M.R.I. #2: Xbox 360 Elite, E for All Expo and They're Watching - Editorials

More Randomness from the Internet (M.R.I.) is an on-going editorial series from The Armchair Empire's Omni.

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M.R.I. #2

Xbox 360 Elite, E for All Expo and They're Watching!

From Microsoft’s redux of the Xbox 360: Xbox 360 Elite

xbox 360 elite

It was the worst-kept secret on the Internet, but Microsoft finally confirmed a new Xbox 360. Nicknamed “Elite” and set to be available at retail starting May 4, 2007, besides the standard 360 stuff, the new black unit will feature a bigger hard drive – 120 gigs, compared to 20 gigs on the current premium 360 – and true HDMI support, along with an HDMI cable. (What a concept! Are you taking note, Sony?) Why is the Elite significant? Well, for starters, the price of the unit is actually only marginally less than a 60 gig Playstation 3, which virtually eliminates the price advantage the 360 held over the PS3. With the release of the Elite, it also means that Microsoft will have three SKU’s on the market (unless they eliminate the Core unit).

My gut response is that I don’t care. A bigger hard drive is kind of cool, but after more than a year of use I have yet to fill up my 360’s hard drive – besides that, the new 120 gig hard drive will be available separately. For a price of $205.00CDN,

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$150.00US. If I was looking to increase my 360’s storage capacity, I would cringe at shelling out that much for a hard drive though. And HDMI? Don’t care. It means higher fidelity graphics and audio, but will it really change my opinion of games like Gears of War as played through component cables at 720p? Nope.

If you coast through some of the online

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forums, this announcement has sparked any number of expletive-filled diatribes against Microsoft. Hard to imagine why, though. Every hardware company has done this. The PS2, GBA and DS have all gone through redesigns. What’s the problem?

From a release publicizing “Entertainment for All Expo”

e for all

On March 29, 2007 IDG World Expo announced that Nintendo would be an “anchor” exhibitor at their upcoming “Entertainment for All Expo” scheduled for October 18 – 20, 2007 at the Los Angeles Convention Center . Don’t know what the “Entertainment for All Expo” is all about? The release explains it as “E for All Expo will offer consumers the opportunity to test-drive the latest in games and gadgetry, as well as purchase products they enjoyed over the course of the 4-day event at on-site retail facilities.”

Though it’s taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center , this is not an E3 replacement.

Judging by the timeframe of the expo, it’s very doubtful we’ll see any cool sneak previews. October kicks off the 4^th Quarter, which is the period the games industry has chosen to saturate the market with games and the very idea that there will be onsite retail facilities makes me think the convention center will be turned into a giant EB/Gamestop where you can play a game before buying it. Yes, there will be other events to coincide with E for All Expo, like game tournaments and a showing of Video Games Live, but this will be a non-event in relevance for the media.

That said, for the average gamer in the Los Angeles area this could be a neat venue to check out. Ticket prices for the E for All Expo have not been released.

From Fred Vogelstein’s blog on Wired – You’re Being Watched!

Recently Fred Vogelstein blogged that he had inadvertently received an email from one of Microsoft’s PR agencies. That’s not so strange – it has happened to me – but included with the email was a complete “profile” of Vogelstein, with the obvious aim to use their knowledge about his opinions to craft their own approach when dealing with him. The memo has been posted in the blog and it makes for fascinating reading if you ever thought journalists weren’t being “watched.”

I’m not surprised that a PR agency keeps such notes – though it’s definitely not procedure to send it to the subject – but it gets me thinking about what my own file might look like. I’m guessing here, but I’m guessing it would read something like this:

> Likes ice cream. A lot.

> Needs to lean over to hear things at loud events. Very tall.

>Will listen attentively, nod and grunt at the appropriate time during a presentation then ask for a beer. (Needs to be cold.)

> Comes to one-on-one interviews unprepared.

> Wears socks with sandals – indicates no fashion sense and/or yellow toenails.

If any (disgruntled) PR people are reading this and they have access to my file, send it on over. Inadvertently, of course.

- Omni

(March 30, 2007)