Xbox 360 Chatpad and headset hands-on, impressions
By Ryan Block 
posted Sep 4th 2007 1:11PM
posted Sep 4th 2007 1:11PM
- Blister packs suck. Microsoft, we're sick of 'em.
- The Chatpad is a little difficult to get on and off, but once engaged it fits perfectly on the controller (duh), and feels like a seamless extension. Unfortunately there are two awkwardly placed screw holes on the underside, but you'll learn to ignore 'em.
- Players with longer fingers may be annoyed, this thing kind of prevents finger-wraparound.
- The keys are nice and tactile. And with the keyboard sounds the 360 makes in text entry you can be sure your typing is getting through. Still, thumb touch-typing on this is going to be almost out of the question for most, the thing is basically a straight up button grid.
- The shift / caps / alt green and amber buttons were kind of wonky and took some getting used to. No big deal though.
- It feels light at first, but after not too long it really starts to affect the balance of the controller, and could weigh you down a little. We suggest removing it when you don't need it.
- The headset now has an inline mute / volume switch (with clip), so now you have move your hand off the controller mid-play to adjust the audio. Super lame.
- The Chatpad headset can be used on the controller without the Chatpad, but why would you want to? The old style headset is more efficient (see above) and sounds just as good.
- In fact, while we're on the topic, the original headset doesn't use those two data paddles either -- so we have no idea why the Chatpad didn't just skip bundling a second headset and instead include a port that could accept the original kind. We suspect this was to raise the consumer price of the package without raising Microsoft's cost much more. Either way, it's sucky.
WTF, why not just buy a PC, better graphics and you get a keyboard for free???
Yeah! And ditch your Wii too because a PC comes with a a free mouse!
because sometimes you want to play something other than an fps,fts,mmo.oh and you want to sit on your bed or couch and not get carpal tunnel for playing to long XD.
Get rid of you mobile phone too because you can talk to people on a PC and, as said above, it comes with a free keyboard.
Genius.
Haha this is like shooting fish in a barrel, always the slightly dimwitted contribute to our engadget baiting game we have here in the office, this weeks leader so far, so thanks!
Ooh, wacky.
@Ant: see also Gametap on any internet-enabled laptop, PC or Mac.
So, is there anything you don't like about it?
/
It just seems a little excessive...
So, it doesn't allow you to connect the factory headset through the Chatpad. You HAVE to use the bundled Chatpad headset then. Does it sound good at least?
At first, I thought this thing would make sending text messages easier, but if this thing is gonna impede the way I play games and weigh me down, I may have to just look for a regular wireless USB keyboard.
Otherwise, this was a nice review. I was wondering where the hell this Xbox 360 add-on went! I had nearly forgotten all about it.
Eh, maybe it'll come in handy when a 360 web browswer is released. I still want it now, get that damn usb keyboard outta the living room.
because you need to know the ASL of whoever you just headshotted
HAHA
looks iffy
Sooo.... what does the Mickey Mouse hat key to the left of the space bar do?
That's the Windows Live Messenger shortcut button; it will pull up the WLM window on the 360. If you use a standard USB keyboard, you can do the same thing by pressing Windows+M.
I just hope it comes with a working headset. I just purchased the Vision Camera / Gold bundle which included a headset that was dead on arrival. My friend just purchased an Elite system to find his included headset dead on arrival as well.
So now we have two wired headsets that don't work, one good wired headset, and that wireless headset that simply sucks.
Just give me IE7 for the 360 and I'll buy one of these.
If they would add a way to check your hotmail and surf the internet, the keyboard would be useful.
oh, what do the orange and green buttons do on the outside of the space bar ???
They are modifier keys.
If you notice, most of the letter keys have an orange and a green symbol on them. The Orange and Green keys are used to activate those symbols.
It reminds me of the multi-colour, multi-binding keyboard of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.
Look at the back... this is just Microsofts way to make the 360 Controller fell more like "The Duke"!!!
But seriously... I would buy this thing just to input the stupid codes on the XBL Points cards! Oh and have you ever had to move your live account from one box to another!!! What a P.I.T.A!!! This would come in handy for all kinds of stuff....
I would love to see them add some keyboard shortcuts for games... maybe Halo Wars will be able to use it to que up units and stuff just by pressing a hot key! :)
Nifty idea that. That's one thing that put me off buying C&C3 for the Xbox (got it for the PC instead), the lack of keyboard hotkeys.
I hook up my spare USB keyboard whenever I have to input a code or fill out account info. While this accessory would be useful in those instances, I think I would mostly use it for text messages as that is when I am most frustrated with the on-screen keyboard.
"Blister packs suck. Microsoft, we're sick of 'em."
Talk to your retailers. They're the ones that pushed for them.
actually, talk to all the people that steal shit, get them to stop.
That device looks like it's for the tards
Nice guy. You've shown yourself to be right up there with the same mentally handicapped people you so quaintly call "tards". Once again, nice guy.
this is soooooo cool
Does anybody have mouse emulation for the PC off the Xbox controller working?
this thing, plus the controller, plus the pc interface could make a killer HTPC remote.
Is than an iMac on the back of the packaging?!
It looks great... almost like the keyboard and controller are one piece.
seems like touch-typing would be simple with a qwerty keypad and F/J feelers.
absolutely useless for the typing of the dead 2!!!
Surely this is a sign of an internet browser coming for the 360 . . . right? We should be expecting a firmware update soon . . . right? And, why the hell didn't the 360 have a browser built in when it was released anyway? It doesn't seem like it would take much to make it happen . . .
They would have to use Internet Explorer since they're microsoft... how awesome it would be to bring viruses to the x360...
Between keyboard add-ons for consoles, increasing numbers of strategy games for consoles (including Civ), media distribution through the internet, movie drives for consoles (HDDVD & Bluray), increased power, improved communication tools for consoles, high resolution televisions blurring the lines with monitors...
I'd say that pretty soon the desktop PC and the Television based console/media setup will converge.
Engadget
RULES!!
Any word on whether this will come in black to match the Elite controllers?
that's another mess up...white only..."what happened MS, the box elite system sneak up on you?!"
It looks pretty nice...to bad I don't use the messenger.
I'm looking forward to trying this thing.
That kind of scares me.
Thumb-typing in the dark, without a back-lit keypad?
It is back-lit.
http://www.gearlive.com/thegallery/image_med/610/
This is way better than a wireless usb keyboard you can hide under the couch.
Like another responder already mentioned to be able to get through those long codes on point cards, or having to input anything, even a new user on that onscreen garbage keyboard,,, this is heaven sent... just pop it off when done so your game play is not impeded.
Release date?
a smaller wireless controller for small hands, like say a 4 year old? ( have a gamestop wired 360 controller but I want to get my son a wireless)
release date is today.
*cough* atari jaguar *cough*
The release date may be today, but I can't find a local retailer that has one!!!
WTG, MS!
Same here. I went to CC and BB and neither even had a spot on the shelf/rack.
Does anyone think Engadget is doing serious editing and banning of Users saying something that they don't like?
If nobody does, then I am probably alone here. Damn!!
I'm wondering how does this affect battery life? Does it take too much battery power?
Since the keys aren't back lit...the power drain should be quite small.
But the keys ARE backlit. . . http://www.gearlive.com/thegallery/image_med/610/
oh yeah and a console will only cost you a few grand less than a good computer so yeah def go out and buy the computer dumbass
Rayy, you are a bit late on the reply with that one. The cost argument, however, isn't valid and he was probably baiting you anyway.
Does it work on a PC ?
I'll ditch my wireless keyboard pronto if it does
Are they coming up with a browser also? I would love to surf and check emails on my XBOX. Let's hope...
They don't need a browser. All MS has to do is give us Remote Desktop back to a PC on a network.
FULL PC control
No need to keep adding useless junk to the box. Make the PC be the PC, not my 360. Of course, users may still need a mouse..
what next webcams built in key boards
I already ordered mine. Cant wait to use the backlit beauty. I dont need to worry bout the headset seeing how I use a wireless one. Brett, they already have a "Webcam" called the Vision. Even though it would be cool, I doubt they will release a browser... but they have surpised us in the past...
I think it's not useful
I wish Microsoft would replace the QWERTY keyboard in the dashboard with an alternative (and maybe beetter) text entry method (e.g. http://tinyurl.com/2o9t55) in their dashboard instead letting me pay 30$ on a messenger kit.
Has anyone tried this with the wireless adapter that allows you to use XB360 peripherals with Windows? I'm thinking that this would be a nice solution for a car computer keyboard.
this thing is only worth it if it works with Final Fantasy XI