E3 07: $30 360 Messenger keyboard coming 9/9

[Bond]

http://i.i.com.com/cnet.g2/images/2007/190/Xbox360chatpad884_screen.jpg

Microsoft prices, dates gamepad attachment to accompany Windows Live Messenger.

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--In April, Microsoft announced it would be updating its popular Xbox Live online service with increased instant-messaging capabilities as part of its Spring Update. Since chatting with Xbox Live's existing digital keyboard would be painfully tedious at best, the publisher at that time also announced a QWERTY-style miniature keyboard attachment, which would affix itself to the Xbox 360's gamepad through the same port as the wired Xbox Live headset.

Today the publisher updated its official site to reflect a price and release date for the add-on. Now dubbed the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit, the accessory will be available September 9 for $29.99. As advertised, the attachment plugs in to the headset jack, and as a courtesy to those who bought the Xbox 360 Core console, it will come with a wired headset. And, in a nod to gamers' optimal game-playing environment, the 47-key layout will feature backlit buttons.

Source: Gamespot (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173990.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;4)

A free headset with a backlit keyboard? Nice.

[gekko]

No, stupid. Microsoft's entire setup of linking Passports to Gamertags is horrible, flawed, literally illegal, and until they fix it, I'm not supporting their BS.

[Typhoid]

(I don't mean this sarcastically) but how is it illegal, exactly?

[Bond]

No, stupid. Microsoft's entire setup of linking Passports to Gamertags is horrible, flawed, literally illegal, and until they fix it, I'm not supporting their BS.
Yeah, it does blow ****. My gamertag is linked to an email I don't even use anymore and I have no idea how to change it.

[GameMaster]

I entered in an MSN messenger tag that I don't use and I have no idea how to change it. I would like to be able chat but to hell with it!

[Dyne]

****, I'm just plugging in my keyboard and it's fine. I'm not going to pay $30. Maybe $20 at the very most.

[gekko]

(I don't mean this sarcastically) but how is it illegal, exactly?

It doesn't allow you to remove billing information, including credit card numbers, even by request. Companies cannot legally store your credit card information on file without your permission, and they must remove it if you choose to.

[Null]

****, I'm just plugging in my keyboard and it's fine. I'm not going to pay $30. Maybe $20 at the very most.


please tell me that works...

because that would be absolutely horrible of MS to force people to buy a ****ty little awkward keyboard when the system has perfectly working usb ports right on it..

[Dyne]

please tell me that works...

because that would be absolutely horrible of MS to force people to buy a ****ty little awkward keyboard when the system has perfectly working usb ports right on it..

Oh hell yeah, it's had keyboard support since the first day? :p

[Null]

Oh hell yeah, it's had keyboard support since the first day? :p



i wouldnt call support for typing 'keyboard support' i'd call it gimped keyboard support.
MS should wise up and let usb devices like keyboards and mice be used at the gamers and game developers choice. i know companies like epic would jump all over that and add some really good keyboard/mouse support into UT3, and let the gamer choose what they like to control with.

[Typhoid]

It doesn't allow you to remove billing information, including credit card numbers, even by request. Companies cannot legally store your credit card information on file without your permission, and they must remove it if you choose to.

That just seems like a mistake to me...because that's a really big issue, and it seems like they wouldn't do something that blatently moronic of purpose...I'm surprised nobody's caught them on it, and disputed it.