Microsoft reveals revamped Xbox dashboard
Remote control out; gesture, voice recognition in
Microsoft announced the next update to its Xbox dashboard yesterday, bringing a host of new features into play, including the introduction of voice search using Bing on the console which will be integrated with the firm's motion sensor tech, Kinect.
While Apple was busily trying to outplay Microsoft with its iCloud announcement yesterday, Redmond decided to tell its customers to speak to their TV and tell it what they want to view and listen to.
The update includes Bing on the Xbox searches services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus and ESPN, explained Microsoft. The revamped dash also looks at music, video and Xbox Live Marketplace to help customers track down the entertainment they want access to.
The software maker has also slotted YouTube into the mix, allowing its Xbox Live users to play videos from the Google-owned site.
In effect, Microsoft is beefing up its 360 box to be a one-stop streaming service shop for the consumer market. The new features won't debut until the autumn, however.
Microsoft was light on details about its new live TV service. It did say that it would have similar functions to the company's current IPTV services geared toward the Xbox.
The vendor has already inked live television deals with Sky TV in the UK, Canal+ in France and Foxtel in Australia over the past two years.
It said it planned to expand access to live television programming on Xbox 360 to US and worldwide providers over the course of the next year. ®
COMMENTS
Really threatened aren't we?
Either you have an strange unhealthy interest in something you don't own, or you're a PS3 fanboy still trying to justify your purchase.
Whichever it is, its really quite pathetic isn't it?
Voice control
"Xbox..please play a good movie by William Shatner.."
"Xbox?"
"Xbox???"
"XBOX!!!"
Really?
I own and only play two games on my 360 ( both Fallout! ) , I wanted to play media but MS saw fit to cripple that ability on the 360 so the original XBOX with XBMC is still in service. When MS decide to add some half-decent video codecs to the 360 I might buy a few more bits for it. F**k me, if the free VLC can play practically anything on the planet without any licensing issues, surely a huge megacorp tech company like MS could add a few decent codecs?
Oh sorry of course stupid me, it's so you have to buy a Windows license to stream content so MS get even more money off you! Sorry, Linux NAS box and Apple Macs available at home.
I just wish
They would get rid of the subscription fee. You really do not get anything for a gold account other than access to play YOUR game networked over the PUBLISHERS servers anyway.
This would also then pave the way for BBC iplayer on the xbox.
would love to see more kinect integration
At the moment it is very patchy and limited what you can do with the voice control. I can't wait to see what they do with this overhaul.
I really wish they would fix MCE on the xbox as well because at the moment it's unusable and I have to just use tversity with the video/music menu in the dashboard which works fine but isn't very easy for my girlfriend to manage.
Really hope they deliver a big improvement!
