It wasn’t so long ago that kids who got the “new” Nintendo 8-bit gaming console or the Sega system for Christmas were the envy of every less fortunate and burned out Atari owning neighborhood playmate. As time elapsed, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, and NES’s Turbo Graphix 16 became all the rave. Anyone now in their twenties can recall being impressed by the awesome advancements in playability and graphic display of the Nintendo 64 and Sega’s Dreamcast system, and even more recently (only five or so years ago) the advent of Microsoft’s Xbox, Nintendo’s Game Cube, and the Play Station by Sony. The Video Gaming industry has made great strides in the past twenty years: from slow-moving, barely recognizable forms on screen in original Atari games such as Pac-Man, Calga, and Tron, to the extremely vivid and life-like graphics of Tomb Raider, Splinter Cell, and Tekken; available for the Xbox and Play Station. Now, just in time for Christmas 2005, Microsoft has made the next move in the continuing race for Video Gaming Supremacy with the introduction of the Xbox 360. The result is truly phenomenal.

The Xbox 360, as with all video game consoles, is basically just a computer with hardware and software dedicated to the function of running video games. The original Xbox was pretty much just a Microsoft PC with a modified Pentium III processor, some powerful graphics and audio capabilities, and a modified version of the Windows 2000 operating system, all packaged in that distinctive black box.

This year Microsoft has released two versions of the Xbox 360: the Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Core System. The Xbox 360Core System is “plug and play”, that is, that in addition to the console, it includes an integrated controller and an AV cable. The Xbox 360 (not the “Core system”) comes with a wireless controller, an HD AV cable, an Ethernet connectivity cable, a headset, a media remote, and a removable 20-GB hard drive.

For anyone who thought the original Xbox was a technological marvel, you must try this out! As amazing and realistic as the play on the first Xbox was, the Xbox 360 makes its predecessor look tired and worn-out. Microsoft has rebuilt the Xbox from the ground up. From the name to the look, from hardware to features, the Xbox 360 is a radically different and more powerful machine than the original Xbox. Far more than a video game console, the Xbox 360 is a total media center that allows users to play games, network with other 360 owners; rip, stream and download all types of media, including high-definition movies, music, digital pictures and game content, as well as play DVD movies and audio CD’s.

The Xbox 360 will revolutionize the gaming world. Microsoft has definitely set the new standard in video game technology.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mitchell Medford is an author and product consultant for several consumer electronics manufacturers. Visit his websites for more information on the new Xbox 360 and satellite TV.

Fill in the blanks. Nintendo is to Wii. Sony is to PlayStation 3. Microsoft is to what? If you are a gamer, you clearly know the answer. XBox 360. Gaming industries are competing when it comes to the bestselling component.

Microsoft XBox 360 was released way before the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. It can be purchased at $149.99. It promises fun for the new generation.

November 15, 2001, Microsoft XBox was released in the United States. It was Microsoft’s first stab into video games. The most popular games for the system are Halo:Combat Evolved, Dead or Alive 3 and Oddworld: Munch’s Odyssee.

The console was strongly supported by the gaming community earlier but there were graphical improvements that were somehow similar to that of the PlayStation 2 version.

What gave the XBox the edge among its competition is the XBox Live. It is the online gaming service that lets the subscribers play games with or sometimes even against other gamers all around the globe. It is like connecting to the internet and interacting with the other users.

In 2004, the most successful game compatible with the Microsoft XBox was “Halo 2”. It holds the records as the highest-grossing game released in entertainment history. It made over 100 million on its first day of release. Add to the fact that it has been popular with the XBox Live.

It may be the dark horse when set alongside the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 at this point, but the Microsoft XBox remains popular with gamers.

Since this is an older model compared to the other consoles, you can opt for a brand new one or go for second-hand. There are many sites that advertise XBox.

If you’re looking for ways to save more on either the XBox or the latest similar model with a couple of alterations, the XBox 260, you can check out your nearest stores or the various sites that are selling the product. Chances are, if you look hard enough, you can opt for the cheapest console.

In getting the Microsoft XBox, the key to remember is that, be it brand new or second hand, it must operate at its finest. XBox is cool because it allows the gamers to connect via the internet and play their games through the server on the world wide web. True, the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 offers such option as well but the difference is that the Microsoft XBox was the first of its kind to do so.

Nothing beats the original.