This isn’t my first experience with errors on the 360. Not too long after I purchased it, I received a E 86 error. This was fixed by removing the hard drive and cleaning the contacts. In early June of this year, just 3 months after the warranty had expired, every disc that I put in indicated it could not be read. I disassembled the 360, cleaned it out thoroughly, and reseated the magnetics on the optical drive. Problem solved and a working 360 for another month.

After researching the E 74 error code it appears to be either a problem with the video cable, scaler chip or GPU. A co-worker had a spare video cable so I swapped it out with no success. The problem is definitely hardware related and probably needs to be sent in for repairs. I don’t feel like doing a hack repair job only for it to work a limited amount of time.

So why the frustration? I can honestly say that the XBox 360 is most unreliable piece of electronics equipment I have ever owned. I have an original NES, a Playstation, Playstation 2, Sega Genesis, GameCube, and Nintendo Wii all older than the 360 that are still fully functional to this date. The 360 has quit working 3 times in one year! Hell, my father in law still has a working Atari 2600.

Taking a cue from my good friend Patrick, who likes to write letters to Senators, Presidential Candidates, newpaper editors, etc. I fired off an e-mail to Steve Ballmer, expressing my frustration. Surprisingly (tongue in cheek), I haven’t heard anything back. The decision now..to repair or opt for a $400 paper weight.

A COMPANY that makes pole dancing equipment has announced plans to develop a videogame for Nintendo’s motion-sensitive Wii console.
“We are pleased to confirm that Peekaboo is in talks to develop a game for the Nintendo Wii that meets mainstream demand for the fun and fitness benefits of pole dancing,” the company said.

Peekaboo is best-known for selling a range of pole-dancing products for use in the home – including the “Electra”, a pole inspired and endorsed by former Playboy model Carmen Electra.

The company denied rumours Electra would be involved in the videogame, which will be promoted as a fitness product in the same vein as the recently-launched Wii Fit.

“With pole dancing classes springing up in gyms and health clubs across Europe and the USA, the number of women seeking the body-sculpting and fat-burning effects of this aerobic form of exercise has never been greater,” Peekaboo said.

“Men and women of all shapes and sizes will be encouraged to work on improving their skills, with the firm focus on fun and fitness as per the core brand values of Nintendo Wii.”

The Wii is best known for its family-friendly, movement-based games including Wii Sports and Wii Fit, which lets players perform physical exercises on an electronic balance board.

The announcement of a pole-dancing game means Wii players may see another type of peripheral for the console – an electronic pole controller.

“Peekaboo and its partners are focussed on using Wii-friendly hardware to make aerobic pole dancing instantly accessible just as Guitar Hero did for rock’n’roll,” the company said.

A spokesman for Peekaboo told MTV’s Multiplayer blog that the company was also looking into a mobile phone version of the game.

Peekabo caused controversy in 2006 when its home pole-dancing kit was sold in the “Toys” section of UK retailer Tesco. The store responded by moving the product into the “Fitness” section.

Peekaboo’s pole dancing game is in a “developmental phase” and does not yet have a title or release date.

I’m not sure that my idea of fun and fitness would be a pole dancing video game. I think I’d rather jump on the mountain bike for a few miles.