Microsoft, USO Links Troops Worldwide Via Xbox

Thanks to Reuters for their story reporting on Microsoft and the U.S. armed forces' plans to expand a program bringing Xbox Live to troops overseas. There's a press release on the USO site with more details, including a U.S. Air Force lieutenant's comments: "Xbox Live allows me to play my favorite games with friends and family as though I am sitting on the couch right next to them back home in Garden Grove, Calif. We share stories, laugh and poke fun at each other in real time as we play." We previously covered a pilot scheme using the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and a spokesman "...said the program was such a success it will be expanded to nearly every Air Force base around the world."

Re:Commercial

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

I believe you're referring to the SOCOM commercial..playable online with only a PS2. Of course, the government wouldn't have to pay XBox Live subscription fees if they want with a Sony solution AND more people have PS2's so there'd be a higher likelihood that friends and families back home would be able to take advantage of this and play with/against the troops. Of course, MS was founded in the states and Sony was not so that may play a role - as it should. Let's help our economy before we help anyone else's.

Zenith is a manufacturer of many electronics goods and was founded in Chicago in the 1920's. Think about that next time you're at Best Buy.

Re:Commercial

[gamgee5273]

Okay, I'm not here to flame you - I come from a union family and underatand completely where you're coming from with this.

But, I do have to speak up a bit: Not being an Xbox owner, can anyone say where the box is being made? I have to suspect it's somewhere in Asia, not the States.

For the sake of argument, I'm going to assume it is Asia util someone can come up with the answer: Sure, while a chunk of cash goes to Redmond, they still are losing money on the Xbox and still have to pay for the workers in Asia. Thus, is it really helping our economy for that segment of MS to be financially failing?

Arguably, supporting US developers and publishing houses (which MS is, yes, I agree) is a better way to make the claim that you are supporting the US economy, no matter the console manufacturer's country of origin. SOCOM, for example, was published by Sony Computer Entertainment America but was developed by Zipper Interactive, which is an American company (based, ironically enough in an Alanis sense, in Redmond). I would make the argument that this is a better use of our dollars going back into our economy than buying an Xbox over a PS2 or a GCN because MS is located in the States.

And, as a postscript to your final thought:

Zenith is not the paragon of "Made in America" that you might think it is. From zenith.com's "Corporate History" section: In November 1999, Zenith became a wholly owned subsidiary of LGE. LGE is, of course, one of the Korean companies that seems to make everything but the kitchen sink...