I mean there is no other explanation for it. As previously reported, Brian has been having a wee bit of trouble getting a Xbox 360 that actually works. He has been waiting for his fourth 360 unit to arrive. What seemed like luck in getting the rare system on launch day has turned out to be a curse. The first unit overheated and froze, the second one croaked after a software update and the third unit was DOA. Now .....?


UPS Tracking

UPS has lost the fourth unit ( see image above ). Microsoft shipped a replacement unit UPS 3 day select on Oct 3. Today is October 12. The package was scanned at Montrose Oct 6, the last UPS processing stop, and put on a truck for delivery. After waiting a number of days Brian called the Montrose processing center and they claimed to never have received the package. The computer says it was put on a truck, but the person on the phone said it never arrived. *poof* Xbox 360 gone missing. UPS refused to do anything about it. They helpfully said that the shipper , Microsoft, not the receiver has to initiate a package scan or an insurance claim. Brian called Microsoft, but the call center had little idea about what to do. After a bit of yelling they have escalated the call and someone from MS should get back to him in 8 - 12 days.

In the roughly eleven months since Brian purchased his Xbox 360 he has had an operational unit that can play games for about 30 days. While I am busily trying to figure out how I can get both a Wii and a PS3 on their respective launch days Brian is a little burnt out on the idea of first generation console hardware.

"After this Xbox debacle, I'm not so eager to be first in line for a broken PS3."

A friend of mine has been having a grip of problems with his 360. It overheated and died, and he hasn't had it that long. Microsoft wants him to pay $150 to repair it, which is way to high for such a short system life.

He's a long time gamer of nearly 30 years, and of all the systems, this is the first system to just take a flat-out dump on him.

These recent "broken" launch system issues (not just discussing Microsoft), is pretty much a sign of these new systems costing more, but being more cheaply made, in my opinion.

With enough yelling and screaming you can get Microsoft to send a replacement. However in all likelihood it iwll be a broken one.

Just ask Brian to pretend to be you. He's had enough experience yelling at M$ to get anyone a replacement.