Hands on with the Chatpad and Messenger Kit

Nice.. I was hoping the headset would look a little different, but no big deal. Now I don't have to have a normal keyboard junking up my gamespace. And $29 ain't too shabby.

Yea, i dont know why they changed the headset from the uber uncomfortable around the back of the head xbox 1 headset to the uber nerdy over the head headset

I'll get one for the impending Halo 3 buddy game invites and messages and crap, sure.

if they would just support aim i might be all over this, i don't know anyone who uses msn. Although this would be nice to use to send messages during games without using that stupid on screen keyboard...

I'm sold

Are there any MMO's besides PSU? I thought Two Worlds was gonna be MMO's but it looks like it is limited to 8 players.

I wonder if you'll be able to use the pad, instead of the onscreen keyboard, to input player names in games like NCAA Football or Basketball, since they companies can't use "real" college names. So all the players are QB12, RB34, FS46...instead of Drew Weatherford, Toney Baker and so on and so on...

What is this for exactly? Can anybody tell me what I would use this for??? Are you really dying to use your xbox to chat on msn messenger? Until software comes out that requires this, this just seems like extraneous crap to spend 30 bucks on.

I don't like the keyboard at all..

looks small so it would be difficult to type.

Plus, you could just go out and buy a decent keyboard for the same price as this and use it on a 360

#7,

Well I would hope you would use it for mmo environments. But googling around after my question... And a lack of answers... Leads me to beleive that PSU is the only mmo for the xbox.

This falls lineup of games is Amazing... But there are no MMO's in it anywhere to be scene...

Wasn't FFXI on the xbox?

@8... The point of the keyboard being that size is so you won't have to clutter up your space with a damn USB keyboard that you have to put down your controller to type with two hands. This is a HUGE help for all of us who message our friends.

And I need a new headset. :-)

This would be nice... except it still says I have a child account even though I'm 18.

For the person who asked "i don't know anyone who uses msn."

Well, chat program use is regional I'd say. I'm canadian and american and my canadian half of the family from michigan uses AOL and shares the same "who uses msn" belief as you and most of the people I know from michigan and the united states are still using AIM. In Canada however MSN/Windows Live messenger has been the dominant format for years. People trade "msn addresses" in university courses where I'm from as well and it seems to be the standard here and almost everyone I know from canada uses MSN. Its completely regional. I know someone from the philippines and they use Yahoo messenger and all of their friends and region does as well for the most part. Its just a regional thing. Personally I think AIM is good but AOL is something I stopped using in the mid 1990s.

typo: I meant American half of the family from Michigan. About this headset itself. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the fact that we have to use this headset that it comes with. Why couldnt they have just designed the thing to have the same 3 pronged port as the 360 controller to allow us to use the old ones as well? Or would the volume unit have stuck out too far? Thats my guess. Either way, its also a reason for them to sell more of those somewhat good, somewhat mediocre wireless headsets as well.

Umm Id rather Voice chat in a game like ive been doing verses typing on ANY pad....explain how this is a step forward or better than just simply speaking???

Greg A, there are a few online RPGs. Final Fantasy, Phantasy Star, Two Worlds(but limited), Age Of Conan(MMORPG), and I believe one or two more I cannot recall at the moment.

Wonder how long until we start seeing third party versions.

MSN is weird in that I know people from other countries that use it and ICQ exclusively while AIM is completely unused there. It's definitely extremely regional.

this could come in handy if it works with the MCE browser plugin.
http://www.anpark.com/software.aspx
other then that I don't see a need for it.

In the end, you just have a big controller

If you can use it to redeem codes for points and Live subscriptions, then I'll get one.

Didn't notice that test in this review...

Doesn't look like it can easily plug into the MS Steering wheel. Wife is constantly messaging me when I'm racing and it's a real pain to type with the wheel.

This would have been great when I used to play FFXI. Using a controller and a separate keyboard is annoying. Nowadays I only use text to trash talk recently played players. I will still get it because my headset is broke. 2 birds 1 stone.