Xbox 360 Elite
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Xbox 360 Elite to hit Japan in October... for $390
While many Americans have simply been trying to find the ebony Xbox 360 in stock, Microsoft has been making plans to hold its breath and launch the special edition console in Japan. If you've noticed, Microsoft has had quite the time trying to convince the Japanese to actually give the standard Xbox 360 a shot, but apparently there's hope that (yet another) flashy bundle will drum up business. Of course, the obvious standout here is the launch price, which will drop in at some $89 below what we Americans are forced to pay. Still, the ¥47,800 ($390) sticker shouldn't take anyone by surprise, as Microsoft already introduced the Xbox 360 Core system to this same market for a lesser price than that seen in North America. Anywho, for those interested (and living in Japan), be sure to mark you calendars for October 11th, capiche?[Via Joystiq]
Elite to be priced cheaper in Japan
This morning, Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 Elite bundle will make its way to the Japanese market October 11th and will be priced cheaper than in the US. The black 360 will cost 47,800 yen which translates to roughly $390 US, making it $90 cheaper in Japan. Man, do we want ourselves some cheap Elite love too. Microsoft's reasoning pretty much revolves around the fact that the Xbox 360's performance in Japan lacks stating that "the decision on the pricing was based on the situation in the Japanese market" and that "we are not satisfied with our position in Japan and working to improve it". So, if Americans quit buying Xbox 360 Elites then we too would get cheaper hardware ... we'll have to make a note of that one.
Buy Me: Elite featuring airbrushed Halo 3 artwork
Last night, while searching for some cheap Microsoft points on eBay, we stumbled across an Xbox 360 Elite that looked very familiar. Up for auction is a custom airbrushed Elite console featuring the same Halo 3 artwork as the one Bungie autographed for charity and sold for for $20,000+. And from what we can tell, the airbrushed artwork looks spot on. If you're interested, the Halo 3 inspired Elite auction ends in about one day and is currently sitting at around $620 Canadian. We think that we can all agree that airbrushing never looked so good.
VRX's triple-screen racing simulator uses Xbox 360 Elite
Man, talk about leaving the Home Pro Racing Simulator in the proverbial dust. VRX has introduced a swank new racing sim of its own designed with a Forza Motorsports 2 theme and a trio of 37-inch Sharp Aquos 1080p LCD TVs. The frame is constructed from CNC machined polished aluminum, and envelopes the gamer by curiously including just one Sparco seat along with four Xbox 360 Elites, four copies of Forza Motorsport 2, an Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on player, camera / wireless headset, a Zune, force feedback wheel, and surround sound as well. Sure, brush it off as overkill if you please, but those who are sick of draining quarters dollars at the arcade can contact the company to experience the presumed sticker shock for themselves.
PC World products of the year: Wii, 360 Elite ... um, no PS3
This one's just a little sad. PCWorld decided that from their gadgets and gizmos a plenty, their whozits and whatzits galore, they'd choose 20 products of the year (try to ignore that it's only May). The Wii made it in the top three, and stunningly, the Xbox 360 Elite made it on the list too. The PS3? Well, she ain't there, let's just chalk it up to that media conspiracy we discussed earlier.The Wii earned the number three spot because it was "the first game console to get nongamers hooked on gaming, nominating it more than any other product ... Nintendo really has something with the Wii. Now if only we could find one for sale." Then down the list, but at least it's on the list, was the Xbox 360 Elite. PCWorld.com says, "The high-end 360 now ships with 1080p support and a 120GB hard drive, but it's the Xbox Live service, and the games and downloadable video on it, that make Microsoft's console really shine." What's wrong with PCWorld? As a famous woman once said, "Have you ever even heard of the Blu-ray? It's the future!"Oh well, maybe with a little change Sony's embattled system can make a comeback on some actual year-end "product of the year" lists. Then again, it's gonna take something mighty impressive to defeat the Wii's possible DVD playback at that point.
PC WORLD: 360 Elite is a product of the year
PC WORLD has named their Top 20 Products of the Year and surprisingly, the Xbox 360 Elite made it on the list. And even though the Xbox community has mixed opinions about the black console, PC WORLD thinks that the Elite's huge HDD, HDMI connectivity, and Xbox Live functionality warranted a #18 place on the list. The Elite beat out two others including Paint.net (#19) and the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 (#20), but was left crying in the corner by Nintendo's Wii which came in at a very respectable #3. So fanboys, has your thoughts, impressions, or feelings about the Xbox 360 Elite changed since its release and would you be more or less likely to pick it up over a Premium?[Thanks, Serge]
Production costs: PS3 and 360 Elite comparison
Digitimes threw together a comparison in the production of a 60GB Playstation 3 and an Xbox 360 Elite, using the "latest estimates by research firm iSuppli". Upon further investigation, a few of these numbers are a little ... fishy. Sure, we can see that the DVD Drive is significantly less expensive than a Blu-ray optical drive, but the 120 GB HDD being $11 cheaper for double the drive space? Would the Blu-ray drive ramp up the Assembly to more the six times the comparative cost as well? Finally, since when did the Elite retail for $399 USD? Somebody made a couple "miscalculations" somewhere along the way, which in turn brings into question the validity of the PS3's production costs. Still, an interesting comparison, like how much the Wi-Fi connectivity costs to be built in for the PS3 compared to the $99 accessory for the 360. So what's your take on this, fanboys? Did they actually look at a Premium or is it all a bunch of bullspit anyway?
Christmas comes early to 360 Elite owners: free HDD Transfer Kits for all
It looks like Microsoft has decided to return some of its record-breaking profits back to the consumer in the form of a free Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit for Elite owners -- although some will look at this gesture as less of a gift (being that it could have just been included in the box with all Elites) and more of a hassle to get a one-time-use product that already comes bundled with the standalone 120GB drive. Interested parties can grab the necessary form by following the Read link, but you'll need the serial numbers of both 360s to qualify, so if you were just looking for a free cable to tie up your pets or friends, you're out of luck. [Warning: PDF link] [Via Joystiq, thanks Josh F.]
Engadget Podcast 108 - 04.29.2007
Sure, our Podcast is a little late going up from this weekend, but where else are you gonna hear Engadget editors ramble on about the latest developments in gaming with the Xbox Elite, and Sony's loss of Kutaragi? Also up this week: AT&T misfires on the N75 launch, and find out more about how you can win a Wii. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [RSS OGG] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in OGG) to your RSS aggregator. Hosts: Peter Rojas and Ryan Block Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Solvent - Instructograph (Ghostly International) Program: 01:07 - Xbox 360 Elite coverage roundup -- are you getting one? 10:42 - Sony's Ken Kutaragi leaving SCE chairman and CEO spots in June 19:58 - Sony, Immersion in talks to get SIXAXIS rumbling 22:32 - Fuh Yuan retracts $299 Wal-Mart HD DVD statement 28:27 - AT&T botches Nokia N75 launch, pulls from site 30:25 - The debacle continues: AT&T pulls LG CU500v, too 35:49 - The Engadget mascot contest: win a Wii! LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com
Elite owners, get HDD migration cable for free
New Xbox 360 Elite owners who've upgraded from a Core/Premium 360 may have been a little bummed to find out that there is no way to transfer an old HDD's data over to the Elite. But fear not, because Microsoft will give you a HDD migration cable for free ... you just have to ask for it. Either give Microsoft a ring-ring on the telephone or use the official migration cable order form and send it off. Full details can be found here. And be sure to keep using your 20GB HDD until the migration cable arrives, otherwise you'll have game saves on two HDDs causing you to lose data. And lost data is the suxorz.[Via Digg]
Happy Xbox 360 Elite launch day!
No matter if you are somewhat annoyed by the black beast or have been anticipating its release since its announcement, the Xbox 360 Elite is officially here. Today, April 29, 2007, is Xbox 360 Elite launch day when retailers can officially put the black console up on the shelves and fanboys all over the US can have it in their possession for a mere $479. Again, congratulations Xbox 360 Elite, we welcome you to the 360 family even if you are a different color, more expensive, have a bigger HDD, and are somewhat cocky (group hug).So fanboys, how will you be celebrating Xbox 360 Elite launch day? Will you be trading up to an Elite purchase or will you simply acknowledge its existence and carry on gaming on your white console?
Xbox 360 Elite coverage roundup -- are you getting one?
Unless you're a die-hard Target customer you can't get your Xbox Elite until this Sunday, but if you were at all curious about the thing, we hope we delivered the goods yesterday with our coverage of the HDMI-totin' console. In case you missed any of the action, check out the links below.The faceoffXbox 360 Elite vs. classic: the testThe hands-on, drive kit, and voteXbox 360 Elite arrives - unboxing, comparison ensuesXbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit hands-onBlack on black: Xbox 360 Elite vs PS3, which is more 1337?Other coverageXbox 360 Elite: new, black limited edition Xbox with HDMI and 120GB driveXbox 360 Elite and 120GB drive now officialXbox 360 Elite hands-on videoFirst Xbox 360 Elite pre-order ready for your cashMod your 360 with an off-the-shelf 120GB HDD, save $100So, you think you're gonna get one? Vote! %Poll-390%
Data transfer demo for your new HDD
If you're a current 360 owner and are in the market for a new 120GB HDD or the Xbox 360 Elite in the coming weeks, then you'll be dealing with some HDD data transferring. And thanks to Major Nelson's data transfer demo, the whole process will be painless. In the embedded video above, Major and his clothes twin Albert walk you through the whole thing step by step and even do a little Xbox 360 Elite unboxing to boot. It's actually quite simple and should take less than an hour to move all your data to your new 120GB behemoth. And, as if it wasn't mentioned enough, the data transfer will be permanent and can only be done once. So, make sure this is what you want, as there's no going back.
Xbox 360 Elite vs. classic: the test
Well, we've had a few hours with our Xbox 360 Elite wherein we've done nothing but test it against the most rigorous (unscientific) means at our disposal. But finally we are able to answer the question: is an HDMI-enabled Xbox 360 capable of outputting noticeably higher quality gameplay and movies? We compared our classic Xbox 360 (manufactured 12/08/2005) with our spankin' new 360 Elite (manufactured 3/4/2007). Ready for the face-off? Check out the gallery, and read on for our conclusions.
Joystiq unboxes the Xbox 360 Elite
The evil menace known as Joystiq received their Xbox 360 Elite today. As is only fitting, Joystiq set about performing the unboxing ritual with utmost care. As you might expect, the box contained an Xbox 360 elite and all the related goodies (HDMI cable, audio cable, 120GB HDD, and all that jazz). The HDD transfer cable -- used to copy your 20GB HDD data over to the 120GB HDD -- was packed outside of the box for some reason. We surmise, as does Joystiq, that this does not represent final packaging. Other than that, there isn't anything particularly remarkable about the Elite. It's black, it plays games, and ... um ... it's black.Check out Joystiq's Elite gallery for more pictures of the unboxing.
Black on black: Xbox 360 Elite vs PS3, which is more 1337?
Mirror, mirror on the wall, which black high def console is the 1337est of them all? We know some people were bummed that the Xbox 360 didn't get to compete in the 2006 Engadget Awards with the PS3 and Wii (hey, it was launched in 2005!), but now's your chance to square off the two most expensive game consoles around. So who's gonna take it, Sony's piano black PlayStation 3, or Microsoft's matte black Xbox 360 Elite? %Poll-387%
Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit hands-on
Here's that Xbox 360 Hard Drive Transfer Kit that Microsoft so generously bundled with our Elite (don't expect to get one with yours, it doesn't come in the box). The documentation they sent with this thing was pretty substantial for an adapter and a CD you plug into your Xbox, but we think they want us to make sure we don't screw anything up and lose all our precious, precious data. Here's what you need to know (and some observations, to boot): You don't just transfer data to your 20GB drive externally -- you have to plug your 20GB drive into your Elite, and use the 120GB drive externally. (Yeah, we photographed the unit attached to our 20GB drive though.) You can only transfer content ONCE. This isn't a backup or duplication tool, it's one-time use per drive. Even after turning off the console our externally adapted drive kept spinning because it was powered by USB. Weird. Despite the on-screen diagram, our instructions say to use the BACK USB port. Woops, we didn't. Pray it doesn't kill our data. Apparently Microsoft wants you to dispose of your transfer cable after use. Um, ok? XBLA and Marketplace content (i.e. downloaded games and shows) require online authorization. In other words, some licenses can't transfer, and you won't necessarily be able to watch all your transferred media without logging on. Whatev. Movie rentals cannot transfer drives. "Watch them first!" because they're not going to make the trip, period. Double whatev. If your 20GB drive is maxed out like ours, it could take a while. The system transfer will tell you how long it estimates the transfer to take: moving our 17.5GB of data was estimated at 1 hour and 20 minutes. You can restart or stop the transfer at any time during the move, but you'll have to start all over again next time. But you won't lose any data. Supposedly. "Microsoft is not liable for any loss of data resulting from the transfer process." That's the third and final whatev! We'll let you know the final time it took to transfer our drive's contents.P.S. -Our bestest buds at Joystiq got the same document and scanned it in for us, check it out in the gallery.Update: All done! It took under an hour to move all 20GB over, not the hour+ the guide estimated. Best to keep expectations low, right? Still not super fast, but we'll live. Stick close for more details about the device, pricing, availability. (Anything else you want to know? Ask it in comments while we've got Microsoft's ear.)%Gallery-2820%
Xbox 360 Elite arrives - unboxing, comparison ensues
Well, our Xbox 360 Elite finally arrived! We're not going to spoil the moment with a lot of words, so check out all our photos (including comparison shots to the original, now completely obsolete Xbox 360), and stay tuned for more coverage.%Gallery-2818%
Mod your 360 with an off-the-shelf 120GB HDD, save $100
If there was any doubt in your mind that Microsoft is absolutely soaking us on the $179 pricetag of its new 120GB HDD, all should be laid aside by the fact that you can now brew one up yourself for a mere $80 -- the cost of the drive. The hack is based on that seemingly-useless HDD swap TheSpecialist unveiled a few months ago, but that was back when 20GB was the max size allowed my Microsoft for use with the 360, meaning a 40GB drive was no more useful than a 20 gigger. Now that 120GB is all legit with the console, you can run through pretty much the same hack -- which involves dumping a few sectors off of an original 360 HDD and onto your new drive -- and get your full 120GB to play with. Currently the hack only works with a certain type of Western Digital hard drive, with hopefully more drives to come and a more automated process, but for now it still shouldn't take an incredible amount of know-how to follow TheSpecialist's instructions and get a bit of leg room for you Marketplace downloads on the cheap.[Via Joystiq]
Black accessories already available
Feeling a little black today? EB Games has come to the rescue by offering a few black Xbox 360 accessories before the Elite makes its grand arrival next week. Right now, you can order a black Xbox 360 wireless controller, play and charge pack, or extra play and charge battery. The black versions all cost the same as their white counterparts and are ready to ship within 24 hours. As we always say, black is the new off white ... or something like that.
