Breaking News: Microsoft Extends Xbox 360 Warranty to One Year

[Jeremy Charette]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061222/sff003.html?.v=69' target='_blank'>http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061222/sff003.html?.v=69</a><br /><br /></div><i>"In a move to benefit customers, Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) announced today that it will change the Xbox 360(TM) warranty from 90 days to one year from the date of purchase in the United States and Canada."</i><br /><br />Finally. I've been waiting for this to happen. I've had problems with my Xbox 360 since the first month of purchase, but kept hoping they would go away with one of the system updates. Alas, my three month warranty period expired, and I've been stuck with an unreliable and noisy console that locks up constantly. Looks like I'll be able to send it back for warranty service finally! Can't wait to see if the replacement is quieter and more stable.

[Darius Wey]

I've always wondered how North Americans accepted this 90-day warranty policy. Here in Australia, all consumer electronics ship with a minimum one year warranty (e.g., my Xbox 360); some ship with three or five year warranties as minimum (depends on the manufacturer). I wouldn't settle for anything less. :?

[Jeremy Charette]

Yeah, it amazes me that Apple has gotten away with a 90 day warranty on the iPod for so long. My situation with the Xbox 360 has been particularly frustrating, but in the back of my mind I knew they'd eventually have to extend it to one year. Although they say that defects are well within the industry standard 3-5%, I don't believe it. The chatter on message boards and news sites is too loud. I also think that a large number of consumers are simply putting up with the occassional lock-up because they don't believe Microsoft can or will fix it. That was certainly the reason I didn't bother to return mine.

[Jason Dunn]

So I actually always assumed that it was a one-year warranty...I had no idea it was only 90 days. 90 DAYS? That's so lame. 8O

[Felix Torres]

Warranty=cost.
Depending on the product a 90 day warranty may be enough, or ten years might be insufficient.

In NorthAm we put up with it because we get to choose.
Different products/vendors offer different warranties as a way to compete; either on price or on handholding.

We like to think we can figure out the value proposition behind a quasi-disposable commodity product and a prestige brand and don't need a government bureaucrat to protect us from ourselves. So far, it works for us: we get to decide if we want a $1 blisterpack FM radio or a $200 Bose tabletop; a $10 keychain camera or a $2000 prosumer model; a $30 DVD player or a $1000 BD player. Mandatory warranties add costs to products and kill low end (usually imported) options.

With consumer electronics, the product usually either dies quickly or it lasts a long time. The 360 apparently was pushing the limits of safe manufacturing last year and they've had somewhat higher than normal failure rates so MS, rather than risk damage to their brand, have *chosen* to offer extended warranties. The old XBOX, if I remember correctly, also had a 90 day warranty but since it used off-the-shelf tech, got away with it. I'm pretty sure Nintendo and Sony also offer 90 day warranties(???) so that is what's standard for the business around here. In Europe, many countries require a 2 year warranty so they et the longer warranty and a 20% higher price. &lt;shrug>

I'm happy to get to choose, myself.
If I need extra assurance, I can choose to pay extra for an extended warranty at the retailer level. Its all about choice.

As for the 360, I haven't had any problems with mine but its nice to know it'll be covered until next march.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled Oblivion bash...

[Jeremy Charette]

Oblivion is crack on a disc. After about 80 hours I had to stop. Sent it back to GameFly and haven't touched it since.

[Jason Dunn]

Oblivion is crack on a disc. After about 80 hours I had to stop. Sent it back to GameFly and haven't touched it since.

It's funny, I played Oblivion a bit but never really got into it. &lt;shrug> I know I'm in the minority, because everyone talks about it being addictive... :-)

[Felix Torres]

Oblivion is crack on a disc. After about 80 hours I had to stop. Sent it back to GameFly and haven't touched it since.

Coward!
There's still 1000 dungeons and 500 add-on packs to try!
Not to mention the upcoming return to Morrowind expansion pack!
and tracking down the mermaid... :wink:

Who cares if the 360 has 500 playable games! All you need it Oblivion. :twisted:

[Jeremy Charette]

How does my 360 fail me? Oh let me count the ways:

- PGR3: Locks up when I bring up the green button blade while in the game. Locks up randomly for no reason.
- GRAW: Locks up when loading in online multi-player.
- Splinter Cell Double Agent: Locks up when switching to the user interface while in game.
- Rainbow Six Vegas: Locks up when in online multi-player.
- Dashboard: occassionally locks up in dashboard, or slow to respond to inputs when switching blades.

I haven't yet gotten the red ring of death, but it's to the point where I often don't play the games I like because of the annoyance of not knowing when the next system crash is going to come. I'm calling Microsoft when I get home tonight.

[Jason Dunn]

How does my 360 fail me? Oh let me count the ways...

Damn man, that sucks. That would make me BITTER against the 360...I haven't had any problems at all. Maybe I got the hearty Lumberjack Frozen Tundra Canadian edition and you got the Surly New Yorker edition. :lol:

[Jeremy Charette]

I'm way past bitter, now I'm just defeated.

[Felix Torres]

1- How does it behave with media apps?

2- Where do you have the 360 located? And for that matter, where is the power brick? Not on a plush carpet, one hopes? ;-)

[Jeremy Charette]

1) Music is fine, video, especially high-def video, is choppy at times.

2) Console is in my A/V rack, with at least 1-3" of air space around all three sides, resting on it's side (horizontally). Plenty of airflow. Brick is behind the A/V rack in the corner, with at least 12" of airflow around all sides, and unobstructed airflow above it.

I believe I got a bad batch of GDDR3 ram, possibly a defective processor, and the louder of the two dvd drive options. The fans are horrendous as well. I bought it in February, January manufacture date. It's an early unit.

Here's hoping they replace with a new replacement, or a refurb with new primary components.

[Felix Torres]

odd.
Sounds a lot like my setup. And mine has a Jan 6 manufacture date.
And, so far, no problems.
I have two friends with the same manufacture date and report...