NEW XBOX LIVE GOLD FAMILY SUBSCRIPTION PLAN DELIVERS MORE VALUE AND FAMILY FUN

Xbox 360 makes family time, quality time. Only Xbox LIVE delivers a world of games, movies, social entertainment and starting this November, live sports, allowing you to share them with the people you care about, around the world.

This November, the new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for only US$99.99 – the price of two regular Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions. Now as you prepare for the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, which makes YOU the controller, consider giving your family premium Gold experience and access to the biggest names in entertainment.

Perfect for families, the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will also offer access to additional conveniences and services including the new Family Center, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and Xbox.com for easier family management, access to activity monitoring reports, and the ability to purchase and give Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.

An Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack includes:

• Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two – (US) $99.99.
• Family Center – a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.
• The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
• Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.
• Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder’s billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family’s entertainment budget.
• Exclusive family content and discounts.

The industry-leading, built-in Xbox 360 Family Settings are also being taken to the next level this November. It's Microsoft's goal to provide parents and caregivers with tools and resources to manage their children's gaming and entertainment experiences, and these features are available to all Xbox LIVE members:

• Family Programming that removes all mature games, movies, and content from the dashboard, based on ESRB, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings and the TV Parental Guidelines system . Family Programming is password protected, and easy to turn on and off for each member. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
• Title exceptions – the ability to allow your family members to play specific games above the console’s designated ESRB rating if you deem appropriate. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
• Intelligent default settings for child, teen, and adult profiles. Xbox will automatically assign default privacy and activity settings for each member that can later be individually customized.
• Family Settings are displayed prominently in the MyXbox channel. Current tools include the Family Timer, which allows you to control the amount of time - either daily or weekly - your children may use the console.

Whether you want to play your favorite games, stream movies and music from Zune, or watch the latest sporting event together via ESPN on Xbox LIVE, Xbox 360 brings the best family-friendly entertainment straight to your living room.

The Xbox 360 S (commonly referred to as the Slim and marketed and packaged simply as the Xbox 360) is a redesign of the Xbox 360 hardware which was officially announced on June 14, 2010. The first Xbox 360 S model to be released is the 250 GB model, replacing the Xbox 360 Elite at the US$300 price tier. A second version of the hardware, set to release at the Xbox 360 Arcade's US$200 price point, is currently in development. Unlike previous generations of the console which had names to distinguish different SKUs, the new models are to be marketed solely by the amount of included storage, in a similar fashion to current models of its main competitor the PlayStation 3.

The Xbox 360 S is smaller and quieter than the previous versions of the Xbox 360 and is based around an integrated CPU/GPU chip using a 45nm fabrication process and redesigned internal architecture. It includes a custom internal HDD (currently 250 GB), 5 USB 2.0 ports (2 more than previous models) and a custom USB port for use with peripherals such as the Kinect sensor. Unlike its predecessors, it also features integrated 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and a TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio connector, allowing for digital audio and wireless networking without the need for an external adapter. The Xbox 360 Memory Unit slots found on previous consoles have been removed in favor of the USB flash drive solution added in a system software update on April 6, 2010. The power and DVD drive eject 'buttons' are touch sensitive rather than physical buttons. The 250 GB internal hard drive is swappable though not compatible with other models of Xbox 360, and is not simply a standard hard drive. Other notable changes include the use of one larger fan compared to the previous Xbox 360 models (which used two smaller ones) and the design of the vents, which are similar to those used on the original Xbox.

The new model was shipped to US retailers the same day it was announced and went on sale later that week. In Australia it will be released on July 1, 2010, in New Zealand on July 8, 2010 and in Europe on July 16, 2010. The new model will cost US$315, GB£199, AU$449.00, NZ$499.00 or €249.00. When the new Xbox 360 begins shipping, remaining stock of the Elite package will drop in price to US$249.99 or AU$349 and the Arcade will drop to US$149.99.

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