Microsoft's Xbotch
,----[ Quote ]
| Strike three
|
| A few days later, the Xbotch console No. 2 gasped its last breath
| under the none-too-heavy strain of a family member's brief check-in
| with a garden in Viva Pinata. I was treated not only to a spooky
| "E 74" error screen, but I also got the famous red ring of death.
| More phone calls to a more understandable, and more sympathetic,
| Xbotch representative led to a diagnosis of DOA, and I'm still
| waiting for the postage-paid packing materials that will whisk my
| Xbotch to Texas for whatever magic is in store.
|
| Strikes 4, 5, 6 ...
|
| This might not be nearly so annoying if not for the fact that the
| two Zune players at my household have also been plagued by
| persistent hardware and software failures, including the dreaded
| "skip bug" and a set of bum earbuds that required more than two
| hours of phone time with customer service before someone finally
| did the logical thing and sent me a new pair.
`----
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/06/07/microsofts-xbotch.aspx
Microsoft and hardware. When will people know the truth?
Related:
Anecdotal: Microsoft low on Xbox 360 coffins
,----[ Quote ]
| For the most part, we've given up on reporting every single time
| one of our colleagues in the gaming press has an Xbox 360 die on
| them. Frankly, we'd be writing a piece every couple weeks. A
| brilliant recent example was the Weekly Geek Show's Xbox 360,
| which we covered, died again in late May. Exactly one month
| and six days after being "repaired." But, like Peter Moore
| asked of all of us, we shouldn't focus on the failure rate
| of Xbox 360s, but on the service in repairing them. And so,
| we have the story of Officer Craig Ravitch of the New York
| Police Department.
`----
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/06/anecdotal-microsoft-low-on-xbox-360-coffins/
http://tinyurl.com/28qx3b
European commission investigates XBOX 360 failures
,----[ Quote ]
| It seems that Microsoft can't catch a break these days what with
| Vista still failing miserably and apparently so are XBOX 360's.
|
| [...]
|
| There are upwards of 1,000 complaints from the Netherlands alone
| which is going up every day. The commissioner not only wants
| answers from Microsoft Europe but from other markets as well
| and a bulleted list of all issues and problems known in
| those markets.
`----
http://gamer.blorge.com/2007/06/01/european-commission-investigates-xbox-360-failures/
Gamers Say Microsoft Understates Xbox Problems
,----[ Quote ]
| An insider from Electronic Arts, Inc. is saying that the failure rate
| of Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console is actually ten times higher than
| what Microsoft spokespeople have admitted.
|
| Game Daily BIZ, a gaming industry publication, reported that the
| anonymous source tallied that of the 300 consoles EA has received,
| 30-50 percent of them have failed.
`----
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/xbox_gamers02.html
Microsoft admits scratch problem with Xbox 360
,----[ Quote ]
| There hasn't been much discussion on the fact that the problem exists
| by consumers, but untill now Microsoft has always somewhat denied the
| problem and never proposed a solution.
|
| The Dutch television show Kassa, which deals with customer complaints,
| has been nagging Microsoft about this problem for several weeks, they
| did tests with Xbox360 setups and filmed (and proofed) that the Xbox360
| is indeed responsible for scratching game discs, when not moved, placed
| on a stable table and under the best possible conditions.
|
| [...]
|
|
| The television show also reported that while this issue is now an issue
| in the Netherlands (it is also widely covered in regular news), it
| could become a global problem for Microsoft in the future. Therefore
| I would recommend anyone who is facing the same problem to contact
| their local Microsoft office and point them to this article.
`----
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/Microsoft-admits-scratch-problem-with-Xbox-360.html
Gears of War disc errors - why the hell is no one covering this?
,----[ Quote ]
| So, we're all just 'unlucky' Mark? Thanks for that. I'm happy for you
| and your console, but what about us? Where are we supposed to turn to
| for help and support? Microsoft wasn't very helpful (ref #102-379-2964)
| any of the times I've called them (I think it's up to three now for the
| same issue - perhaps I'll call again today and check on an update).
|
| All I know is that if I see that dreaded error message again on my new
| 360 I am going to go absolutely ballistic!!!
`----
http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=7626298&publicUserId=5551391
What is the real failure rate of the Xbox 360?
,----[ Quote ]
| We asked Game, one of the largest console retailers in the UK.
| "That's not information we're able to give out. It's commercially
| sensitive," it said. As for Microsoft, in the early days after the
| console's 2005 launch it claimed that failure rates were no higher
| than an industry average of between 3% and 5%. That now seems
| wildly optimistic.
|
| Last month, its vice-president of entertainment, Peter Moore,
| refused to answer the question, telling the Mercury News: "I
| can't comment on failure rates." According to Moore, if someone
| has a faulty console they should worry about the customer service.
`----
http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2091221,00.html
360 failure rates at 61%?
,----[ Quote ]
| Over at XBox 360 Gamer they have refused to buy Microsoft?s claimed
| 4-5% failure rates and instead opted to create their own poll which
| yielded shocking results. At the time of writing there have been
| 3780 submissions and 2355 comments resulting in claimed failure
| rates of 61%.
|
| There is no avoiding the fact that there is likely to be a negative
| skew to the poll, angry gamers are more likely to vent than satisfied
| gamers. That said 61% is a huge number and even if its half that 30%
| is a far cry from the 4-5% Microsoft would like us to believe.
`----
http://www.quicksavejunkie.com/2007/05/23/360-failure-rates-at-61/
Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against MS For Bricked 360s
,----[ Quote ]
| According to Gamespot, the suit seeks a minimum of $10 million in
| damages, depending on how MS decides to defend itself.
`----
http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/law/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against-ms-for-bricked-360s-220250.php
Numerous Reports, November 30 Xbox 360 Update Is Bricking Consoles
,----[ Quote ]
| Some consoles are being bricked by Thursday's dashboard update.
| Issues range from freezing, red ring of death and VGA adapterm
| alfunction. Microsoft isn't acknowledging the issue and billing
| $140 for repairs.
`----
http://digg.com/gaming_news/Numerous_Reports_November_30_Xbox_360_Update_Is_Bricking_Consoles
Update brick your 360? Speak up
,----[ Quote ]
| Since yesterday's update, there are numerous reports about 360s
| being bricked. Some people suspect that this is being done by
| Microsoft intentionally to stop modders and hackers. Xbox Scene
| thinks it has more to do with certain combinations of hardware
| and firmware.
`----
http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2006/11/01/update-brick-your-360-speak-up/
Autoupdate killed my 360!
,----[ Quote ]
| I was fine yesterday gaming with the VGA cable but after getting
| the autoupdate today, I get a black screen. Does Microsoft test
| these things? My connection to the TV didn't change yet its
| screwed. Thanks for nothing Microsoft.
`----
http://forum.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?t=489979
Loot: Redmond, We Have a Problem, Or, What's Wrong With the Xbox 360
,----[ Quote ]
| At this point, Former becomes impassioned. That's not fair, he says;
| we always saw this as a long-term venture. To which we reply that we
| were talking about the original Xbox, and while other divisions of
| the company throw off more profits in a single quarter than the
| entire $5 billion or so lost in the home and entertainment division
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| to date, the fact remains that, as we take-our-word-for-it predicted,
| the Xbox group has been spectacularly unprofitable for Microsoft.
| Hence, our heretofore unpublished Vietnam analogy. The rest of the
| night is a blur, but we digress.
|
| [...]
|
| The worst case scenario for Microsoft, then, is one in which the Xbox
| 360's bid for the mass market is blocked by the Wii for the next two to
| three years, at which point the aging and underpowered Wii gives way
| to a cheaper-than-it-is-now PS3 with a selection of AAA titles that's
| far wider than what the PS3 has at the moment; new installments of
| Playstation's own popular and casual-leaning games; and a slew of
| new franchises from Sony's much-larger studio operation.
`----
http://ncroal.talk.newsweek.com/default.asp?item=533168
Microsoft says Zune executive will leave company
,----[ Quote ]
| Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft's entertainment
| and devices division, also played a key role in shaping the Xbox
| game console business and the introduction of its Internet
| Protocol television software.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6155200.html
Muted welcome for Microsoft Zune
,----[ Quote ]
| As part of the Zune launch Microsoft flew some influential music bloggers
| to Seattle for a preview of the player and the service.
`----
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5348674.stm
|
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