DailyTech - New Xbox 360 Controller Colors, Messenger Kit Priced, Dated

Submit News

Gadgets New Xbox 360 Controller Colors, Messenger Kit Priced, Dated
Marcus Yam (Blog) - July 11, 2007 7:47 AM

18 comment(s) - last by EndPCNoise.. on Jul 12 at 1:31 PM

Xbox 360 controller with Messenger Kit (Source: Microsoft)

Pink and blue controllers join the available white and black (Source: Microsoft)

QWERTY keypad and new controller colors coming to Xbox 360 this fall

The Xbox 360 Spring 2007 update added to the console Windows Live Messenger support, allowing gamers to chat while playing or watching videos. With the cumbersome and slow nature of entering text with the standard controller, Microsoft unveiled a controller keypad attachment.

At E3, Microsoft formally named the keypad accessory the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit, which attaches to the standard controller, giving users access to a QWERTY layout for entering text while maintaining gameplay functionality in one easy-to-hold device. The Xbox 360 Messenger Kit includes a Chatpad and Xbox 360 Headset, and will be available beginning September 6 for $29.99.

Microsoft’s console went through its first year and a half with only beige, until the Xbox 360 Elite brought with it the black controller. This fall will see additional colors added into the mix, with pink and shades of blue to debut in October for $49.99 each.

Those looking for even more colorful controllers should look at the special Halo 3-themed Xbox 360 controllers featuring Todd McFarlane artwork and the Spartan green console and controller that are a part of the Halo Special Edition console.

Comments

Threshold

Username
Password
remember me

This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

Oh yeah!

By hardwaremister on 7/11/2007 10:30:57 AM , Rating: 2

So, what are the news?
Finally the 65nm version? NO! uh-oh...
Price cuts?... NO!
And then? Yeah... we have all those pink controllers we've been craving!

When are they gonna shrink the 360? I mean that's the only thing stopping me from jumping into the x360 bandwagon.
Given the extended warranty period, during 3 years I'd be covered, but why would i like to go thru all the rrod hashle knowing they are going to do a total rework of the console?

I'm completely sure they'll try hard to address all this first gen because ultimately, m$ is a business and they can't bleed money forever as their goal is profitability. Even a 10tons gorilla as M$ doesn't take that easily a 1B$ setback on defective hardware and most probably are taking their time making sure second-gen 360's are within the standard 3-5% failure rate.

So, right now they're announcing new controllers and other stupid addons that will address a small percentage of their users and nonetheless it can't be overlooked the impressive amount of new and interesting releases being added to their already amazing games library.

Hurry UP M$... pink controllers is not what we are waiting FOR!

RE: Oh yeah!

By FITCamaro on 7/11/2007 11:04:27 AM , Rating: 1

Expect it in time for Halo 3.

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By omnicronx on 7/11/2007 11:21:19 AM , Rating: 2

accessories and games are where the real money lies, not in the consoles. Microsoft needs to make up some cash and this is the way to do it. Making the console smaller will only compound the heat issues they are already having, so right now i would say that is dead last on my list. Cool accessories = more people interested in the 360 for different reasons. Its worked so far for the wii and it could easily work for the 360.

stupid addons.. maybe... but all i can see here is you complaining about what you dont want, but what exactly are you looking for?? a transformer 360 that turns from xbox to talking human companion that helps save the world?

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By hardwaremister on 7/11/2007 12:34:52 PM , Rating: 2

I'm not complaining, but underlining the need of a reworked and shrinked wafer-wise 360. A redesigned, shrinked revison of the console parts should translate into a higher level of reliability. I never meant to ask for a smaller in size or volume console!

And yeah... that's what's really holding me back from buying a 360 now. I also believe i'm not the only one in that situation, because many people must have been scared after all this RROD stuff on the net.

Don't forget this is the first console M$ are manufacturing on their own! The original xbox was built upon almost-mainstream parts proven-technology by then!

I just wanted to be ironic about 'craving for those pink controllers', but clearly stated my worries. They might make some short-term money from their accesories, but they need people to buy more consoles, and they also need to avoid manufacturating the prone_to_fail first gen 360's because that's gonna be a huge long-term money drain and also keeps people not wanting to spend their money in a troublesome device. Ironing out their problems would REALLY help to encourage more people to join the 360's user base.

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By omnicronx on 7/11/2007 12:56:24 PM , Rating: 2

very true, i thought you were talking about the console size. I for one am also holding back, waiting for the 65nm dies (and hopefully fancy heat pipes and spreaders).
Lucky for me all thats wrong with my xbox is the disc spins off and scratches discs.. which i just fixed with a little surgery by removing the dvd drive and putting those stupid rubber pads inside the dvd case (which it had a grand total of 0 so any time the case moved or vibrated the disc would hit the top.. not good with a subwoofer) weird as hell considering i took the pads from several old dvd drives i had lying around which all had at least one.. thx microsoft!! hope you saved 2cents a console. seems to be fixed now but i want hdmi.

and you are truly right about the fixing the prone to fail first gen;s and even a damn pricedrop instead of accessories.. but we all know ms is all about the money.

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By deeznuts on 7/11/2007 1:12:14 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
accessories and games are where the real money lies, not in the consoles.

True, but as soon as MS makes their console more reliable (65nm) I'll buy an elite and they'll be selling me black accessories!

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By Lonyo on 7/11/2007 11:54:04 AM , Rating: 3

Um, they already announced that there would be a 65nm shrink in Autumn. They just haven't set a specific date yet.
They also probably won't announce a price cut until the last minute.

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By hardwaremister on 7/11/2007 1:32:32 PM , Rating: 1

;) You're right, but really I'd like it to had been out yesterday instead. Can't wait!

M$ is a macrocorporation, so I guess they are doing all the numbers and engineering those reworked units at full throttle!

Meanwhile, they are not dumb enough to stop trying to promote the console, manufacture accesories, sign developer deals, upgrade the live enviroment...
And they've done the right thing extending the warranty for all the units! Kudos must be given where it's due!

Architecturally I think they have this gen's winner in their hands, because it's rationally designed for game development and execution in a very balanced way.

M$, you've sold us your consoleeee! Please, iron it out and we (the tech-savvys) will recommend your plataform to those others who listen to us and ask for a well formed opinion!

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By EndPCNoise on 7/11/2007 5:25:27 PM , Rating: 2

Not disagreeing with you about preferring a Falcon 360...

However, if someone walks into a store with every intension of buying a new Falcon 360, how would anyone be able to tell the difference between the old stock of current RROD 360's and the new stock of Falcon 360's just by looking at the box on the shelf?

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By h0kiez on 7/12/2007 10:25:58 AM , Rating: 2

HDMI port? ;-)

Yes, I realize that's just speculation.

Parent

RE: Oh yeah!

By EndPCNoise on 7/12/2007 1:31:11 PM , Rating: 2

Maybe one of the authors and/or editors here at DailyTech can chime in on this question to address some of the speculation for your loyal readers.

You guys are great at getting to the bottom of this sort of thing.
Keep up the good work!

Parent

cool

By omnicronx on 7/11/2007 9:49:49 AM , Rating: 2

now thats friggin cool, countless hours of wasted time typing, i will definitely be getting one of these.

what i want to know is will this work on your pc with the wireless adaptor as your mouse and keyboard.. HTPC remote possibly????

RE: cool

By FITCamaro on 7/11/2007 10:08:45 AM , Rating: 2

It probably could as the keyboard but how would a controller work as the mouse? Unless they implemented a driver than used the right or left analog stick to move the mouse around. Completely doable but doesn't mean they will. I guess someone else could always do it.

Parent

RE: cool

By Kefner on 7/11/2007 10:31:29 AM , Rating: 2

I can't remember the name of the software, but there is some program out there that lets you map thumb pads to mouse controls. I think it was called key to joy, or something like that, but it basically maps keyboard and mouse controls to a controller to control PC games that are keyboard/mouse only. I used this once to see if I could control the pointer on my desktop with a controller, and it worked great.

Parent

RE: cool

By omnicronx on 7/11/2007 10:51:56 AM , Rating: 2

ya the pointer is one thing, i have seen that before, but if you potentially have a keyboard and mouse in one easy control, the sky is only the limit. you could do alot more.. especially with mce.

Parent

RE: cool

By BigLan on 7/11/2007 10:53:23 AM , Rating: 2

I think it's called pinnacle, but can't be bothered googling it.

Parent

By Xenoterranos on 7/11/2007 10:16:57 AM , Rating: 2

No how am I supposed to WASD on that? :p

Hopefully, Ben Heckendom will lay some hack-fu on this thing and blow us all away :)

Didn't I see this already available for the PS3

By OxBow on 7/11/2007 3:21:19 PM , Rating: 2

I could swear I saw these things already available for the PS3. A little keyboard attachment that plugs onto the controller, and colored gels that slip over the controllers for "style and comfort."

Games, accessories and microtransactions are where these companies make their money, so this is just to be expected. I never thought I'd use an accessory like this, but then my wife picked up wood grain face place for the 360 from a clearance bin. I did make the 360 more attractive, but that's basically putting a bag over it's head. It's still malformed and horribly unreliable.

Microsoft has some great games coming down the pike. Especially if you like to shoot things. They should have concentrated on their strengths and left these puff products in the side booths.