Microsoft - Xbox 360 Premium Console Review

I don't like video games. I do buy game players and games, because my boys want them. The last one I got was Xbox 360 for Christmas. Oh yes. I wanted to be super Santa and the hero. It was a good day (Christmas) other than the free game did not play on the Xbox and the fishing game sound did not work. Pingpong was glitchy. OK. Well, maybe it wasn't such a great Christmas day. It's the thought that counts - NOT - when it's $370 for this super game Xbox system.

I convinced myself that we got some glitchy games. The boys played Xbox 360 some - not a lot with the issues. They seemed to have some fun with no sound, freeze ups, but not with "forget about it" when it would not play at all.

Birthday came up at the end of last month. I got the latest and greatest basketball Xbox game to the tune of $49 and change plus tax. Well, first I got the wrong one. We went back and got the right one. And, it did not play. Well, it sort of played. You just couldn't see the graphics. Glitch city.

I found the help manual as well as the Blockbuster receipt for the $370 and called the repair number.

There are a bunch of "talk to the phone" messages. They do not like southern accents either I must note. I somehow got to be Cecelia. Huh?

Once you get to a real person, it is robot person with script in hand.

Robot person has you remove the hard drive (little box on top), try another TV (duh - like I have another better and newer TV) and then go to Circuit City and buy a cable for $32 to see if that's the problem.

After all that time on the phone and jumping through the hoops, new robot person says they will send a UPS box and to send the lame Xbox 360 back. They will fix it or send a new one. They will even send me some kind of "play on the internet" card for 30 days free (like a big whoop with an old TV not hooked to internet). Robot boy must think he is talking to gamer kid rather than Mom with credit card who wishes she had bought tinker toys or paint and paper for Christmas.

My boys said that their cousin in Kansas had to send his back too. Wish I had known that. I went with Xbox 360, since those Playstation players each (2 of them) only lasted a year. I guess I should be happy Xbox is belly up from the start and still under warranty. I hated to switch systems with those expensive games bought for PS, but those PS gamer players broke down all the time. I figured it would make sense to go with another brand.

If I had it to do over again, I would not put any money into game players. They cost a lot. The games are expensive. Even the cord (just to check this Xbox) was $32 (down the drain). They do have warranties, but it sure takes a lot of time and irritation to follow up. The PS stations did work for a while. This Xbox thing has been nothing but a mess from Christmas day. It never did work right. And, that's just really a bummer after plunking down almost $400.