Xbox 360 Goes from Game Console to Full Home Entertainment System

By Rob Scott
January 2, 2012

Microsoft has reported record holiday sales for its Xbox 360 game console. During the week of Black Friday, the company moved 960,000 consoles in the U.S. alone, while 750,000 Kinect sensors were also sold during the same period.
Digital Trends provides some interesting tips to help change your Xbox 360 from a simple game console into a full home entertainment system.
The post offers details on Xbox Live; personalizing the dashboard; recommended apps including ESPN, iHeartRadio, Netflix and Hulu Plus (with HBO Go on its way); the Kinect add-on and more.
At the heart of the Xbox 360’s entertainment ecosystem is an Xbox Live account ($59.99 for a 12-month subscription). “XBL gives users access to the Xbox marketplace, streaming, apps, and the friends list which makes the Xbox great for online gaming,” notes the post. “Using the friends list, players can jump into games with friends and see what they are playing, plus they can join a party and talk to them no matter what game or app they are in. It’s great for setting up impromptu gaming sessions, as well as keeping in touch with friends scattered around the world.”
“Make sure you check out the Live Marketplace to download games, extra content, demos, and trailers,” suggests Digital Trends.
Also highly recommended: “When you are setting up your console, if you have an HDTV we recommend using an HDMI cable, which is not included with the Xbox 360.”

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