GENERATION X............BOX360

I will admit, I have been an XBOX hater. I have cursed its name. I have hoped for harm to it its first born. I have wanted to throw it off rooftops and see it break into many small pieces down below.

I found it a loud screaming nuisance keeping my romantic life at bay with my boyfriend and allowing the voices of small obnoxious boys from all over the world into my living room through XBOX Live.

Not into recently- and the purchase of "Lego Starwars The Complete Saga" have I become to appreciate this world a little more, and realized the marketing mastermind that is really is.

Whereas XBOX was once just a video game system, like Sega, or Playstation- where you insert your game and play…it has now blossomed into something much more powerful, with many more powerful implications to the world of marketing.

Now, when turning on the system, you are welcomed by your XBOX dashboard. Through your XBOX, you can preview and purchase anything from movies, primetime TV shows, cable network shows, other games, music and much more. You are no longer just playing one game anymore, but instead being exposed to many other media that you just may need to purchase. It has now evolved into a one-stop Media Center- offering everything you may want to see or hear from your TV.

NetFlix is also coming to XBOX this fall, making it maybe unnecessary to ever turn this fabulous, buzzing machine off. I am anxious to see what else will come into the XBOX world.

As we know, XBOX is not just a system for 12 year-olds, but actually attracts crowds of all ages and of both genders (my 27 year-old boyfriend is a good example), so the product offerings are widespread. It is for this reason, I do not see this as marketing targeted at children- but instead at the world of gamers that come in all shapes, sizes, ages and education levels.

The media integration plays in perfectly with the more lackadaisical common gamer mentality...why not have it all in one place? Why have to get off the couch more than I need to?

Ma, more meatloaf!