~~  XBOX 360 GUIDE  ~~ 

~  the first look  ~

    The sleek design of the new Xbox was a direct result of many sketches, studies, and months of meetings from a collaboration of international design firms. The two teams from Japan and the United States finally settled on the design first introduced on May 12, 2005. Its smooth white cover seamlessly projects elegance with a touch of chrome and glass. The design most closely resembles Apple's line of iPods. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about that statement is that it successfully completes all the tasks an iPod can do while still maintaining the video game console status. Obviously it is so much more that what the category it was placed in describes. The power button, chrome media tray, small infrared window, and two memory ports are the only visible exterior components on the front panel. An additional plastic cover hides two USB 2.0 ports. The neat, uncluttered design is due partially to the wireless controllers which eliminates the need for controller ports. The power button is encircled by a divided ring of light. The four independent lights inform you of the current status of your system. The ability to customize the look with removable face plates offers a personalized look that was absent from the previous model. When standing, the hard drive slot is located on the top along with some air vents. In the rear you will find an additional USB port, Ethernet port, and a slot for a Wi-Fi adapter for wireless networking. It is noticeably smaller than the PS2 and the previous Xbox model weighing in at 7.7 pounds and with dimensions of 12 in wide x 10 in deep x 3.25 in high. The dashboard, as known in the previous model and change to The Guide in the 360, is also fully customizable. The appearance is completely up to you. The customizability of The Guide fulfills Microsoft's goal to offer players a unique experience. The previous Xbox was not as attractive as most would have liked. It looked outdated very quickly and did not mix well with other home entertainment devices. This time around, Microsoft has created a masterpiece. It will look good on the top shelf of anyone's entertainment rack.

~  the controller  ~

    The major change in the controller is that it is wireless. You have the option of using a rechargeable battery pack or, when the battery dies, plug it in to the USB port and charge it while you play. A nice feature with the rechargeable batteries is that it uses regular AA batteries. When the battery power begins to deteriorate from charging, you can simply buy new ones for about $5. While you're at the store you might as well pick up an extra pair of batteries and a charger for them so you will never have to plug your controller into the USB to charge. The 32 foot range will work perfectly across any room. The personalization of you Xbox stretches over to the controller with preference settings for the two vibration feedback motors. The controller design is identical to the Xbox itself. The smooth white top and gray bottom body fits marvelously in your hands, completely the opposite of the last design. The big and bulky previous controllers' ugliest feature could be the oversized logo placed right in the center. On this innovative model, the logo has proven itself to be appealing as well as functional. On the bottom you will find an input jack that accepts the Xbox Live or any standard cell phone headset. Use it to talk to your friends across the country or even the world. A new feature to the controller, now necessary with the wireless option, is the ring of lights surrounding a button in the center. The lights indicate which controller you are currently using. It will also notify you of any incoming text, voice, or video messages by flashing. The button inside the ring of light is also a new feature. It is known as The Guide button. Use it to instantly connect yourself to the Xbox world. You can use a maximum of four wireless controllers at a time each from a distance of up to thirty feet from the console. A standard USB keyboard will also be recognized by the Xbox. While it will not work for game play, it does come in handy when typing text. Overall, it is the best controller I have ever used.

What Else is There to Say?

"All-round the best controller ever created."

"An evolutionary leap for controlling your Xbox"

"Perfectly conforms to users hand"

"Well balanced"

"Most ergonomically comfortable controller around."

Did You Know?

Did you know you can turn your Xbox on and off without ever leaving the couch. To turn it on simply press the Guide button. Press and hold it for three seconds to turn it off.

~ the hard drive ~

    What could you possibly use a 20 GB hard drive on a video game console for? Lots of things. Perhaps the most important point is that it is removable and interchangeable with all Xbox systems. The ones lucky enough to have a broadband connection and Xbox Live will appreciate the hard drive even more. Fill it with your downloads from the marketplace or stream music and videos from you PC. It is currently available in only a 20 GB capacity; larger capacities are likely to be released in the future with increased demand. The hard drive is included only in the Premium package, which alone, makes the package a much more obvious choice. The hard drive is necessary to play your old Xbox games. However, not all Xbox games will work. Make sure to check the list towards the end of the guide to see which ones are. The reason for this is that games processor instructions have to be converted into the new format. A downloadable emulator application is need on the hard drive to complete this task. There will most likely be a need to update the emulator as more titles become 360 compatible. The 360 can run without the hard drive but if you want to save your games you will need a memory unit. The hard drive is located on the top, when it is laid down flat it is on the left side.

~  the processor  ~

"Revolutionary Central Processing Unit with Power Equivalence of a Single Core 9.6 GHz"

    This is where the truly shocking features of the Xbox begin. Anyone who has ever assembled their own computer or know what the following statements mean will truly appreciate the truly incredible power of the Xbox. The central processing unit, or CPU, is a 3.2 GHz triple core processor. The 3.2 GHz, amazing in its self, is pretty much self explanatory. You can go into most electronic stores and see high priced computers running at 3.2 GHz. This basically just means that it is capable of processing information very quickly. The really amazing part that I believed was a mistake is that it has a triple core. Basically, that means that you have the same processing power of three 3.2 GHz processors. This provides the perfect conditions for gaming. Most PC games require a rendering engine to display what is happening in the game, artificial intelligence processing, and calculation of physics at the least. On a typical CPU, all functions or threads would go through the same unit and could only be handled one at a time which proved to be very inefficient. With the recent introduction of dual core processors to home PC users, the same unit could now handle the AI and rendering and other functions simultaneously. The problem with PC's is that the software has to be written to multithread. Because it is uncommon to have a multicore processor, developers simply aren't taking advantage of it. With the Xbox 360, the processor comes standard on all models. Game developers can write the games to take full advantage of its ability. If you want to do the math, the 3.2 GHz processor is actually equivalent to a 9.6 GHz single core processor, a fact that will always astonish me considering I still fare well with my 1.5 GHz CPU on my PC. The overall system performance is equivalent to 1 teraflop. For the computer challenged, that is about a trillion calculations per second.

~  the graphics  ~

    With all of its might and glory, the CPU only receives half the credit for the amazing graphics. The CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit) have to be well matched to perform at maximum efficiency. The GPU has a 500 MHz ATI graphics chip. What is even more important than the speed of the chip is how the graphics are processed. A graphic card uses pipelines to process graphics. The Xbox comes with a graphic card equipped with 48 pipelines. A PC graphic card, though slightly different technology, is available at a maximum of 16. The bandwidth found on the graphics card is about eight times faster than anything available on PC. The combined power of the graphics and central processing units provide the ability to play games and a minimum of 720p HDTV resolution. The 16:9 widescreen option is also available for those with the proper TVs. A maximum of 1080i resolution can only be viewed to its best with a capable television. The 720p is equal to a 1280x 720 resolution and 1080i is an astounding 1920x 1080 resolution. These graphics will look great on your TV whether you have a 52 inch or 20 inch television. However, for the ones with the regular 4:3 square TVs, the game will conform to the TV you are using. If you do not currently have a high definition television, I would recommend investing in one now. In a few years, all traditional TVs not accepting the digital signal will be obsolete. A regular TV also puts all of the capabilities of the Xbox to waste. Make sure you read the section about HD TV choices ahead!

~  XBOX Live  ~

    Since its initial introduction in 2002, Xbox Live has proved itself to be a practical meeting place for users. The ability to create member profiles highlights the new features for the service on Xbox 360. This new feature allows you to find a large amount of information on a player such as where they live, what games they play, their playing ability, reputation and you can even read a customized profile. Your ratings of other players are saved and used in future game match ups. Players who you rated badly will most likely not be matched up with you and vise versa for the players you rated good. Another great feature is the gamer score. Whether you play offline or online, your progress in all Xbox 360 games will be converted into points. You can use the information online to compare you status against the world. Your profile will present specific information about each game you play such as your playing level, best lap times, your game settings, and weather you beat the game or not. Communication over the Xbox has also advanced greatly. It has basically become an alternative to the telephone. The system is actually smart enough to send a voice message to the correct person playing a multiplayer game with other people on the same system. The silver level is the not so basic basic level which includes much of what the Gold level features. For no subscription cost you can browse profiles, buy stuff at the marketplace, voice and text chat, and play multiplayer games such as cards or billiards. To play multiplayer on regular games you will need to subscribe to the gold level. This level will allow video chat, multiplayer gaming, access to tournaments, and other exclusive material. The marketplace is the place you get the newest updates and content for your games. Download trailers, demos, episodic content, additional game levels, weapons, vehicles, skins, and much more. Now it is even easier than every before to download content on a connected Xbox 360. You no longer have to separately pay for each small download with your credit card. You may now use a credit card to put money in your account, or if you do not have a credit card you can purchase a card that works like a gift card. You simply pay cash at a store and use the card at the Marketplace. For those not willing to pay for the Gold service, you do get a 30-day free trial to the Gold level and there are also "Gold Weekends" where the service will be free for the weekend. For those already acquainted with Xbox live from their old system, your account will be transferred automatically to your new system.

~  the package  ~

    The Xbox comes in two very distinct packages. The lower priced and significantly lower valued option is called the core system and comes in the green box. The higher priced alternative comes in the white box and is called the Xbox 360 Premium. The Premium is $399 and the Core System is $299. The core system lacks a wireless controller, HD AV cable, 20 GB hard drive, ability to play original Xbox games, Ethernet cable, headset, and the premium chrome details. You can see the prices of all the accessories in the accessories section. Certainly, if you add it up, you will find that the accessories are worth well more than the one hundred dollar price difference. You can do without most of the accessories in the Premium package but why would you want to. Don't forget that to save games you will need either a hard drive or a memory unit which is not included in the Core package. The Core package seems so impractical compared to the other option that I wonder why Microsoft even decided to offer it. Perhaps in the first few months when supplies are scarce buyers will have to settle for it and than buy the additional parts later which would bring in more money for the company. 

~  gaming system?  ~

    The original Xbox was a videogame system. It was Microsoft's introduction into the gaming console market and perhaps they wanted to gain a reputation before they introduced new features. The Xbox 360 is now being described as a gaming system and also an entertainment system because it successfully functions as both. It's a music, photo, gaming, and movie center with the added capabilities of a PC such as downloading, and voice, text, and video chat. It is also able to connect and instantly stream from your MP3 player, digital camera, or any Microsoft Windows XP based PC. Plug your MP3 player into the USB port and enjoy your favorite music while you play. Drop a DVD in the media tray and enjoy progressive- s canned movies. It is functional in so many ways that it cannot be placed in the category videogame system alone. With all of these features it is astonishing how easy it is to use. The media tray is even more astonishing. It supports DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD R/RW, CD-DA, CDROM, CD-RW, CD-R, WMA CD, MP3 CD, and JPEG Photo CD. It is called a media tray because it can support almost anything you put into it. Even more good news is ahead with the new Microsoft Vista operating system release in 2006. It will be compatible with the Xbox right out of the box eliminating the need for the Media Center edition