Express Yourself

Personalization lies at the heart of the Xbox 360™ experience—and there's no better way to show off your individuality than with a custom faceplate and user interface.

With a little imagination, you too can make the most of the console, dressing it up for the day's wired work or down for an evening on the virtual town.

Change the Console
Surprise—in a first for the interactive entertainment industry, the entire front of Xbox 360 actually snaps off, even the power button. The only thing which remains fixed is the built-in DVD drive.

Take advantage of the system's streamlined construction, and decorate your console however you like using any of the three far-out faceplates Microsoft® is initially offering, with dozens more original designs soon to follow.

Let's face it—basic black can be boring.

Among the options offered:

• A shiny blue version highlighted with streaks of green and white.
• A glistening silver finish sporting a polished chrome power button.
• A wood-grain edition featuring a retro look and classic red stripe.

A fourth selection—with a gleaming carbon fiber aesthetic—will also be available in the future.

Expect countless different variations from third-party manufacturers, ensuring everyone will find a faceplate that matches their personality.

Change the Look
Even your console's interface itself can be customized to taste. Upon first booting up Xbox 360, you'll be able to configure a user profile. Enter a name for yourself, and then choose one of a dozen different icons to represent your identity, with many more available to Xbox 360 hard drive owners.

To pick a panda or a kitten … tough call.

At this point, you have officially created a gamer card, which features your name and graphic representation. It identifies you online, so you can establish yourself as a unique contributor to the Xbox Live community.

Change the Experience
In addition to turning Xbox 360 on and off, the Xbox Guide button on your wireless controller also activates the Xbox Guide. It's here that you really start to make Xbox 360 your own. Call it up, select "Options," choose "Themes," and personalize your console's interface down to every last detail.

By picking various themes—downloaded from Xbox Live using a Wireless Networking Adapter or constructed from media you've streamed over from your PC—you can change the appearance of your background. Change of mood? You can adjust menu colors and dashboard trim plus swap wallpaper as desired.

You even have the choice of importing pictures or photos to use in place of the system defaults. Plaster your pet's picture across the display. It's your world, so customize it to your personal preference.

With Xbox 360, never encounter the same digital experience twice. Giving you the power to make the most of your creativity, Xbox 360 isn't just the final word in entertainment; it's also the console that suits your gaming and multimedia lifestyle.

Article by Steve Richter

• Media Center connectivity.