Xbox 360 250GB

Chalk up more hours of fun
by Trevor Tan
05:55 AM Jul 16, 2010

Will you believe it? The Microsoft Xbox 360 game console has been around for five years! And it's about time we get an update.

To be launched this Sunday in Singapore, the new console - known simply as the Xbox 360 250GB - is 15 per cent smaller than its predecessor. It sports a slim, glossy black shell with a sleek chrome finishing lining the top and bottom rims. The glossy surface, however, proves to be a magnet for fingerprints and smudges. Have a fibre cloth ready.

The processing power remains the same but you now get built-in 802.11n WiFi, two more USB ports than the original three, touch capacitive power and eject buttons, a custom Kinect port and a removable 250GB hard drive. With built-in WiFi, you can place the console anywhere in your home and connect to Xbox Live without the need for a WiFi adaptor.

The touch capacitive buttons are particularly cool. Lightly press the power button and it powers up immediately. When you touch the eject button, the console will beep before the disc tray opens to ensure you don't get hit by it.

The custom Kinect port allows you to hook up to the Kinect motion sensor (available in November) with only one cable. You will need an additional power supply cable if you connect Kinect to the previous console.

The larger hard drive capacity of 250GB will come in handy when you pack in more games, downloadable content, movies and music. But you will need a 16GB thumbdrive to transfer stuff like saved games and profiles from your old console.

The best thing about the new console is its quiet operation. There is only one large cooling fan on top to suck out the air, and this also improves ventilation and prevents the "red ring of death". In fact, on this console, a blinking red light on the power button means it has insufficient ventilation and the console will shut down automatically.

The standard Xbox 360 250GB package ($499) includes the console, wireless controller, wired headset and AV composite cable. Given the popularity of HDTV these days, I thought an extra HDMI cable should have been bundled. TREVOR TAN

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Gaming/EDC100716-0000054/Chalk-up-more-hours-of-fun

Read more...

Microsoft jumps a new hurdle Motion-sensing gaming technology and redesigned Xbox 360

Motion-sensing gaming technology and redesigned Xbox 360 help you 'Kinect' with sports and Darth Vader

by Trevor Tan

05:55 AM Jun 18, 2010

The new Xbox 360 console (centre) and the Kinect sensor (left) were officially unveiled during a media briefing in Los Angeles a day before the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 kicked off. Photo by TREVOR TAN

"This is a good time to be a games journalist," beamed a fellow journalist.


About 1,000 journalists (this reporter included) from all corners of the globe queued for up to two hours to congregate inside Wiltern Theater for the Microsoft Xbox media briefing a day before the annual electronic games event, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2010, kicked off in Los Angeles.

It was well worth the wait. Microsoft officially announced its motion sensing technology Kinect, formerly known as Project Natal, to the world.

Unlike the motion sensing technology of competitors, Kinect doesn't require controllers. Simply step in front of the Kinect sensor and it recognises you and responds to your gestures. Plus, it supports voice commands and video-chat.

At the event, Microsoft showcased titles such as Kinect Sports, Kinectimals, Dance Central and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, in addition to its triple-A titles, such as Gears of War III and Halo: Reach.

I had a chance to try the hurdles game in Kinect Sports: Run on the spot and you can see your avatar running the race. Jump when the onscreen hurdle turns green. Jumping too fast or too slow means you'll crash into the hurdle. I ended up crashing nonetheless despite jumping on cue. Maybe it's just me.

I also tried the bowling game in Kinect Sports. Put your hand down to pick up the (virtual) ball, aim - blue arrows on the lane onscreen guide you - and swing your arm forward. It was liberating not to fiddle with a controller and press a button to release the ball.

While some of the Kinect games do bare a striking resemblance to the competition, Kinect adds a new social dimension to Xbox 360. And you don't need to buy a separate console like the Nintendo Wii to enjoy social gaming if you have an Xbox 360 console.

I can already envision my wife and I dancing away to the tunes of Lady Gaga or practising yoga together with Kinect. But what excited me most was LucasArts bringing Star Wars to Kinect next year. Wielding a lightsaber and executing the Force powers with your bare hands is a very attractive proposition.

Kinect will be launched on Nov 4 with 15 titles in the United States. It will be on sale in Singapore in the same month. Pricing is yet to be confirmed. Trevor Tan in Los Angeles

Xbox 360 gets slim

Accompanying the launch of Kinect was a slimmer Xbox 360 console.

Sporting a glossy black body with a chrome finish lining the top and bottom, the redesigned console features a custom Kinect port, built-in 802.11n WiFi, a larger 250GB internal swappable hard drive, five USB ports (two more than the original), an integrated optical audio-out port, and touch-sensitive power and eject buttons.

During a brief hands-on with the console, I found the touch-sensitive buttons responsive. Starting up and shutting down the device was swift. The best improvement, to me, is the much quieter operation, as there is only one large cooling fan compared to two in the previous model.

While Kinect will work with the previous Xbox 360 console, it will require a power supply in addition to the USB connection. The new console needs just a USB connection with its custom Kinect port. Except for the Xbox 360 external hard drives and memory units, all other games and accessories will work with the new console.

The Xbox 360 250GB, which includes a wireless controller, wired headset and AV composite cable, will be available in Singapore on July 18 for $499.



Visit todayonline.com/Gallery/Today/Video to view videos of the new Xbox 360 and a Kinect Sports demo.

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Gaming/EDC100618-0000046/Microsoft-jumps-a-new-hurdle

Read more...