Xbox 360 Wireless Headset

I'm going to go right ahead and declare this the worst peripheral device for a gaming console of all time. After getting this thing and playing around with it I am forced to conclude that the design team was smoking massive amounts of bananas. First, there is this weird rubber ear loop. Now I had to take a few minutes to figure out exactly how to put this thing on, and I'm still not sure I've got it on right. It doesn't fit over the whole back of your ear. Instead it sort of hangs like a cybernetic van Gogh lobe xmas tree ornament on the top corner of your ear. It flops around if you move and is crooked even when you keep your head still. If ever there were something to make you look even more ghey while playing online video games and dissin' n00bs, this is it!

So how about performance......TERRIBLE. Most of the reviews I read were annoyed at how sensitive the mic was, thus picking up every bit of ambient noise and driving others crazy. I guess Microsoft took note and decided pull back on the sensitivity a little. And by a little, I mean a lot. Now my clanmates are in a tizzy that they can't hear me.

The sound coming in is ok, and it syncs up pretty nicely though. I just wish I could use any other sanely designed bluetooth headset, but nope, Gill Bates ain't havin' that.

Microsoft's New DVR Patent

In an effort to balance my karma a Microsoft bashing post is needed. It seems Microsoft has patented a DVR application that will ensure advertisements with time sensitive information can be seen by viewers. In other words, they want to put new commercials into old shows you've recorded.

Uhhhhh Double You Tea Eff, Mate? Are they serious? They must know one of the biggest reasons people buy a DVR is to skip ads entirely. I guess they are banking on advertisers coming up with ways to beat this, whether it be commercials with fun content, fast-forward viewable ads, or legislation, I do not know.

Microsoft DVR Patent (Engadget)

I've always thought a better idea would be to make advertising truly specific. TV commercials do ok basing content on location, likely demographics for the show, and such. Adsense is obviously working to a degree though it suffers from click fraud and the possibility that the content of a site someone is viewing isn't something they are in the market for. Why not have people declare things they are interested in and then let companies compile information and send it off in exchange for programming content, etc. I guess various instances of such a system are already in place.

Hey, companies. I'm in the market for a DVR (ironic), a surround sound system, and some Xbox games and accessories. Get the hell to it.