4169

Panello said that Microsoft “found, interestingly enough, that 80 percent of people, believe it or not, have their Xbox [360] horizontally.”

Microsoft seems to be intentionally thumbing their nose at long-tail arguments. Between this and TV-integration and always-online, they’re building for a very specific target market, and if you’re not in that category, well, fuck you.

But it’s also stupid, because Windows is the prime beneficiary of the old “X can do 90%, but it’s a different 90% for each person” adage. If they cut out 10% of their market with console orientation, and 10% with lack of internet access, 10% with Kinect spying, and 10% with lack of TV functionality, well, that probably doesn’t add up to 40%, but it doesn’t add up to 10% either.

Sony may have a history of just throwing things into the Playstation and seeing what sticks (PS2 firewire!), but at least that means they’re opening themselves to as many possible uses as they can.

4170

I love to point and laugh at Microsoft and the XBONE marketing screw-ups and design decisions as much as the next guy, but not being able to use it while standing it up vertically is a pretty weaksauce criticism.

4171

I was going to suggest that they’re probably gun-shy about any usage that compromises cooling given the RROD problems in the 360, but he even states it’s not a heating problem (surprising given the vents on both sides). Based on what I’m reading, it sounds like it’s only an issue with discs in the drive? That seems weird, and a goofy kind of engineering oversight for a console that’s been in development for years.

That said, it is kind of a weak argument. I’ve never found myself wanting to stand my DVD players, receivers on edge. Not trying to dismiss those that do, but isn’t most of the common TV equipment these days mainly intended for horizontally usage?

4172

rofl, googling “XBox side view” got me a link to Ps4 vs Xbox One - Console Wars The Musical as the 6th result. You really can find just about anything on the internet.

4173

What’s weird is that Penello’s been pointing at the slot-drive as one of the reasons. The Wii had a slot-drive, too.

4174

As did the PS3. The 360 was the odd man out in that regard this generation.

4175

If I don’t value it, no one should value it.

4176

Does anyone here actually stand their console - either the 360 or the PS3 - on its side? And if you do, is that a minor style preference or is there a legitimate reason you must do this

4177

That said, it is kind of a weak argument. I’ve never found myself wanting to stand my DVD players, receivers on edge. Not trying to dismiss those that do, but isn’t most of the common TV equipment these days mainly intended for horizontally usage?

Yes, which is exactly why the option of vertical orientation is so nice to have (and, you’ll note, universal on the current/last gen of consoles). I have two racks on my TV stand, not counting the one my TV, um, stands on. One has my Blu-Ray/AV receiver, the other has my PVR. There’s maybe just enough room to fit a Wii-U in sideways, but no room at all for any full size consoles unless I start stacking them, which is terrible for heat management.

4178

The 360 in my living room has been vertical since I got the first replacement unit. The original was in a cabinet, it died a heat-related death as 360s tend to do. The replacement has been on a shelf next to a vertical PS3 (and until recently a Wii) since 2006 or so. There’s just enough room for them to get all the ventilation room recommended in their owner’s manuals.

EDIT: Also, it’s handy for tucking it behind a flatscreen TV for easy storage on a cabinet-top, since line-of-sight isn’t needed and surface area is at a premium. One of my sons has stood his slim 360 this way for its entire useful life.

4179

I’m not saying that at all. What I am saying is that consoles are one of the few electronic appliances I know that catch shit for this issue. No one complains that their regular DVD or Bluray player won’t stand up. People just make room for them if they really want them.

And yes, I understand that it’s an issue for some people. I refuse to believe that anyone seriously makes console buying decisions based on whether or not they can stand the unit up on its side. If that was the breaking point, then you really didn’t want it anyway.

4180

Perhaps. But I can see it as an influencer as to which one I buy first. One of many, of course.

And I think the early lead will be a big deal this time around.

4181

They just do it to be cool. Like those whipper snappers who wear their baseball caps backwards.

4182

Absolutely, but it’s kind of a death by a thousand cuts situation. Microsoft is just oddly unwilling to accommodate use cases that differ from their vision. It’s like they looked at Apple, and learned all the wrong lessons.

4183

If your space for fitting a console in is vertical? Not everyone has tons of space.

(To be fair, sure, less of an issue in America where houses are much bigger, but in UK or some of the even smaller EU dwellings…)

4184

I figured they were just trying to keep the back of their necks shaded from the sun’s harmful rays…

4185

For me it’s a style preference and sometimes it’s just what I have room for.

4186

Yes this. On its own it’s not a big deal. Hardly worth mentioning. By taken together with all of MS screwups this gen, it’s at least worth a facepalm.
I could be wrong but for the 360, wasn’t it always shown in advertisements and perhaps even on the retail boxes as standing vertically? That’s certainly the image that I get when I think about the 360. Strange that they would go back on that this generation.

4187

They had to save $4 on parts. Just like $30 on memory. The first rule MS set on this next-gen console was it had to be profitable from Day 1.

4188

And that’s why they included an expensive motion control system that drives the price up by a hundred bucks. ;)