Buy one accessory get $20 off another. So basically it was B1G1F on the 1600 cards.

I think I'm going to pre-order Halo at bb.com and get the 1600 point card for $5...any better deals on either Halo or points out there right now?

ah, ok. You must have gotten a crap-load of cards then. I was only able to knab 4, which is still pretty cool.

I have 1200 pts on the console, and 3200 still in packaging. I want to save a bunch for the GTA 4 downloadable episodes, but I'm not sure if I can hold out that long

I ended up only getting a few from CC, since they were horribly understocked and there was whole big fiasco with them. Ended up PMing 8 of them at BB fairly easily, and would've gotten more if they hadn't gotten the plug pulled by their GM.

It's actually cheaper than the real River II expansion for the tabletop game, which may set you back $4-$6. I hope the other expansions are all in this price.

I did buy it. Do any of you guys play Carcassone at all? I'm getting tired of playing the computer.

I originally was super-hyped for Catan but the games take way too long (which should not have been a surprise). I like Carcassone's 7-15 minute games. Also, it's a game I don't even want to play tabletop. Takes so long to add up the points manually.

Here are the arcade games I still need: Rush 'n' Attack, Double Dragon Arcade, Super Contra, Ms. Pacman, and Marathon...

It's two weeks.

Has anyone tried getting their XBLA points back from Microsoft after upgrading from a Premium to an Elite? I know people with replaced systems have been able to do it.

I'm going to give them a call tonight to ask how they handle that as a preemptive. Though I have no use for an Elite, I would like to grab one of the "known" units with the new heat sinks (HDMI as a bonus, obviously). I'll let you know what they say.

well, no. It's two weeks you get the movie, but that's IF you don't push PLAY before that. Apparently if you hit PLAY, you have 24 hours before the movie deletes itself.


I'm saying, at the point you hit PLAY, they should really give you 72 hours :?

Gotta say, I'm a little jealous

I absolutely cannot stand BB's customer service desk

I play it - when my xbox is around

So is this new expansion called River III? Because I thought the initial version included River I & II.

I just about puked playing Stranglehold due to the motion of the game. Wow.

What's in the Carcassone expansion? Is it simply more river tiles like the ones we already have, or does it add new gameplay mechanics?

Hmm, I'm guessing the initial release did NOT include River II - as I found the River II includes a fork in the river

Yep, the expansion is River II. Only River I comes with the game.

I have most of the expansions for the actual board game, so I would want most of them on the 360 for the right price. I'm beginning to like the 360 version, largely because it is so much easier to play with people new to the game. And somehow seems easier to get in a quick game.

But for the 12 virtual tiles, 300 points is about 150 points more than it should cost, in my opinion. I fear the cost of the Castle, City, Hunters&Gatherers add-ons... sad because I would be happy to buy them at lower prices (and I'd even pay up to $5 for the bigger add-ons, but my guess is they will be more, if River II is going for just under $4).

PIXY!!!!! I FUCKIN' GOT ONE!

Went into Target tonight for TP and Pretzels and happened by. 2 Prems w/ GoW and Madden 07 pics on the back. Got the sales clerk to pull it out and lifted the flap (didn't see HDMI on the box at all). Slid it down, MFR Date: 2007-07-03... Pulse quickens. Slid it up and could see the HDMI port just under the AV jack.

$350 out the door, I may go back and rebuy it while applying for a Target CC to knock another $35 off.

I'll be heading back to CC shortly soon!

Haven't opened it yet, but will supply pics if necessary.

UPDATE - Since I just took the time to look, it does even list "HDMI port" on the right side panel under "Contents/Xbox 360 Console Specifications".

Happy hunting!

FWIW, BB (after I bought this at Target) still only had 2006 models in the back (they had all been pulled from the shelf in anticipation of Sunday's promo.

So the new one you have has both HDMI and the better, "fixed" heat thing so the chance of getting 3/4 ROD will be minimized? or is it "just" HDMI? I've gotten confused with all the permutations and rumors abounding.

HDMI is the only thing I know for sure. I don't know how to confirm that sort of thing, even if I cracked it open and I'm not going to risk voiding my warranty for that!

I plan to compare the DVD drives as well as a very unscientific noise test between the two since I'll only have one A/C adapter as I'm going to unwrap only the console from the new unit and send everything else back new to CC.

Hopefully someone more adventurous (Ars or Ben Heck) will open theirs up and tell me.

I imagine that since it was made in July of 2007 that it has 65nm... Didn't they start that in May?

Please do. I suddenly find myself very interested. Though I've only spent 3200 points on 5 games. I hate to be hindered in any way even if I'll always be on Live anyway.

Awesome...please do.

How big of a difference does having HDMI make the picture quality? I don't even have an HDTV yet (getting one this holiday season), but I see no point in not making sure I get the new models if they're hitting the wild now. So I'll wait a few weeks.

I think it's like the old DD/DTS surround sound debate. There are differences, but the average person won't see a huge difference or at least not enough to make a big deal.

I originally wanted HDMI because my Samsung HDTV takes HDMI, but now it's not a big deal. I have my 360 and Wii on a component cable switcher and it's fine.

Anyone playing Track & Field? If so, a word of warning...

There are three control schemes: the buttons, the control pad, and the analog stick. Of the three, the analog stick gives you the quickest speed. But in the long run I'm afraid that jacking your analog stick (heh) back and forth like that will end up damaging the controller.

4th control scheme: Cheat with a Hori