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. There have been a few different types of the Xbox 360, there was the Core, Arcade, Premium and the Elite. However, special editions have also been available. These are like the Halo 360 had a physical Halo theme as well as a special controller.

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. Buying Limited or Legendary Edition Halo 3 disc two will come with Bonus features to download more Halo 3 themes for your 360 console such as a Bungie theme, Red vs. Blue theme and the This Spartan Life theme. You can also download more detailed gamer pics.

"Red Ring of Death"
The "Red Ring of Death", often abbreviated to RRoD, 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). It's name stems from the fact that often the problem is irreparable or considered expensive to fix.

Trivia

 * Halo 3 can only be played on the Xbox 360.
 * The Xbox 360 is also commonly called "360".
 * 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.
 * Three Halo games are in development for the Xbox 360; Halo Wars, Halo: Chronicles, and Bungie's Halo project.