11:17 AM CDT on Tuesday, June 13, 2006

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Free update via Xbox Live for Xbox 360 consoles

PERFECT PLATFORM: Microsoft has released a free update for the operating system on its Xbox 360 console. While that might not seem like a big deal, the refinements raise the bar for what gamers should expect from a next-generation console.

BACKGROUND DOWNLOADS: The biggest addition is a feature known as background downloading. Previously, if you wanted to download game demos or videos, Xbox Live Arcade games or any other items, you had to sit and watch the download progress. You couldn't play a game or do anything else with your console while the item downloaded. No more. Now you can queue up as many as six different items to download, and then use the other features on your console while the items download in the background. The only hitch is that you can't play online while you download. If you do, the download pauses, so as not to interfere with your online gaming.

OTHER FEATURES: The update also brings some much needed organization to the download menus on the Xbox Marketplace, refines the console's DVD movie playback function and lets you play your ripped music in the background while you game or do other activities.

BOTTOM LINE: There will probably be other updates down the road, as Microsoft releases new accessories and features for the Xbox 360. But this was the big one, and demonstrates that Microsoft can make a nifty, intuitive operating system when it wants to. Sony and Nintendo have their work cut out for them.

Victor Godinez