Microsoft Official Xbox 360 - Xbox Live Gold Membership Card

Advantages: More secure.
Disadvantages: Can be purchased on the console instead.

...service I would receive from Microsoft is obviously a easy decision to make when choosing which service to use. Gold membership does also not have to be purchased through this card games often come with 48 hour trials which obviously give you a tester, and at certain times you can create free 1 month membership accounts VIA xbox Live. However to receive a consistent service its better off to pay but as well as buying a membership card in shops you ...
...as you have to phone Microsoft billing. Overall I do believe it is better to purchase the card as it stops the billing and is one off fee for those 12 months, even though it is a lot easier to go buy one via the console. - Worthwhile? I do think it’s worthwhile to use a game voucher, as it stops billing and makes sure your bank details aren’t connected to your windows live ID which gamer tags are connected which may make your bank details more secure ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic extra range of features for your Xbox 360!
Disadvantages: Disheartening when somebody many levels better than you repeatedly beats you

...than excited. Opting against paying Microsoft over fifty pounds for a wireless adapter i chose to get a simple network cable (£10 from ebay) and use the xbox via a wired connection. The results have beeen fantastic, i recieve much higher connection speeds than many of my rival sonline even when there are another 4 people sharing the connection, as we live around a hour from manchester, we cannot get a faster connection than 2mb and even with this ...
...more, because it is a microsoft concept, you have all the latest messaging features of MSN Messenger. This allows all of your contacts to see when you are playing on your xbox, and even what game you are playing (this helps them from distracting you in the middle of a game). I currently own 9 xbox 360 games and with the exception of one, they have become like brand new games since i connected to xbox live. The online service adds a whole new dimension ... Read review

Advantages: Great service, vast depth, cheap, easy to use
Disadvantages: Can be a waste of money if your internet is poor, it is pre-paid...it is paid

I was really slow in joining the online revolution of gaming, in fact I'm still lagging behind (and not just because my internet is poor) but I have found Xbox live to be an excellent service and provided relatively cheaply. Having played games for years but always living in the middle of the back of beyond I was often resigned to playing single player games, or games I could enjoy with family members. The purchase of Mario Kart Wii was the first ...
...it, it was smooth, it was sleek and it was brilliantly fun and exciting, the Wii it seemed had finally delivered on some of it's promise. Then I tried Smash Bros. Online and got no where at all, it was a night mare that wouldn't even let me connect to the servers, sham I thought, this was stupid, how can one game be so amazing online and yet the next one won't even load? Oh well back to Mario Kart. A purchase of a 360 a few months later and many ... Read review

Advantages: Gives a whole new dimension to the Xbox
Disadvantages: A little pricy

I bought my son the Xbox 360 for his birthday in February. I had just mastered using his Wii and knew nothing at all about the Xbox - only the nagging I'd had from my son!! As a thirteen-year old son with plenty of friends who own Xboxes my son was well aware of Xbox Live - therefore so was I before too long!! Xbox Live is an online gaming service that makes it possible to play online, using an Internet connection with other players from all around ...
...demos, videos etc. In fact it is so good that all thirteen -year old boys who have an Xbox 360 need it - this must be true - my thirteen-year old son told me!! So after a few days of owning his Xbox we sorted out an Internet connection. We used an Ethernet cable from the Xbox 360, although we do keep meaning to buy an Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter so that he can have the Xbox in his room and stop him hogging the main TV!! The subscriptions can ... Read review

Advantages: Online multiplayer, priviledges downloads
Disadvantages: Price a little daunting at first, additional hardware required, PS3 online is free

What is Xbox Live: Xbox Live is the online service for players of the Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. Xbox Live Silver is free to all users and gives some limited facilities. With a Silver account you can accumulate a reputation by achieving goals within games. These are own on your Gamercard and allow other users to see how experienced a gamer you are. With a Silver account, you can also download game demos, trailers, and event videos. Some games ...
...times etc. to online leaderboards. Xbox Live Gold is a pay-for subscription, approx £35 to £40 pound a year. Gold gives you all the benefits of Silver, however you have access to marketplace items days, and sometimes weeks before the rest. The biggest benefit of purchasing a Gold subscription is that it opens up the full online multiplayer capabilites of the Xbox 360. Playing against your console is fun, but nowhere near as fun as knowing the person ... Read review