Might want to keep these stories in mind if you are planning on waiting in line to get an X-Box (for whatever reason).
On Tuesday morning, Patsy Springer, 53, waited in line for nine hours at Best Buy in Morrow to buy the new the Xbox 360 video game system.
She made her purchase and went home. She left the vehicle to move trash cans, and returned to her items, police say.
While on the steps of her home looking for a key, a black male approached her from behind with a semi-automatic black pistol, police say. He pointed it at her face and demanded the Xbox. She resisted at first, then handed over the items. She witnessed him fleeing in a burgundy-colored car. She attempted to follow him, but was unable to obtain a license plate number.
According to Jonesboro Sgt. Wayne Woods, they reviewed the security tapes from Best Buy and thought they had a suspect. After requesting to see additional tapes, they were informed that due to technical difficulties, the tapes were not viewable. As a result, they were unable to get any further information regarding a suspect. The Best Buy public relations department was unreachable for comment on Thursday.
Technical difficulties? Hmmm….
Oddly, fanatic thievery like this is a sign that the marketers have done their job of hyping the product “well.” Other similar stories abound: Armed Robber Story #2; Armed Robber Story #3
My guess is that retailers will take advantage of this. In addition to the replacement warranty, Best Buy will start offering theft insurance too.
It’s always a colored guy isn’t it. Chris Rock / Michael Moore fodder through and through.
I’d pay good money for an insurance package that, insured, Best Buy would stop trying to sell me extended service plans.
“The suspect was a black man…”
I would too jasontheodd
Maybe glitchy Xboxes were put out there to deter theft.
So a guy buys a hot Xbox and the thing starts crashing.
That will show them. Blue screen of death is being reported.
Maybe there will be Xbox chop shops parting the things out. Then there is this.
ELKTON, Maryland (AP) — A melee erupted among a crowd of shoppers in the rush for the new Xbox 360 video game console at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in northeast Maryland. It took 10 police officers to restore order.
It’s to the point now where not only is MS losing $150.00 per Xbox, but the taxpayers are on the hook, spending money on police to stop Xbox related crimes. Maybe MS should of spent more on manufacturing instead of blowing a huge wad of cash on creating a product shortage with hypermarketing. A smart company would of let other makers clone the design. With Xbox clones, there would be plenty to go around. It’s not like the design has proven to be profitable. The whole thing is about control. It seems sort of out of control. MS should let PC makers offer hardware that runs Xbox games. It would be great to have the games run on a standard PC with a DVD drive.
I believe that with our level of modern technology, there is a company out there that can build hardware at a profit that is capable of running Xbox games. Xbox clones could save Microsoft money and create a larger user base. If there were several companies building X clones, the supply problem would go away. Microsoft could license the clones and make a killing on selling the game software. It seems dumb to be losing money on the game console and not being able to keep up with consumer demand. They want to sell games to people who can’t find a machine to play the games on. This seem really dumb. Microsoft is slipping. The whole thing is like offering razor blade refills that you can’t find the handles to fit.
Correct Jim. Microsoft has made billions by licensing software to IBM clones. The big money has never been in the hardware.
Mission XPossible
I found this with a Google ad. So much for impossible.
RARE XBOX 360 PREMIUM – Impossible to Find! xbox360
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8237265848
You can buy it now US $899.00
Microsoft is losing money? Why didn’t they just price the things at 700 or 800 bucks? They put a $400 price tag on the things and are selling at a loss.
I think they need smarter people in the pricing department. Microsoft could of made money on the things if they played their cards right. Maybe it some new corporate strategy. See who can post the biggest losses per R&D dollar invested. Corporations do strange stuff. Google is making money selling ads for RARE Xboxs on Ebay and ebay is making money with listing. Microsoft isn’t making a dime and is taking a beating of a buck and a half an Xbox. Next they’ll blame it all on Google or Ebay. It’s weird that the Google ad here at Dvorak Uncensored isn’t posting Xbox ads. Dvorak should be making Xbox money but instead the ads are for free wiki and blogging. Go figure.
Maybe an Xbox finder service will pop up next.
These guys at ebay were showing they had 29 units. It’s the cheaper model. Buy Now US $569.95
Brooklyn, NY United States
You can find them. You’ll pay a premium, due to the shortage of rare xboxes. Maybe the UPS guys will need police escorts.
There is another angle using Paypal. I don’t know if it works but you pay $9.95 via Paypal for access and can then buy wholesale. Might be a consumer fraud, might be legit. Sounds too good, but the deal offers:
Premium Xbox 360’s for $275.
You can buy as a many as you want for resale, according to the site.
Maybe the UPS guys will need police escorts.
LOL,
Thanks Jim.
I heard a local NPR report, on my morning commute, regarding extra Police being called to a Wal-mart in Renton, WA this morning [It’s “Black Friday”, so there were already some Police on-site] It seems a large crowd was pushing the displays & counters out of the way so they could get into the electronics section of the store.
Can you say “consumer”? I knew you could.
How about a new Dvorak Challenge? Find the Xbox!
The person who finds the best price on an Xbox wins a free Xbox.
The best price should be on an Xbox that can actually be purchased and delivered before Christmas.
There is a xbox locator developed by Chris Lambert
http://xbox.clambert.org/
We Three Red Lights
We three red lights are;
Bearing destruction, we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder Ring of Light.
O red light of wonder, red of light,
Red ever so bright,
Westward venturing, not proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect green light.
Born on the pre-order plain
Games I bring to it again,
Power forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to play.
Fans to offer have I;
String owns a power supply high;
Frustration and pleading, voices raising,
Cursing on high.
Three red lights flashing mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes death of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Glorious before, now behold it not arise;
Toil and sacrifice;
Anguish, Anguish,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
I live about 15 min away, from the Best Buy in Morrow. It does not surprise me that someone would be held up at gunpoint for an Xbox 360 in Morrow, Georgia. The Morrow and Clayton County is filled with gags and thugs. I drive 25 min in the other direction to shop at safer parts of town.
Then
“From the GUI to the games this will be one hot Christmas seller I can assure you.” Dvorak Uncensored 10-14-05
Now
You can’t find the darn things.
A Reuters story tells of a man, Robert Byers, suing Microsoft over a design flaw that causes the Xbox 360 to overheat and freeze up.
Then again
You can always find a slot car track.
http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/