Microsoft reveals revamped Xbox dashboard

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 …

[SteveBalmer]

Microsoft still flogging the Kinnect dead horse?

I mean how many jumping/waving shovelware games can they pile onto it?

Our local CEX/Game/GamesStation/CashConverters are all chock full of Kinnect systems...

[Chris Harrison]

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?

[Atonnis]

Perhaps...

You should consider looking over the E3 announcements and trailers. The Kinect integration into Mass Effect 3, for example, already looks excellent.

[G4Z]

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!

[Anonymous Coward]

Voice control

"Xbox..please play a good movie by William Shatner.."

"Xbox?"

"Xbox???"

"XBOX!!!"

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

[YARR]

If they don't drop subs, then no Xbox 1080 3D for me.

OK so we should be thankful to MS for innovating and leading the industry with Xbox Live, but Sony have (pretty much) caught up and come the next generation MS wont be able to justify a subscription premium any more. Plus most games are hosted on someone else's console, not on a dedicated server!

Currently it's all or nothing, and a monthly fee isn't worth it for gamers who only go online to play one or two games a year. If basic online play was free, I'd be more inclined to buy content. They should charge for premium features instead like rankings or clan matches for (non-PC) pro gamers and exclusive previews.

[Anonymous Coward]

Bye Bye, Media Centre

...not because I think 'Xbox TV' is better than what MCE has to offer, but because Microsoft does.

[Bailey]

Don't diss the Shatner, dude...

ST2 - Wrath of Khan... well, everything excluding the bit where he shouts Khhhhhhaaaaaaaaaan.

[Anonymous Coward]

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.