XBox 360 - Class Action Lawsuit

[speng]

A man has filed a lawsuit claiming inferior design and defective XBOX 360.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051205/tc_nm/media_xbox_dc

Robert Byers, who brought the suit, said the power supply and central processing unit in the Xbox 360 overheat, affecting heat-sensitive chips and causing the console to lock up.

This does not bode well because it will make the news and many parents and people who aren't "hardcore" will stay away, just so they don't waste their $400+ dollars on a christmas/holiday gift that they will not enjoy.

Speng.

 

[c0_re]

A man has filed a lawsuit claiming inferior design and defective XBOX 360.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051205/tc_nm/media_xbox_dc



This does not bode well because it will make the news and many parents and people who aren't "hardcore" will stay away, just so they don't waste their $400+ dollars on a christmas/holiday gift that they will not enjoy.

Speng.

Ok for one thing yahoo isn't even close to a mainstream news outlet, WOW big news some guys hates M$ so he is going to do everything he can to discredit them.

Isn't there enough of these BS articles already, I've played my 360 for atleast a 100 hours since launced and the ONLY problem I have had is it locked up once trying to load the POS downloadable playable Madden 06 demo(what a ple of crap football game) After I shut it down and restarted it the demo worked fine. I also hvae 4 other friends that have 360 not a single one of them has had a single issue.

 

[chroniceyestrain]

How does this guy know that the cpu is overheating?

 

[jvd]

He is going to have a problem winning if ms can show the under 3% number they claim .

 

[dubyateeeff]

How does this guy know that the cpu is overheating?

IIRC MS has a few KB articles admitting as much.

 

[Bobbler]

On the way to work this morning the radio show hosts were talking about how they heard about all the problems with the Xbox360. Made me chuckle, but also kind of annoyed to see the (possibly) "misinformation" spreading so easily.

I wonder if this will go anywhere. It's not good press, that's for sure.

 

[one]

Ok for one thing yahoo isn't even close to a mainstream news outlet, WOW big news some guys hates M$ so he is going to do everything he can to discredit them.

I've thought Reuters is one of the biggest news agencies in the world...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters)

 

[flf]

The lawsuit, filed on Friday in federal court in Illinois, seeks unspecified damages and litigation-related expenses, as well as the replacement or recall of Xbox 360 game consoles.

Okay, let me get this straight: He wants free replacement of overheating Xbox360s?

Microsoft should pay this guy a consultation fee... he's got some great ideas that they should think about implementing!

By the way... anyone who has an xbox: are there instructions about "where not to put your xbox" with relation to overheating? I wonder how many people are putting theirs inside of their glass-enclosed stereo racks.

 

[valioso]

Okay, let me get this straight: He wants free replacement of overheating Xbox360s?

Microsoft should pay this guy a consultation fee... he's got some great ideas that they should think about implementing!

By the way... anyone who has an xbox: are there instructions about "where not to put your xbox" with relation to overheating? I wonder how many people are putting theirs inside of their glass-enclosed stereo racks.

yes, in the manual it states something about closed spaces.
Also, isnt MS already replacing defective x360's for free?

 

[Nite_Hawk]

On the way to work this morning the radio show hosts were talking about how they heard about all the problems with the Xbox360. Made me chuckle, but also kind of annoyed to see the (possibly) "misinformation" spreading so easily.

I wonder if this will go anywhere. It's not good press, that's for sure.

Which morning show? 93x I imagine?

Nite_Hawk

 

[JBark]

He is going to have a problem winning if ms can show the under 3% number they claim .

And that fact the MS has a great repair policy. I guess calling tech support and getting his replaced/repaired for free within about a week is too much work for this guy.

 

[speng]

Ok for one thing yahoo isn't even close to a mainstream news outlet, WOW big news some guys hates M$ so he is going to do everything he can to discredit them.

Isn't there enough of these BS articles already, I've played my 360 for atleast a 100 hours since launced and the ONLY problem I have had is it locked up once trying to load the POS downloadable playable Madden 06 demo(what a ple of crap football game) After I shut it down and restarted it the demo worked fine. I also hvae 4 other friends that have 360 not a single one of them has had a single issue.

One beat me to it. It's Reuters and you can be guaranteed every news agency tonight will at least spend 30 seconds on it.

It does not bode well because people will then be hesitant. Especially people who don't visit internet sites that hear of the reasons behind it.

There are instructions but that doesn't make everything ok. Most people place their electronics and home entertainment devices in a nice closed space along with the DVD/VCR/DVR and Cable Box. Microsoft's instructions and design says, "hey... don't put that there it will probably not work, put it in the open space where your kids can mess with it."

Speng.

 

[JBark]

Which morning show? 93x I imagine?

Nite_Hawk

Or 101.3, I get that station every so often down here, and the morning hosts seem pretty clueless.

 

[Albuquerque]

There are instructions but that doesn't make everything ok.

So in other words, no matter what the instructions say, I'm still perfectly allowed and OK to do whatever I've always done? And I should be 100% entitled to expect it to work when I treat it the same way I've always treated my other equipment?

That seems a little assenine in my opinion. I bought a new Norelco electric shaver three months ago because my seven year old Panasonic finally died. In basically all aspects, my Norelco is better at it's job -- cleaner shave, faster, lasts longer on a single charge, et al. But you know what? The instructions on my Norelco say that I cannot use it wet... But my Panasonic had no problems using it in the shower.

Should I "expect" that I can just drag my new electric razor into the shower with me and use it as normal? And then should I "expect" that Norelco replace my "defective" razor when it shorts itself out? And why not? I've always done it this way; for the past seven years I've used an electric razor in the shower and never had any problems. Why is this somehow MY issue?

 

[speng]

No I'm not saying that, yours is a specific type of shaver, I'm looking more at the category where people normally store these devices. I'm not trying to defend the guy here but it does have an impact on where people "normally' put home entertainment systems.

If I buy a console, I'm going to want to put it where my other consoles are and close to my TV. I do not want to leave it out (kids).

Just not a good design if it needs to be that open.

I don't think the lawsuit will go anywhere, but just the fact that it exists and on a major site is not good for MS.

Speng.

 

[flf]

Microsoft should pay this guy a consultation fee... he's got some great ideas that they should think about implementing!

Just so everyone's clear... I should have used the <sarcasm> tags here. Sounds like this guy said, "Damned if I'm going to call their number and get a pre-paid return box overnighted to me and then get a new console back in my hands in less than five days. That's just a total rip-off! I'm going to sue them rather than engage their support department in a no-charge fast-as-possible replacement plan!"

 

[SubD]

All the reports of crashing 360s in demo units before the system launched is going to be a major problem for Microsoft with this class action lawsuit.

 

[Nite_Hawk]

So in other words, no matter what the instructions say, I'm still perfectly allowed and OK to do whatever I've always done? And I should be 100% entitled to expect it to work when I treat it the same way I've always treated my other equipment?

That seems a little assenine in my opinion. I bought a new Norelco electric shaver three months ago because my seven year old Panasonic finally died. In basically all aspects, my Norelco is better at it's job -- cleaner shave, faster, lasts longer on a single charge, et al. But you know what? The instructions on my Norelco say that I cannot use it wet... But my Panasonic had no problems using it in the shower.

Should I "expect" that I can just drag my new electric razor into the shower with me and use it as normal? And then should I "expect" that Norelco replace my "defective" razor when it shorts itself out? And why not? I've always done it this way; for the past seven years I've used an electric razor in the shower and never had any problems. Why is this somehow MY issue?

The question really is "what is reasonable?". IE, is it reasonable for the instructions to say that the console can't be put inside home entertainment centers without lots of ventilation? Likewise, would it be reasonable for a manufacturer to claim in the manual that the user must keep the ambient air temperature in the room below some threshold? (say 75 degrees F).

Personally I feel that it is reasonable for an electric razor manufacturer to claim their razor should not be used in the shower. This is true with electronics in general, and is common knowledge. The xbox360's heat issues are a bit more grey. On one hand, I personally (being a savvy computer nerd) understand that highend processors like xenos and xenon get very hot and need to be well ventilated. On the other hand, it seems as though the tolerances for the xbox360 are very very slim. It seems unreasonable to me as a consumer, that a brand new system should so easily overheat. What happens when dust begins to collect in the heatsink fins or if you have the airconditioning off on a hot summer day (assuming you have airconditioning)? This issue is a lot more complex than just requiring users to follow the instructions. I imagine as these systems age we are going to see a lot more problems with heat than we are seeing now. This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Nite_Hawk

 

[Albuquerque]

No I'm not saying that, yours is a specific type of shaver, I'm looking more at the category where people normally store these devices.

A shaver is a shaver is a shaver. If I'm 50 years old and don't read the directions and my very first electric razor was waterproof, I might assume they ALL are.

If I'm 25 and can't be bothered to read the HUGE warning at the front page of the directions on my brand new state-of-the-art $400 entertainment device, then I might just assume it can get thrown in the batcave with all the rest of the four kilowatts of electronic devices in there.

That doesn't mean it's right.

 

[c0_re]

I've thought Reuters is one of the biggest news agencies in the world...

OK you assume most Americans read or care what Reuters has to say(I personaly do but whatever)

There isn't a single mention of this on CNN, MSNBC or FOXNEWS______NOT EVEN ON THEIR TECHMNOLOGY PAGES much less the font page.

Lets see.....hmmmmm I wonder how many Class Action suits against Microsoft have been filed by whack jobs over the years, I would bet 1000's

Some of you peole act like this is going to be FRONT PAGE news or right across the top of the new york times

Gimme a break, lets take a step back into reality and out of the "I hate Microsft for X or Y land", this will have absolutly 0% effect on Microshaft or the 360 anyone that thinks it will needs a reality check because you really crack me up.