Things I Don't Like about the Xbox 360

This list may be things I don't like, but I still think the Xbox 360 is a winner. Actually, most of these issues were addressed in last night's live broadcast – so you'll be able to hear the responses directly from an Xbox Live team member as soon as we get the audio posted:

1. Multiplayer gaming is almost like multiplayer madness. If I just want to challenge my friend to a game, why can't I seem to do it easily? Instead, I get thrown in with a bunch of people I may or may not want to play with. Why does someone have to be in the same room as you in order to ensure play with you? Perhaps this is a per-game setting – in which case, that's a per-game stupid.
2. You can only download one thing at one time. Plus, you can't leave the download screen without halting your download (without warning, mind you). Seems to me that it should queue multiple downloads, and then download them asynchronously.
3. We addressed this in last week's live Chris Pirillo Show, but I can't stand the non-QWERTY layout of the “keyboard” screen. It's annoying for quick typists like myself. I realize I could attach an external keyboard to it, but by the time I find a keyboard and attach it, I could have keyed in the sequence of characters already.
4. Why can't I schedule the Xbox 360 to download new content for me automatically – at a scheduled time I'm usually not online. Say, 4AM or something? That way, when I wake up, it can tell me I have new high-def movie trailers to watch (after telling it that I only want 720p videos).
5. Why can't I manage friends through my Web account? Instead, I have to key them in on the console (or wait for them to initiate the friendship link).
6. Why can't I have a setting that tells the Xbox community that I don't care what they use as their gamer picture(s)? That way, we can upload our own friggin' icons instead of these stock images. Sorry, Microsoft, I'm not going to buy an emoticon.
7. The Xbox 360 “Blades” nav system is wonderful, but there are some options that I believe are too buried or (intuitively) in the wrong place. I've wasted several minutes several times trying to remember where I found a certain item – or how to get back there. I'd hope for a minor menu reorganization / optimization at some point.
8. It's addictive. Seriously, it's addictive. That's a bad thing. I have yet to run into a problem where I'm not getting any work done (sorry, but I do have priorities). However, I've had a few late-night gaming sessions going on around here. Having it hooked up to a killer 50″ plasma screen doesn't help, either. At least I don't have surround sound plugged in. This may sound good, but it's too good.
9. You can't seem to share an Xbox Live subscription. For one person, this isn't a problem – but if you've got two Xbox players in the same house, that cost starts to add up (unnecessarily, might I add). Isn't there an Xbox Live “Family” membership plan? What about a “Couples” plan for those of us with significant others who are just as addicted to the Xbox 360?
10. Why can't I erase games from the list of games that I've played? I don't think Bankshot Billiards is all that great, and I truly did not care for Wik: Fable of Souls. Yet, they're showing up in my games list because I downloaded (though subsequently deleted) the demos.
11. Why is the hard drive so small and yet so expensive? They easily could have (and should have) given us quadruple the drive space for the price.
12. Unless I'm just not aware of how to do it, there's no easy way to boot up the console and go directly to the Blades. Instead, the game that's sitting in the drive automatically launches.

Okay, now I'm off to play another Xbox 360 game…

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