The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
techcrunch.com
The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
1–10 of 31 posts
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#2A true cable box killer? Maybe, but this poorly written article fails to supply any supporting details to the stated argument in the title. How are "a whole lot of new media apps" for the Xbox going to kill cable? I'd like to believe this is true, but the article lacks all of the details.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#3I'm very impressed by the XBox 360 top-level UI. It is now the primary channel for me to consume Netflix. That honor belonged to my Mac Mini controlled via iPad until recently. That said, there are some deep problems:
1) Charging for XBox live Gold is annoying from a customer's perspectively. I only got XBOX live Gold recently because they were giving away 5 free games. I doubt the better UX of netflix is sufficient to get me to pay for this service.
2) Content pricing The cost of movies/tv shows on Xbox live is pretty steep. I'd rather drive to my local redbox to get the latest movies. If they charged 2-3 dollars for 24 hour rental (a 100-200% higher cost than redbox, I'd use them for sure).
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#4A true cable box killer? Maybe, but this poorly written article fails to supply any supporting details to the stated argument in the title. How are "a whole lot of new media apps" for the Xbox going to kill cable? I'd like to believe this is true, but the article lacks all of the details.
There's also the problem that, at least here in Brazil, cable companies are in many instances the only choice when it comes to broadband internet connection. The only way to get a decent connection at reasonable price is if you get an internet/cable/phone bundle.
This means there's no way to cut the cord.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#5Except for how loud it is. I prefer the Netflix UI on the xbox, but use it on AppleTV anyways just because I don't want to have to crank the volume to cover up the sound.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#6I'm very impressed by the XBox 360 top-level UI. It is now the primary channel for me to consume Netflix. That honor belonged to my Mac Mini controlled via iPad until recently. That said, there are some deep problems: 1) Charging for XBox live Gold is annoying from a customer's perspectively. I only got XBOX live Gold recently because they were giving away 5 free games. I doubt the better UX of netflix is sufficient…
RE: point #2.
To be fair you should also factor in the time, effort and gas it takes to go to Redbox, wait in line to rent and return discs. All the while hoping that new release is available and not scratched up. For most of us, that extra $2 to get it from Xbox is money well spent.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#7On a tangentially related note, why can't Turner Classic Movies (TCM) do a proper app? They're the closest to an a la carte offering on cable. It wouldn't even have to allow full Netflix-style access to an entire library - I'd be happy to stream their curated schedule to a mobile or desktop device, as my subscription is one of the few reasons I keep a cable television account.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#8Typical Techcrunch knee jerk cookiecutter article written in great hurry to capture Google News traffic with a grandiose title.
Many of the media apps like ESPN, HBO, etc. require a Cable TV subscription to work. Microsoft is working with the Cable TV companies since getting access to content otherwise is turning into a huge mess with fragmentation.
True, it can be a Cable Box killer to some extent and the new Metro update last year was really great, even for the apps. But it's certainly not a Cable Subscription killer just yet unless you can live on just Netlix, Amazon Instant Video, VEVO, Youtube and a few others.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#9Live sports are the key for many people.
Of note: those of us who care little for sports save for the occasional definitive headliner. I'm looking for a source of top-tier Olympics 2012 coverage without having to get cable TV installed (haven't had it for the 6+ years we've been in the house, don't want to open that can of ad-filled worms, don't want to try closing that can afterwards). Any ideas/insights? An Apple TV "app/channel" would be ideal, but per Apple's norm I assume we won't know until near-too-late.
Re: The Xbox 360, Now A True Cable Box Killer
#10Except for how loud it is. I prefer the Netflix UI on the xbox, but use it on AppleTV anyways just because I don't want to have to crank the volume to cover up the sound.
How old is your XBox 360? The modern ones don't really have any noise issues, and I've got an elite that's a few years old and isn't particularly noisy either. Are you sure yours doesn't have ventilation issues?