Everything Starts and Ends at the Xbox Dashboard

If you've just purchased an Xbox 360 and find it hard to navigate yourself to and fro and perform a particular function, the first thing you should understand about your new gaming unit is the Xbox Dashboard. The Xbox Dashboard is what a nucleus is to an atom: it's the brain or control center of the whole unit.

The Xbox Dashboard has four integral parts, all of which will be explained to you one by one.

Part One: Xbox 360 Live
At this section of the Xbox Dashboard, you can view and modify your gamer profile to ensure that the performance and features of the Xbox 360 will be to your own specifications. This feature is nonetheless also accessible in the other parts of the Xbox Dashboard.

The Xbox Live is the point of interaction of your Xbox 360 as this is where you can send and receive messages from friends who have a Xbox 360 as well. Similar to the messenger list of Yahoo and other online networks, you can check, add, and delete people to your friends list. If you are playing a multiplayer game, use Xbox Live to invite other players to play with you.

Lastly, this segment is also where you can gain access to the Xbox Live Marketplace and purchase add-ons to increase the entertainment value of your Xbox 360.

Part Two: Xbox 360 Games
The Xbox Live Marketplace can also be accessed through this section of the Xbox Dashboard but only so you can try the demos provided for the various games and add-ons being sold. You can also watch game videos from the Marketplace and through this section as well.

The Xbox Games section also allows you to check out the various games available for downloading from the Xbox Live Arcade. Lastly, the Xbox Games section will provide you with the list of games that you have already played :a great feature if you're fond of comparing notes with other players.

Part Three: Xbox 360 Media
The media section of your Xbox Dashboard is, as its name already suggests, the media control unit of your gaming unit. This is where you should go in order to listen to your favorite music and view photos or videos in various formats. This can be connected to a desktop's Window Media to obtain access to other online services.

Part Four: Xbox 360 System
Lastly, the system section of your Xbox dashboard will allow you to change, add, remove, and modify settings and controls that affect your gaming experience.

Part Four(A): Xbox 360 System Customization
The new Xbox 360 is finally out on the market, with double the graphics quality, power, and speed of its predecessor, the original Xbox. This console from Microsoft (makers of Windows) offers a lot of new games for old gamers and new gamers alike to enjoy. Titles such as Halo 3, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy XI, and many more are what the gamers have been waiting for.

The Xbox 360 offers things that its predecessor, as well as its current competitors such as the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii, do not. For one, previous titles from the previous Xbox version are playable on the Xbox 360, and in most cases, the graphics are enhanced. Other consoles can play games from their previous version but don't enhance them.

One thing that makes the Xbox 360 more appealing is that you can personalize it by placing skins. This would show how creative you are and would allow you to replace the monotonous look with your own personal flavor. Since you'll probably be playing the Xbox 360 for quite a time, you would want to personalize it.

You have a variety of options available to you should you decide to get a skin for your Xbox 360. You can choose to place skins on the console unit itself, to give it a different look. Another option would to add skins to the controllers, matching the unit itself, which would give it a more unique look.

There are numerous designs available, in many different colors. You may contact or go to your local Xbox dealer and ask if they have skins, or you can simply search for them on the Internet. There are manufacturers of skins in decal form, which are easy to stick to the outer portion of the console.

You can even have custom made skins if you want. Although this may cost more money, perhaps you would like your own design and creativity to come out, so this can be a viable option too. An investment here is worth it, particularly if you decide to use your Xbox 360 for a number of years.

The Xbox 360 isn't simply a game console for you to enjoy. It can also be an artwork for you to appreciate. In placing the Xbox 360 skins, you can both enjoy the games and the sight of your personalized Xbox 360 unit.