Getting Familiar with XBOX 360 Gaming Console

By Tatum Ashbury

XBOX 360 is the successor of Microsoft's Xbox gaming console. Among its competitors are Sony's Playstation 3 and Nintendo's WII. XBOX 360 has an integrated "Xbox Live" feature that allows online interaction depending on the user's account either gold or silver. Aside from the built-in feature of Windows Media Center multimedia capabilities, more tools can be downloaded to enhance its performance.

After its first release in Japan, XBOX 360 units become available worldwide. You can configure it into arcade mode" or "elite". Last October 2007, XBOX 360 Arcade was released as an entry level version. It has a built-in 256MB of memory which can be upgraded into Elite version. One can simply purchase additional 120 GB external hard drive to make the most out of XBOX gaming experience. Since this spells other expenses, it is recommended to buy XBOX Elite instead especially that there is no included headset and network cable in this version.

Xbox 360 Elite alternatively is better than the Arcade version. There are many enhancements from the old XBOX 360 and this makes more users hooked to this one. It contains superb selection of games including Xbox exclusives. They have good quality and high definition. This "Elite" version supports wide range of networking products such as wireless controllers and other accessories.

The Xbox Live service that is associated with Xbox Elite offers unlimited games plus multiplayer option with matchmaking and voice chat. Most of the latest games can be downloaded here including those that are backward compatible. Though it depends on the Xbox titles, visiting this online community is still worth the player's time.

Other services that may take place in the Xbox Live online are purchasing of mini games, downloading of add-on contents, searching for latest game releases and more. However, online gaming required a paid subscription. The digital media features and top-notch games in this gaming console make XBOX popular.

Xbox 360 Dashboard has a dazzling look such as that of TiVo. The slick and user-friendly interface make the navigation easier and enjoyable. Various features have their own color-coded tabs and you can check each of them using the directional keypad. The dashboard can also be customized depending on the user's preference. Those preset themes can be found on the hard drive and available on the internet as well. One of the remarkable personalizations that you can do is the Gamer Card comprised of your avatar and status message not more than 21 characters in length.

Xbox 360 Elite is also an efficient digital media hum aside from being a gaming console. To read your media files, you can simply install supported software first just like Microsoft's Windows Media Player, Windows Media Connect and Zune software. It can work perfectly well with your digital cameras, flash card readers, thumb drives and MP3 players. More network devices can be connected as well including your CD or DVD players. These flexible features make Xbox Elite a reliable media tool and a great gaming console competitor. - 29872

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