Tag Archives: 360

Jul 09 2007
1 Comment
Technology

Device Ownership

Yesterday was a bad day if you were an electronic device owned by me.

Total casualties:

  1. Logitech PlayStation2 USB Headset
    This headset just will not be recognized, no matter which USB port I plug it into. Other headsets work fine. Thankfully, I had a spare, so impromptu City of Heroes / City of Villains session was only marginally interrupted.
  2. SanDisk Cruzer 512MB USB Key
    Recognized by my MBP, not recognized on various ports on my XP box. Thus, nearly useless.
  3. XBOX 360
    Started out by not booting. Not even the 360 logo would come up. Then booting, but crashing when loading levels in Overlord. Then booting, loading levels in Overlord, and crashing when saving games. Finally, the Red Rings of Death.

The 360 did boot one last time to the dashboard. This was followed by a frantic copying of Morgan’s user profile to the memory unit.

That was its final act.

I think the worst part about this whole thing is that I’m not angry. The 360 has been doing strange things for the six months I’ve owned it. Disc Unreadable Errors in the middle of gameplay and seemingly random freezes, have basically desensitized me to the final reality that my 360 is bricked.

All I have to say is, “Well played Peter Moore, well played.”

Now I have to decide what to do with my plastic brick. I could send it to MS, and wait possibly a few weeks to get it back. Or, I could just go down to Target and replace it immediately, considering I opted for an extended warranty with them for $30.

Neither of the two options is very appealing. My tale of woe begins.

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Jul 08 2007
Games

Good news for 360 Owners

Well, Microsoft just extended all 360 warranties to three years.  That’s good.

They even acknowledged (Well, as much as a large corporation can admit to failure) the manufacturing issues that lead to this point.

For now, I’m playing Carcassone, which for $6.25US, isn’t a bad price for something that in real life, costs $25.

Additionally:

  1. No tiles or tiny pieces to lose
  2. Scoring done automagically

I think that’s a pretty good deal.

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May 16 2007
Games

Everybody's favorite price point

Aegis Wing is free if you have an Xbox 360 and a connection to the internet.

Crafted by three interns at Microsoft, this is the sort of thing that redeems my Xbox 360 experience after I lose some gameplay due to a disc read error.

The game is fun, features cooperative multiplayer (both local and over Xbox Live),  and is simple enough for pick up and play for anyone.

Did I mention that it’s fun?

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Nov 23 2005
Games

An ode.

‘Twas the night before Xbox, when all through the city–
Those without preorders were feeling real shitty.
The previews had been read, with the utmost of care,
predicting many good things, but the box would be rare.

The fanboys had lined up, despite all the cold,
to count down to the second 360s were sold.
And I in my jacket and cellphone and bag
was going to attempt a mid morning snag!

At the first shop, what a scene I did see–
People lined up, outside BestBuy, Tenley.
Away to the metro, I sprung like a flash
Hopped on the red line, to yellow I dashed.

At Pentagon City, I quickly departed
But as I entered EB, I found I was thwarted.
My buddy, the manager, stood quite dejected.
“We only received half of what we expected!”

I saw there, a woman afraid to walk out,
A 360 she had, but with it, some doubt
About human nature, she had some great fears
Of her 360 looted, stolen by peers.

I saw a few friends, simply waiting in line
They’d have 360s, but where was mine?
As my phone started ringing, insistent in tone
I swore I’d acquire a box of my own.

On my cellphone was Dan, and after casing CostCo
Found that they were sold out, and we had to go.
I met up with Dan outside of the mall,
racked my brain back and forth for some kind of cure-all

More rapid than eagles, to the stores we then flew
And found out from cashiers what we already knew.

To Sears, to BestBuy,
to WalMarts most rural!
To Target, to EB,
and electronics stores, plural!
To the front of the line,
to the back of the store,
“You can’t be sold out,
please say you have more!”

Alas we were thwarted, as the car was quite empty
Thanksgiving would be without the 360.
Then we had lunch, and I went in to work.
As dwelling too much would have made me berserk.

I sprang to the web, to FireFox gave two clicks,
Navigated to eBay, and counted the ticks
My coworkers heard me exclaim as the page came in sight,
“Two thousand five hundred fifty dollars for a 360?!
You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

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