Not content with a single PC, we also tried the wireless receiver on a second XP machine and a brand-new Vista box as well. It reveals how many controllers are connected (up to four will work, but we only tried two), as well as the battery status and any other relevant info. Once synced, tapping the Xbox 360 Guide button will show a small status icon on the computer screen, similar to the Xbox Live pop-ups on a 360. Thankfully, hitting the wireless sync button on the receiver and the devices-that little key with the three wavy lines-got them talking to one another. Lesson learned-after unplugging the 360 (leaving the PC as the only compatible device in the area), we tried again, but the green lights just spun on and on. At first they didn't connect-but then we heard our Xbox 360 power up in the next room over. We tried syncing the two wireless controllers and a headset by pressing the Xbox 360 Guide button on the former and the power button on the latter. After installing the software from the included CD, just plug in the dongle. We loaded the software package from the included CD and then plugged the Wireless Gaming Receiver into our Windows XP machine. If and when additional 360 wireless peripherals are released, however, they should also be compatible. To date, that's a pretty exclusive list: the standard 360 wireless gamepad, the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset, and a wireless racing wheel for racing games.

As such, the Gaming Receiver is not much different from a dongle that might have come with your wireless mouse or keyboard, except that it's designed to communicate with any and all Xbox 360 wireless peripherals. It's featureless except for a single green LED and a button, and connects to your PC with a 6-foot long USB cable (once again, going 'wireless' always seems to require wires).

The device itself is a sliver of white plastic that's smaller than the tiniest of cell phones. The biggest thing about the Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows is its mouthful of a name. The Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver lets you use wireless Xbox 360 peripherals with your Windows PC, but it won't be a must-have PC gaming peripheral until more compatible games are available.

Xbox 360 wireless receiver driver