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New Xbox LIVE: New dashboard, new features, focus on casual.

xboxfocus.com — It's official, the New Xbox LIVE is at hand. It releases this holiday season, and will completely makeover our beloved service for the casual gamer.

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  • DaHuuuuuudge, on 07/14/2008, -45/+23Sweet Jesus this is awesome.
    • AzzidReign, on 07/14/2008, -7/+8What do you think a Sweet Jesus tastes like? Caramel? Fudge?
  • Xezial, on 07/14/2008, -41/+212I don't like it... Can we keep the one we have now if we want to?
    • rpeterclark, on 07/14/2008, -3/+63Apparently you can in some manner, FTA: "For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away; they are now built directly in to the new Xbox guide."
      • ByteGuerilla, on 07/14/2008, -2/+7What that means is they've changed the Guide to be blades-based. Most of the function is there but it's really just an expanded, re-interfaced Guide rather than the Blades interface being moved to the Guide. You can't browse the marketplace etc. from there, you need to use the horrid new one for that.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I just hope the guide is faster..

        Couldn't care less about the dashboard.. its about functionality..
    • CaRnlvOr, on 07/14/2008, -35/+4i am going to ***** quit xbox if they make me, make a "mii"! i'm ***** madd right now! this looks bad!
      • cesclaveria, on 07/14/2008, -2/+31I'm pretty sure no one is going to miss you.
      • ExRe, on 07/14/2008, -0/+12Why don't you destroy your 360 now?

        1 less dumbass kid on Live is a good thing.
      • AngeloM3, on 07/15/2008, -1/+11Reagan smash!......................Reagan sleepy
    • FutureGuy, on 07/14/2008, -7/+37No you can't but its not all that bad, and I am pretty sure I will like it once I get used to it. Below is a vid of it in action.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIKdyJoU-RI
      The current blade design doesn't scale well, one can only add so many blades.
      The XBLP (P for party) and Primetime are pretty nice concepts thought not entirely original (Primetime might be) it seems pretty well executed.
      • transform100, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5damn is it just me or is that 360 20 times faster?
      • mohsenxp, on 07/14/2008, -0/+41"Welcome to the new xbox experience!"

        *awkward silence*......*forced applause*.

        haha that was brilliant.
      • daRoach, on 07/14/2008, -3/+5How many gamers want to stylize and dress a doll? I'm thinking priorities in these updates are pretty screwed up. I don't want to put myself into any game, when I play a game I want to become Master Chief, Nikko Belic or a futuristic Supercop fighting gangs.
      • dfsjdkflasjk, on 07/15/2008, -0/+10"damn is it just me or is that 360 20 times faster?"

        That's running on a Core 2 Duo desktop... I'm sure our version ill be substantially more sluggish and they'll blame it on bugs.
      • dethsesh, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5im actually shocked that wasnt a rickroll
      • dronkmunk, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6"Where else besides Xbox Live could you introduce the concept of an avatar, and it immediately becomes a community of 10 million avatars."

        Dude actually said that.
      • KevinRWright, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Uh, how about RTFA...

        "For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away; they are now built directly in to the new Xbox guide."
      • SupaDawg, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1dronkmunk, key word is "immediately". on the Wii, it was a matter of progression, nothing immediate. You could also argue that there is no community of Mii's since the online infrastructure on the Wii is so weak.
    • xptoast, on 07/14/2008, -13/+4I love it. Good job Microsoft on the updates.

      PS...Did anyone get that awesome Chillout Map for Halo 3? It was free. Whooo.
      • AL7AIR, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3You didn't bother to watch Bungie's own PSA about Bungie Day 08, didn't you? Because except for the free Dashboard theme and the Gamerpics that were only available that day, the map was, is and will be free forever!
    • MosX, on 07/14/2008, -16/+16You looked at it for a few minutes and decided you hated it enough to keep the old version? Stop being so afraid of change. At least give yourself a chance to get used to it.
      • trueshadow21, on 07/14/2008, -3/+7Yeah, when I first saw it while I was watching live on G4 (the only time of the year I will ever go to G4, since gamespot.com was down) I was surprised and didn't think it was much of an improvement, but I have decided to hold my judgments until I can actually use if it for myself and get the feel of it.
      • xino, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2I did the same. I am very worried that I won't like it, but I will use it first before I start bitching.
      • Kanten, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Sorry, but just looking at it is enough to warrant hating it. Rather than the streamlined, integrated blade interface we've used for years, we're being forced to adopt an amateurly designed interface that is nothing more than another Wii ripoff.
      • Magnut, on 07/15/2008, -1/+0Dude, they're ***** avatars. This is ***** ridiculous. If I had known they were going to switch to this ridiculous system I would never have purchased a 360

        seriously, add new styles and clothes? who gives a *****. I can barely remember the names of the people on my friend's list now I have to know what kind of earrings they like? This is something I'd expect out of Nintendo but this pretty much ruins the live image
    • ByteGuerilla, on 07/15/2008, -10/+21Agreed, it's pretty *****. As a software engineer I'd be pretty ashamed of myself if this is what me and my team came up with as a replacement for the blades system. The blades system was marvellous. It got slow on old systems that needed a service/clean but I imagine this one will do that to. The blades system had a good interface metaphor, was efficient, and clean. The problem was that it was a pain to navigate through huge lists of games, but a simple redesign of those specific screens would have done that.

      I'm going to be pretty damn disappointed if I *have* to use this interface. I would rather have the option, because I'm rarely going through these huge lists of games, and the shoulder buttons skipping many list entries at a time made it much easier. I don't want this Mii *****, I want my blades back.

      I'm seriously considering just removing my 360's connection to the internet when this update goes out. I would rather ***** it all than use this.
      • dronkmunk, on 07/15/2008, -4/+4QQ
      • unfinity, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4That'll only work until you want to play a new title that has this dashboard included on the disc (and will require you to install it in order to play).

        There are already 360 games that have dashboard updates included on the disc, as not everyone is connected to LIVE (even as Silver members).
      • Brad324, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1in other words, you're pretty much owned.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I assume there will be themes and such for this too.. at least it would make sense.. im sure everyone will find some decent look for theirs..
    • Dracusis, on 07/15/2008, -13/+1They blades were kinda gay, felt like they were designed by some teenager who'd never been laid because he'd been watching too many ninja flicks, but this looks worse.

      It looks like a second rate apple front row rip off, and even then front row wasn't that great of a design for a media centre interface, defiantly not the kind of interface you'd want for a console.
    • ProfChaosOmega, on 07/15/2008, -4/+20I agree. I personally think the new design is far less appealing aesthetically. As for these "avatars"...I hate them on the wii, I hate them even more on the 360. If it's possible, Im going to avoid the dashboard update all together.
    • alexra, on 07/15/2008, -6/+6i think its awesome
      • haterofps3, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5Beware the only correct opinion is the one where we hate everything.

        You wont get anywhere by liking something.
    • jcap, on 07/15/2008, -2/+13Until I saw the video of it in action, I thought they had simply just redone the current one. Now I can see that they're adding several new things to it for social networking. Still, I'm not a big fan of it, and frankly, they probably could have come up with something a lot more creative than adding what they dubbed as "Flip 3D" in Vista to their dashboard.

      I'd love to see a dashboard overhaul, and I thought the Media Center one would be brilliant for the 360 if they used it. I threw together a quick concept of one just an hour ago:

      Concept art: http://jcap.h2vista.net/files/personal/newdash1.jp ...

      It is simple, clean, and convenient. Instead of having to scroll all the way to the bottom of a blade to start a game, you press up and A, and the game starts. The backgrounds would also be fully customizable, either changing as you switch sections, or you would be able to choose your own color or background.
      • Voide, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6Pretty clean/nice concept. Has to throw my 2 cents down, and say that I'd definitely prefer your concept over the new dashboard.
      • DuffyDirect, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2i like yours
      • Rage67, on 07/15/2008, -1/+6looks like a vertical PS3 dash...
    • xino, on 07/15/2008, -0/+7If you avoid the dashboard update all together, you will also have to avoid Xbox Live all together on Xbox 360 with the exception of playing original Xbox games on Xbox Live.
    • B3nno, on 07/15/2008, -0/+8What're they going to do with themes exactly? Edit the plain white and grey background?

      Don't tell me they don't do ***** now, I paid for the one I use now.
      • haterofps3, on 07/15/2008, -2/+2I wont kick a man while he is down but the concept of purchasing themes is rather offensive. If they had done it right in the first place you could grab and use images from your PC and then save them as your theme.

        My problem with the current model is that it is a monopoly held by corporations. If they really want to make people happy they should let the community design and trade theme's either for Microsoft currency or for free.

        If I were you I would be calling Microsoft and asking for a refund!
      • DuffyDirect, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3I think you can take ones from your PC... I had a picture of my gf as the background for the longest time.
      • styromaniac, on 07/17/2008, -0/+1DuffyDirect, it's one pic. It would be nice to have a different pic for each blade instead of just one when you make a theme.
    • Igorism, on 07/15/2008, -2/+2"For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away"
      • haterofps3, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1No, it will be going away but not right away!

        sorry I am sure I broke some grammar rule right there.
      • GhostToon, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1There just replacing the guide with a watered down version of the blade system so yes it is going away. I really wouldn't mind the new dash if it wasn't for those ugly retarded avatars. I HATE AVATARS!
    • Pillage, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1not only can you keep what you have now, but you get to pay to keep what you have now!*

      *not really, but would not surprise me.
    • chroniq, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Umm apparantly?

      "Dashboard built into the new Xbox Guide. For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away; they are now built directly in to the new Xbox guide. Every feature and option is available right from the guide. You can even access your full games library at all times. No matter where you are (in dash or in game), immediately call up your games played list and directly launch a game."
  • DEIx15x8, on 07/14/2008, -21/+15I hope they leave an option to choose which version we want. This new dashboard seems way to simple. I liked the old dash better. I wonder what this will mean for all those themes and gamer pics that are now useless. Is Microsoft really going to make up for all this lost revenue solely from clothing? Hopefully we can change that grey to a theme with more than one picture.
    • MillionsLivio, on 07/14/2008, -3/+20I called Xbox about the avatars and they confirmed that you will still be able to use gamerpics over the avatars, thankfully.
      • rvaldes04, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2i extremely doubt the customer service rep knows what they're talking about
    • utahnkid, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Why do you not like it? Is it because they've gone away from the core reason people buy the system? Or is it purely aesthetic?
      • DEIx15x8, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I use my Xbox for allot of media and it seems like the have gone from this nice solid media console to this fluffy community console. I've had Xbox Live since day one but I don't play online to often so all this community stuff doesn't appeal to me. I'm much more likely to have someone sitting next to me to play a game. Looking at that interface it's hard to see how they are going to put all the old media feature into it.
  • cjacks9, on 07/14/2008, -17/+11I'm not all that thrilled with it either. Hopefully they will allow for keeping the old version. I won't hold my breath though.
    • Nereus90, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5Anybody else want to express this exact same sentiment?
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -1/+0Get over it man, let people express it in their own words, thats why the comment system exists, and for those who dont want to leave a comment, they can digg.

        There is a reason they both exist.
    • GRVeee2, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2lol why is he being dugg down?
  • dturnbull, on 07/14/2008, -44/+123Seems pretty cool. I was never a big fan of the current dashboard.
    • paulsabo, on 07/15/2008, -1/+7All I want with this update is to be able to play any AVI from a USB stick or through Media Center... seems like such a huge hole in their system, to allow for so much connectivity between media sources, then hardly support any DivX/AVI codecs... major plus for the PS3, IMO, and that's coming from a 360 owner.
    • haterofps3, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1The blades design was nice good functionality, but it never really got realized.

      I like the new simple interface but I wish they could have gone back and cleaned up the old one and then gone ahead and added these new features.

  • wukillabee, on 07/14/2008, -35/+10rofl a complete rip off of home and mii's, but hey its microsoft? what have they ever invented?
    • dturnbull, on 07/14/2008, -6/+44Computing as we know it?
      • cesclaveria, on 07/14/2008, -7/+4nope, that credit goes more to Xerox.

        They invented the "Recycle Bin" and Clippit.

        But they did make it popular.
      • Blandyman, on 07/14/2008, -5/+14@wukillabee:

        Online gaming on consoles the way it was meant to be?
      • mywhitenoise, on 07/14/2008, -17/+5@Blandyman

        $50 a year, and a console that breaks more than any other major electronic?
      • Dracusis, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3Dturnbull, if you're going to comment on history, for gods sake, learn it first. Cesclaveria was correct, Xerox invented the first Graphics User Interface that used a mouse, pictographic icons and the concept of "windows" for an Operating System, but no one was interested at the time.

        Apple then stole that idea and found a way to market it and made it popular, Microsoft at the time were developing software for Apple, but eventually Bill Gates decided to stab Steve in the back and release their own graphical operating system to compete with Mac OS.

        If you're interested in a (highly dramatise) version of computing history, google "The pirates of Silicon Valley" it's actually quite a fun movie.
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0No.
    • wukillabee, on 07/14/2008, -16/+2^^ thats a negative
    • MillionsLivio, on 07/14/2008, -0/+28They revolutionized online console gaming? While I'm not ecstatic about the changes, how many things has Sony copied from Xbox Live for PSN? It's not "ripping off", that's just how the industry competes and evolves.
      • estvir, on 07/14/2008, -4/+7Exactly, the idiots on Digg need to realise this.
      • Dracusis, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4How many things has Xbox Live copied from online gaming services that predate it such as gamespy and others of that ilk?

        They all copy each other, or more to the point, these kind of things evolve to include a standard set of features. All graphical operating systems have "windows" with close buttons along the top and "trash" bins of some fashion. All countries have traffic lights and road signs (well, most do).

        Even achievements was borrowed from other mediums, but because MS were the first to use it for console games it's seen as being "theirs"? No, it was never theirs, it was inevitable, much like social networking concepts and avatars seem to be fast becoming inevitable parts of online gaming, no one owns the idea, the idea evolves and penetrates mediums as time goes on. That's all this really is.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1That's competition.. everything does not need to be innovative to be better.. just implemented better.. or features that serve more than one need.. consoles didn't invent anything that wasn't on computers before it either.. even on the NES or Atari.. games were on computers before that.

        I never understood why people complained about more features.. why does it matter where the idea comes from..
    • truspector, on 07/14/2008, -2/+34Are you serious? You're really saying this right after Sony releases "Trophies" and "In game XMB"? I'm going to laugh my ass off when MS implements Home BEFORE Sony.
    • SeafoodSoop, on 07/14/2008, -6/+1rofl you're a wu tang clan fan which probably means you're too stoned out of your brain to create a thought worth verbalizing. and if you're not high then you're just a middle class white kid who loves rap which hasn't been relevant for a decade or more. both are not flattering descriptions of you, but out of curiosity - which one is it?
      • nutsackorama, on 07/14/2008, -0/+1What the hell are you talking about?
    • Flafan, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4wukillabee - All of your comments on Digg are extremely stupid and moronic. Thank you.
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0Psst. Hey... you are being stupid and moronic.
    • CrashWorldTK, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2The Blue Screen of Death!!!
    • TheTaoOfBill, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Gaming has is and always will be a collection of ideas.

      Nintendo said it would revolutionize gaming. Well it is doing just that. You can't revolutionize ***** if people don't try to take your idea and build off of it.

      If you ask me this is about 10 times better than Miis. Betters styles, more clothes and downloadable content
    • Elranzer, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Apparently, the Mii ripoffs were developed by Rare. No surprise there. They seem to be acting illogically ungrateful towards Nintendo lately.
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0Yeah, it is too bad about their fallout with Nintendo, the last time they made a decent game was with them.
  • Nath5000, on 07/14/2008, -23/+137Who else thinks this looks ugly? From what they've shown so far I think it looks tacky, unoriginal, and messes with what already worked well. First of all, I don't want a cartoon character avatar. Second, it looks like a complete rip off of a Nintendo Mii on a backdrop that looks like the PS3 XrossMediaBar mixed together with an AppleTV. Why are they replacing something that was already great when they could have just improved on the original interface?
    • Shaflugi, on 07/14/2008, -14/+8I dunno, I never really liked the blades interface to begin with.
      • akula89, on 07/15/2008, -0/+5why not? its simple, and effective, and looks good
      • GRVeee2, on 07/15/2008, -3/+1re:"why not?"
        because it's disgustingly cluttered
    • richlizard24, on 07/15/2008, -4/+12I see the Mii and AppleTV similarities, but not the XMB similarities. Sony didn't invent the ability to move up, down, left and right to scroll through a menu. If anything, it really reminded me of Aero in a slightly different presentation.
      • phosphor112, on 07/15/2008, -1/+8I believe the PSX has been available longer than Apple TV. The PSX (not PlayStation One, Google it) introduced the XMB in which a menu was established horizontally in which sub menus would drop down. Apple TV has a similar feature that was implemented later on.
      • CrudeDarkness, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2when you turn the xmb vertical you will see the similarity.
      • crazycarlmar, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2It's more like a sideways Zune.
    • stoobywon, on 07/15/2008, -3/+2Well theres only 1 picture, hardly enough to judge it by
    • grock900, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2You don't have to have an avatar, you can keep the gamerpic
    • maliceessence, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2I'm a bit ambivalent.

      I disagree with you on the Blades interface.. Right from launch day the Blades have struck me as annoying. The number of screens you have to go through to get what you want is pathetic. The XrossMediaBar is a dream in comparison so i can see why they'd copy.

      You're right though. It's AppleTV. Just with an Aero/MediaCenter twist. Still maintains that horrid Microsoft gloss sheen. Now all they need is to fix that %!&^ RRoD issue.
    • sebflipper, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1That's Microsoft for you, embrace and enhance.
    • aeoo, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1"Why are they replacing something that was already great when they could have just improved on the original interface?"

      Because the original sucks donkey balls? PS3 cross bar interface is elegant, simple, understated and highly functional. xbox360 dash is tacky, parrot-like, with interface elements visually dominating the actual content of the dashboard. It's crap.

      Both Mii and PS3 have better interfaces and so xbox360 is copying them.

      This is a good thing. Now if only Microsoft will release a console without an external power brick, that runs cool, that has no RROD issues and that has built-in wireless, we'll all be happy.
  • merdiesel, on 07/14/2008, -19/+8"...and will completely makeover our beloved service for the casual gamer."

    Why all of the sudden this huge ***** concern for the casual gamer this generation?.. Does the casual gamer camp out for the release of your new consoles? Does the casual gamer hype up your system to friends and family encouraging them they have to buy one. Has the casual gamer supported the gaming industry for the past 20 years? Give me a ***** break. Really, I'm ok with throwing in a couple of party and family friendly games here and there and I do think its better for the gaming industry to expand the audience, but don't change the entire interface of my console for people who are going to play scene it every once and a while.

    As a non-casual gamer, I will not be purchasing the next gen consoles that focuses on the casual gamer.
    • cesclaveria, on 07/14/2008, -2/+6Something I have wondered for a while, how do you know you are not a casual gamer? what is so bad about being one? Does playing CoD4, GTA and Metal Gear makes you really that better that the guy playing bejewled, and the fact that that kind of people now are able to play it from the same console as you do, makes you somewhat less 'hardcore'?
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0The option would be nice, that is the only qualm here. If Microsoft wants to cater to the casual gaming industry that is their choice, for those of us who enjoy a good RPG and action packed FPS's the choice is coming back to PC gaming rather than console gaming.

        At least I hope so.
    • sugarazor, on 07/14/2008, -1/+6I've been playing video games for 20 years and I still consider myself a casual player. I play GTA, Mass Effect, etc. and I don't think that makes someone "hardcore." I play to have fun, simple as that.
    • Myonosken, on 07/15/2008, -3/+3Because 'casual gamers' refers to those of us who play for an hour or two for fun. They probably care more about us because we don't weigh 25stone and spend our time arguing console wars and eating cheetos.
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -0/+0I consider myself a hardcore gamer and yet I only play an hour or two, the "hardcore" line is a bit stupid, but it refers to those who are passionate about action games like First person shooters, and generally dislike the feel of sim-type games. Oh and I don't argue about console wars... I just use my PC.
    • merdiesel, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I'm not in anyway trying to say because I might game a little more that in someway makes me better, that's just stupid. All I'm saying is what kind of sense is it to build a console around a guy who plays his system every once and a while to a guy who plays every night? Gaming is my #1 source of entertainment when I get home from work.. I spend the money when a good game comes out every month... It's not an ego thing as you imply, its just that gaming is my passion. I love it, I support the game developers when they pour their hearts into a game like MGS4, Smash Bros, Mass Effect ect. The guy who plays bejeweled might not, and that's cool, I just don't see why that dude should be the main focus when designing a console, that's all.
      • sugarazor, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2I play every night too, doesn't make me "hardcore." Casual gamers can play their games every night too... they're not just playing "Gamer Games." Certain "gamers" like to look down on people because they play Hexic rather than Oblivion... but the activity is still the same.

        Casual gaming doesn't mean that they don't care about the developers, they just play games that are designed for quick bursts of fun, rather than a deep, engaging experience. There's no difference between someone playing 10 games of Tetris a night for two hours as opposed to someone playing two hours of GTA. It's just a matter of what kind of game they like to play.
      • merdiesel, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Ok so I'm a "hardcore" gamer that looks down on other gamers...? thanks for that assumption, friend.
    • unwiseone, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1As a matter of fact, yes they do. This is from a retail guy who sees them every Sunday looking for Wiis.
      • Kyrato, on 07/22/2008, -1/+0I had a guy who stalked our shipment truck, hoping to get some Wii's
    • EtherGnat, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1No, casual gamers don't tend to do those things. They do, however, outnumber hardcore gamers by about 50 to 1. If you occasionally play solitaire, you're a casual gamer. If you ever watch Wheel of Fortune, you're as casual gamer. If you sometimes play darts, you're a casual gamer. Hardcore gamers are an important market, but casual gamers are.... well, everybody.
    • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1(reference to the "50 skills a gamer should master")

      I think the difference is that I beat them (casual gamers) at absolutely everything.. even games I've played once
    • markmcg95, on 09/30/2008, -0/+0do casual gamers spend 60 bucks a year on xbox live?

      some of the new stuff sounds nice though. i do like more people in one chat
  • Apeezee, on 07/14/2008, -2/+29I really don't like the fact that they are cartoon'ing up the 360. BUT, on the other hand, it sounds like it has a carefully-shrouded type of clan support. Such that you can have parties that start in the dashboard and travel through games and other activities. Hopefully there are more features like this, including having separate friends list, category-like. :)
  • TheHal, on 07/14/2008, -27/+120I can't believe how many people dislike this idea. Forget what they look like... honestly. Look at the functionality!!
    • Frazzlet, on 07/14/2008, -1/+41I'm all for new functionality, but how it is presented is also important.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2People always say that its gameplay that makes the difference.. not just graphics..

        hopefully this is like the ugly game that is incredibly fun to play ;)

        I agree with Hal though, everyone comments on what it looks like but don't consider the extra functionality.. that's all that matters really.. dashboard is just a layer..
    • mrn111, on 07/14/2008, -6/+18I agree but I hope it doesn't turn into vista, more form than function.
    • suntzusputnik, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2part of the problem is that they reorganize something already familiar. look at vista, prime example
    • battletrax, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1You got to appreciate the new features.
    • rockafella, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0it looks pretty...
  • LimeParrot, on 07/14/2008, -5/+53I'm not a big fan of the avatars, but holy crap... what awesome new features! Here's a question though. If you can use the web to select something to download from the marketplace, so you can watch it "when you get home from work", does that mean the xbox can turn on by itself and start downloading? I doubt it...
    • bouche, on 07/14/2008, -1/+10maybe they're going roll out a Connect24 like on the Wii. Put the Xbox 360 in sleep mode rather than shut it off. Then content can silently arrive.
      • FlyingSpaghetti, on 07/14/2008, -1/+5As long as that loud ass fan isn't whirring all day.
      • s0ny, on 07/14/2008, -4/+5When talking about the 360, I think you should use the term "silently" very very carefully.

        The 360's "silent" charging of a plugged in controller after you turn off the console still makes my living room sound like a server room.
      • xxA7XxaDdiCtxx, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1It's gonna be anything but silent. Every try background downloading? It's in sleep mode and still loud as hell
      • Phasmorphage, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1it already does that.

        If you download something, and it doesn't finish, hitting the power button makes it go into sleep mode.

        At least I hope, or my 360 is broke :(
    • endlessoul, on 07/14/2008, -1/+8That's what it sounds like.

      Plus, we get to rip our games onto the hard drive to play later! w00t!
      • GRVeee2, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1how will they protect from piracy i wonder?
      • NeoCortex, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2You still need the disc in the drive to prove you own the game.
      • utahnkid, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Microsoft knows how to think of really cool ideas, beat them to death in their legal department, then suck em' dry in accounting.

        Yeah shaving off seconds from a load time will be a good thing, but who doesn't automatically think of the bliss it would be IF they would have let you access all your games without having to change the disc out or get up and look for them ever again. You would just have a list like your music library, select a game, start playing.

        Even if it meant having to call in and "activate" my games, ala Windows activation, that would still make more sense.

        If you HAVE to get 100% of the poison out of me in order to save my life and do a stand-up good job at extracting 99% of it, I'm still gonna die. This is one of those things you need to do ALL THE WAY if you want to help at all.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I just think having a dvd changer would fix that. Sell it has an external component and I will buy one. I still don't understand with these new consoles why this is not an option.. getting up and changing the disc as always been a nuisance to me (and other lazy people).
    • foo25, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3You can already use background downloading, so why not a constant state similar to it, where downloads are possible without any need to have the console fully powered up? Doesn't seem that unlikely.
    • jmatthews0, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6This feature already exists. Not the whole selecting the item from the web thing, but the Xbox 360 will download items while it is basically powered off. The Xbox 360 stays in standby and downloads the selected items, and when it is finished, it turns off. I use this all the time to download demos while I sleep.
      • aking7, on 07/15/2008, -6/+2You can actually sleep while it does this?
    • phosphor112, on 07/15/2008, -7/+1Guess, what? PS3 has those features already (including starting a download with your PSP from anywhere and get to home see it finished) ;). Yay Sony for preemptive features that were ready before other competitors.
      • haterofps3, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2How is that important to this conversation?
  • dafin0, on 07/14/2008, -7/+1its different, i think its turn early to be passing out things like "its ugly" with fetures like that i could careless even if it look like a cow tock a *****
  • MillionsLivio, on 07/14/2008, -11/+81I called Xbox about the avatars and they confirmed that you will still be able to use gamerpics over the avatars, thankfully.
    • billjimbob, on 07/14/2008, -34/+52You actually called Microsoft about it....? Seriously, you care that much about using a gamerpic instead of an avatar? No wonder customer service people are assholes, they have to deal with people like you. Besides, you really think the person you talked to knew what he was talking about?
      • gmprunner, on 07/14/2008, -8/+54Wow, you're a jerk.
      • ByteGuerilla, on 07/15/2008, -1/+18I'd rather someone like MillionsLivio called up just asking for information than someone like billjimbob called up to be a jerk and pass his holy judgement upon people based on their usage of customer service.

        Customer service does not exist entirely to process people's Red Ring of Death returns.
      • MillionsLivio, on 07/15/2008, -2/+26I was actually calling about my repair (I got the red rings again) and figured I would ask while I was talking to the guy. Don't need to be a jackass about it.
      • MaxMWood, on 07/15/2008, -4/+2You win.
      • marauderofsorts, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1some gamerpics cost money. that alone is enough to warrant a question.
    • BobsYourUncle, on 07/14/2008, -4/+13Define 'Xbox'. Unless you have some source inside Microsoft, I wouldn't trust "Max" at 1800MYXBOX. And it seems like it'd be a big enough feature that they'd mention it at E3. I remain skeptical, but hopeful.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1And the announcement was only yesterday.. I assume they kept that information pretty secret

        Isn't the support center contracted ?
    • itsripitsrip, on 07/15/2008, -0/+11i wanna look like samuel l jackson, *****.
    • Wiinii, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4They could always put the pics on the avatar's t-shirt.
      • Linkkill, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Thats a pretty good idea. That means we've not wasted our damn money on the gamerpictures then.
    • ydt89, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3As long as I can be the Microsoft office talking paper clip I'm satisfied.
    • Tayls, on 07/15/2008, -2/+0Sweet. Emulating Mii's is like acting retarded.
  • geeshock, on 07/14/2008, -1/+145Copying the game to the hard drive is the obvious winner here, our prayers have been answered and my ears thanken ye.
    • Krumm, on 07/14/2008, -0/+16It stops the 'click, click' "The disc is dirty, so I've lost all your progress from the last save", so I'm more than happy!
      I can start playing rentals again...
      • jimmy89, on 07/14/2008, -0/+7Yeah thank the lord .. gta dies all the time cause my drive is dying :P

        and mass effect and others:D
      • FFXIfrohike, on 07/14/2008, -0/+3Same here. If this really works, we won't have the stupid dirty disc error problem anymore. I'm surprised more people haven't spoken up about this feature, actually...
      • ydt89, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4Yea but don't you have to have the disc in the console?
    • davidrools, on 07/14/2008, -1/+12yeah, copying one game at a time to your 13GB-free drive. I guess it's time to mod/upgrade.
      • Raptor007, on 07/15/2008, -0/+11I'll copy a few of my favorites to my Elite's 120GB drive, which has been sadly underutilized until now.
      • xino, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3I bet this feature is part of the reason that the 60GB X360 is being released. I also think they are going to phase out the 20GB systems, but the phasing out isn't official or at least as far as I know.
      • gfunk84, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2The 20GB price drop says "while supplies last" so I think that means the phasing out is official.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1@gfunk

        that was my understanding too .. that they would sell them for 50$ cheaper until they run out for the 60gb
    • wontstoptalking, on 07/15/2008, -3/+4You actually still need to insert the disc to ensure that you own the game. Or for whatever reason. So really, it's pointless.
      • FFXIfrohike, on 07/15/2008, -0/+6Not really. It'll probably spin up once to verify some header info, then spin down, which will definitely save the optical drive from wear & tear.
      • Sawta, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3@ FFXIfrohike

        If what EA was originally planing for Spore and Mass Effect is any indication, the drive will probably check the disc every 15 minutes JUST to make sure you're not doing anything "naughty".
      • FFXIfrohike, on 07/18/2008, -0/+1But I don't think this feature will be controlled by the developers/publishers on the 360. It'll probably just be a temporary remap of one volume to another, with validation of the disc at the beginning. At least MS had better implement it that way.
  • robomixx, on 07/14/2008, -10/+1Anyone know how multi disk games will work with the download or are they going the lazy route and just not having them downloadable?
  • Inohavehalos, on 07/14/2008, -17/+10This new avatar crap looks retarded, I really hope that I won't be forced into making one of these.

    Does anyone else like the old way?
  • ReeferChiefer42, on 07/14/2008, -19/+3If a casual gamer has a problem with the current 360 setup they can kindly piss off and go back to playing the first Xbox. Why fix what isn't broken?!
    • estvir, on 07/14/2008, -3/+9Will you people stop saying that? It's a stupid thing to say, or the way you're using it is.
  • vkny88, on 07/14/2008, -23/+2Nothing to do with this but was wondering?
    Nny idea if Halo Blue could possibly for PS3 ?
    (HALO 3 for PS3???)
  • thecosmicpope, on 07/14/2008, -11/+22Personally I hate the current Xbox software. It seems complex and it was designed by a man who couldn't stop playing with his photoshop filters. I like clean lines and smooth interfaces, so I quite like the menu system that appears in that screenshot.

    But do I really need a Mii? The Mii is great for the Wii since it is a completely different gaming experience. The Miis appear in lots of games and it adds to the cute fun nature of the Wii. What is the Microsoft version of this Mii going to add, other than an annoying talking avatar on your screen?
    • estvir, on 07/14/2008, -2/+13If you don't like it, don't use it.

      It's just one of those things that not everyone will like and use and I don't get why people feel compelled to need to justify a reason to use every new feature.

      Not everything is for you, for example, they added the ability to copy games to the HDD yet that may not matter to some people -- good for them, let's all move on.
    • TheSuperunknown, on 07/15/2008, -6/+3The Blade dashboard is clean lines and smooth interfaces... And do you even know the difference between a filter and a blending style?
    • mephitix, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Personally I think the XBL avatars look a lot cooler/are more diverse than the Miis...

      http://gizmodo.com/5016589/xbox-360s-rumored-avata ...
  • TreatsTheBear, on 07/14/2008, -18/+11How did they make the avatars look even gayer than Miis?
    Can't wait.
  • billjimbob, on 07/14/2008, -0/+62I may be alone here, but I'm really looking foward to the "primetime" thing that has you playing games like 1vs100 online with other people.... interactive gameshows sound fun. The prizes are just icing on the cake, even if you're odds are one in a million.
    • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I just hope the "party" is a real party for in-games too.. That would be so much easier to all get together.. chatting and playing games (i don't just mean game shows.. actual games on disc)
      • FurtiveApe, on 07/15/2008, -0/+0I understood it that wasy, that you can forma aprty and go from gme to game, and watch a movie or just chat
  • hepj, on 07/14/2008, -4/+26I actually like this new interface much better. It cleans up the mess that was the dashboard. They had started to add too many blades to the interface at it was cutting down on usable space.

    Here they seem to have gone back to a simple, uncluttered design that reminds me more of the Zune interface than anything else. I'm happy that Microsoft is taking the time to reorganize the aging blade interface.
    • brainboy77, on 07/15/2008, -1/+3it kind of looks like the ps3 interface, only less columns.
    • stoobywon, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2reminds me of the media center interface
  • Elliottx, on 07/14/2008, -16/+4"I know, let's copy Nintendo!"

    I do believe everyone who owns a 360 just got what the *****, barbeque poned.
    • Jenadae, on 07/14/2008, -2/+11Actually we just got every reason not to buy a Wii.... ***** idiot...
    • estvir, on 07/14/2008, -1/+10At least when they 'copy' (You're dumb) they do it well.

      Let's all go use the Wii's online system, HAHAHAH.
      • IanPR, on 07/14/2008, -8/+3Or... lack therefore of...
      • ConfusedCartman, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2lanPR, how many times were you dropped as a baby?
    • Elliottx, on 07/15/2008, -3/+1I do believe I just served myself. Could be because I didn't bother reading the article and am officially what could be described as a "Troll" or it could be because I really don't care.

      I have no retort to the two people who insulted me except for ***** you, die of cancer, die of aids, I hope you get ran over, eat some more chocolate fatty until people love you.

      It was a joke, there's no need to be so callous about it and I'm ACTUALLY a little offended by the two comments made by Jenadae and estvir. Say you're sorry please. :)
      • uhohzombies, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3"Say you're sorry"? Hahahahahaha! Welcome to Digg!
    • xino, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2@Elliottx You weren't joking and you are a dick. You don't deserve an apology. If you want to feel better, let's just say estvir and Jenadae were joking also. It shouldn't matter if that's true or not since the truth didn't matter when you said you were joking.
  • keithnoir, on 07/14/2008, -6/+163looks like the 360 dashboard had sex with Itunes and raised there baby like a wii....
    • samus007, on 07/14/2008, -6/+3Lol. Awesome
    • selfdisplaced, on 07/15/2008, -8/+14their
      • razei, on 07/15/2008, -8/+4wow.
        no one cares, go do something other than police grammar on an internet comment thread please.
    • pradaaddict, on 07/15/2008, -2/+4I agree, what a cheap piece of ***** knockoff of the cover flow system.

      The reason why i avoid my Wii is the childish feeling, 360 is supposed to be for hardcore online gaming, not playing the ***** Sims.
    • Sawta, on 07/15/2008, -1/+2It looks like it was ***** out several months prematurely.
    • mufffin, on 07/15/2008, -2/+2itunes, their
  • carl25, on 07/14/2008, -14/+6IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT
    • B1663r, on 07/14/2008, -2/+4Yeah, thats been my major complaint with the xbox of recent. There is just too much stuff on it. I am not kidding, with the thosands of movies and tv shows, and XBLA games, and then the plain old games. I can never make up my mind of what to play or watch or do, so I end up walking away.
    • Chakat, on 07/14/2008, -0/+4That's the problem. It is broke for a large segment of the population that doesn't care about "gaming culture" that wants to just sit down and play. The Wii's success points to the fact that casual gaming is much more important than the hardcore gaming market the original interface was oriented towards. MS has realized this, and is altering their interface accordingly, to help attract those people.

      Now, if only they could do something about culling the homophobic, misogynistic, racist, and just plain childish idiots who seem to enjoy "gaming culture".
    • MasterGrief, on 07/14/2008, -4/+2CAPS LOCK IS LIKE CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL
  • BobsYourUncle, on 07/14/2008, -3/+21I won't use any of the new features until the HDD price comes down. ~$230CDN for 120GB is too ridiculous to even consider.
    • gfunk84, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3Keep an eye out for sales I guess... I picked up a 120GB for $150CAD in October. Still outrageous, but less so.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I think it is getting a price drop (along with the 20gb Pro bundle).. still like 150$ retail i think though..
    • bubut, on 07/15/2008, -2/+060GB version confirmed at $350 for later this year, hence this weekend's price drop of the 20GB model.
    • Kazbaeden, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Why don't you just buy a 120 GB and hack it? It costs like $80.
  • Enkhei, on 07/14/2008, -9/+4"Because you asked for it..."
    I also asked for a lower monthly cost, where's that?
    • joshuagor44, on 07/14/2008, -2/+6They just gave us more value
    • Shaflugi, on 07/14/2008, -1/+4It's 50 bucks a year, what the hell are you complaining about?
    • ExRe, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Stop playing. There, no monthly cost.

      If $5/month is too much you are one cheap bastard.
  • coheedcollapse, on 07/14/2008, -6/+4Honestly, it doesn't look too exciting. Speaking as a sincere PS3 owner, the variety of games appearing on the 360 is going to make me pick up the console far more quickly than these new updates (which looks like it might be happening very soon - I finally have some expendable cash!).
    • StolenLamp, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2It's not intended to make non-owners excited about buying one... it's to make its loyal fan-base happier with innovation.
    • yournamehere, on 07/22/2008, -0/+1Wait, the variety of games is going to make you pick up a console far more quickly but you chose the PS3 over 360? ... and I have both.
  • Briii, on 07/14/2008, -10/+4did they just copy everything from every other console
  • Jenadae, on 07/14/2008, -5/+10"Play from hard drive. Copy your games from the game disc and play directly from the hard drive. Not only will the drive not spin, but load times are quicker, as well. Of course, you will still need the disc in the tray to prove you own the game."

    Oh so exploitable...
    • Protoss, on 07/14/2008, -0/+6My first thought too...all someone has to do is rip a game, hook the hard drive to their PC and analyze the encryption schemes to try and find an exploit.
      • Jenadae, on 07/14/2008, -0/+6and then create a disc with all these codes on it and flash the firmware to read different sectors for each game from a single disc :)
      • brainboy77, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3wow, you guys actually understand what's going on? *****, i'm behind. *wonders the purpose of living*
      • austin63, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I was just thinking ripping to the hard drive was stupid if i still had to get up and put the disk in the tray.
      • gfunk84, on 07/15/2008, -4/+2You guys are dicks... they add a useful feature, and the first thing that comes to mind is how you can use it to rip them off?
      • dhughes, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1 Upon seeing that my first thought was "Finally!", my second thought was "I need to pee."
    • Raptor007, on 07/15/2008, -0/+4I wish it were, but no, the big problem with the 360 is still the need for signed code. There are already ways to copy to/from the hard drive, but so far we still don't have homebrew apps. :¬(
    • bentrinh, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2They've already figured out how to run bootlegs by flashing...
      • BforBusiness, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1yes, but i want to play on xbox live.
      • Aldanga, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1You can play on Xbox Live, at least as long as you use correctly patched games.
  • Darkwave, on 07/14/2008, -1/+12"LIVE Parties, (group chats, eight frickin' people in one chat!), has been added, something many gamers have been desiring."

    Oh good make the easedrop perk more useless than it already is in CoD4 ;) The only people that use it wont now.
    • SpectralSounds, on 07/14/2008, -0/+9People actually use that perk? I've never even been interested in using that perk. Maybe and this is a big maybe.... if you were playing in competition with other clans, but as far as pubs go... it is utterly and completely useless.
      • xino, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3It isn't completely useless, but it is a waste of a perk. Eavesdrop should be a feature that works all the time. It shouldn't even be a perk.
      • stoobywon, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2You can use it if you want to hear the 8 year olds making random noises
    • brainboy77, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3nobody really talks that much on Cod4, let alone strategy. the only time i really talk is if my friends are on or if i was with my clan (apparently they were holding cuts and i didn't get the message until the cuts were already done. lousy sonuva...). i'd rather stick to martyrdom or last stand.
      • r3negadeX, on 08/11/2008, -0/+2Martyrdom?! Oh you cheap bastard...
    • AL7AIR, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1They wrote group chat not private chat ... so I'm curious: Were they talking about the same chat we currently use in our guides, or is the game taking over control after the "dashboard-lobby" joined the other gamers. Because the old Xbox had a dashboard chat room as well sans avatars and photo, video, music sharing and game launching of course.
      • AL7AIR, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Found it in another source: The group chat is indeed an up to eight player private chat, so you can play together or split up and play different games while still talking to each other ... I'm a little concerned that this feature will be used to cheat in games like CoD4, where gamers will be able to talk to all their squad members in a round of Search and Destroy, where you are not supposed to hear the "dead" as they can provide you with valuable informations about enemy movement ... which will most likely ruin those kind of games in the long run.
      • Darkwave, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Exactly the point I was making AL7AIR, was the 1st thing that popped into my head when I read the above quote. I presume its a similar story on the PC version with TS/Vent, but to be honest I havnt got round to playing the PC version yet so no idea if the perk actually exists.

      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Except private chat was always there.. now theres just more people...
  • jjb123, on 07/14/2008, -0/+33Thank god for group chats finally!
  • Kale27, on 07/14/2008, -8/+2I spend about 8 seconds looking at the interface before playing the game. I dont care.
  • Chrino, on 07/14/2008, -11/+1Looks like PS3 navigation made over by Apple. Except a crappy version.
  • NathanCH, on 07/14/2008, -18/+11DO NOT WANT.
  • DrunkenAwesomo, on 07/14/2008, -2/+2If we can use the marketplace from our computers maybe that means we'll be getting a Games For Windows Live marketplace soon!
  • baller90210, on 07/14/2008, -6/+1yeah microsoft doesn't own it no more.
  • samadam, on 07/14/2008, -2/+52yay finally 1680x1050!
    • dalectrics, on 07/14/2008, -1/+2216:10 FTW
    • Raptor007, on 07/15/2008, -2/+3Lame, still no 1600x1200 it seems. Oh well, I play 1080p 99% of the time anyway.
    • HCviolence, on 07/15/2008, -0/+9I thought I was the only one who got excited by that. Should look nice on the 22" Monitor I play XBOX 360 on.
    • ThyOne, on 07/15/2008, -2/+6Sweet, I can stop having oval shaped sniper cross hairs in cod4.
    • Aldanga, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2Holy *****! I missed that. You just made my day!
    • sweatyyeti, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Hopefully this will work well with 1920x1200 monitors as well. As long as it scales up and doesn't give me giant black bars on all sides I'll be happy.
    • Isandunk, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Oh ***** yes!!
  • DaviDaviDaviD, on 07/14/2008, -1/+10"Create a party of up to eight friends, and stay with them from one game to another"

    Nice, I have wondered when they were bringing this in. Should save the pain in the ass invite and dashboard times.
  • transform100, on 07/14/2008, -6/+1Looks ok still seems like a step back...
    edit: 8 way chat ***** YEAH!
  • itsthebrod, on 07/14/2008, -0/+16Personally I'm extremely pumped about this: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/e32008/ ...

    Being able to stream the Netflix watch instantly movies and see them on my TV (rather than getting that Media Center hack to work which never did for me) is awesome!
    • brainboy77, on 07/15/2008, -2/+11) Buy a 1gb usb drive. 2)Install utorrent. 3)www.piratebay.org or www.mininova.org 4) Put movie on flash drive. 5) Watch on 360. It takes about an hour, but you can keep the movie and best of all, is free.
      • AL7AIR, on 07/15/2008, -0/+7I'm sure you meant a 8GB USB drive and a private tracker with some quality relea ... hold on, there's somebody at the door.



        Okay ... the guys in black told me that I have to finish this post some other time, cya in about 10 to 15 years.
      • bubut, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1brb fbi
      • itsthebrod, on 07/15/2008, -0/+2I don't want to keep the movie, and I want it watch it instantly without having to download gigabytes and go through the hassle of searching torrent sites. And considering I already pay for Netflix, I wouldn't gain anything from doing it your way.
    • lot665, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3too bad only a dozen of those netflix movies are worth watching. most are crapflicks you'd find in a bargain bin.
      • itsthebrod, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1I mainly use it for watching TV shows anyway. The actual movies I don't mind renting.
  • estvir, on 07/14/2008, -0/+53Here's an image of what the in-game "Blades" look like:

    http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o177/dvasj2/Pic ...

    Looks good, can't wait for the update.
    • selfdisplaced, on 07/15/2008, -5/+1I wonder if that logo at the top logo red rings when it freezes up or errors/disconnects.
    • nllx, on 07/15/2008, -1/+0At what point of the presentation was that? Must have missed it.
    • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1That looks very nice.. I just hope its not super slow caus it looks more complicated than the current one ;)
  • Typhoon2009, on 07/14/2008, -4/+19why did i sell my 360?
    • latova, on 07/14/2008, -17/+2Would you like mine?
    • ATLien74, on 07/15/2008, -36/+3Because it's a piece of ***** that breaks all the time, and MS never fixes it, they just keep sending you the same broke piece of ***** until your warranty runs out and they start charging you to NOT fix it. Oh and Microsoft is big assed bloated company that makes a ***** ass OS called Windows that crashes and sucks just as much as the Xbox does... and it's all ran by this lunatic with pit stains named Steve running around screaming at people.

      That's why.
      • Voide, on 07/15/2008, -1/+15Your medications waiting for you in the cabinet, whenever you feel like taking it.
      • BearinG, on 07/15/2008, -1/+1Actually, since it breaks about once a year, and you get an extra year warranty everytime, that's almost like an infinite warranty ;)
      • ATLien74, on 07/16/2008, -0/+1*****, they didn't extend my warranty...and why in the ***** would you keep something knowing it's going to break and your going to have to keep sending it in and be without it for 5-6 weeks at a time? Not only that, but everytime you call the tech support it's some douche that can't speak english, and you have to go through every typical test over the phone that you've already done just to appease the non-english speaking ass munch tech support douchebag, and that takes an hour and wastes your phone minutes. ***** MICROSUCK!
    • Corey2, on 07/15/2008, -2/+10Wow ATLien74, You've blinded me with your amazing flawless logic.

      /sarcasm
      • ATLien74, on 07/16/2008, -1/+1I think you blinded yourself by jerking off all over your 360.
    • Magnut, on 07/15/2008, -2/+2Because you knew something horrible would happen... like this
  • donjuan571, on 07/14/2008, -11/+6"Of course, you will still need the disc in the tray to prove you own the game."

    That made me think at first that the article was a satire, because it just sounds pretty pointless. I can fill up my hardrive with games but I have to put the disc in anyway to prove I own it? That makes little to absolutely no sense at all.
    • samadam, on 07/14/2008, -0/+13Wait, that makes a huge amount of sense to me! It's just like on a PC, except with better control. I am not sure which part of that you are not getting. Faster loading? No disk noise? Yes please.
    • duccodude, on 07/14/2008, -1/+6It makes perfect sense: Less loading and no obnoxious 48x dvd spinning noise.
    • arcticblue, on 07/14/2008, -1/+9It makes perfect sense. Piracy would run rampant if you didn't need the disc. This is great because it will only use the disc to verify that you actually have the game and all the loading and everything will be done from the hard drive. That means the 360 will be quieter and load faster. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be doing much on my measly 20GB hard drive.
    • SSCrow, on 07/14/2008, -1/+7So that you don't copy a rental to the hard drive?
    • SpectralSounds, on 07/14/2008, -1/+3It makes perfect sense.... Otherwise all you would have to do is go rent a game, dump it to your harddrive and then you own it until you didn't delete it. They would have to be abysmally stupid to do something like that. Even as it stands right now, they are opening themselves up to more piracy by just letting you have the disc in the tray to verify you own the game.
      • Protoss, on 07/14/2008, -3/+1And you just know someone will hack it or the drive firmware to always 'verify' that the specific game is in the drive.
    • Raptor007, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1This is a step in the right direction. Personally, I'd prefer a CD key that's entered once and then no disc in to play. I guess that'd break rentals though.
      • arcticblue, on 07/15/2008, -0/+1Unless they came out with a rental key that is good for 5 days and only usable once per system. That means you can't rent the same game twice, but who does that anyway?
    • Velnich, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3It makes perfect sense...
    • Tony611, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3It makes perfect sense?
    • captaindoobers, on 07/15/2008, -0/+3It makes perfect sense!
  • Threlly1, on 07/14/2008, -7/+1Where the hell is the live video stream of this keynote ?
    I'm not reading no effing blog.
  • HumanRecalled, on 07/14/2008, -9/+2do i have to use a avatar ? Or can i still have cool dashboard pics ? or my own face as a pic ?

    This seems to be getting way to kidish in the form of Nintendo Wii !

    Also this UNO rush game filled with avatars of people ? Doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose and go backwards compared to the Xbox UNO and live camera image of yourself and others playing live ?

    And where is my LIVE INTERNET BROWSER !!??
  • sugarazor, on 07/14/2008, -3/+1Looks like I'm going to need to upgrade the 20g hard drive. Anyone have experience with the transfer cables, they work okay?
  • TheDooku, on 07/14/2008, -7/+4Looks like some weird combination of the Mii Channel and Mac OS X......What was wrong with the current one?
  • thebza451, on 07/14/2008, -10/+5and the haters keep hating... nothing new here in the comments section of digg, move along...
  • finn, on 07/14/2008, -5/+3i dont mind the new avatar feature(s), but it kinda pisses on the folks that bought avatars with sweet valuable points. As for the article..could there be more typos in that thing, honestly... am I the only one who saw so many typos in it?
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