In what has become something of a ritual, Microsoft is getting ready to trot out the fall update for Xbox Live. The service regularly receives updates, but it's the brown leaf one that generally pushes the console into new territory.
Outside of getting a fancy new look, Xbox Live will get the ability to stream live ESPN sports broadcasts and to integrate with Zune Music. Microsoft added the groundwork for Kinect functionality in the form of natural user interfaces and support for voice controls. Netflix also received an upgrade to its search and UI. Microsoft has yet to announce a firm date for the new features aside from the stated fall release schedule.
ESPN
Microsoft teamed up with ESPN to provide live sports broadcasts via Xbox Live. Using the new channel is fairly straightforward: clicking on the button takes you to an auditorium-like room with five big screens that you can flip between. If you pause for a second or two, the screen in front of you will start up the video stream. Selecting it will take you to a full-screen experience.
Microsoft states that the ESPN partnership will bring more than 3,500 live sporting events to the console and will even give users the ability to watch college teams and out-of-market games. However, live streaming is only available if your ISP is one of those partnered with ESPN.
In terms of social interaction, you'll be able to vote with other Xbox Live users on the winner of the game and even chat with up to seven friends at the same time.
Zune Music
Zune Music puts millions of songs at your beck and call. The service lets you meander across genres, set up playlists and virtual radio stations, and even browse artist information, such as pictures and discographies. It works well. Searching through artists is quick; each letter you punch in narrows down the field of possibilities, saving you the effort of typing full names.
However, anything this robust doesn't come for free. For $14.99 a month you'll have access to all the music you can consume, and the service will even let you keep 10 songs per month.
Netflix
The movie streaming service will now give you the ability to quickly search through the entire Netflix library. You'll also be able to add movies to your queue. The updated preview version of the service worked without a hitch.
Kinect
The new user interface also includes a Kinect-only natural user interface. It's actually an entirely separate UI specifically for Kinect that spreads everything out for you to select using the motion of your hands.
Getting control of the Kinect interface is quick: you simply wave your hand back and forth, and control transfers to that hand. Other people in the room don't interfere, unless they're all busy waving at the Kinect camera as well.
Once you're in control, moving your arm moves the onscreen cursor. After you've selected an icon, holding the cursor in one spot triggers a timer, and once it fills up (which takes 1 or 2 seconds) the item will be clicked. The experience is effective in execution, but a conventional controller is considerably quicker to navigate with.
Kinect Calibration and Tools
To go with the Kinect functionality are specific tools and calibration settings. Kinect doesn't take too long to set up and involves not much more than going through the menu, waving occasionally, and hitting "next" at the correct points. Although from our experience (and this is still in beta), darker skin tones take a little more effort to set up.
Also new is the biometric gamertag, which correctly identifies you when you step in front of the Kinect camera. Once properly set up, the biometric gamertag can automatically log you and your Kinect preferences in. The relatively painless setup process has you stand about the room doing various poses with your arms and body.
Kinect Viewer
The Kinect Viewer tool records and uploads videos to Microsoft to help them fix gesture-related bugs. It's also a great place to see how Kinect registers your movements. The Kinect Voice Collection records voice data to improve the natural user interface. It takes into account such variables as user accents, sex, age, location, native language, and spoken language.
Stay tuned for more Kinect and Xbox Live related information as we progress through the fall. We should also have a video of the update up shortly.
If you want more information regarding Xbox 360's new features, Kinect, and latest updates. Join our discussion in the video game henchmen forums.
Will they finally remove that annoying gray disk that obscures most Xbox 360 themes?
Non kinect users probably wont benifit from this update much. Im in the preview program so we'll see what its all about in a week.
Saw on Joystiq videos of everything. Looks pretty sweet and more mature than the current dashboard. Also Netflix looks awsome now with the search function.
Kinect porn games!!! Wait...what?
when can we press the guide button and choose music to play in game and also tweet or facebook right awayhuh cause that would be cool huh people COME ON IT MUST HAPPEN!!!!
Awesome! I love the Microsoft updates. We actually get updates that do something....Plus they don't take 45 minutes to install. I know it has something to do with a newer dash and Kinect and all the new features were getting. Cant wait till I get Kinect !
no extra fees? well, i guess that monthly fee raise is going to something very useful. .
does someone know if some local games will be backed out?
Huzzah! This feature would have been nice to have last month during the FIBA international basketball tournament.
ve been upset with the lack of ISP's on espn3.com (where it streams from through the xbox) you'd think QWEST would be one of them but NOOOOO. Is there any news that they will stop commy-tom'n it up and expand?
seewt now i can watch base ball with a dude across the earth and play around with my avatar i wonder if they will come out with "X-BOX online dating"?
Hopefully soon so I can watch the Klitschko fight from my Xbox on October 16th. I signed up for the early one and it said two weeks.
How do you determine if your ISP is partnered with ESPN?
@decessus
http://espn.go.com/espn3/affList
Time Warner Cable is currently not on the list, but according to engadget.com, Microsoft said they would be partnering up soon.
he fee isnt too bad. but for anyone who has a perfectly fine laptop with an antivirus and torrent wouldn't be too interested in this.
can we play it in our mics while playing a game can we listen to it well on facebook or do we have to sit there for hours listening well you hear BLEEP BLOOP because your freind wants to play a game
Finally!! Was annoying having to pre-make my instant queue before set up a flick in the living room.
WOW I cant wait this will be sweet now all we need is HULU on X-BOX and were set, also is netflix going to have animae please do
Netflix. This is the best improvement right here
Hell yeah, They Live! That movie's awesome and has a video game connection. Can you guess what it is?
From the description: "The experience is effective in execution, but a conventional controller is considerably quicker to navigate with." Way to go Microsoft, let me get right in line and pay $150 so that I can take more time to navigate through menus...
i wish that we could move the icons where ever we wanted when were on the dash bord and select our own lay out along with the choice of how we can choose music that plays when we boot up the dashboard that would sell me in
this... looks... like....Wii..... : /
does it look like this if i don't have Kinect?
Skynet has begun. I wouldn't trust this thing as far as I could throw it. Who knows what else they "record" for "bug" purposes. Seriously. You turn your XBOX on and next thing this camera is recording you and your girl, or god knows what else. No thanks.
lol at kinect having trouble recognizing "darker skin tones". How long before kanye declares "Microsoft hates black people!"
wait till you can use kinect with your minds then were in trouble
Kinect porn games!!! Wait...what?
@Fusco1989
Move uses a camera. So does the Wii.
But worry not, for I hear that the cameras can be thwarted by use of a simple piece of tinfoil shaped into a hat and placed on one's head.
@deathstream
The Wii uses a sensor, not a camera. This has THREE cameras on it. This and the Wii are nothing alike. Seriously though. It records and uploads videos to Microsoft. I can't wait until someone plays the Kinect naked and it records their "thing" flopping around... it records this "odd" thing and uploads it to Microsoft.
You know people WILL be doing stupid crap with this technology.
I can already hear the privacy lawsuits coming!
Microsoft, I just want to say what a great job on your tech achievements. This looks alot more smoother and well played out.
are these updates the same for canada? because we don't have espn here
@Fusco1989
The Wii uses a camera and a sensor, just like the Move does. The difference is that with the Wii, the sensor is at the TV and the camera is in your hand, specifically, at the end of the Wiimote.
@gc88 everything but espn. Hopefully we see netflix too but im not to sure.
Rubbish. All this other nonsense added is not needed. I care nothing for it at all.
Yawn.
What are we paying $60 a year for again?
ESPN support means nothing to those who live in EU or other territories.Why do I have to pay for something that I can't even use?? Hell,why do I even have to pay MORE than I used to,so that Xbox owners in the States can use this feature???
@deathstream
I guess you can say that. The camera in the Wii controller is a "camera", but not in the sense the Kinect is.
@dub14
I pay $35 for a year of Live. I don't know why you're paying $60 for the same thing. Lol.
People love to complain about anything they can. If they don't LIKE the service, they DO NOT have to use it. Why's that so hard to understand?