Initial XBox 360 Feedback

Jacob and I played on our new XBox 360 all weekend and I have to say I’m very impressed. Compared to our old console, PS2… well it’s just not fair to compare them.

What do I dig about the 360?

A) It’s not a stand-alone silo.

For me, this is the number one uber-cool feature… That it’s fully connected to my network and the world. XBox Live rocks. The online experience is very cool and feels totally seamless.

Its integration with other devices is also VERY cool. While playing PGR3, I have it streaming my music collection from my wife’s PC (having multiple CPU’s is nice… ).

Being able to bring up the XBox Guide in the middle of playing a game (to see if I have any friends…. [um online… yeah…], or to play music, etc) is just too cool.

B) The graphics rock (even on a standard TV)

C) The controllers are nice

They are easy to use for both me and my son

D) Having built in support for different Gamer Profiles, and making it easy to switch between them

I just dig the fact that all the games are integrated with the console’s systems. That instead of each game being a stand-alone silo of data, they instead talk to the XBox system and get the profiles from it. I never want to create another in-game profile/user again.

E) That XBox Live is not a totally closed system.

For example you can see my GamerCard on my Spaces page… 

What don’t I like?

A) Its going to drive me to purchase to a HDTV sooner than later…

B) That I suck at cornering in PGR

C) That I can’t seem to get it to see my other PC.

Either the 360 can only connect to one PC at a time (could be, I guess I should read the doc’s), or my PC isn’t configured right (could be as I try to keep my PC pretty locked down).

D) Its going to drive me to purchase or build a MCE PC

E) That I can’t stream my music when playing XBox Compatible Mode games (like Halo)

F) I would like to see more content in the XBox Live Marketplace.

This is the UI/method where I want to be able to download and view TV shows, stream movies, etc.

G) Its going to drive me to purchase more and more Microsoft Points to spend in the XBox Live Marketplace.

H) I wish it had a multi-card reader.

While it CAN hook up to my digital camera via a USB cable, I’d rather just plug in my CF card… Also CF/SD etc support would be cool storage options to transfer saved games, etc.

Also think about purchasing music/video online and storing it to these cards then playing them on a device with MS’s Play For Sure integration…

I) Initial setup was kind of a pain.

It wasn’t hard, just a little repetitive. Of course I took a little longer in setting up my secure wireless, my XBox Live account and Profile, my Son’s Profile… etc, etc.

It would be very cool if there was a roll-up/laser keyboard available for the 360. It would make some operations so much easier.

Also there has to be an easier way to keep our wireless networks secure and to setup new devices… I keep my wireless as locked down as my devices allow (MAC Address filtering, 128 WEP, no SSID broadcasting, etc, etc). So every time I need to add a new wireless device I have to jump through a number of hoops both on the new device and wireless router, hoops that my parents, daughter, wife or son wouldn’t be able to do easily.

Now that USB is cheap and about everywhere, it sure would be cool if I could use that to transfer/setup/add new wireless devices. Plug the USB Key FOB into the router, push a button, plug it into the new device, push a button, plug it back into the router, push a button and then be done. Even my parents could do that! While not perfect, it’s better than no security. Security that’s hard is security that won’t be used. But I digress…

J) The 20GB HD is just not big enough.

It’s going to be filled sooner than later. With 12GB free, and some game demo’s being 600MB to 1.6GB+, well you get the picture.

K) That my son already kicks my butt in Halo

 

All in all Jacob and I totally dig the 360. While not cheap, in the end I think it was well worth it…