[Albion Knight]

Microsoft Quietly Replaces Noisy Xbox 360 Drive

Here are several articles on this.
Apparently its quieter and faster

• Games Radar - XBOX 360 news - Xbox 360 - New systems get quieter DVD drives
• Microsoft's Xbox 360 Gets New Internal Optical Drive - addict3d.org
• A New Drive For Xbox 360 // News

First 1080P Xbox 360 Game to be released

There are two contenders for the spot
Read more here

• Gamasutra - Virtua Tennis 3 To Be First 1080p Xbox 360 Game
• Gamasutra - EA Claims First Xbox 360 1080p Game Crown

Blu-Ray Sales beginning to surpass HD-DVD
If the trend continues we may finally have a winner

• Blu-ray Sales Surpass HD DVD Nearly Threefold

Help Microsoft Write XBL Ten Commandments

• Help Microsoft Write XBL's 10 Commandments news from 1UP.com

Introducing Xbox Rewards

Reward Package Qualifications


Level 1 (Gamers who have an annual gamerscore between 0-4,999 at time of entry): Game Picture, Dashboard theme, Contra for Xbox LIVE Arcade

Level 2 (5,000-9,999 annual gamerscore): Level 1 Package, 100 Microsoft Points and a contest T-shirt

Level 3 (10,000+ annual gamerscore): Level 1 Package, 200 Microsoft Points, contest T-shirt and Fuzion Frenzy 2

In addition, Old Spice will give Level 1 and 2 the gift of experience by upgrading their Rewards Level for 2007

Read more here

• Introducing Xbox Rewards

[Dark Drakan]

Some nice little articles in there

[LionHeadTex]

I really need to edit my 360's hardware, can't wait til I can..

My Gears of War lag is picking up...so I better hurry

[Albion Knight]

Tha March 360Zine is available online. There is a pretty good article on Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD http://www.gamerzines.com/download/360Zine_3.pdf

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Albion Knight

Tha March 360Zine is available online. There is a pretty good article on Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD http://www.gamerzines.com/download/360Zine_3.pdf

Good post

[Albion Knight]

Price Drop watch update

Here's a Quote from Steve Ballmer

"I think every console in the world has had a price decrease sometime in the first few years.

I don't know whether we'll have a price decrease in the first few years, and I don't want to comment on that, but I will highlight for you that every console has had a price decrease in the first few years," he said.Vague, obvious, and emphatic all bundled into one.

Microsoft strongly considering a Xbox 360 price drop? - addict3d.org

Other articles

Warning, this is a spoiler!

Signs of an Xbox 360 price-drop spotted


This part is not for the Xbox but could affect it
3X DVD introduced: HD DVD, now in lower resolution!

...3X DVD-ROM disc was officially mastered over the weekend, a move that some think will allow HD DVD to become more popular and possibly even win the ongoing "format war" with Blu-ray...

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070219-8882.html

Lastly some fun Console war stuff
Weekender page

[Albion Knight]

Here's the Latest

Black XboX 360

Warning, this is a spoiler!

Black Zephyr XboX 360 Launching May 1?
Best Buy Worker Confirms Black 360

"...the report we’re getting on the confirmed shipping of the new 360 to retailers is straight from within a Canadian Best Buy. The excited source told us that they’d be receiving the shady rendition in about four months’ time."

Black Microsoft XboX 360 Hitting Best Buy in May

...it appears that about six months after the first rumors, there’s confirmation that the black XboX 360 is being released this May.

AK says: As Andy put it "where there's smoke there's fire" and there's a LOT of smoke

Price Drop

Warning, this is a spoiler!

Heavy discounting hits XboX 360 Core unit

Play.com has slashed the price of the console by a quarter, selling the machine for GBP 149.99 instead of the RRP of GBP 199.99

UK Retail Chain Slashes Premium XboX 360

"XboX does not control the retail price of the XboX 360 videogame and entertainment system - prices are set by retailers. The promotion that Makro is running is not endorsed or administered by Microsoft." A Microsoft spokesman added.

AK says: I think microsoft will announce an official price drop at the same time as a new XboX

Console Wars/Sales

Warning, this is a spoiler!

Nintendo Wii outsells XboX 360 and PS3 in January

1) Nintendo Wii: 436,000 units
2) PlayStation 2: 299,000 units
3) XboX 360: 294,000 units
4) PlayStation 3: 244,000 units

AK Says: If you combine PS2 & PS3, Sony still has a dominating lead. Chances are pretty good that those PS2 owners will want a PS3 in the future

SmartMoney.com Says don't buy a PS3

Currently, there are only 32 new PS3 games for sale at Sonystyle.com: Six of them are ready for delivery, 13 are on backorder, and 13 can be pre-ordered for when they are finally released

AK says: Wow only six games!!! is that right??!?! I have to agree with all of there top 5

Microsoft off to a great New Year as XboX 360 sales rise
AK Says: Interesting point on the constrained 360 last year

[Dark Drakan]

Nice find again Ak looking interesting

[projectego]

Nice one, AK. Thanks very much!

[Vegeta]

Nice find I have been trying to find out how to make my 360 not wake up everyone when im playing it lol.

[Albion Knight]

Originally Posted by Vegeta

Nice find I have been trying to find out how to make my 360 not wake up everyone when im playing it lol.

Headphones

• Logitech Cordless Headset for Xbox Reviews. Headphones/Headsets Reviews by CNET.
• Ear Force X2 Wireless Xbox Headphones - Turtle Beach - Ear Force X2

[projectego]

Just so everyone knows - the Xbox 360 core units being sold at £149.99 offer at Play.com is now over. The price has returned to the not-quite-so-pleasing £199.99. Shame, because I was hoping to take advantage of that offer today...

[Albion Knight]

Bummer that. I wouldn't get a core unit though. Not unless all you want to do it play made for 360 games.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Albion Knight

Bummer that. I wouldn't get a core unit though. Not unless all you want to do it play made for 360 games.

Only takes a hard drive though and your good to go, and maybe an update downloaded on PC and put onto disc and installed to 360 (i had to settle for a core unit many moons ago ) it was last in stock for 4 months so i had no choice.

[Albion Knight]

Yea but once you add back all that you don't get in the core you're paying more than if you buy the premium