I at first wrote a huge reply here telling you the story. I won't waste your time with it though. Basically yes, the washer trick was tried. By Microsoft no less, who denied doing it, who broke it in the process, accused me of hacking my 360, and tried to ban me from XBL. All for trying to buy a 360 for my little brother for Xmas because his first two 360's died. So yea, since then I have boycotted the 360. I still like playing them over friends houses. I just won't give them one more dime of mine.