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It is my sad duty as the GameSpot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union leader to announce that the GameSpot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union is as of today will be under indefinite hiatus. Unfortunately due to the inactivity of the Union, I have made this decision. Ever since the launch of the Xbox 360, the activity of the Union has been steadily decreasing. In recent years I have been losing interest in video games altogether, mostly due to the fact I have been way too busy in my life. Mostly keeping up with my social life, school and work. Recently I have been having more times on my hand, result in some gaming sessions. To be honest when I have some spare time on my hand, I'd rather 'game it up' than write about it on GameSpot. Don't get me wrong, I think GameSpot is a great website, with topnotch content. Like most people they'd rather be doing the same thing.
I would like to now take the time, to just share some memories I have with the Union and my vision of what I intended the Union to be. I mostly started the Union because I got little bored playing video games, so I thought it would be fun to start a Union. Throughout summer 2005 I spent a large majority of my time updating the Union and anticipating the launch of the Xbox 360. Here at the GameSpot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union, we enjoyed even a little controversy. Some of you may remember, the guy who posted pictures of an Xbox 360 months before the official release. This individual's father worked for Microsoft, therefore he had an early build of the Xbox 360. This individual was a member of the Union, the only Union he had joined if I remember correctly. When the Union reached the top 10 Union list for the first time I was more than excited for the longest time we were one of the top Xbox 360 Unions. In early 2006 and late 2007, kmildn (Union officer) and myself were working on fixing up the Union but never got around to it. We were going to rename the Union as the Vista 360 Union, here was what we were going for. Maybe one day I'll start up this Union again, and continue work on the Vista 360 Union. If you are interested, I may be considering helping out, or just hand over my Union to you. For full image click here
I just would like to thank all the members of the Union you are the people why I kept up the Union for so long. I would like to thank GameSpot for the excellent Union system provided and the amazing content. All the Union's Officers (0t00le7530, Bizzy-B, deleteuser, evilbeast, FragingKing, GungraveZero, imabigkidlook, K-Rock-XP ,kmildn, littlepyromonky, nfs_driv3r, sammotheman, and ViN_009) you guys are the best officers anyone could have asked for. I wanna wish you all the guys the best of luck. I would like to also show my support for Jeff Gerstmann, one of the greatest video game/ GameSpot editor ,best of luck to you!!!! Please continue to show your support for the Union by remaining in the Union.
"A new $479 black, HDMI-enabled, 120GB version of Microsoft's latest console will arrive on April 29; $179 120GB HDD add-on to be sold separately; Sony unimpressed.
Following months of speculation, Microsoft has officially unveiled a new version of the Xbox 360. Called the Xbox 360 Elite (pictured), the console will go on sale in North America April 29, with European and Japanese launches later in the year. In the US, the console will retail for $479.
As previously hinted at on many forums and blogs, the new console will have a variety of different bells and whistles than the traditional Xbox 360. It will indeed feature a 120GB hard drive to better accommodate game downloads from Xbox Live Arcade and video content from Xbox Live Marketplace. The news coincides with the announcement of a new batch of television and movie partners who will offer content on the service.
The Xbox 360 Elite has a "premium black finish" which matches the wireless controller it comes with. (Controllers and rechargeable battery kits with the same hue will be sold separately.) The console will also sport a matching black wired headset and, as widely rumored, an HDMI output port. The console will come bundled with an HDMI cable as well as a component video cable.
One thing the console will not come with is a data transfer cable, as had been rumored. However, a standalone, $179 120GB drive for the console will be released alongside the Xbox 360 Elite bundled with a data transfer cable. The cable will allow for the transfer of all Marketplace downloads and game saves from an existing 360 hard drive to the new hard drive.
According to Albert Penello, Microsoft's director of global platform marketing, the old hard drive will be blanked following the data transfer and can then be attached to any other 360. "The standalone drive is the main option we're suggesting to existing Xbox 360 owners," he told GameSpot.
So what about HDMI-craving HDTV owners who want to get an Xbox 360 Elite and transfer their current XBLM content to it? In one word: Wait. Penello said that Microsoft is "working on a solution" for transferring data from current 360s to Elites, but would not elaborate.
Hardware-wise, Penello said the Xbox 360 Elite has the same disc drive and processors as "current models." He also confirmed it would not have an internal HD-DVD drive, as some had suspected. "We don't want to segment the user base," he told GameSpot. He also confirmed that the external Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive would not be available in the Elite's black finish for the foreseeable future.
Another thing the new console won't have is Internet Protocol TV functionality, which Microsoft announced it was bringing to the 360 platform at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. "[IPTV] trials will start this summer," said Penello, who didn't have a start date for the service.
As for the fate of the current hard drive-less $299 Core Xbox 360 and 360-equipped Pro Xbox 360 models, Penello said they would continue to be offered. He also confirmed the new model will be a permanent addition to the 360 product line, and not a limited edition.
The fact the Elite is only $20 less than the 20GB PlayStation 3 and does not have next-generation video format playback did not go unnoticed by Sony. "We think every PlayStation 3 owner should have an 'elite' experience, which is why we include an internal hard drive and HDMI output in every PS3 we sell, along with the 50 GB of storage capacity on a high definition Blu-ray disc," said Peter Dille, Sony Computer Entertainment's senior vice president of marketing. Sony also issued a series of talking points asserting that the release of the 360 Elite "further validates the PS3 business model, which [Microsoft] criticized at launch."
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot Posted Mar 27, 2007 9:01 pm PT "
"Wow. This really takes us back to when we thought the Xbox 360's AV port was capable of digital out and it was only a matter of time before Microsoft released a proper HDMI adapter. Then came rumblings of a revised motherboard with an HDMI port located underneath the AV port (hmm ... curiously like the image above). Then back came the rumors about that HDMI cable.
Now, thanks to the above image nabbed by our buddies at Engadget, what's purported to be the second Xbox 360 (codenamed "Zephyr") can be seen rocking a dedicated HDMI port, for pain free 1080p. Also rumored to be included in the Xbox 360 v2 is a 120GB HDD, making those high-def downloads a little more palatable. No word on whether they're going to drop the comically priced $100 WiFi adapter and build that in as well, but the WiFi mounting brackets on the back aren't very reassuring. Although Engadget's insider says we can expect it "soon" we're left wondering about those smaller 65nm processors that were recently delayed. Are we gonna have to wait for Xbox 360 v3 for a cooler, quieter 360?"
Source: Joystiq
This Union has gone down hill since the Xbox 360 launched last year. Also I haven't been updating the Union since I don't play games as much as I use to even with my Xbox 360. I have recently been playing PC games more lately mostly some of the old classics i.e. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Rogue Spear and Half-Life:Counter-Strike . I'll be getting a new Laptop soon, getting ready for the launch of Micosoft's newest operating system Window's Vista! I'm more excited about the extra features than actually the games. Since 2007 is going to be a big year for Microsoft with Window's Vista, and Halo 3, I have decided to change the Union to cover PC games and Xbox 360 games. Although I don't want it to just cover games I want it to cover more likc programs you use, talk about Micosoft's Internet Explorer 7 and how it compares to Firefox. Also music you have been listening on your PC and Xbox 360. I have been thinking about either The Vista 360 Union or The Window 360 Union or maybe The 360 Windows Union, which do you think is better? If anyone wants to help out with banners,sigs, posting news, moderating forums just let me know and I'll make you an officer? This will go into effect Union in one month, January 1st 2007!
The Gamespot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union - Dead_Man_Inc
Source: Dream Gamers
Which one do you think looks better? I think the Ridge Racer 6 for 360 looks better than Ridge Racer 7 for PS3. Maybe I'm being a little bias, but is it just me or does the Ridge Racer on the 360 has better water effects?
Xbox 360 can't run DirectX 10, confirms ATI
Full Story Inside
I'm sorry I haven't been around as of late, I'm just no longer really into gaming. As much as I like the Xbox 360 it has no good games that you can't get on Xbox and or the PC. I'll try to help out with the Union more but I've been really busy working and school is starting in a month. I may start to play games a littler more ( for the past 6 + months I haven't played pretty much any games) when I buy my new computer. I will try to post as much as I can but I don't know how much I can post with my busy schedule. I would like to thank everyone especially GungraveZero for keeping the Union a live!
Sincerely: Dead_Man_Inc
The Gamespot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union Leader
"Microsoft has released new downloadable content on Xbox Live Marketplace. Xbox 360 users can download now a demo of Amped 3 (767.03 MB), a high-definition trailer of Final Fantasy XI (104.31 MB) and new picture packs for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (40 points), Battlefield 2 Modern Combat (50 points) and FFXI (80 points). "
Source: Team Xbox
Well I would like to wish everybody apart of The GameSpot Xbox and Xbox 360 Union a Happy Holidays. I hope everybody stays safe have a good time with friends and family, as well as play soem good games.
On a side note I might be closing the Union because as of late the Union has seem to die. So I will come up with my decision by the end of the Holidays to close the Union or not.
