27 Ways to Save the Consoles

From gamepro

XBOX 360

Evil...evil...
The D-pad sucks
This one hurts. The Xbox 360 controller is a fine device in most ways, but its directional pad is an inaccurate mess. Part of the problem is that Sony and Nintendo own all the best directional pad patents (ever wonder why you always see the same d-pad design on Sony and Nintendo consoles?), and Microsoft had to engineer its own solution. We're excited about the upcoming release of Street Fighter II HD ...but not about having to execute Dragon Punches using that awful, awful d-pad.

The continued hardware failures
The Xbox 360's games are grand; its hardware isn't. Microsoft made a major gamble by rushing development of the Xbox 360 so they could hit their 2005 launch, and unfortunately gamers are paying the price for that haste. The Xbox 360 is one of the poorest-constructed game consoles in recent memory, with a huge number of known hardware flaws, several of which can permanently kill the system. Heat is the key problem, and it's a problem that Microsoft has carefully dodged. It took a team at Nikkei Electronics to confirm the overheating problems, and their thermal design expert commented "the heat sink on the graphics [chip] is so small, I wonder if it can really cool down the board." They even found that a supposedly "repaired" unit had the exact same heat flaws, which included a too-small fan and an overly cramped interior that reduced air flow.


Red Rings: happening all-too frequently
Not good. Microsoft made a few other key errors, too, such as promoting the Xbox 360's vertical orientation -- a configuration that actually blocks the largest vent on the Xbox 360, increasing heat and further risking damage. The company should be commended for extending its Xbox 360 warranty (three years!) to cover victims of the dreaded Red Ring of Death. But if you read the fine print, there's a catch: the warranty extension only covers the Red Ring failures. That's a major limitation, because some Xbox 360 manufacturing runs are known to use substandard DVD drives that scratch discs or give false disc read errors.

So there's no major fix here, no magic button that Microsoft can press to fix all of these hardware problems. Upgrading the warranty to cover DVD-related flaws would be a great step, as would offering vouchers to existing 360 owners for a discount on the inevitable

No Wi-fi on the Elite
Who wants more cables and clutter? Apparently Microsoft. Integrated Wi-fi on the Xbox 360 Elite should have been a no-brainer, but Microsoft didn't include it when every other console maker did - even the handhelds have Wi-fi! So why Microsoft's blatant omission? The only possible reason is cost-cutting, but even that's a lame excuse: Wi-fi chips cost under $10 when bought in bulk.

Enough with the double-As
Short and sweet here. Microsoft should include the rechargeable controller pack as a standard feature, at least in the Pro and Elite lines. Who buys disposable batteries anymore, anyway?


Same 120GB hard drive, half the price
Overpriced hard drives
On what planet does a basic 120GB external hard drive cost $179 plus tax? Planet Microsoft, apparently. Identical 120GB drives run for $85 on Newegg, which means Microsoft is essentially marking them up 100 percent. Memo to Microsoft: please stop nickel-and-diming gamers.

Subscription fees: lose 'em!
Xbox Live is the leader in online game matchmaking and community. But with Sony and Nintendo offering free online alternatives, Xbox Live is also the leader in charging way too much for online play. To keep costs low, Microsoft could introduce a few banner advertisements and reserve ranked play for paying subscribers.

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