Xbox 360 for Dummies

Microsoft's Xbox now accounts for 37 percent of the game console market, and the new Xbox 360 is due out for the 2005 holiday season, months before Sony's PlayStation 3. When gamers take the new Xbox home, however, they'll soon discover that it's more than a just a game machine-it's a full-fledged home media hub with more power than most PCs. This friendly guide shows how to maximize both gaming and non-gaming features of this amazing machine. Topics covered include hooking up Xbox 360, taking advantage of HDTV and Dolby capabilities, using built-in digital video recording and wireless functions, storing media files, playing music, and displaying photos Shows how to have even more fun by taking an Xbox online for massively multiplayer gaming, instant messaging, and more Discusses the social potential of the Xbox, which people can use to make new friends, join groups and teams, and even throw fantastic parties Includes tips for securing the Xbox from online threats

<b>Brian Johnson</b>&#160;works for Microsoft Corporation as a content strategist for MSDN. He&#8217;s an avid gamer and has been playing on the Xbox since before the release of the system. Brian is the author of a number of books including <i>Microsoft Image Composer for Dummies, Inside Visual Studio .NET, An Insider&#8217;s Guide to Microsoft OneNote,</i> and others. Before working at MSDN, Brian was a technical editor for Microsoft Press where he worked on a number of successful titles. In the late 1990s, he was a columnist for <i>Microsoft Visual J++ Informant Magazine</i> and a technical editor for <i>Microsoft Office</i> and <i>VBA Developer Magazine</i>. Brian is a former Marine Corps journalist and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin. <p> <b>Duncan Mackenzie</b> is a software developer at Microsoft. When the kids go to sleep, he fires up the Xbox.