My one month trial of Xbox Live (Gold level) expired last week… Since they hooked me, I started looking for membership deals. Xbox Live Gold is the fee-based service that allows you to compete online, download movie trailers, chat with folks, compare online stats, etc. 12 months of Gold membership retails for $50 — you can buy online through the Xbox or via a retailer.
At the time I ordered, I wasn’t able to find any discounts. However, I did notice the Gold subscription plus web camera for $65 at Amazon (versus the $80 list price). The bundle also includes Robotron and Uno game downloads, a headset (I already have one), and 200 points (~42% of an HD movie rental) — Including the webcam, these seemed like decent bonus items for only $15 over the annual subscription.
The 360 supports video chat and allows you to add your face to some games, such as Uno and the new Rainbow Six. Though… the biggest bonus of all turns out to be the Vision camera (which retails for $40 without Gold membership) also works under XP. Installation is a breeze: Plug it in, then let Windows find the driver online. It’s definitely not a high-end cam (and it has no microphone) but the price is right. The hardware is simple, though it does rotate and pivot — and, surprisingly, it also balanced fine on my LCD. I had fun making faces testing the video with Skype last night (and you can see that I still haven’t shaved).