Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is a seventh generation game console and is the successor to Microsoft's Xbox video game console, developed in co-operation with IBM, ATI, Samsung Electronics and SiS. Information on the console first came through viral marketing campaigns and it was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the prominent Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Upon its release, the Xbox 360 became the first console to have a simultaneous launch across the three major regions, as well as the first console to provide wireless controllers as a standard. It also serves as the first entrant in a new generation of game consoles and is competing against Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. Microsoft believes that its push towards high-definition gaming, year-early head start and its Xbox Live online gaming service will help the console be successful. The Xbox 360 can also be System Linked with other Xbox 360s as well as the original Xbox, allowing multiplayer games to take place much more easily among gamers.

Three Halo games are in development for the Xbox 360; Halo 3, Halo Wars, and an Unidentified Halo Project.

All three original Xbox Halo discs are backwards compatible on Xbox 360; Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack.

There is a Halo 3 edition of the Xbox 360. It was released on September 16th, and has other things in the box like a wired Halo 3 headset.

Halo 3 on the 360 Dashboard
In the 360 dashboard, the user can apply a Halo themed background that comes preloaded onto the 360's hard drive. There are also 3 Halo gamer pics that come preloaded as well. One is of the Master Chief, the other of another Spartan, and one of Sergeant Johnson. You can go to Xbox Live Market place and download more themes, pictures, and even download some free Halo videos.

Malfunctions
Since the console's release in 2005, it has become infamous for its high failure rates and poor reliability. The Xbox 360 console alerts the user when a malfunction has occurred by flashing one or more red lights around the power button. The number of lights gives the user an idea of what the problem is. One flashing light typically means that there is a problem with the attached hard drive. Two lights indicate that the unit has overheated and has shut down to prevent damage to internal components. This is usually caused by having the Xbox console in a small, enclosed area that does not provide enough space on all sides of the unit for adequate ventilation. If you are getting two flashing lights, you should try moving your console to a less enclosed area where the fans on the left, right and back of the unit have enough space around them to properly cool the console. Four flashing lights usually indicate a problem with the A/V cable not being properly inserted, or that it has been damaged.

Other Issues
In addition to the flashing red lights, scratched discs caused by moving or tilting the Xbox while it is on are another frequently reported issue. Since the Xbox lacks a mechanism to secure the disc in place while it is spinning, moving or tilting the system can cause the disc to acquire circular scratches, thus rendering it unusable. Scratched discs are not covered by the warranty. Firmware updates have also been the source of problems, most notably during the 2006 Fall Update that added 1080p output. Some consoles were made useless by the update ("bricked"), failing to boot and always showing an error code when the unit was turned on.

"Red Ring of Death"
The "Red Ring of Death" is a term coined by Xbox 360 users to refer to the three flashing red lights around the power button that appear when the Xbox encounters a "general hardware failure". When an Xbox displays the Red Ring of Death, usually there is a problem with an internal component. Frequently, this error is caused by uneven heat distribution inside the console which causes the motherboard to warp out of shape. This in turn results in the GPU being separated from the board at one or more corners. Usually when one receives a Red Ring of Death error, they must send the console in to Microsoft for repair or replacement, unless they want to attempt the repair themselves (this will void the warranty).