Top 5 Reasons Mac Users Love the 360

Filed in archive Features on January 17, 2007

For a lot of Mac users the idea of owning an Xbox 360 is utter blasphemy. After all, who would want to infect their pristine, virus-free network by plugging in a Microsoft box? Fear not, fellow Mac addicts! Microsoft is more than just the Windows team, and the developers of the Xbox may have drawn more inspiration from Apple than from their own. Here's the top 5 reasons a Mac user will love the Xbox 360:

1. That Slick White Case.
Mac users love great design - and while the original Xbox was a big clunker, the 360 is a sleek white beauty that will look great next to that Apple TV.

2. PowerPC Inside.
While Apple has moved on to Intel chips in their newest machines, many Mac users still have PowerPC machines. Well, so does the Xbox 360! Microsoft actually made the opposite of Apple's move and switched from a Pentium 3 based architecture in the Xbox to a G5 based architecture in the 360. So, in a way, the Xbox can be your own Miniature PowerMac.

3. iPod Integration.
Sick of that lame techno in Lumines? Load up your iPod with your favorite (DRM-free) tracks and plug it straight into one of the 360's USB ports. The 360 will recognize it as an external drive and play your music. Voila! You've got your own custom soundtrack!

4. No Viruses!
Don't fret when plugging your 360 into the web - it's not going to catch a cold. You'll never have to install Norton on your Xbox. The worst thing your 360 will bring you from the Internet is some smack-talking teens -- and there's a button to turn them off.

5. Everybody's Gotta Game.
While independent Mac developers crank out some great games, Mac ports of hit PC titles are few and far between. It's okay to admit that you wish you could play Viva Pinata on your Mac. Sure, you could expand your gaming options by buying a Windows machine or installing Windows on your Intel-based Mac, but wouldn't you much rather have an easy, (almost) Mac-like experience?

Mac users: get yourself an Xbox 360. Guilt-free. If you blink long enough during the bootup screen you won't even see the Microsoft logo.