Less high-tech toy, more secret service; that’s how I compare the new Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth to the previous attempt at such a device. Where its predecessor’s design shouted “children’s toy” to the world, the new model is a subdued, slightly menacing rectangle of communication equipment. Hidden beneath the shell of this miniature monolith is noise cancelling Bluetooth 3.0 technology, capable of switching between game talk and phone talk at the press of a button for up to eight hours at a time before needing a charge.
And for those of us still rocking the original white (originally white, that is) Media Remote that came packaged with their original Xbox 360, the new Media Remote is a godsend, finally eliminating the last vestiges of 2005 from our coffee table. It controls things; all sorts of things and it looks good doing it.
The Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth and Xbox 360 Media Remote both drop in November for $US59.99 and $US19.99 respectively. Thank you, Microsoft. Now we just need a sleek and shiny controller, and we’ll be all set until the 720 comes along.
MrBS
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 7:28 AMMy ageing first generation wireless headset has been due for replacing for some time, methinks that will happen when this gets released.
bennie
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 8:07 AMThe headset looks nice, but I just bought a Turtle Beach X41 and there’s no going back now!
os42
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 10:48 AMYea, my old remote isn’t even close to white any more, not that I use it that much; the controller is much easier for me.
Also, kudos for using “arse”, rather than the increasingly prevalent mule-equivalent.
TSH
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 11:05 AMDidn’t realise the Slim 360 had Bluetooth. BT is cool and all, but what’s wrong with IR for the remote? Are there really that many places with more than one Xbox360 sitting under the TV?
WiseHacker
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 12:43 PMBlueTooth has the advantage of not being line of sight. This means you can operate the device at any angle anywhere.
Infrared means you have to have a clear path to the sensor and even then some light my restrict its use.
Nazxul360
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 11:55 PMActually, the 250GB Xbox 360 doesn’t have BlueTooth, and it’s not the media remote that has BlueTooth capability – it’s the wireless headset. I’m guessing they just added BlueTooth to make it more versatile and allow additional use with phones (and PS3, hopefully).