xbox

In yet another example of Microsoft copying Apple's user interface concepts, the latest update to the Xbox 360's dashboard/Xbox LIVE integration now uses the same 'slide-to-left-to-search' user interface paradigm that started with Apple's iOS 3.0. Watch for yourself in the video below:

With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's been taking some great steps in a new and innovative direction in UX/interaction design... but it seems their design teams still copy off Apple when they need to. Of course, there are worse companies to copy from—at least they're not copying Android!

About a month ago, when I was settling down with my wife to watch a quick episode of Cake Boss via Netflix, I turned on the Xbox 360, but all the sudden, I received (for the third time on this Xbox) a nice present from Microsoft: the dreaded red ring of death (RROD).

"Not to fear!" said I, "I'll get a free warranty repair, like I did the first two times this happened!"

Little did I know. Luckily, however, I found a guy via Craigslist who repairs Xboxes and lives in St. Peters, MO (not too far from here!).