I like to make lists. They’re fun. I decided I’d make a fun little list of “Things I own that Get Hot but don’t Stop Working.” Here are a few I came up with:
- My water heater. This is an easy one. It’s never stopped working for me. One time the pilot light went out, but the water stayed warm for a while and it was easy to fix. I am ready for when it need replacing, I’ve read the best tankless water heater reviews and know exactly what I want. For now though, that puppy is still working it gets nice and toasty and keeps on chugging!
- My Easy-Bake Oven. It’s a simple cardboard box with a big ol’ light bulb inside. It’s gets pretty darn hot in there, but it makes me delicious snack-sized brownies with nary a break down. It’s like it was built to handle the heat or something.
- My Jeep Cherokee Sport. It has an internal combustion engine, meaning it’s powered by high temperature explosions of gasoline mixed with oxygen. The engine is cooled with water and uses oil to reduce friction because it gets so damn hot in there. I know it gets hot in there because I have a little temperature gauge on my dashboard that tells me when it’s getting too hot. You know what else gets hot in my Jeep?
- Me. Because the air conditioning doesn’t work. So on a nice hot August day, after the Jeep has been cooking in the sun all day, I get to ride in a hot box of stagnant air. I often get real hot. But guess what? I don’t stop working! I’m fricken amazing.
I also thought I’d make another list: “Things I own that Get Hot and Suddenly Stop Working.” It’s a pretty short list:
- My Xbox 360
Of course, this isn’t the first time my little white heat-sissy died. But it’s dying at the most inopportune time possible. 360 Euphoria is almost upon us. Everyone is already lavishing praise on the Bioshocks demo and hearing the guys on the 1UP Yours podcast give it a lot of love is killing me. I want to play Bioshock! I also have family visiting next month and we were planning on a bunch of NCAA 08. I don’t even have to mention that little game coming out at the end of September. I’ll probably get my 360 back a week before it drops, giving me precious little time with Bioshock. This sucks!
So my 360 box is on its way. Then I’ll be 360-less for a while. The wait will be painful.
DO NOT WANT.
Dark Reyule says
Luckily I have had ZERO issues with my beloved 360, at least MS is manning up with the way they are handling extended warranties and repairs.
See you soon, T, if it’s any consolation Madden 08 blows so you aren’t missing anything.
Jason Preston says
I’ve got to admit, this might be a blessing in disguise.
I dare you play Bioshock on the PC, and then tell me it doesn’t make more sense to use a mouse and keyboard for an FPS!
Jeremiah Sharpe says
maybe you should take your xbox out of that fancy entertainment center you bought so it can get some fresh air lol
Tony says
@DR – I figured I’d give Madden 08 a looksie, but doesn’t look like I’ll have time now.
@JP – I know most FPS purists love their keyboards and mice, but I’ve always been more comfortable with the two-stick console control schemes. I just like it better.
@JS – Ahh! That’s the problem — this time the 360 was sitting outside the entertainment center. It was actually close to the floor register for the AC. This is unexcusable!
Bush Mackel says
I just got a 360 the other day, and I REALLY hope it has one of the new heatsinks to avoid this problem. One problem the “new” 360 Premium doesn’t avoid – Sounding like a jet engine during take off.
Tony says
@Bush – Good luck with that. I think there’s a way you can photograph the underside of your 360 to see what kind of heatsink you have.
And yes, one thing the 360 is not is quiet.
nowak says
My second 360 has been acting up lately. It’s not dead yet and I knock on wood that it won’t be, but I fear it will die soon. Perfect timing, as usual. Just in time for the holiday season. Of course, my previous 360 had equally perfect timing. Of all the dry spring/summer spells, it had to die exactly in time for the Halo 3 beta. Shoddy garbage.
flamingsquirrel says
have you guys seen the towel trick?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avWs4-wD15w
Tony says
@nowak – I read your post earlier and feel your pain. It’s actually worse knowing that it’s about to die than actually dying. Mine would tease me as well before it died completely.
@FS – yeah, I’m aware of the towel trick, but it just treats a symptom (bad solder connections) and ignores the actual problem — poor heat dissipation. I don’t want to do the towel trick every few days just to use my console. I want it to work like it should.
Bobster says
If the symptom is death I say treat it.
Adam Phillips says
this is absolutely retarded
Tony says
“absolutely”? What qualifies it absolutely? I mean, it might be a little retarded, but let’s not go as far as say absolutely unless we have some cold hard data backing up a statement like that!