XBOX 360

Summary

Xbox 360 is one of the most widely recognized gaming consoles to date. The successor of the original Xbox, 360 provides several features that appear to gamers, such as DVD playing capabilities. Xbox Live enables gamers to play head to head with others in an interactive, "live" portal. Although the 360 is in direct competition with Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, it has proven to be a strong contender.

The Xbox 360 is the successor of Xbox, brought to you by Microsoft. It was designed to compete with Sony's Playstation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. All three share some similar features, but Xbox 360 does a great job at standing out in this crowd of heavy hitters.

The 360 runs Microsoft’s Windows Media Center, which allows users to organize games, movies, music better. Microsoft has also integrated online gaming, download arcade games, game demos, trailers, television shows, and movies. Users can also stream Netflix through there Xbox 360.

Microsoft has sold over 39 million units worldwide. Currently there are two versions available. The Arcade version is $199 and comes with a wireless controller and several other features. The Elite is black and will set you back $299.

Microsoft is previewing Project Natal, an add-on device for Xbox that lets users control games by simply moving their body. It's different from the Wii because Natal recognizes even nuanced movements such as having your hands behind your back. Early reviews are saying it's more fun than Pong.  According to TechCrunch: "There’s something very special about Natal that goes way beyond what Nintendo did with the Wii. I can’t wait to get my hands on one later this year."

You can try a demo of Richochet, a Natal game, at this link.  Project Natal is set to release in time for the 2010 Holiday season