Tag Archives: XBL Dashboard

According to a rumor posted over on tech site Win Rumors, Microsoft’s new Xbox Live dashboard update is set to launch next week. The site said it had a look at the update yesterday at the Nokia World event, and has posted a video of its hands-on with the update’s Windows Phone integration and Kinect features. It has been reported previously, that WP7 users can use the phone as a remote control with the dashboard via an app created for the service. A leaked PayPal memo posted back in September, while the dashboard’s beta was ongoing, pegged the new interface for a November 15 release. We’ll send a mail. Thanks, OXM.

More »

Robin Burrowes, Xbox Live product marketing manager for EMEA, has revealed that the new Xbox 360 dashboard slated for release later this year is called Twist Control.

More »

A report over on The Daily states the Zune Marketplace on Xbox Live could be changing into a streaming subscription service. According to an anonymous source at Microsoft, the Zune service could take on the same sort of streaming option Netflix and Hulu Plus offers. It’s unknown if the new initiative will be part of the console’s streaming TV service set to launch in the fall or not, or even if it is part of the rumored Diamond TV service MS was rumored to announce at E3. We’ll send a mail and ask. Thanks, Joystiq.

Minors outside the US can now use Facebook and Twitter via Xbox Live, according to The Major.

Microsoft has released an update allowing the use of the services, as long as parental permission’s given.

The system has to be set in a way afterward, though, so parents won’t have to worry about punching in a code every time their child logs in.

US youngsters can start abusing the services on December 15.

More through the link.

When Netflix gets updated on Xbox Live August 11, users will have to add new movies to the queue via their PC and do it manually.

Granted, the change will happen momentarily on the dashboard, but apparently users will only be able to choose the 50 most recent titles added to a each category. If they want something more arcane or less popular, of to the PC they will have to go.

Ben Smith, director of program management for Xbox Live, lead the team that designed the new Netflix update and says the “Netflix lite” approach was created to give a more “video rental store” experience to customers.

“I think when people come to Xbox they’re not really looking so much for functional, they really want to have fun, they want to be wowed,” he told MTV Multiplayer. “If we find out that people really think it’s hard and they really want to find all movies that begin with “B” or something like that, we’ll definitely go down that path. With Marketplace we did that…there was kind of a compromise.”

More through the link.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Those who were lucky enough to have been picked to checkout a preview of the new Xbox Live Dashboard, can do so now because it is up.

This is according to Engadget.

Dunno if this is the same in Europe or not, but give it a go anyway.

Newness goes live August 11.

Update: Kotaku has videos of it here, here and here.

Update 2: Apparently, Microsoft has revealed that those who have signed up for the public preview should receive the update this coming Monday. All you have to do is sign up and hope you get picked, but there are loads of spots available. Thanks, D’toid .

Twitter and Facebook integration are coming to Xbox Live this Fall. Your living rooms will never be the same.

Mixing with the NXE interface, users will be able to view photos, friends, updates, and add people from the application.

D’Toid has loads of screens for it.

Expect it to launch sometime this fall.