Here's a cautionary tale about all that crap that PC makers load onto a computer before shipping it to retailers.

A user over at The Digital Lifestyle forums reports that he went and purchased a new HP Pavilion M7775 PC runnings Windows Vista, figuring he'd be able to use his Xbox 360 as a Media Center Extender. After all, that's what he'd been doing with his old PC running Windows Media Center 2005.

Back in January, One Voice Technologies launched a public beta of the latest version of their Media Center Communicator software, which allows you to control your Windows Media Center with voice commands. The main feature of the update was Vista compatibility. But it turns out that One Voice was holding back on us, and this week they announced a major new feature: Xbox 360 support.

Media Center Communicator v3 for Windows Vista will let you control up to 5 Xbox 360s acting as media center extender for a computer running Windows Vista. You speak into a microphone (which may even be built into a remote control) and your Xbox 360 will play, pause, fast forward, or rewind a television recording, music file, or display photo slideshows.

Because you can name each Xbox 360 on your network, you can stand in the living room and tell your system to start playing slasher flicks in the bedroom, scaring the bejesus out your significant other.

(S05E12) Well, The Apprentice has hit an all-time low. In tonight's episode, the Gold Rush and Synergy teams work on a task to promote the Xbox 360. I mean, working in the porno industry, and with 360 other people! I can't believe what they are going to... oh, excuse me I have a phone call.

Hello? Oh, hi Anna (Anna Johns, vivacious head blogger at TV Squad). Yes, I am talking about this week's Apprentice and their entry into the world of pornography! What? Xbox360 is a video game console made by Microsoft? Really? Gee, I didn't know. I mean, with the 'X' at the beginning I only assumed that . . .Hmm? Have I played any video games at home lately? Well, I did have an Atari 2600 in my youth; gosh, how I loved playing Combat! Yes, yes, I need to get out more. I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Sorry.

Ahem.

And now, onto the bangers and mash we affectionately call The Apprentice.