New X360 Accessories Impressions

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http://hardware.teamxbox.com/articles/xbox/1702/Microsoft-Xbox-360-Accessories-Impressions/p1/

descriptions at the link

Xbox Live Vision camera for the Xbox 360 system. Consumers can chat via video, send photo messages, put their own face in a game, and customize their gamertag on the Xbox Live network. The camera will be available in the U.S. on Sept. 19 and in Europe on Oct. 6 in two packages: Xbox Live Vision camera for the Xbox 360 system. Consumers can chat via video, send photo messages, put their own face in a game, and customize their gamertag on the Xbox Live network. The camera will be available in the U.S. on Sept. 19 and in Europe on Oct. 6 in two packages:

Xbox Live Vision. This package includes Xbox Live Vision camera, one-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, Xbox 360 Headset, and free* downloads of two full-version Xbox Live Arcade games: the popular “UNO®” card game and “TotemBall,” the new 3-D platform game from Freeverse and Strange Flavour Ltd. that is a mixture of platform skills and puzzles (estimated retail price (ERP) $39.99 U.S./ €49.99**).

Xbox Live Video Chat Gold Kit. This package includes the Xbox Live Vision camera, a 12-month Xbox Live Gold Membership, an Xbox 360 Headset, free* downloads of three full-version Xbox Live Arcade games — the “UNO” card game, “TotemBall,” and the classic “Robotron™” action shooter — and 200 Microsoft Points (ERP $79.99 U.S./€89.99**).

Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel. For true racing enthusiasts who demand unparalleled driving realism at home, this innovatively designed wheel combines form and function with the latest technology in wireless and force feedback. Consumers who purchase the wheel will also get a limited-edition force feedback version of “Project Gotham Racing® 3” while supplies last (ERP $149.99 U.S.**, available in November).

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset. Providing the ultimate wireless experience, this headset integrates seamlessly with the Xbox 360 console to provide wireless voice chat capabilities, stylish design and superior voice quality over the Xbox Live network (ERP $59.99 U.S.**, available in November).

Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. By plugging the compact receiver into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 port on a PC, gamers can use Xbox 360 wireless accessories on their Windows-based computer (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in late December).

Xbox 360 Faceplates. Consumers can customize their consoles with one of three new special-edition faceplates featuring images from their favorite games, including the “Halo®” franchise, “Viva Piñata™” and “Forza Motorsport™ 2” (ERP $19.99 U.S.**, available in early November).

 

[scooby_dooby]

So the wheels $150 US and the PGR3 is just a limited edition run.

That's pretty damned expensive IMO, gauranteed they'll rape us for $199 CAD.

I like the $20 reciever though, that's pretty tight.

 

[Acert93]

What did you expect from a company selling wired controllers for $40 and wireless ones for $50? All the MS accessories are waaaaay overpriced, and I have noticed a lack of 3rd party items (maybe MS is charging too much for licensing?)

 

[scooby_dooby]

What did you expect from a company selling wired controllers for $40 and wireless ones for $50? All the MS accessories are waaaaay overpriced, and I have noticed a lack of 3rd party items (maybe MS is charging too much for licensing?)

I didn't really expect much better, though I did hope for it. I really wanted to pick it up for $150 CAD.

For MS's own sake they need to bring their peripheral pricing back down to earth. Sure that was fine during launch, to extract every last nickel and dime out of the hardcore gamers, but now, lets stop being so greedy and shortsighted and make the add-ons affordable giving the consumers the true 'choice' they spew about in their PR all the time.

Specifically the harddrive, wifi adapter, memory cards, and controller accessories need to come way down in price.

 

[Qroach]

3rd party accesories have to be 'approved'. that includes the look and design. You won't see any cheap ugly 3rd party controllers available for this console. no idea what the license fee is, but a few companies like logitech have jumped on the bandwagon.

MS is playing this like it was the Ipod.

 

[Powderkeg]

I didn't really expect much better, though I did hope for it. I really wanted to pick it up for $150 CAD.

For MS's own sake they need to bring their peripheral pricing back down to earth.

Have you compared the price with other Force Feedback wheels? It's half the price of Logitech's.

 

[RobertR1]

I really like the wireless headset. The price, not so much.

 

[Qroach]

Have you compared the price with other Force Feedback wheels? It's half the price of Logitech's.

logitech already has a wireless force feedback wheel?

 

[Guden Oden]

Yes, for PS2 and PCs.

 

[J_Saint]

Third parties are not allowed to release wireless accessories, hard drives or force feedback wheels at this time.

 

[[maven]]

logitech already has a wireless force feedback wheel?

It's either wireless OR force feedback for the 360 wheel (which makes the wireless pretty useless IMO, but there you go...). And if the wheel costs $150, it's approximately the same price as Logitech's PS2 offering (without the "wireless" but with an equally useless 900º turning circle) as it's €129 here.

 

[Powderkeg]

It's either wireless OR force feedback for the 360 wheel (which makes the wireless pretty useless IMO, but there you go...).

Where did you come up with that?

The Force Feedback is enabled by plugging the base into a power outlet on the wall, or it just has Rumble if used on battery power.

It operates with the 360 or PC via a wireless connection. That never changes.

The two are in no way connected to each other.

 

[Guden Oden]

360 force feedback wheel in wireless mode only vibrates a la joypad rumbling, since the FF motor would suck all the juice out of the battery pack much too quickly. So by neccessity you NEED to plug a wire into it to enjoy real force feedback.

 

[Powderkeg]

360 force feedback wheel in wireless mode only vibrates a la joypad rumbling, since the FF motor would suck all the juice out of the battery pack much too quickly. So by neccessity you NEED to plug a wire into it to enjoy real force feedback.

The term "wireless controller" means there is no wire between the controller and the console (Or PC). It has nothing at all to do with the power cable that plugs into the wall to enable Force Feedback. The two are entirely unrelated.

Do you consider a wireless router to not be wireless because it also requires a powercord to be plugged into the wall to operate?

 

[Guden Oden]

You're comparing apples and oranges here pal. You don't have a power cord going from the wall socket into your wireless 360 joypad. A router is a totally different beastie compared to what's being discussed.

 

[Powderkeg]

You're comparing apples and oranges here pal. You don't have a power cord going from the wall socket into your wireless 360 joypad. A router is a totally different beastie compared to what's being discussed.

No, it's the exact same thing.

A wireless router is called wireless because there is no wired connection between the device and the systems it connects to.

The wireless wheel is called wireless because there is no wired connection between the controller and the system it connects to.

The wireless gamepad is considered wireless because there is no wired connection between the controller and the system it's connecting to, EVEN IF THE PLAY AND CHARGE KIT IS BEING USED. It's still a wireless controller, and still operating as a gamepad using a wireless connection. It doesn't magically turn into a wired controller just because you are recharging the batteries.


And if you doubt that take a wireless gamepad, plug in the Play and Charge kit to your PC, and see if you can use the gamepad on your PC without a wireless receiver.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

No, it's the exact same thing.

A wireless router is called wireless because there is no wired connection between the device and the systems it connects to.

I'm with Powderkeg on this one. AFAIK Wireless denotes the communication type with the peripheral and the base unit, and not the absolute lack of wires. Though there is an argument that a Wireless Router is 'a Router for connecting Wireless devices' and not 'a Router that is wireless' and so isn't comparable with a Wireless Controller that is 'a controller without wires'.

Hmmm, think I'll high-tail it outta here rather than get bogged down in a subjective argument of semantics!

 

[Powderkeg]

I'm with Powderkeg on this one. AFAIK Wireless denotes the communication type with the peripheral and the base unit, and not the absolute lack of wires. Though there is an argument that a Wireless Router is 'a Router for connecting Wireless devices' and not 'a Router that is wireless' and so isn't comparable with a Wireless Controller that is 'a controller without wires'.

Hmmm, think I'll high-tail it outta here rather than get bogged down in a subjective argument of semantics!

LOL.

Or, to put it another way, every single wireless game controller on the PC requires a receiver that is connected to the PC via a wire. Mice and keyboards included. Some also require a wired power connection to the wall, such as the Logitch wireless force feedback wheel.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Have you compared the price with other Force Feedback wheels? It's half the price of Logitech's.

Ya I was thinking that too, it seems to be very good quality and is actually very competetive with other quality wheels. When I heard it was $150 w/ PGR a few days ago, I guess I was hoping for a slightly cheaper version without the game.

Edit - Actually I can get a Logitech FF wheel for $180 CAD, and this is probably higher quality than the MS one, and supports 900degree steering.
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...angid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10039565&catid=10940

Also on the other subject, it's always a wireless wheel as it never needs to be plugged into the console.

 

[Guden Oden]

No, it's the exact same thing.

Bah. No it's not, you're still talking apples and oranges. A wifi router wasn't ever meant to be portable, but whatever. You can bitch all you like, I'm tired of arguing with you over this.