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Datel is just the latest victim of Microsoft’s heavy-handed 3rd-party hardware lockout. As part of the latest update to the 360 dashboard, Microsoft will be locking third party memory units so they won’t work with  the Xbox 360 anymore. “Don’t use unauthorized Xbox 360 storage devices,” is the message being sent from Microsoft’s Major Nelson.

“When preview program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized memory units will no longer work with the Xbox 360,” Xbox Live’s director of programming, Larry Hryb, said earlier this week. “If you continue to use an unauthorized memory unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games.”

Datel, which make a range of Max Memory storage units for Xbox 360, isn’t happy with Microsoft’s decision. “If the Major Nelson blog is to be taken at face value then we’re disappointed to see that Microsoft are taking these steps to prevent customers from exercising their freedom of choice,” a company spokesperson told CVG. “Everyone is looking for ways to make their cash go further at the moment and we believe that Max Memory offers a good value, high capacity, alternative to the official memory unit.”

In case you weren’t aware, since the launch of the Xbox 360 Xgaming, Inc. has been refused any rights to make their award-winning X-Arcade line of arcade products work on the Xbox 360 due to Microsoft legally blocking them from producing, manufacturing or distributing a peripheral which connects directly to the Xbox 360. When will the monopoly end?

Source: CVG

Thanks Edge