Microsoft
Today, Microsoft rolled out the new dashboard update for all Xbox Live members, and with it came a whole slew of new entertainment features. The new update maintains Microsoft’s “Metro” interface, but adds a new tile called “pins”, which allows you to pin your favorite apps, games, or other items to one easily accessible location. Additionally, the TV and Movie tabs have been combined into one channel.
The update also added Internet Explorer to the Xbox, something that users have been eagerly awaiting since the launch of the system back in 2005. It will support HTML5 videos, and you can pin favorites to the main web hub or in the aforementioned “pins” section of the dashboard. Other new additions are the “Xbox Music” and “Xbox Video” apps, which are pretty much just a rebranding of the old Zune apps. The “Xbox Music” app has gotten a little love, as it now has access to the “Xbox Music Pass” – formerly the “Zune Pass” – and will allow you to stream music on your Xbox as well as your playlists from the Zune software on your computer.
Microsoft will also be launching “Xbox SmartGlass” later this week with the launch of Windows 8 phones on Oct. 26. SmartGlass will allow you to interact with your Xbox in many unique ways. It can be used as a touchscreen controller for certain games and apps and can also offer supplementary information for other things you’re doing on your Xbox. For example, while playing a game, it could offer an overhead map of the area showing you precisely where your character is located so you don’t have to keep pulling up an in-game map. During the E3 announcement, it was also hinted that you could use it to draw up and execute plays in Madden.
Although not many specific details have been revealed for it, some games and apps have been confirmed to work with it. All of the following will have some sort of functionality via the SmartGlass app:
Games:
· Ascend
· Dance Central 3
· Forza Horizon
· Halo Waypoint
· Home Run Stars
· Karaoke
· Kinect Sesame Street TV
· Prima Games
Apps:
· Elections 2012
· ESPN
· HBO GO
· MSN
· NBA Game Time
· NBC News
· NOW TV
· Slacker Radio
· TODAY
· UFC
· Univision
It’s also likely that Microsoft’s other flagship titles (Halo, Gears of War, and Fable) will have SmartGlass capabilities, even though none have been confirmed yet. Hopefully, many more games and apps will also adopt SmartGlass in the near future, as it actually looks to be very promising technology.
Unfortunately, the SmartGlass launch will be exclusive to Windows 8 phones, for the time being. There is a planned release for Windows 7 phones, iOS, and Android to get SmartGlass as well, however there’s no set release date for it right now outside of “soon”. For iOS and Android, the SmartGlass app will come via an update to the currently available “My Xbox” app which will add the new functionality and update the name.
Anthony Ortale writes news and reviews on behalf of Examiner.com. He does so much gaming in his spare time, it’s practically a full time job! If you like what you read here, please subscribe to his articles! You can also follow Tony on Twitter, or become a fan on Facebook! If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email Tony any time at ortale.anthony@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you