Xbox Live Spring Update

[Paul_G]

Looks like the leaky ship Microsoft has let loose some more information, this time regarding the Spring update to Xbox live. Main new features include

- Releases May 7th.
- Add up to 600 Windows Live Messenger contacts to your Friends List.
- Text chat with up to 6 Live Messenger contacts at once during games or movies.
- The Marketplace will be getting its own Dashboard Blade.
- The Marketplace will be skinned independently of the Dashboard, for special events.
- The Marketplace will be getting a new, easier-to-navigate remake.
- Achievement Pop-ups will now display how many points and which Achievement you have gained.
- Low-power downloading (fans off) and auto-off after finishing queued downloads.
- View partially downloaded video files.

Some of the features sound better than others. I really like the low power downloading, and the extra contacts will be good, though hopefully they'll make a messenger contact and a friend one and the same thing eventually, because I have a lot of friends i'd like to keep track of.

While this is a rumour for now, there is video evidence to back it up, and i thought beyond that, it might be a good place to generally discuss what we'd like to see coming in the future.

 

[infinity4]

16:10 patch ftw

 

[Dave Baumann]

- Achievement Pop-ups will now display how many points and which Achievement you have gained.
- Low-power downloading (fans off) and auto-off after finishing queued downloads.

These are the primary two that make me go "w00t!".

The messenger ones are a little interesting in one sense, but then its really begging to have a keyboard, which, for some reason, also leans me to think that this is really wanting a web browser next.

 

[Paul_G]

These are the primary two that make me go "w00t!".

The messenger ones are a little interesting in one sense, but then its really begging to have a keyboard, which, for some reason, also leans me to think that this is really wanting a web browser next.

Yep, I like the achievements one too, though i don't play so much, so my score isn't great. Can definitely see the usefulness though. I agree about the keyboard though, I'm thinking of getting a second USB one for that purpose

 

[AlNom]

hm... do wireless keyboards work with the 360?

I like that you can finally watch videos as you download them. It's kind of annoying waiting for that last ~20% or so of the video to finish before you can watch it. By the time you even get to that point in the video the download should be nearly complete.

While this is a rumour for now, there is video evidence to back it up, and i thought beyond that, it might be a good place to generally discuss what we'd like to see coming in the future.

TXB has a video up. I think they cite Gamespot as flipping off the embargo.

 

[Paul_G]

hm... do wireless keyboards work with the 360?

I like that you can finally watch videos as you download them. It's kind of annoying waiting for that last ~20% or so of the video to finish before you can watch it. By the time you even get to that point in the video the download should be nearly complete.



TXB has a video up. I think they cite Gamespot as flipping off the embargo.

God bless gamespot The link i provided had a video too

 

[3dcgi]

I don't know if this will enable exactly what I want, but I'm looking forward to the integration with Windows Messenger. Not so I can text chat from my Xbox, but so I can be on Xbox live via my PC. Sometimes I'm available to play, but none of my friends are online so I continue doing something else. It would be great if Windows Messenger could notify me on the PC when a new friend logs on or when I get a message.

My current hack is to periodically check for friends and messages via xbox.com.

 

[Inane_Dork]

The downloading stuff is cool. I could really use that.
Overall, there's nothing interesting here. Just average stuff.

Hopefully, the Fall '07 update will be more impacting. And no, IPTV support is not impacting.

 

[Rangers]

Some of these will be awesome

-marketplace blade
-preview downloading vids

 

[kyleb]

I just wish they would let us turn off notifications for people simply logging on. I know you can turn off all notifications but I do like to see when I get a message or an invite, I just don't need to know that some on my friends list turns on their 360 every other minute. I could do with an option to turn of achievement notifications as well as I couldn't care less, but I suppose it is nice that they added the points for those who do care.

 

[pipo]

I don't know if this will enable exactly what I want, but I'm looking forward to the integration with Windows Messenger. Not so I can text chat from my Xbox, but so I can be on Xbox live via my PC. Sometimes I'm available to play, but none of my friends are online so I continue doing something else. It would be great if Windows Messenger could notify me on the PC when a new friend logs on or when I get a message.

Seconded. From the video it seems like this will be the case. They also say you can see what games people are playing in messenger.

Good stuff.

 

[D3v0ur3r]

Anyone know if the little webcam for the 360 will then be able to be accessed by windows messenger after the update or is there a way for none 360 owners to view the cam?

 

[Sis]

Anyone know if the little webcam for the 360 will then be able to be accessed by windows messenger after the update or is there a way for none 360 owners to view the cam?

I'm not sure what you're asking. If the question is: Can I use the Xbox 360 webcam on a windows PC with Windows Messenger, then the answer is yes--I've done it. If the question is: Can we do video chats between Xbox 360 and Windows Messenger, then the answer is: I donno.

 

[PARANOiA]

Edit, nevermind.

By the way, I just hope Marketplace is a little more responsive. Browsing a web page is usually faster than browsing Marketplace. It should theoretically just be reading raw data back to a custom UI. I expect lightning fast speeds, please.

 

[D3v0ur3r]

I'm not sure what you're asking. If the question is: Can I use the Xbox 360 webcam on a windows PC with Windows Messenger, then the answer is yes--I've done it. If the question is: Can we do video chats between Xbox 360 and Windows Messenger, then the answer is: I donno.

What I am asking is. The 360 will soon work with messenger according to this spring update. If I buy a 360 Live Video cam will people without a 360 be able to see the people using the 360 & the Live cam over windows messenger. Since Windows messenger already supports webcams it seems reasonable that the added support to the 360 would allow this. I have twin boys that play the 360 & there Grandmother in another state would love to watch them playing on the cam if she could see it through messenger, media player, or Zune. However possible if possible.

 

[AzBat]

Spring Update is official:

http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20070408/AQM03609042007-1.html

Anybody think that maybe the additional blades might eventually crowd the screen too much? Don't get me wrong, I totally love the new Marketplace blade. But aren't they going to be adding IPTV blades, etc in the future? Or do you think that's this is the last blade they may ever add?

P.S. Would be interesting to see what this new update does on 4:3 SDTVs. I don't own one anymore, but I wonder if they ironed those kinks?

Tommy McClain

 

[Skrying]

Do all the blades show even if you're not going to use them?

 

[-tkf-]

also leans me to think that this is really wanting a web browser next.

There isn´t a Web Browser in the 360, you gotta be kidding?

 

[DuckThor Evil]

There isn´t a Web Browser in the 360, you gotta be kidding?

Xbox is not meant to compete with MS's Windows business, although one might argue that there would be room to put Browser in there without stepping on anyones' toes, but it remains to be seen. I personally coulnd't care less about it as my PC handles that just well.

 

[Malibu]

Some more info

Also, Johnson said that downloading speed through Xbox Live will be more efficient, perhaps up to three times faster in some cases (not just for Background Downloading, but any downloads).

Johnson indicated that this dashboard update will encompass hundreds of new features, and we were only provided a small list of the main ones. After the update is pushed through, a more complete list will be offered, including the video codecs that are being added to enable you to view more file formats (such as MPEG 4 and H.264 video) via your Xbox 360.

The word “dynamic” came up at one other point, when Johnson said it’d be mch easier to make these kinds of changes to Xbox Live in the future. It’s altogether possible that the dashboard updates won’t require a service outage anymore, but instead the next update will include the ability for Microsoft to make changes on demand and push new features out as it desires, when it desires.

Edit: Even more info