The first question that is raised is how much do you like using the programs you are using right now? If you answered, I like them alot, then you DEFINITELY should not get a new mac. Since the computers are using an Intel chip and using a new system called Rosetta, your fave programs such as Limewire and even Apple’s suite of Pro Tools cannot be used. They are still working out the kinks in the system and therefore, history repeats itself. Back in 1994 when the new Macintoshes came out, the same symptoms were popping up. So just sit back and let Apple work out the kinks and adopt the next generation.

Based on first hand experience at the Apple store, the computer ‘felt’ faster than the Titanium Powerbook that I have. But if you are running the normal applications, it will feel 10 times faster. But if you were a power user, the difference is negligible. So, if you want to keep up with the bleeding edge and can afford it, by all means go do it. But if you are one to wait for the 2nd gen ones, I wouldhighly suggest it. Either way, this is going to be a sweet machine.

At first the box seemed a little heavier than normal consoles and it felt like there was a PC being shipped in the box. I unpacked it and quickly hooked it up to my Sharp 32″ Aquos LCD. The first thing that I noticed was the amazing feature to finally turn the console on with the wireless controller. The Xbox logo on the controller was actually a power switch to the system. The first screen that came up was the initial setup of the system. If you have an HDTV you must put in the setting here and select 720p and boy was it beautiful in widescreen.

The next thing that I noticed was that the system was quite loud. You can hear the cooling fan on the console. I thought this thing was liquid cooled? Guess not. I downloaded a Windows Media Center add-on for Windows XP and it recognized my 360. The whole purpose of this is to share your pictures, music, and movies streaming from the PC over your LAN. Quite cool and nerdy, just what we like. The beauty of this feature is that now you can put your own soundtracks on racing games and other games if the feature exists. And you may also change the background pic of your Xbox dashboard.

Then I put in Matrix Revolutions. When I played the movie on my PS2, it looked grainy and definitely was not fun watching it on my HDTV. Now that my Xbox will upscale the DVD from 480i to 480p, the movie looks sweet! By no means, does it look even close to 1080i or 720p but it looks a hell of a lot better than my PS2. I’m not saying go out and buy an upscaling DVD player, but if your Xbox can do it, why bother. Besides, Microsoft has announced an add-on HD-DVD player for just movies. We’ll see how that goes.I don’t think it was smart not to offer a built-in HD-DVD player. Boo.

So overall, it was definitely worth seeing NBA 2K6 on the HD setting and the guys literally pop out of the screen. I’ve never seen a game that had no slow down with these type of graphics. Simply Amazing. Now that the console has made me lazier and $425 lighter, it was all worth it watch virtual Shaq dunk all over Kobe’s dumb ass. So if you have an HDTV and $425 to burn, buy it.

There was a car dock and a home dock that you can get with the Sportster tuner. Each came with it’s own antenna and since we are on the east coast we had to point the antenna in the West, Northwest direction. The satellite seems to be right over the midwest. Once we got the home dock hooked up and plugged the transmitter in, we were in business. We tuned our alarm clocks and surround sound system to 90.7 FM and VOILA! we have radio. We were both surprised at the fact that the signal came through so clear in the house. It was quite fantastic.

All in all, my roommate loves his satellite radio and you can add up to 4 radios onto each account for 6.99/month. That’s not bad. Or you can pay a year’s worth of radio for $146. Or if you want to get the whole enchilada, it’s 499.99 for for life! Whatever you choose, there will be Howard Stern 24/7. Pretty cool gift if you ask me.

First off, the interface for the navigation system was pretty slick. It used a good spelling interface to jump to letters that may possibly follow a letter that was input into the system. It is sort of like the T9 word interface on cell phones. Here’s what I am peeved about, a golf course that has been there for over 50 years cannot be found, but real time traffic can be easily accessed by the system? COME ON. OK, maybe that isn’t THAT big of a deal, but it is quite dangerous to use the system while you are driving. The state of New York has banned cell phones and they should ban the use of these “interactive” GPS’s as well. Clearly, the main problem is looking down at your phone to call someone. Well, it is no different using this system. The LCD is in the dash and there is a little wheel and joystick to move stuff around. GREAT IDEA (sarcasm). Hey let’s crash into other cars while we are searching for where we are going! What’s that? Voice activated? Yeah, here’s my gripe about that too.

Sure you train your car to “learn your voice”. But the few instances where I have seen the user voice activate something, let’s just say it was like buttered toast taped to the back of a cat, you throw it up in the air and you have no idea which side it’s going to land on. It just keeps spinning in mid-air. That’s how it looked like it was going. The user said “Restaurants” and then the car responded with “RADIO ON”. Then he said, “Restaurants”, and the car wryly responded with, “RADIO OFF”. Yeah, need I say more?

All in all, the navigation is great and I would definitely use it, but the interface and heads up display needs to be updated. The display should be embedded onto the windshield of the car where it was still visible, but the driver is still paying attention to the road. Voice Activation is not the way to go in the car. But a touch sensitive steering wheel where it is designed like the touch wheel on an iPod. So all the controls are not necessarily on the middle spoke of the wheel, but on the outer rim of the steering wheel. A touch of a button can turn the system on or off. Couple that with some cellular broadband into your car and you have a system that is dynamic and functional. So for now, Google map your directions and keep them cell phones holstered. Happy Driving!