Ben Heck outdoes himself with Xbox 360 Portable

Seriously, how many spare Xbox 360s does Benjamin Heckendorn have laying around? By our count, this is the third instance where the modder extraordinaire has shoved Microsoft's latest console into something that's theoretically playable on one's lap, and obviously, this one is the best one evar. Dubbed the Xbox 360 Portable, the unit is said to weigh almost as much as his sister's cat, and it differs from most other on-the-go 360s by featuring a removable standard Xbox 360 hard drive, two accessible memory card slots, no keyboard (use the chatpad!), an internal WiFi module and beveled edges for extra safety. We'd ask what crazy mod he's planning with all the free time coming up over the holiday break, but honestly, we'd prefer to be surprised.

[Metkis @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:05AM]

Maybe Ben can teach that portable Atari mod guy a thing or two about creating a product that is... you know... desirable?

[Jack Storm @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:31AM]

The Atari guy is good, but Ben is fuckin amazing at what he does.

He definitely outdid himself again with this one!

[SPOKE @ Dec 3rd 2008 6:29AM]

People who use the phrase "you know" gratuitously (you know, all the time) are ugly.

[benderillo @ Dec 3rd 2008 10:10AM]

your face is ugly, you know?

[Frankenstein Black @ Dec 3rd 2008 12:04PM]

BEN HECK, The AMG, Shelby & Pininfirina of gaming hardware! So Ben how about hiring some disciples (call me Paul ;^) and putting a shop together to turn these mods out to the masses?

[thenumber81 @ Dec 3rd 2008 9:21PM]

haha ¡Señor huesos!

[Metkis @ Dec 3rd 2008 9:39PM]

You're calling me ugly? I'm hurt.

...Okay, I'm better.

[joshc @ Dec 4th 2008 6:35AM]

yeah but is it quieter.

[prateeko @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:06AM]

That's a pretty fat cat...

[Richard @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:12AM]

It must be a freakin' Lion!

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ Dec 3rd 2008 7:50AM]

But is it quiet like a mouse?

[Ac14 @ Dec 3rd 2008 8:11AM]

Get in the car!

[Serenity @ Dec 3rd 2008 8:26AM]

"Are you Alliance?"

"Am I a lion?"

"What?"

"I don't think of myself as a lion. You might as well; I have a mighty roar".

[diggit @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:08AM]

When will this man start making stuff on a larger scale and start his own company so that we fans can get our hands on his stuff?
Seriously, he's always pushing out amazing things.
So either he needs to start his own high tech/design company...or get hired by Apple. Something's gotta happen with that guy.

[Big Al @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:06AM]

Why Apple? There are only so many different iPods and Macbooks out there...

He should freelance himself. That way we can see more of his work in more areas.

[Tim Brown @ Dec 3rd 2008 6:12AM]

He has just done an interview for Games TM in the UK. He says that he now does this full time and that people can come to him with requests for specific mods. Sweet job if you ask me.

[MM @ Dec 3rd 2008 6:43AM]

@diggit - This must be that lunatic iEye, disguised as diggit

[Micanos @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:08AM]

DAAAAYUM!

[Juaquin @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:10AM]

Ben Heck is a god among men. Bow down.

[anebg @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:16AM]

Why apple? Other companies need to do better!

[dustandechoes91 @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:17AM]

He should just make a tablet with a screen cover that folds out to make a stand.

[Arjun @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:18AM]

Whats His Actual Job ? He is really Talented.

[Zinger314 @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:35AM]

He works for the Daily Planet.

Then, when something cries in need of modding, he reveals his alter-ego...HECKMAN!

[poematik14 @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:21AM]

No matter how inventive this guy is, he will never succeed, simply because he does not have the capacity to notice that he could have started a business making these and made massive profits AGES AGO.

Make a standard model, have a blueprint, and then pay a Mexican 10 bucks an hour to sit there and build hundreds.

Sell them for 999 each, and eventually land a deal with Microsoft to have them officially branded/licensed.

[Mikey @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:26AM]

Some people do things for reasons other than money...

Although, he is probably getting something for all those ads on his site...

[Richard @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:13AM]

That's a good idea - Mexican build quality is second to none.

[MM @ Dec 3rd 2008 6:46AM]

@poematick14 - And you? What have you done that has made you succeed? Hire Mexicans at 10 bucks/hour to write your comments for you?

[Deeznuts420 @ Dec 3rd 2008 9:21AM]

si senor

[CraigJ @ Dec 3rd 2008 10:01AM]

hey man, could you write an essay for me?

[zerosozha @ Dec 8th 2008 4:22PM]

He does commissioned projects as well.

[yopladas @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:21AM]

SOOOOO COOL! I hope he makes a Wii portable that's as nice looking...

[digitallysick @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:36AM]

wii portable would be nice, its already fairly small, it would seem easy to fit it into something laptop style , with a screen, and wii speak where the mic is supposed to be, nice.

[yopladas @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:44AM]

Um, I mean he made one, but its incrediblet ugly and I'd like it to look as good as this.

http://hackaday.com/2007/01/19/ben-hecks-wii-laptop-on-engadget/

[water.and.sand @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:17AM]

If you made a laptop Wii, you'd have to modify the controls to be capable of pointing at the screen at such close range... in which case you'd end up with a graphically superior (debatable) DS. Or something in between...
Either way, take out motion and all you really have on Wii is Smash Bros and lots of emulation.

Not only that, but he'd have to come up with a way to consolidate all that extra peripheral ****. Last time I moved my Wii to another room, I had to make three trips.

[drunkpanda @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:22AM]

I wish I had the mad skill of modding like ben heck

[Patriks7 @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:25AM]

Now I just want him to make something like this out of the PS3, thats thinner than the other one and as nice looking as this and I will pay him anything he would be asking for it, cause I hate to pack all my PS3 cables and shit into a big bag when I'm just going away for the weekend xD

[KarlW @ Dec 3rd 2008 6:15AM]

I'd like to see a true portable console - one that runs off batteries. Maybe a Fuel Cell?

It seems a bit far-fetched, but you could use a couple of laptop batteries. It'd add to the weight, but be truly portable. Actually, a Wii with screen would probably use less power than a laptop.

[VerbCat @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:25AM]

Nerdgasm.
I think that's all that needs to be said here.

[Ignatius @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:26AM]

Soo.... the real question is, how much?

[Brook @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:18AM]

according to his site, about 7k

[Bandit5317 @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:38AM]

"By our count, this is the third instance where the modder extraordinaire has shoved Microsoft's latest console into something that's theoretically playable on one's lap."

This is his fourth Xbox 360 Laptop. Looks awesome as usual.

[waterboy99troop @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:40AM]

mass production, plz?... i'd love to be able to play tales of vesperia anywhere...

[mick @ Dec 3rd 2008 2:59AM]

that has a outlet

[ArcticFox @ Dec 3rd 2008 3:26AM]

Someone needs to hire this guy and pair him with a good industrial designer, dont get me wrong he makes really great stuff but i dont like the design of what he makes much.

[hitpenguin @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:02AM]

Thats so so so ugly.

[water.and.sand @ Dec 3rd 2008 4:09AM]

His first two mods must have red-ringed.

[Daniel @ Dec 3rd 2008 5:03AM]

"..this is the best one evar..."
Misspelling!

[ArcticFox @ Dec 3rd 2008 5:18AM]

Not misspelled its an extreme emphasis of ever. OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joseph Wilkinson @ Dec 3rd 2008 9:45AM]

Daniel's comment was phrased in a comedic form known to some as "sarcasm".

[Daniel @ Dec 3rd 2008 1:49PM]

NO, I was annoyed at the sloppiness of people nowadays, absolutely no sarcasm!
They can't just spell things right, it has to be "Cool" or "Hip".
It's ridiculous.