -- Ending weeks of speculation about which upcoming video game platform will give gamers the most bang for their buck, today at the German Games Convention, Microsoft Corp. revealed that consumers can get their hands on Xbox 360(TM) -- the most powerful and feature-packed next-generation video game and entertainment system -- for as little as $299.99 U.S./299.99/£209.99 starting this holiday season. For gamers who want to experience the ultimate digital entertainment thrill ride, Microsoft also announced a model with hundreds of dollars worth of accessories for $399.99 U.S./399.99/£279.99, giving consumers the definitive entertainment experience at an unbelievable value right out of the box.

The Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Core System -- along with an impressive lineup of high-definition game titles from the world's best publishers and developers -- will make their debut in North America, Europe and Japan in time for this Christmas holiday, several months ahead of the competition. Although details for the Japan launch will be addressed at the Tokyo Game Show in September, the unprecedented three-region launch signifies an industry first. The Xbox 360 platform will deliver the most powerful console, the best games, the next generation of the Xbox Live® service, and amazing digital entertainment experiences never seen in console entertainment. "The sheer entertainment value of Xbox 360 cannot be overstated," said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer for Microsoft. "While the system has the muscle to power awe-inspiring graphics, audio and online play, it's also got the intelligence to serve as a one-of-a-kind entertainment device that plays CDs, DVDs, MP3s and digital content from an array of devices, including portable music players and digital cameras."

With its built-in Ethernet port and free Silver level of service right out of the box, Xbox 360 also connects players to Xbox Live, the premier global online console games and entertainment network. With Xbox Live, gamers can chat with friends online, build and share gamer profiles, send and receive text and voice messages, and access Xbox Live Marketplace for new content such as game demos, trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade. Subscribers to the Gold level of service will also enjoy access to online multiplayer gaming in their favorite games, as well as great promotional programs such as worldwide tournaments, the chance to play online with their favorite celebrities, and opportunities to win big prizes.

For gamers who want the ultimate experience (and the best value) right out of the box, Microsoft will offer the $399.99 U.S./399.99/£279.99 Xbox 360 console. This premium edition -- distinguished by signature metallic detailing on the console itself -- comes fully loaded for the ultimate gaming experience, with components and accessories that would cost more than $200 if sold separately:

• Xbox 360 console. Sexy styling that packs a punch -- three powerful core processors are poised to pump out 720p/1080i output, 16x9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound and DVD playback right out of the box.
• Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB). 20 GB and detachable, the hard drive allows gamers to store their games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace.
• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. Hassle-free high-performance precision wireless gaming features the Xbox® Guide Button for q