Xbox 360 Slim Is Leaner, Meaner, Quieter Machine

When the Xbox 360 hit in 2005 it promised to revolutionize gaming. Microsoft got most of the way there (conceptually), but the original 360 hardware wasn’t without its … quirks.
Enter Microsoft’s upgrade/redo, the Xbox 360 S. Not only is the chassis slimmer (hence that weird, floating “S”), but it’s packed with a lot of the extras that used to be sold separately. The most dramatic change takes place under the hood. Redmond swapped out the 360’s power-hungry setup with a much more economical (e.g. smaller) motherboard and an integrated CPU/GPU/eDRAM chip. On top of the spatial benefits, this means that the 360’s operating volume — normally a hissy, Harrier-esque din — has been greatly reduced. The difference was almost immediately noticeable. While streaming Nextflix, we no longer had to turn up the volume to drown out the sound of the fan, and the act of the disc drive cycling up no longer made the doors on our entertainment center rattle.
The benefits of this engineering go beyond operating volume. Paired with the console’s newly integrated 802.11n, bevy of USB 2.0 ports, and a (finally) built-in optical audio port, the 360 S actually feels like the living room-ready entertainment powerhouse Microsoft promised five years ago. Playing DVDs and/or downloaded video seems like a much more natural extension of the console’s capabilities (though we’d still love some Blu-ray love), and the army of USB ports proves nifty for charging gadgets. The aesthetic impact is palpable too. Now that so many features are tastefully built in, the console finally looks like a serious, streamlined home theater device rather than a whirring, blinking gadget with countless peripheral flagella.
To be fair, this revamp isn’t quite the second coming either. In vying to be taken seriously, the 360 S has gotten rid of old favorites like customizable faceplates. Also, the power brick is back (though it has gotten smaller), and the included 250-GB hard drive is still proprietary (and not backwards compatible with older 360s). And, of course, there’s the largest elephant in the room: If you already have a 360, there probably isn’t a huge incentive to upgrade.
In the end this isn’t all bad. Microsoft ultimately set out to make a better (and Kinect-ready) version of the 360, and they’ve largely succeeded. The end result isn’t necessarily worth, say, drowning last year’s model in the tub and rushing to Best Buy. But, if you’ve yet to join the Xbox fold — or at least want an inexpensive, quiet, gaming/DVD/Netflix/Hulu box — this year’s model is your best bet.
WIRED Leaner, (slightly) meaner and quieter. Inches closer to the all-in-one entertainment box we’ve been waiting for. Cosmetic touches like touch-sensitive power and eject buttons class up the joint. Thrusts overpriced accessories ($80 for a Wi-Fi dongle?!) into obsolescence. Want to splurge on the Kinect in November? There’s an (integrated) port for that.
TIRED In many ways the same console we’ve been playing since Senior Year. Inter-console data transfers still require a wonky proprietary cable.

Black Ops Escalation DLC Pack Coming To Xbox Live On May 3rd

Activision has officially confirmed that Black Ops' upcoming DLC pack ‘Escalation' will hit Xbox Live on May 3rd. For your info, this add-on content will contain 5 new maps, featuring 4 Multiplayer maps and an epic Zombies experience with all-new playable characters.

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Kinect Games By Rare Only Using 10-15% of Its Power

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New Xbox 360 Spring Update Will Bring “Updated Disc Format”

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Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed Trailer

We have the latest trailer of Need For Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed. As a reminder, the video game is set to hit store shelves for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows on March 29th, 2011.

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Rumor: Forza 4 for Xbox 360 Will Have Kinect Support and Awesome Graphics

Since the launch of Kinect for the Xbox 360 back in November, there's been a lack of “hardcore” games that take advantage of the sensor's motion tracking controls. Games like Kinectimals and Kinect Sports are fun, but they're not for serious gamers. If a new marketing survey for Forza Motorsport 4 is any indication of what is to come for the racing series, then gamers might finally have a game that isn't gimmick. Or is it? According to the survey obtained by game blog Kotaku, Forza 4 will allow casual gamers to jump into a race “simply by holding [their] hands at 10 and 2.” The survey specifically says that the controls would be for “casual” gamers. So there you have it, hardcore gamers need not apply, unless you're of the uber hardcore gaming type who loves a challenge. Wii gamers will know that mastering motion controls in Mario Kart Wii is not easy – it's serious business, with only the really skilled showing off their stuff in online races. In addition to the news that Forza 4 will sport Kinect controls, the game is also said to be 10 times prettier than Forza 3. For what it's worth, it better be, now that the PlayStation 3′s pure simulation racing game, Gran Turismo 5‘s finally made it out of six years of development time.

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