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Gadgets New Xbox Experience Available this Week
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - November 18, 2008 12:53 PM

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36 comment(s) - last by bkslopper.. on Nov 21 at 2:25 AM

All successful applicants to preview program will get download today

The New Xbox Experience (NXE) is coming soon and will be rolled out to everyone later this week. However, all Xbox users who successfully applied to the preview program by submitting their valid console ID will be getting the update over the next few hours.

Major Nelson reports that rather than simply adding another 10,000 users to the preview program like Microsoft did last week the decision was made to allow all who applied to download the NXE. The download should be available to all successful applicants today. Users who didn’t successfully register a console ID will have to wait until this Wednesday to get the NXE update.

Netflix announced today that its streaming movies and TV service would be debuting at no additional cost to current Xbox gold and Netflix subscribers along with the NXE update. This isn’t the first time we have heard of streaming Netflix over the Xbox 360. The streaming service was announced in July when details of the NXE update first started circulating.

Qualified Xbox users will get access to a catalog of 12,000 movies and TV shows that they can stream over the Xbox 360 directly to their TV. Netflix says that the movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds.

Netflix says that it intends to add more streaming film choices over the coming months and current offerings include 300 HD titles. Among the HD choices are Flawless and Heroes. HD programs streamed at launch will have standard definition audio only. Later multichannel audio will be added to streamed content reports Netflix.

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Jasper

By Mitch101 on 11/18/2008 1:49:42 PM , Rating: 5

If your getting an X-Box 360 this season try and get a Jasper if you can find one.

Why
Both GPU and CPU chips are 65nm

How to improve your chances its a Jasper.
Made no Earlier than 2008-08-06
Lot 8031 and up
Team CSON

Good thread on the different versions
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?...

RE: Jasper

By Devo2007 on 11/18/2008 1:57:37 PM , Rating: 2

So Jasper units are finally being spotted? I know Anandtech had a blog post about not finding Jasper units about a month ago.

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RE: Jasper

By Mitch101 on 11/18/2008 4:53:01 PM , Rating: 3

The only way to tell a true jasper is to pull off the heatsink which nobody seems willing to do especially after they see the 175 watt power supply.

Everyone expects to be able to detect a Jasper because it should ship with a 150 or maybe even a 140 watt power supply however some people believe that Microsoft is slipping them in with 175 watt supplies. Maybe because they have a large number of 175 watt supplies, Dont want to add to confusion with a third power supply, or fear of killing sales of current units out there on shelves (probable). Ive heard a few decent reasons. After all if you had a choice between the two everyone would go for the Jasper unit. This would happen until the final 90nm GPU boxes are all sold. What makes this kind of possible is that some very new xbox 360's do seem to be running cooler than others.

Technically there is nothing wrong/bad with getting a newer Falcon based unit. The reliability of them is very good at less than 5% fail rate but again if you had a choice one would go for a console they believe should last even longer.

Either way if they aren't slipping them in with 175 watt supplies they should be showing very soon. There is no X-box 360 shortages so might as well wait till the week before x-mas or definite confirmation. I'm getting one for myself so I am going to be making 100% sure I know I will get the Jasper.

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RE: Jasper

By StevoLincolnite on 11/18/2008 5:03:47 PM , Rating: 4

Yeah I got the Falcon in April this year, after 6 weeks of use I couldn't sync the Controller to the console, however the "media remote" worked, but that wasn't exactly useful playing Halo 3 on Xbox Live! - Microsoft sent me a box, I chucked the box in, sent it off, 3 weeks later it was on my doorstep without any costs to me, fully working and without an issue since! - Plus they gave me a free months worth of Gold Membership which was cool. - Can't really complain about that service, and it wasn't even an RROD issue, Just meant going without my Xbox 360 for 3 weeks allowed me to catch up on housework.

Also I thought the update was supposed to be released to everyone today? on the Xbox.com.au website it says the "new experience" comes out on the 19th of this month (which is today in Australia) - I'll check later on this arvo' anyway, and see how large the download is and if I can fit it on my 256mb memory unit, if not that 120gb HDD for $199 will looking awesome now...

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RE: Jasper

By jajig on 11/18/08, Rating: 0

RE: Jasper

By StevoLincolnite on 11/18/2008 8:58:36 PM , Rating: 2

Call it what you will, but if you "ask" for the box over the phone while they are sorting the issue out, they will gladly send one, they even send out the label with the box so you don't have to print one out. - Some places in America you have to do the same thing.

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RE: Jasper

By walk2k on 11/18/2008 2:21:00 PM , Rating: 1

What's the point though? Are they quieter? Or just less likely to RROD?

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RE: Jasper

By Mitch101 on 11/18/2008 2:30:19 PM , Rating: 1

The Jasper is the first proper attempt to combat the RROD issue by finally having a smaller, cooler and hopefully more reliable GPU. The issue of the RROD was the overheating and eventual disconnecting of the GPU and the Jasper should go a long way towards making the Xbox 360 a lot more reliable with regards this particular issue. As with all changes to the Xbox 360, Microsoft do not announce when they start releasing the updated machines so it is a matter of time before people start to discover it. Because of the cooler CPU and GPU and possible further reduction in power supply, it is believed that the internal cooling will be revised and as such will lead to a much quieter Xbox360.

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RE: Jasper

By VashHT on 11/18/2008 2:46:39 PM , Rating: 3

I think you're giving MS too much credit, I really doubt they lowered their gate size to 65nm just to combat RROD, that's probably more of a side effect of the change rather than the cause for it.

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RE: Jasper

By therealnickdanger on 11/18/2008 3:15:51 PM , Rating: 3

Right. 360s as old as two years ago have had improvements made to their cooling systems in order to combat RROD. The move to 65nm is just the natural progression by Microsoft to reduce production costs. A pleasant side effect is reduced power consumption and heat output. Guaranteed if you had a broken fan or poorly mounted heatsink, even a Jasper will RROD.

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RE: Jasper

By Parhel on 11/18/2008 3:21:03 PM , Rating: 2

The interests of a business and their consumers aren't mutually exclusive. Keep in mind that every RROD costs MS money. If it happens while the unit is in the warranty period, MS has to fix it. If it happens outside of the warranty period, MS has an angry customer who will badmouth them to their friends, make angry posts on the Internet, file a class-action lawsuit and buy a Playstation.

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RE: Jasper

By zerocool84 on 11/18/2008 3:51:11 PM , Rating: 3

How about consumers vote with their wallet and NOT buy a 360??? Buying one only signifies that it was ok for them to rush an unfinished product and we as consumers are ok with sub-par products. I don't own a 360 or PS3 so no fanboism here.

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RE: Jasper

By StevoLincolnite on 11/18/2008 9:07:50 PM , Rating: 2

I actually only care about the controller (which is significant as it means you can play a game comfortably) and the games, Sure I "Could" have gotten a PS3 and not worry about hardware failure rates, but I love First Person Shooters, which seems to be the home of the Xbox, I'm not about to give that up, also the Xbox 360 doesn't break down every week that some people make you to believe, even with the Falcon you would have to be pretty un-lucky for it to break down every 6 to 12 months, most people I know got a console when it first came out and have gone through 2 or 3 machines in total, The first 2 were the early revision, the last one chances would have been a falcon, that's almost a machine every 12 months, sure it might be an inconvenience but 3 - 5 weeks waiting for repairs isn't going to kill ya'.

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RE: Jasper

By Aloonatic on 11/19/2008 3:10:29 AM , Rating: 3

This is the sort of comment that I must admit, I find hard to understand.

How can people be happy to need to have their console replaced 2 or 3 (so 3 times then!?) times and and then talk about it almost as if ok and nothing to be bothered about?

3 - 5 weeks without their machine is fine? If you do complain then you are, well, I'm not sure what the poster is trying to say really?

Some (in a comment by an ozzey somewhere else on here) even saying how great it is to get a free month on-line, even though they shouldn't really be paying for it anyway. By the way, do you have to keep paying for live Gold (if you were in the first place of course) whilst your xBox is in the shop getting repaired/replaced?

I had an xBox and a PS3, just have a PS3 now after selling my xBox sometime ago. I guess it's probably better travelled than I am by now and been back to base a couple of times.

Don't get me wrong, I liked my xBox, but not that much.

I may even get one again soon, as Gears 2 does look rather good and a lot of my friends still have their xBoxes.

It just boggles the mind that many xBox users are so happy to have been sold a pup and then talk them up after having had to return multiple consoles.

Make me return my console once, shame on you, make me return my console twice, three times....

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RE: Jasper

By Yeah on 11/19/2008 12:36:35 PM , Rating: 2

I was just going to up your thread but then I wanted to say that I totally agree with you, and the person that posted above you may not have actually paid for their 360 -(parents) (grandparents) or they maybe rich enough to afford more than one console so being out their 360 for a month or more is no big deal to them.

It still does not excuse MS for pushing a product before it was well tested. But in a business perspective, it was brilliant. They have more games now so it set themselves in the market at a good time forcing all other consoles to ' answer ' their new system. I think its shoddy practices and I don't own an xbox or a ps3. Just wanted to add my 2 cents to your post.

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RE: Jasper

By pomaikai on 11/19/2008 3:06:07 PM , Rating: 2

Or it could be that we arent as uptight and anal about everything. My 360 RROD after about 12 months. Went online, filled out the form, and was sent a box with everything needed to send it back. About 4 weeks later I got it back. Yes I payed for it, and in the end microsoft has had to pay for it. Someone screwed up, console were released and microsoft came through and made it as painless as possible. God forbid anyone screw anything up and inconvinience you!!! I have a life and can find other things to do when i cant play games. Nothing wrong with gamers, but when you dont know what to do when you dont have your console for 3-4 weeks you really need help.

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RE: Jasper

By crazyblackman on 11/19/2008 9:01:21 PM , Rating: 1

quote:
Someone screwed up, console were released and microsoft came through and made it as painless as possible. God forbid anyone screw anything up and inconvinience you!!! I have a life and can find other things to do when i cant play games. Nothing wrong with gamers, but when you dont know what to do when you dont have your console for 3-4 weeks you really need help.

Someone screwed up? Where the hell have you been?! This wasn't someone's mistake. This was intentional! They knowing did this!

PLEASE send me $400 because you obviously don't value your parents hard earned money. I say "parents" because you don't sound much like an adult. You sound kinda ignorant and uninformed. Must be your first console ever, huh junior? Life is sooo good to these kids today.

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RE: Jasper

By Aloonatic on 11/20/2008 5:31:52 AM , Rating: 2

Just the sort of comment that I am talking about.

You are not at all concerned that you had to return your hardware within a year and were without it for 4 weeks?

Sure, life goes on and all that. I don't think I or anyone else is suggesting that all people do is sit in front of their TVs and stare at them blankly, pining for some kind of device that lets them waste their otherwise empty lives away in a more entertaining matter.

The truth is, Microsoft's behaviour (from a consumer's point of view) is unacceptable and surly you must see and accept that?

If you problem was an isolated incident then, ho hum things happen, fair enough, you can't win them all.

The problem is, your experience was not an isolated incident. And if you couple to that the fact that Microsoft knowingly sent something to market that had more than a reasonable probability of failing just to get market share (http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+Insider+Xbox+36... then to me, that is very bad and I cannot see why people wish to defend this practice so vehemently?

I just find the attitude of the people who do rather strange, that is all.

Why be so quick to defend a company that has treated you so badly?

I've written in other article comments about this strange new phenomena that has emerged and the closest thing to it that I can think of is Stockholm syndrome.

Perhaps if anyone who is studying psychology or sociology or which ever oligy is relevant and they need something to write a paper on, might I would suggest an analysis of xBox 360 owners who seem to be so keen to defend the poor treatment that is handed out to them by Microsoft?

If you can crack that then you would probably be able to sell your research to other large corporations as it would be worth a lot of money.

With some fine tuning and research into how much further they can push their loyal customers and how to reduce the costs of replacements etc, whilst still keeping your customers more than happy with such poor treatment companies might be able to repeat Microsoft's breakthrough work in this feald.

Maximise the gains (early entry, large market share etc) and minimise the problems (cost of fixing the problems etc) and turn an even more healthy profit.

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RE: Jasper

By crazyblackman on 11/19/2008 8:45:29 PM , Rating: 1

I can't believe someone like you would want to hang around this site too long. You are much smarter than most of the posters on this site when it comes to the 360. There is NO rational excuse for the level of acceptance for the incompetence and deceit practiced by M$. Yeah, I said M$. It's nice to read a post by someone using logic every once in a while. Consumers be warned, the newer 360 is still a 360. They ALL will be sent in for some kind of repair long before the average PS3 ever shows any sign of wear.

Please continue to post here regardless of what you read.

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RE: Jasper

By walk2k on 11/18/2008 3:41:24 PM , Rating: 2

The power supply is still an external brick isn't it?

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RE: Jasper

By Mitch101 on 11/18/2008 4:59:42 PM , Rating: 1

Yes I actually like this because in my stereo rack having the brick in the rack would add to heat. Not convenient for those who wish to lug around the 360 but I don't plan on doing that.

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RE: Jasper

By MooseMuffin on 11/18/2008 3:12:07 PM , Rating: 2

For what it's worth, I have a two-year-old xenon revision console that has never red-ringed or had any dvd drive issues. It is however, the loudest thing on the planet and I honestly hope it dies before its warranty period is up and I get a quieter one as a replacement.

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RE: Jasper

By therealnickdanger on 11/18/2008 3:18:12 PM , Rating: 2

FWIW, the NXE update will allow you to store games on the HDD, reducing the majority of the noise - which comes from the SH!TTY DVD-ROM drives Microsoft is pushing.

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RE: Jasper

By Staples on 11/18/2008 3:27:08 PM , Rating: 2

Not all the DVD ROM drives are loud. My launch unit was certainly loud and the fans were not quiet either because they spun a million RPMs. I bought a Falcon in Dec and the drive in it was no louder than the fans (which were just as loud as the launch unit).

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RE: Jasper

By Aloonatic on 11/19/2008 6:23:05 AM , Rating: 1

One thing that rarely gets mentioned is the noise that the PS3 makes when playing a DVD.

It's pretty god damn noisy too.

Of course, as the games are not on DVDs it is not a problem when playing, but watching films on DVD can be a fairly noisy affair.

Not as noisy as the xBox I had before I got rid of it though. The noise it made being one of the main reasons, after the potential for the red ring, for getting rid.

If the new units are quieter, more reliable and you can install games to the HD, it may be time I got back on board the xBox bus.

After I've got bored with Little Big Planet that is.

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RE: Jasper

By StevoLincolnite on 11/18/2008 9:10:58 PM , Rating: 2

Are the drives just low-quality or is it because they have to sustain high transfer rates to stream the information to the fairly limiting 512mb of memory? - I've never been able to work that out, not that it matters anymore, now with the ability to install games to the HDD.

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RE: Jasper

By therealnickdanger on 11/18/2008 10:17:34 PM , Rating: 2

That's a fair question, but I would assume that since my launch "Pro" system is louder than all get-out and my Elite from March '08 is way quieter, I would say that it has more to do with just using "crappy" drives on a lot of systems. However, games like Fable 2 and Mass Effect just wreak havoc on the DVD access... both constantly click and spin. This HDD install is SO, SO, SO OVERDUE!!

Still MS, needs to allow for us to install our OWN 2.5" drives. I really want to throw in a Intel X25M in there! LOL

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2332520...

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RE: Jasper

By rudolphna on 11/18/2008 10:42:40 PM , Rating: 2

The DVD drive on my newer Falcon model (bought back in summer) is much quieter than the fans, which sound like jet engines.

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New 360 front end - Dissapointing.

By jabber on 11/19/2008 6:27:44 AM , Rating: 3

Have to say now updated and dissapointed.

Avatars? How old fashioned and twee! Havent we had enough of them? These for for the under 18's arent they?

The rest is a waste of screen estate as it all scrolls across the middle.

One useful feature I can see is more screen sizes. Thats it.

Must have taken all of a week to put together!

RE: New 360 front end - Dissapointing.

By FITCamaro on 11/19/2008 8:20:15 AM , Rating: 2

Can you still use the old 360 dashboard? I want the netflix integration but I'm quite happy with the current simplicity of the 360 dashboard.

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RE: New 360 front end - Dissapointing.

By bkslopper on 11/19/2008 6:32:27 PM , Rating: 2

I can't find any way to use the old dashboard. I have to agree it's over complicated and it took me 10 minutes to find the controller vibration settings. I DO like the fact I can install games to HD and the netflix additions, but it would have been so much better just using the old dashboard.

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RE: New 360 front end - Dissapointing.

By bkslopper on 11/21/2008 2:25:29 AM , Rating: 2

I'll have to add that after using it some more, I think NXE may be an improvement afterall. The Marketplace portion was revamped and is alot better now. You can search titles by letter, which helps a ton. Once you find a title, it'll show the box art, game info, downloadable content, and screenshots. It's pretty slick and long overdue.

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Overseas ftl

By afkrotch on 11/18/2008 2:06:47 PM , Rating: 3

I'm sure those of use living outside the US currently will get screwed in the butt. I'm not allowed to download TV shows or movies. I'm sure the same will go with Netflix.