Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 to be the center of your home entertainment universe. Maybe that's understating it a bit. They want the 360 to be your only device: a one-stop-shop for all of your digital entertainment needs. Over the past few years, we've seen them start to dabble in entertainment offerings including Netflix and Zune Marketplace, but the new Dashboard update coming December 6th marks the true beginning of their march to living room domination.
The 360's install base is already an impressive figure. On Black Friday alone, retailers moved 960,000 units, so Microsoft's move to leverage those users makes business sense, but it also means a windfall for Xbox LIVE subscribers. On average, LIVE users spend 2 hours a day on their consoles, with 40% of them spending 30 hours a more per week watching television and movies. The push to make the Xbox your only home for the cornucopia of digital content available means implementing a ton of new, user-friendly features.
Microsoft's goal with the latest Dashboard update is to improve the experience, by not only offering you access to everything you want to see in one place, but by making it an easy, social, and personal experience. Adopting the "Metro Design" from Windows Mobile phones, the new Dashboard looks lean and mean. Content is divided up into hubs (Music, Movies, TV, Games, etc.), making it easy to quickly access what you want to explore. Everything was sort of pieced together before has now been seamless integrated into the new design, the most notable example of which is the demise of the Kinect Hub. It's gone. Instead, Kinect is now incorporated from the ground up, and you can navigate all areas of the dashboard with voice commands. Just like in the now-defunct Kinect Hub, you start by saying "Xbox" followed by anything you see on the screen.
While the voice commands are neat and easy to use, many of the other features will be much more appealing to gamers. First of all, new roaming profiles means an end to recovering your gamertag. No long will you know the joy of trudging through 150 steps just to play something at a friend's house. Everything, including your gamertag and game saves, are now uploaded the cloud, making it easy for you to access them for any Xbox.
The newly incorporated Bing search function allows you to search not only your own hard drive, but the entire Xbox Marketplace and all of the 3rd-party Apps. Games, movies, music, and TV are now accessible with a few words, and each search result will show you all of your available options for consuming that piece of content. For instance, if you want to watch Iron Man, Bing will show you that it's available on Netflix streaming and for download from the Marketplace. You can pick the option that's right for you, and no more having to open specific apps in order to find what you want.
Along with the improved search, a host of new content will be available with the update including live TV apps for Verizon FIOS and Comcast customers. Everyone else will just have to wait, because while Microsoft wants to be the hub for all of your entertainment needs, they don't appear to be interested in getting into the cable biz. The burden falls on providers to create apps for their customers, so only time will tell if more companies hop on the bandwagon.
Another new partner is UFC. The company has created an app that allows fighting fans to order pay-per-view events through their Xboxes, along with gainging access to UFC.com and exclusive content. Fans can watch work-outs, weigh-ins, and press conferences, as well as accessing a wealth of stats and invite their friends to pick the winner on Facebook.
Speaking of Facebook, the social integration has also been kicked up a notch. Now you can link your Facebook profile to your gamertag and post achievements for all of your friends to see on the social networking site. You can also send out Beacons, which will let your Facebook friends know you're looking for some virtual action.
Unfortunately, most of what's talked about above is only available to Xbox LIVE Gold subscribers. Free users will be able to buy video on demand offerings and, in Europe, will have access to live programming provided by public broadcasters. Looks like now, more than ever, is a good time to go Gold if you haven't already.
The new update looks like a promising first step in Microsoft's plan to make the Xbox 360 the preferred entertainment destination for gamers and non-gamers alike. Pour a little out for account recovery (yeah, right), and rejoice, because a host of new features are headed to your console. The new Xbox Dashboard launches December 6th.
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qwimple
Make G4TV come to Xbox Live MEOW!!!
Fuhrer
As someone who owns a PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS, and various other devices for gaming, some of these comments truly make me facepalm and consider selling every gaming device I own so I can avoid them entirely.
I own my PS3, because I actually have the capacity to enjoy their Exclusives.
I own my 360, for the same reason as above.
Not to choose sides, but I noticed a trend. The Ps3 side of the Fanboy spectrum, you see well typed out and easy to read posts. On the other side, Xbox 360, you seem to always come across someone who types like a blind-folded Michael J. Fox using a Touch Screen.
I enjoy both of my systems. I enjoy the games I can find on one system and the ones I can find on the other. (Console exclusives)
Although, to be on subject, the Update is pretty bad. I was in the Preview Program and the UI is terrible. Really terrible. It's like a game of Simon Says if you want to find something.
Spybreak
I miss the ability to customize the dashboard but hey it looks slick though.
ethantrain
ok.... what is a PS3? I am a xbox gamer, i have never heard of such garbage
crazybs
I would have to say, PS3 wins when it comes to be able to play blueray discs. Xbox has a ton of multiplayer people on it. I haven't been able to get back into 360 messenger after some account issues. I'm hoping the update will fix how the messenger is working.
Yay for hating consoles... :P
Which I do with a passion, but there's some fun games on them, that I can rent for 'nothing' instead of buying new PC parts and playing on a more accurate control system. Rabble rabble rabble, I love commenting on nothingness
SOLDIERBOY308
The only part that I don't like is my account going to "Cloud". If I have an option I'm definitely going to opt out.
RandyMercer
Some of these people I share the gaming community with stupid 95% of the comments on this post are stupid. Flat out stupid ridiculous and unnecessary, absolutely outrageous at how little this community has progressed, it's pathetic; when I read the crap that DPxs7 says make me ashamed to be a PS3 gamer when I read stuff from both sides that aid the steady progression of ignorance in the community I'm ashamed to be a gamer. I don't care if you're trolling a troll it doesn't make you any less immature as that idiot. I'm literally outraged at the comments I've seen on this post. The Community kills and is killing the industry; just as much as business and politics within the industry is. Absolutely stunning.
Battlefiend
@DPsx7
You sir are truly an idiot. All you do is complain and complain about COD and Microsoft and waste your life away here bashing them believing people care about what you think. Instead of repeatedly coming on here and trashing things why not add to the conversation for once in your miserable life?
qec
I still think this update is a bummer, but I'm starting to notice some improvements the more I read about it. Like not having to launch specific apps each time you want to use it, mainly zune video because its annoying to have to move through 3 different screens just to get to your video collection. Well that's actually the only one I've noticed so far.
I just really hope that the new UI will be as friendly to us old-school controller based users as it will be to the new-school kinect-types.
CaptCapcom
I have to agree with killer18792 here... Hating on a system is redundant in this Generation. PS3 and Xbox360 both have Great Points, Bad Points... Both play the same games and Both are affordable.
There are only two reasons why someone would bash one system over another... One is you are just an internet troll with nothing better to do, and two, you don't own the one you are bashing and lashing out irrationally out of spite.
I have been beta testing the new Dashboard for a while now... and it's great! Once YouTube gets on there, it will be even better!
killer18792
why is it that on almost every single post about Xbox
live is littered with psn FAN BOYS HATING ON US XBL SUBS IF U DONT LIKE XBOX THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM GO BACK TO YOUR CRAPPY FREE SERVICE ........ AND HOP OFF
cardinalsfan1122
WOW! Xbox fanboys and PS3 fanboys are ridiculous. yes we all have a personal preference, don't fight over it, especially if you don't know what your talking about! This is a nice update, no not everyone will use it but it's there for those that do. And what is up with all the XBL is better than PSN crap, they are almost identical. XBL costs 5$ a month PSN is free, but they are almost the same. XBOX has better party features and Facebook integration, PSN has more exclusives, but both have extensive movie and game libraries, and until this update PS3 actually has more movie services(I know shocked me too). SO get over all your little grievences, this is good for gaming in general because it will get consoles in more people's hands, and spread gaming even more into mainstream, which is good for all games, no matter which console.
P.S. Don't get started on the concentration of annoying kids on XBL or PSN, because we all know that it is all about the game your playing, not the console, plus they make mute buttons for a reason.
xabretooth
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUTUBE ON XBOX
neil420
im pretty sure ps3 sucks
metalblade88
"PSN is better cause its FREE"...
Ya...PSN is for Lazy A$$ drop outs...who are on welfare/still live with there parents.....so they can network with other lazy ass people to complain about people who have money (xbl subscribers). Or the 1%..lol
The idea of replacing the cost of a typical Starbucks coffee with your XBL payment is forgin... because these losers don't have the money for coffee in the first place.
neil420
im pretty sure the bing is the internet duh but then idk
metalblade88
PS owners STILL bragging about the Blu-Ray player....hahaha...Classic.
I can go to walmart and get one for $40 bucks...hahaha
neil420
dude this so insanly sick can not freaking wait til tomorrow to update me xbox 360 !!!
zimmy91
Wow, this is actually impressive, I am still disappointed by one thing. Just one, tiny detail.
Why do I have to deal with a white mini dashboard, why cant I change the colors and themes of it like I used to be able to do?
lowkevmic
Wow...and the hating continues I see. Give it a rest guys, the 360 isn't going anywhere, and it is a very popular console for tons of reasons, the new update being one of them. Nobody cares about PS3's bluray player, but I'm sure it's very nice. Xbox360 fans are just fine with their exclusives, the same exclusives that found it's way to the PS3 after years of crying and whining(Mass Effect anyone??). If you don't want to pay for Live, then don't. But if you want the exclusive content, then suck it up and pay the 5 dollars a month...wait?...really?? All these comments over 5 dollars a month?? That is a clear indication that you either can't afford it, or you're too young to even have a credit/debit card in order to make a one time purchase for the entire year of service. Get back to gamiing and quit your belly aching.
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