With The Coming Dashboard Update, Your Xbox Might Finally Replace Your Cable Box
likes to bring an update to the look of Xbox Live each fall, and this year's upcoming update is a little different. The Xbox Live Fall 2011 update has been previewed (
▼), and it seems to be inspired by the look of Windows Phone 7. This update will be the most dramatic overhaul since the New Xbox Experience from 2008, and with it brings full Kinect integration and a tile-inspired design. That design is the cornerstone of WP7, but will also appear in what we've seen of Windows 8 so far. Each tab will be displayed on the screen by itself, with the edges of other tabs off on the sides. The dashboard will still have its familiar sections like Games, Video, Music, Apps, and Settings, but will also have a Social tab designed to bring a deeper integration with social media. You'll be able to set "Beacons" that can be seen across Xbox Live and social media sites, letting your friends know which game you want to play tonight. Achievements will also be shareable, so now you can brag to your friends on Facebook the various achievements you've received. In the future Microsoft hopes to have the achievements be shareable right away, but will be kept as a purely optional function.
As for the Kinect integration, voice commands work exceptionally well and let you navigate the dashboard pretty easily. You can switch between the controller and Kinect whenever you'd like, so this just gives you another navigation option. Microsoft is also integrating its Bing search engine into Xbox Live, so now whenever you search for a keyword you will see any games, music, videos, and apps that contain it. From there, you can narrow it down to a more specific search, though the extent of that still has not been set. Hopefully this helps to alleviate the search woes on Xbox Live, since it is currently a bit of a pain to find what you're looking for.
Microsoft is currently in talks to offer TV programming on the Xbox, something more than just having ESPN. While Microsoft did not name any names, it is safe to say that the major cable providers in the US are in discussions to offer programming. Microsoft currently offers British Sky Broadcasting on 360s in England, so perhaps something similar will be offered in the US. Currently, YouTube and UFC will be added to the dashboard at the launch of the Fall update, with more hopefully being announced later. Perhaps we'll soon get an update on when we can get cable TV through the 360, but for now that is still in the discussion stage. Price will also have to be taken into account for TV programming, though perhaps it will be similar to what AT&T U-Verse customers have to do. U-Verse customers need to get a $99 Xbox kit installed by a technician, plus a regular receiver is required, so that could be one possibility for other programming.
The Xbox Live Fall 2011 Dashboard update will be available by this coming holiday season.
