Cost | What to Enjoy | Features | Video | News & Updates | Sales Info | Press Releases | Editor’s Assessment
Cost: Xbox 360 Arcade (256MB) – $199.99 | Xbox 360 (60GB) – $299.99 | Xbox 360 Elite (120GB) – $399.99
What to enjoy:
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 comes with a built-in DVD player, and through Xbox LIVE’s Video Marketplace, you can download and rent movies and full TV shows, and watch trailers, music videos, and shorts. Content is available from many studios, including Paramount Pictures, CBS, TBS, MTV Networks, UFC, NBC, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Walt Disney Pictures, MGM, ABC, and more. Films and TV shows are available for purchase. You’ll need to use Microsoft Points to make purchases.
Content streams in both SD and HD, depending on title: Browse here for titles in HD.
Third-Party Features:
The Xbox 360 can connect to your home network through Windows Media Center, allowing you to stream media right into the console from your computer. Netflix subscribers can access Netflix Instant (streams in SD). Plus, Xbox recently added integration with Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to keep up-to-date on your friends, and share your gaming moments through the social networks. Last.FM will also be added.
News & Updates:
Joystiq.com (08/27/2009): Interview: Xbox’s Aaron Greenberg on the $300 Elite and all things Xbox – In this interview Joystiq talks to Aaron Greenberg, Director of Product Management for Xbox, about info regarding the new all-black Elite. Greenberg also discusses their partnership with Netflix and the likelihood of seeing a similar deal with Hulu, Amazon On Demand, or YouTube. {Read more}
Kotaku (06/01/2009): Facebook, Twitter Coming To Xbox 360 – The Xbox 360 will be added Twitter and Facebook to its list of web services, Microsoft announced today, with some of those social networking services interact with the console’s game library. {Read more}
Sales Info & Figures:
Visit VGChartz for an interactive chart displaying the sales figures for the Xbox 360 as compared to other consoles.
Latest Press Releases:
05/28/2009: Xbox 360 Sees Record Growth in 2009 – Microsoft Corp. announced today that sales of Xbox 360 consoles have passed the 30 million mark globally, with its Xbox LIVE community swelling to more than 20 million active members. After the biggest year in its history in 2008, Xbox 360 achieved the highest percentage growth in hardware sales of any console so far in 2009, up 28 percent over the previous year. {Read more}
Editor’s Assessment:
The Xbox 360 through its Xbox Live Gold Membership expands the video game platform to include movies (through Netflix Instant), a Zune application, and social media (including facebook and twitter).
