http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/24690/...date-Detailed/
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The yearly Xbox 360 dashboard update is going to focus on three main areas according to Microsoft. Redmond says that the next update will focus on performance, usability and search. They hope to achieve these objectives by adopting a user interface similar to the Windows 8 Metro design and enhanced Kinect controls.
The new user interface can either be guided using the controller or with voice recognition through the Kinect Sensor. You select different options/items with the joystick just like you always have or you can simply say "Games", "Zune Marketplace" or "Facebook" and the Xbox will jump right to the appropriate section.
Microsoft has also built its search technology Bing to the next dashboard. You can search content across all areas of the Xbox including TV shows, Movies, Games, Demos and Add-ons. In an example Microsoft says you could say "Bing Batman" and the console will display movies like Batman Begins and upcoming titles like Batman Arkham Asylum.
"The definition of a game console is changing over time. What people expect and want is changing” - Albert Penello, Director of platform marketing @ Microsoft.
While speaking to Gamasutra the topic of Indie Games came up. We know that many in the TeamXbox community are passionate about the smaller titles. Some feel that the Indie titles don't get enough exposure when compared to XBLA and Games on Demand titles. Penello believes that the new user interface will help players find even the most obscure titles. “The goal is to solve a lot of those types of problems, through search, through just general UI improvements – making that stuff easier to find.”
Xbox owners are known for sharing their achievements. Whether it is your 50,000 gamerscore or that Seriously 2.0 achievement that took you months to accomplish, Xbox 360 owners take pride in their achievements. Microsoft hopes to make sharing your accomplishments easier with "beacons" and improved social networking integrations. Your achievements will be able to be posted straight to you facebook wall. Beacons allow you to send a quick message to all of your friends letting them know which games you want to play with them.
What are your thoughts on the announced features for the Fall Dashboard Update? Will you make use of the enhanced Kinect controls or Bing search features? Let us know in the comments section. The fall update is planned to be rolled out before the end of the year.
The new user interface can either be guided using the controller or with voice recognition through the Kinect Sensor. You select different options/items with the joystick just like you always have or you can simply say "Games", "Zune Marketplace" or "Facebook" and the Xbox will jump right to the appropriate section.
Microsoft has also built its search technology Bing to the next dashboard. You can search content across all areas of the Xbox including TV shows, Movies, Games, Demos and Add-ons. In an example Microsoft says you could say "Bing Batman" and the console will display movies like Batman Begins and upcoming titles like Batman Arkham Asylum.
"The definition of a game console is changing over time. What people expect and want is changing” - Albert Penello, Director of platform marketing @ Microsoft.
While speaking to Gamasutra the topic of Indie Games came up. We know that many in the TeamXbox community are passionate about the smaller titles. Some feel that the Indie titles don't get enough exposure when compared to XBLA and Games on Demand titles. Penello believes that the new user interface will help players find even the most obscure titles. “The goal is to solve a lot of those types of problems, through search, through just general UI improvements – making that stuff easier to find.”
Xbox owners are known for sharing their achievements. Whether it is your 50,000 gamerscore or that Seriously 2.0 achievement that took you months to accomplish, Xbox 360 owners take pride in their achievements. Microsoft hopes to make sharing your accomplishments easier with "beacons" and improved social networking integrations. Your achievements will be able to be posted straight to you facebook wall. Beacons allow you to send a quick message to all of your friends letting them know which games you want to play with them.
What are your thoughts on the announced features for the Fall Dashboard Update? Will you make use of the enhanced Kinect controls or Bing search features? Let us know in the comments section. The fall update is planned to be rolled out before the end of the year.
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