It seems that a new generation of hardware/game enthusiasts is learning the hard way what many of us in the IT industry have known for a long time. Microsoft makes some dodgy gear, be it software or hardware and then seemingly absolves itself of liability wherever possible. Early versions of the Xbox are said to have a dodgy connection between the power socket on the power supply and the PSU circuit board to which it is soldered. Rather then fix the real issue, which would be expensive and require people to deliver their Xboxes to repair centers, Microsoft has seemingly offered a band aid fix in the form of power cables with what is essentially a circuit breaker built in. As many have pointed out, that is likely to stop your Xbox burning your house down, but it isn’t going to stop your Xbox from failing. Read a new petition from users upset about the “cover up” and demanding action, and read TheRegisters account of the issue. If you own an old Xbox, head over to Xbox.com to find out if you need a replacement cable, and visit xbox-scene to see a pictures of what is apparently the underlying cause of the problem.
