New Xbox 360 Arcade model and Kinect Bundle

Microsoft has confirmed the release of an Arcade model of the newly redesigned Xbox 360 for a very low $200.

The new Arcade will feature the recently redesigned Xbox 360 unveiled at E3 this year, expect it will be sporting a new matte black finish.  The new model will also include 4GB of internal flash memory.  There will  an empty hard drive slot, but Microsoft reps. have said that there is still no news on hard drives for the new Xbox 360s.

The new Arcade will ship on August 3rd and replace the current Xbox 360 Arcade and other 360 models.  Microsoft will also stop producing all Xbox 360 models featuring the original design.

Microsoft also announced a new Kinect bundle featuring the new Xbox 360 Arcade mentioned above and the controller-less motion control Kincet kit.  The bundle will be available sometime in November, coincidentally with the release of the Kincet itself,  and will retail for $300.  The bundle will include with the motion detecting camera and a copy of Kinect Adventures.  

You can also buy the Kinect kit alone the includes the camera and Kinect Adventures for the price of $150.

Dominic Sacco

PSN ID: sacco201

Email: sacco2011@gmail.com

The New Xbox 360 In Detail

It looks like the rumors are true, there is a new Xbox 360 and might I say, It has Playstation 3 written all over it.  The new 250GB Xbox 360 is much smaller and sleeker than the previous model with a black look and glossy finish, which is also equipped with built in 802.11n Wi-Fi.  This smaller model is said to have one large fan instead of two small fans for quieter operation.

Here is a list of all the specs of the new system:

• Touch Sensitive Buttons - turn the Xbox 360 on or off and eject a disc with the swipe of a finger
• Whisper Quiet - Whether you're playing a DVD disc or from the hard drive or navigating the dashboard, with the all-new and much quieter Xbox 360, the only noise you'll hear is your own laughing, cheering and playing
• Wi-Fi - Built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi for fast, easy connection to your friends and entertainment on Xbox LIVE.
• Hard Drive - 250GB internal, swappable hard drive for even more storage. To access, remove the bottom panel by pushing the small tab toward the front of the console.
• Kinect-ready - Custom Kinect port on the back of the console that directly hooks up to the Kinect sensor for controller-free fun.
• USB Slots - Five USB ports, three in the back and two in the front.
• Power Supply - Smaller and more efficient. Xbox 360 250GB and Xbox 360 Original power supplies are not interchangeable.
• Wireless Controller - The award-winning Xbox 360 Wireless Controller matches the console in all black with color-matched thumbsticks and directional pad with a touch of gloss and chrome to complete the look.
• Backward Compatible - Your favorite accessories and games will work with Xbox 360 250GB. Xbox 360 external hard drives and Memory Units are not compatible.

The Xbox 360 will be priced the same as the current 360 at $300 and is already being shipped to retailers today. Here are some detailed pictures you can check out to give you satisfaction.

Now here is what I think.  Microsoft was clearly aiming for a more PS3 like Xbox.  Even this was said by a Microsoft rep., "as quiet as a PS3" when describing Whisper Quiet. I think this is a total rip-off of the original Playstation 3 and here is my reasons why:

• The piano black and glossy look is almost identical to the Playstation 3
• The touch sensitive buttons are also straight from the PS3
• The built-in wi-fi, but that had to come sooner or later
• Even the HDD slot is practically identical

But they just can't quite get the blu-ray drive down yet, but I'm sure one day they'll just take a PS3 and write their logo on it.  

I'll keep you updated on all news E3.  Seeya then.

Dominic Sacco

PSN ID: sacco2011

Kinect Release Date

Earlier today a Microsoft's keynote, they announced that they have finally secured a released date for Kinect and that is said to be on November 4, 2010.  Also announced was that there will 15 titles available at launch.  Among those titles is EA's Active 2 and Joy Ride.  

Still no price,  but keep watching E3 and we may finally get the scoop on how much this thing is gonna set us back.  An arm and a leg no doubt. 

Dominic Sacco

PSN ID: sacco2011

First Look At Kinect

Here's a look at the newly named Kinect, previously known as Project Natal.  This version of Kinect is much smaller and sleeker than the previous prototype version.  Expect this to be officially announced tomorrow at Microsoft's keynote with a list of titles that it will launch with.  

Dominic Sacco

PSN ID: sacco2011

The New Xbox and Natal Name Change

Are the rumors true?  Is there really a new Xbox coming?  Well according to an ad on Italian website Console-Tribe, there just might be.  The ad shows this newly designed Xbox, which doesn't really seem much slimmer by the look of the button size and disc tray, but it does seem much uglier.  The ad also says that it will have built-in Wi-Fi, a 250GB harddrive, and will also be compatible with Kinect, the newly announced name for Project Natal.  The ad was pulled soon after it was launch which makes it look legit.  

If this new Xbox is real then it will most likely be to cut production costs and to give it a mid-life makeover.  The new looking ventilation system looks superior to the last model in the sense that it will prevent overheating.

If this is real, then expect to see an announcement tomorrow in Microsoft's keynote at E3 2010.  Ill keep you posted on all the news form E3 and the keynote.  Seeya then.

Dominic Sacco

PSN ID: sacco2011