Search the Xbox Marketplace, send messages to friends, check your gamerscore, and more on the go.
Microsoft has made a bold move this week toward expanding Xbox into the mobile world by releasing two official Xbox 360 apps, one for iOS and one for Windows Phone 7. The version for iOS devices, called My Xbox Live, is focused more on social features. It allows you to sign into Xbox Live — provided you have a silver or gold level account already — and do things like see your friends' current status, check your gamerscore, send and reply to messages, view your Achievement progress across all your games, and modify the look of your Avatar. There's also a Spotlight channel featuring 360- and game-related videos to view on your device.
The version for Microsoft's own Windows Phone 7 platform, called Xbox Companion, interacts directly with your Xbox 360 console, almost like a fancy remote control. While it lacks the social features of the iOS app — these are actually found in another, already available WP7 app called Xbox Live Extras — it does allow direct control of your Xbox 360 if they're on the same network, the ability to launch games directly from your phone, and a way to search all of the Xbox Marketplace's game, video, and music content.
Both apps are designed to work with the refreshed Xbox 360 Dashboard interface rolled out by Microsoft earlier this week. Join us for a look at what both apps have to offer in the following slides.
My Xbox Live (iOS): Home Screen
The Home screen on the My Xbox Live app for iOS contains similar content to the Home screen on the new Xbox 360 Dashboard. Specifically, it features the Spotlight channel, a selection of videos updated daily that focus on various Xbox 360 games, promotions, and features. They include the likes of Major's Minute hosted by Xbox Live programming director Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, and Insider Moves, which provides tips and hints for popular games.
My Xbox Live (iOS): Social Screen
The Social screen of the My Xbox Live app offers options for finding and communicating with your Xbox Live friends. These include access to your friends list, sending and receiving messages, and setting beacons. Beacons are a new feature introduced with the latest Xbox 360 Dashboard update. They let you specify which games you'd like to play with friends, so you'll receive specific alerts when friends are playing them, and they can see that you want to play those titles.
My Xbox Live (iOS): Friends Screen
On the Friends screen of the My Xbox Live app, you can see a list of all your Xbox Live friends and whether they're currently online or offline, and what (if any) game they're playing. By tapping on their name, you can bring up their profile information along with their Avatar, which animates in real time.
My Xbox Live (iOS): Games Screen
On the Games screen of the My Xbox Live app, you can view a list of all the Xbox 360 games you've played, arranged in chronological order. It displays the Gamerscore you've earned for each game and the number of Achievements you've unlocked for each. If you tap on the game name, you're taken to a list of all available Achievements for it, sorted by earned and unearned. You can tap on any of these to see the conditions for unlocking it
My Xbox Live (iOS): Messages Screen
You can send and receive messages via Xbox Live by tapping on the envelope icon located at the top of every screen in the My Xbox Live app. For sending messages, you can select multiple recipients from your Xbox Live friends list. When reading received messages, you have the option to reply. Messages sent from your iOS device to console players will appear for them immediately, and vice versa.
My Xbox Live (iOS): Avatar Screen
Accessible from the Social screen in the My Xbox Live app, the Avatar screen lets you view the appearance of your Xbox Avatar, swiping your finger to rotate it and tapping to make it react with humorous animations. Shaking your device will even cause your Avatar to fall down. There are options to change your Avatar's facial features, hair, and other physical appearance options from within the app, as well as the ability to change (but not purchase) the clothing they're wearing.
Xbox Companion (WP7): Home Screen
The first screen you'll see when loading the Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 is the Home screen. From it, you can view spotlighted content along with a list of recently used games and apps. By tapping on the items in this Quick Play list, you can launch them directly on your console. Note that your console and WP7-based device must both be connected to the same wireless network in order to communicate with one another.
Xbox Companion (WP7): Featured Screen
On the Feature screen of the Xbox Companion app, you can browse through a selection of content from the Xbox Marketplace recommended by the Xbox Live staff. Tapping on them takes you to a detail page where you can choose to view additional details about them directly on your console.
Xbox Companion (WP7): Bing Screen
Bing search is a big part of the new Xbox 360 Dashboard, and it's supported in the Xbox Companion app. Simply type in what you're searching for, and the app will display a list of related content from the Xbox Marketplace. Tapping on the items takes you to a screen with more details, including the option to view the content for purchase on your console. The Bing page also features a list of the most popular search terms currently in use by Xbox Live users.
Xbox Companion (WP7): Game Screen
This is the detailed description of games, movies, music, and other content you can view from within the Xbox Companion app. It allows you to view the content directly on your Xbox 360 console for purchase and download. This screen is also where you can set beacons to let your Xbox Life friends know which games you're in the mood to play. When Xbox Live sees that friends are online playing games you've set beacons for, it alerts you.
Xbox Companion (WP7): Beacon Screen
From the Beacon screen for a game, you can see how many of your online friends are currently playing it, how many have beacons set for it, as well as enter a message you'd like displayed along with the beacon. For example, you can set a beacon for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and let your friends know that you're looking to play at a specific time, or on a certain day.
In addition to the features we've detailed, the Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 also lets you use your WP7 device as a limited controller for your Xbox 360. With it, you can move up, down, left, and right within the Dashboard, select items, and use the A, B, X, and Y button functions.
