Some things it seems that the Xbox 360 is missing
Missing from original, and still missing
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
There are two things that I'm finding that I'm surprised still haven't made their way into the Xbox family of consoles, especially in the Xbox 360, the "second" generation of the Xbox family. Since it's the second generation of the box, I would have figured that by now these two things would have made their way into the system, and perhaps they will in the future, but so far these ideas seem to be nothing more than wishful thinking.
First, an internet browser/e-mail application is definitely missing. This was definitely missing in the first generation box, and to this day remains that way (unless you are using a Hacked system and possibly running something like one of the flavors of Linux that was available for the box).
On the one hand it would seem silly to put a browser into the box, considering that Microsoft makes software and operating systems for PC, and they don't really want to compete against themselves, but then again, they've had browsers available for systems like the Windows Mobile (formerly PocketPC, and before that WindowsCE) PDAs, Phones and other such devices for a while.
Microsoft also certainly patterned the original Xbox somewhat off of Sega's Dreamcast consoles. Heck, depending on who you believe, at one time Microsoft was within a hairs breath of partnering with or purchasing Sega. Whether or not that was ever more than just rumor, the rumors at least made the rounds in the various gamer magazines back in the day. There were also rumors that the Dreamcast boxes used operating system software from Microsoft, again rumored to be a special build of WindowsCE. (Again, take those rumors with a grain of salt). Either way though, the Dreamcast, a system that was released several years ago now (back in 1999) had a browser available for it during it's life time. The PSP handheld by Microsoft's arch-rival Sony also has a built-in browser available. Microsoft even continues to have the (some would say failed) WebTV/MSN TV system and the simplified browser/e-mailing system that it features.
Regardless of those systems, there's still no browser for the Xbox. It's an almost unforgivable sin. The box is made for the internet. It requires a high-speed connection. Once connected it should have an application that gets you to full fledged e-mail, to e-commerce via MSN shopping and such, and more. With such an application, Xbox users would be able to use the gaming console as much, much more than just a game console and ocassional DVD player.
Something that Microsoft deserves a little credit for here, and which continues to be developed and seems to be improving in is messaging to others who own Xbox systems and are Xbox Live subscribers. That is something I thought was a very slow addition to the original Xbox. With Xbox Live you could chat with other gamers while you played, but it had always seemed silly that I couldn't use Xbox Live to make the equivalent of a VOIP chat "call" to my friend that I knew also owned an Xbox system and was a Live subscriber. We live in areas where we were long distance calls to each other. When we were both paying for phone service that made it a local call to the other we used to chatter on the phone frequently. Before AIM was so insanely popular really. And sadly, before his daughters grew into teenagers that live on the telephone constantly.
I have no excuse any more (except for his phone constantly being busy with daughters chatting on the line), as I do have VOIP service now and have a number that is local to him and vice versa. But we don't talk voice as much as we used to. We may do it more frequently over Xbox Live now that we both are working with Xbox 360s, but that remains to be seen.
Supposedly down the road an internet video camera accessory will be released for the Xbox. At that time, the Xbox users who subscribe to Xbox Live will be able to video chat with friends. That might be fun, but then again, some things and persons just aren't meant to be that photogenic
Second, PVR like features are also missing. Again, this is something that is rumored to be possibly added in the future. Again, Microsoft has some history here. They had the "UltimateTV" boxes that they put out for DirecTV and before that they had also partnered with (some would say "torpedoed") Dish Network on their Dishplayer boxes. Both of those were PVR boxes, similar to TiVo, but less advanced and many would say less reliable.
Anyway, Microsoft has some more history there also, with the Windows XP for Media Center Edition (or whatever the correct name is) which provides PVR functionality on PC hardware.
Microsoft has given the Xbox 360 hooks over to Media Center PCs and Windows XP PCs so that you can play media from those boxes. That's a cool feature, and seems to indicate that Microsoft understands the future and the need to move in that direction. Bill Gates and friends have been saying for years that an all-in-one solution is coming for the home, and/or that our devices would become more powerful and less single focused. Hopefully that is the case, and at some point in the future there'll be some sort of upgrade or add-in/on that will offer these features. If so, it will be (in my opinion) a "killer app" for the box and help to make it that much more necessary in everyone's homes.
First, an internet browser/e-mail application is definitely missing. This was definitely missing in the first generation box, and to this day remains that way (unless you are using a Hacked system and possibly running something like one of the flavors of Linux that was available for the box).
On the one hand it would seem silly to put a browser into the box, considering that Microsoft makes software and operating systems for PC, and they don't really want to compete against themselves, but then again, they've had browsers available for systems like the Windows Mobile (formerly PocketPC, and before that WindowsCE) PDAs, Phones and other such devices for a while.
Microsoft also certainly patterned the original Xbox somewhat off of Sega's Dreamcast consoles. Heck, depending on who you believe, at one time Microsoft was within a hairs breath of partnering with or purchasing Sega. Whether or not that was ever more than just rumor, the rumors at least made the rounds in the various gamer magazines back in the day. There were also rumors that the Dreamcast boxes used operating system software from Microsoft, again rumored to be a special build of WindowsCE. (Again, take those rumors with a grain of salt). Either way though, the Dreamcast, a system that was released several years ago now (back in 1999) had a browser available for it during it's life time. The PSP handheld by Microsoft's arch-rival Sony also has a built-in browser available. Microsoft even continues to have the (some would say failed) WebTV/MSN TV system and the simplified browser/e-mailing system that it features.
Regardless of those systems, there's still no browser for the Xbox. It's an almost unforgivable sin. The box is made for the internet. It requires a high-speed connection. Once connected it should have an application that gets you to full fledged e-mail, to e-commerce via MSN shopping and such, and more. With such an application, Xbox users would be able to use the gaming console as much, much more than just a game console and ocassional DVD player.
Something that Microsoft deserves a little credit for here, and which continues to be developed and seems to be improving in is messaging to others who own Xbox systems and are Xbox Live subscribers. That is something I thought was a very slow addition to the original Xbox. With Xbox Live you could chat with other gamers while you played, but it had always seemed silly that I couldn't use Xbox Live to make the equivalent of a VOIP chat "call" to my friend that I knew also owned an Xbox system and was a Live subscriber. We live in areas where we were long distance calls to each other. When we were both paying for phone service that made it a local call to the other we used to chatter on the phone frequently. Before AIM was so insanely popular really. And sadly, before his daughters grew into teenagers that live on the telephone constantly.
I have no excuse any more (except for his phone constantly being busy with daughters chatting on the line), as I do have VOIP service now and have a number that is local to him and vice versa. But we don't talk voice as much as we used to. We may do it more frequently over Xbox Live now that we both are working with Xbox 360s, but that remains to be seen.
Supposedly down the road an internet video camera accessory will be released for the Xbox. At that time, the Xbox users who subscribe to Xbox Live will be able to video chat with friends. That might be fun, but then again, some things and persons just aren't meant to be that photogenic
Second, PVR like features are also missing. Again, this is something that is rumored to be possibly added in the future. Again, Microsoft has some history here. They had the "UltimateTV" boxes that they put out for DirecTV and before that they had also partnered with (some would say "torpedoed") Dish Network on their Dishplayer boxes. Both of those were PVR boxes, similar to TiVo, but less advanced and many would say less reliable.
Anyway, Microsoft has some more history there also, with the Windows XP for Media Center Edition (or whatever the correct name is) which provides PVR functionality on PC hardware.
Microsoft has given the Xbox 360 hooks over to Media Center PCs and Windows XP PCs so that you can play media from those boxes. That's a cool feature, and seems to indicate that Microsoft understands the future and the need to move in that direction. Bill Gates and friends have been saying for years that an all-in-one solution is coming for the home, and/or that our devices would become more powerful and less single focused. Hopefully that is the case, and at some point in the future there'll be some sort of upgrade or add-in/on that will offer these features. If so, it will be (in my opinion) a "killer app" for the box and help to make it that much more necessary in everyone's homes.
