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Week of April 8, 2007
PS360 Controller: PS3 Sixaxis in Xbox360 Controller Case
>> From Benjamin J Heckendorn (known from the Watercooled Xbox360 Laptop Mod and other cool mods):
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Done on consignment, it's quite obviously PS3 Sixaxis controller guts in the [much better shaped] Xbox 360 controller shell. Check out a video of this thing in action, and read full article for more photos and details of how it was constructed.
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Full Story: benheck.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Lite-On Delayed in Securing OEM Xbox 360 HD DVD Orders
>> From digitimes.com:
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Microsoft originally planned to select Taiwan-based Lite-On IT as a new OEM maker for its Xbox 360 external HD DVD accessory with shipments to begin in April. However, Lite-On IT has had to delay its volume production schedule as it has not yet received product certification from Microsoft, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
Toshiba currently undertakes OEM production of such HD DVD drives which are for sale mainly in the US market, the sources indicated. In order to minimize OEM costs and to prepare for the launch of the HD DVD drives in the Asia Pacific market in the spring of 2007, Microsoft planned to place OEM orders with Lite-On IT, the sources pointed out. While Lite-On IT has devoted R&D effort in order to fulfill the deal, Microsoft has very high product standards which are causing the certification process to take longer than originally expected, the sources noted.
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Full Story: digitimes.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Gentoox: Kernel and ALSA update!
>> From ShALLaX on gentoox.shallax.com:
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Good news! A new kernel has been put into magic. This is the latest stable release of the 2.4 series (2.4.34.2) with all of the Xbox patches along with the previously mentioned networking fix in the config file!
Along with this new kernel is a new version of ALSA (1.0.14rc1). Run magic to install them!
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Official Site: gentoox.shallax.com
Download: n/a, use 'magic' to update your distro
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
(USA) Wedbush: 250k Xbox360s Sold in March
>> From gamasutra.com:
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Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter has predicted a modest 3 percent rise in game sales for March's upcoming NPD U.S. charts to $515 million, on sales of GRAW 2 and God of War II.
Looking specifically at hardware, Pachter assumes Wii will be leading the pack at 400,000 units sold, followed by the Xbox 360, PS2, and DS at 250,000 units each, followed by the PSP at 210,000, and, interestingly, the PlayStation 3 and Game Boy Advance tied at the end with 165,000 units each.
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Full Story: gamasutra.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 Elite delay till November for Europe?
>> From 360-gamer.com:
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Since the announcement of a US release of the Xbox 360 Elite a few weeks back, rumours have been flying around about when the machine is going to land its sleek black shoes in the UK.
However, as Friday afternoon starts to draw to a close, the news of the week hits our desks, as unconfirmed reports suggest the Elite wont arrive 'til November.
A few phonecalls later, and we're informed that the Microsoft has been making pubishers aware of the UK release date over the last week.
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Full Story: 360-gamer.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Is Microsoft’s Xbox 360's Success Really All That Successful?
>> From cinemablend.com:
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As you may have read here on CB Games, Microsoft had some wins and losses with their entertainment division throughout 2006. But while they netted an income from the entertainment division of $2.63 billion at the end of December 2006, according to Internet News, what was the exact costs and catches for the Xbox 360? Well, let's have a look and see what we find.
One of the things we've all wondered about is how well Microsoft is making due with the costly next-gen hardware, considering that the original Xbox was abandoned for being costly, if memory serves me correctly. But Microsoft is apparently faring rather evenly with last year's entertainment division losses (which included the Xbox 360), as the operating downside of $414 million was the total expenditure at the end of 2006.
Hands down, it's quite indisputable that the Xbox 360 has far surpassed its first-generation sibling, in both hardware and software sales. So in essence, it appears the success of the Xbox 360 is quite successful, so far. I mean, it's certainly not a blockbuster success like the Nintendo DS, the Nintendo Wii, or the PS2, but in regards to Microsoft's console efforts the Xbox 360 isn't quite slothing around like the original Xbox. We'll have to track how well Microsoft fares by the end of this year to see if the software continues on an upward trend, especially with triple-A PS3 titles on the horizon.
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Full Story: cinemablend.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Guitar Hero 2 X-plorer not Broken - Patch Coming
>> From xboxic.com:
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While Guitar Hero 2 is an excellent game, it has been plagued by hardware problems, being that the guitar's whammy/tremolo bar does not function properly. Word has just reached us though from Activision that it's not the guitar that's broken but the software.
DIY-artists have already supplied remedies involving taking the guitar apart yourself, but as it turns out it's just anti-cheating software gone hyperactive. Game developer Red Octane's official word on the subject:
"On learning of potential issues with the whammy bar on the Xbox360 guitar, we immediately began extensive testing of both the guitar and the software to isolate any issues with whammy bar functionality and the corresponding causes. Our testing identified a specific software element that may, in certain situations, cause the whammy bar to lose responsiveness. Given that this is a software-driven, an patch is being developed to fix the issue and will arrive as soon as possible via download on Xbox Live. We will confirm soon a target date for this download."
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Full Story: xboxic.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
SAMSUNG Electronics to Release Duo Hd Player
>> From the press release:
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Samsung Electronics Co., LTD., a leader in consumer electronics and digital media technologies, and the first company to introduce a Blu-ray disc player will introduce a dual format High-Definition (HD) optical disc player in time for the holidays.
Samsung's Duo HD player (BD-UP5000) will fully support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats and their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. With the Duo HD consumers can enjoy additional studio content such as trailers, director's comments, more elaborate interactive menus and behind the scene footage. The new Duo HD joins Samsung's next generation DVD line-up which includes Samsung's second generation Blu-ray player available at retail this month. Together, these two models offer the consumer a strong line of High-Definition players to match Samsung's award winning, and best selling, line of HDTVs.
As a member of the DVD Forum and contributor to the DVD Industry, we recognize that both HD-DVD and BD formats have merits. As such, we have decided to market a dual format player. Samsung is flexible to market a stand-alone HD-DVD player whenever consumers demand it. Our main concern is not technology but consumer choice" said Dongsoo Jun, Executive Vice President of the Digital AV Division at Samsung Electronics.
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Read the whole press release on samsung.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft Japan Plans New Trusty Bell 360 Bundle
>> From gamasutra.com:
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As part of its latest efforts to capture more of Japan's elusive marketshare, Microsoft has announced that it will be bringing a new Xbox 360 bundle to market including Trusty Bell, the console exclusive RPG from Baten Kai(info)tos developers tri-Crescendo.
Though specific pricing information has yet to be revealed, the new console bundle will be released on June 14th including a Core edition Xbox 360 (memory pack or hard drive will have to be purchased separately in order to save in the game), the game, and a special soundtrack DVD also offered as a pre-order bonus for those buying the game alone.
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Full Story: gamasutra.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XIR v2 USB Programmer
>> GreenGiant informed us about the release of an USB Programmer for the XIR v2, a mod to turn ON/OFF your Xbox1, en/disable LPC mochips and more with a remote controller:
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After several months of hard work, and many requests by loyal customers, we are happy to release the USB version of the XIR Programming Cable.
Installation takes 2 steps, get the drivers and run the installation.
Using it is even simpler, connect it to the XIR V2's Programming Port, then connect programmer to the USB Port on your pc and your set.
No more slaving away with a serial port.
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Official Site: http://xir.us/xirbeta.aspx and http://xir.us
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
First (official) look at the Xbox 360 Spring Dashboard Update
>> From on10.net (FYI: Microsoft owned blog):
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You might have heard some buzz ;) about a little thing called the spring dashboard update for Xbox 360! You know I had to run right over to see what we'll be getting the week of May 7th. We show you how Windows Live integration lets you IM your gamer buddies from games, from your cellphone, or from work (poor you), and we give you an up-close look at the new Xbox 360 keypad.
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Stream/Download the 23min video podcast from on10.net.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Bungie working on yet more Halo?
>> From xbox360fanboy.com:
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If the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly is to be believed, then Bungie is preparing yet another Halo title. Before anyone can raise a disapproving finger, EGM clarifies that the game in question is neither the episodic project directed by Peter Jackson nor Halo Wars (though EGM notes Halo Wars might see release this year). Nope, this would be a completely separate title apart from Halo 3 and the aforementioned spin-offs.
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Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com and arrogantics.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft's Greenberg Talks Xbox 360 Messenger Specifics
>> From gamasutra.com:
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Microsoft is also working towards its ultimate goal of connecting Xbox Live players to users of Windows Vista and Windows Mobile enabled devices through its recently announced Live Anywhere initiative.
As the latest step towards achieving this goal, Microsoft this week announced plans to bring its Windows Live Messenger to the Xbox 360, as well as debut a mini-keyboard controller attachment for the Xbox 360. Gamasutra spoke with Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox Live and the Xbox 360 to tease out some specifics on the announcement.
* So how will multi-platform Live messaging actually work?
* Chatting with friends across different platforms is simple and seamless. Just like on your PC today, your friends list will tell you if a person is on a computer or mobile device, and once this service launches it will tell you if your friend is on their Xbox 360.
Chatting with IM on your Xbox 360 will support the ability to have 6 different conversations at one time as well as do group chats with 3 different people in one conversation. So ideally you could be on your console and a friend could be at work on their PC and your girlfriend or wife could be on their cell phone all in the same conversation.
You can either use the guide to manage your chats or take advantage of the chat box overlay that you can have up while you are playing a game, watching a movie or TV show.
* What can you tell us about the add-on peripheral mini-keyboard controller? It looks interesting, but also looks like added weight could be a concern.
* It is actually very light and fits perfectly with the controller. I was playing around with it today and you can hardly notice that it is there. It is designed in a way to still have a comfortable feel so that your gameplay should not be affected. Of course, being able to quickly snap it on and off, similar to the headset, allows our consumers flexibility if they don't want it always connected to their controller.
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Full Interview: gamasutra.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Faulty Guitar Hero II Controller Fix
>> From allaboutthegames.net:
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Red Octane confirmed today via its customer support team that unfortunately there is a batch of Guitar Hero II X Plorer controllers for the Xbox 360 with a faulty whammy bar. The problem causes whammy bar movements to either not be registered within the game, or for there to be a slight delay before you whammy bar movements are represented on screen.
Red Octane has promised that unsatisfied customers can exchange their controllers at their place of purchase, or if purchased via their online store, can submit an RMA request and have the faulty controller exchanged.
The problem is isolated to two specific models of the controller, the numbers of which are 95065 and 95055.
However all is not as bad as it seems as we have discovered a remedy to this problem which is as simple as loosening two screws and which does not void your warranty. Carefully follow these simple instructions.
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Full Story: allaboutthegames.net
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
AACS hacked to expose Volume ID on Xbox360 HD DVD Addon
>> From engadget.com:
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In parallel efforts, hackers in both the Xboxhacker and Doom9 forums have exposed the "Volume ID" for discs played on XBOX 360 HD DVD drives. Any inserted disc will play without first authenticating with AACS, even those with Volume IDs which have already been revoked by the AACS LA due to previous hacking efforts. Add the exposed processing keys and you can decrypt and backup your discs for playback on any device of your choosing. Now go ahead AACS LA, revoke the Toshiba-built XBOX 360 HD DVD player... we double-dog dare ya.
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Full Story: engadget.com and forum.doom9.org
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
HD-DVD Winning the European Race
>> From next-gen.biz:
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The Sony backed Blu-ray format has been dealt a blow by the news that a number of independent European studios have decided to release films primarily on Toshiba's HD-DVD format.
Despite trailing Blu-ray sales in Northern America, a Financial Times report claims that HD-DVD appears to be winning the next generation format war in Europe, where 35 films from independent studios such as Studio Canal, Pathe and Filmax have been released on HD-DVD, opposed to just 10 released on Blu-ray.
While admitting that there is a long way to go before a clear victor emerges, Rodolphe Buet, Studio Canal's chief marketing officer, states that the marketing strategies employed by HD-DVD backers were far superior to those of Blu-ray manufacturers.
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Full Story: next-gen.biz
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Quake III Team Arena on XBLA?
>> From xbox360fanboy.com:
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The ESRB is becoming a better resource for leaking Xbox Live Arcade titles than we could have dreamed. This time, it's an entry for Quake III: Team Arena. Granted, the Xbox 360 is not short on shooters, but Quake III is one of the best. Quake III provided some great multiplayer thrills back in tha' day, and it would be a perfect addition to Xbox Live Arcade, especially at a budget price. Quake III is graphically more sophisticated than most XBLA titles, so it's a safe bet that the game will utilize the new 150MB size limit.
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Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com and esrb.org
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 gets H.264, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure in Spring update
>> From redkawa.com:
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Microsoft just dropped a huge video bomb today with the announcement of the Spring Dashboard update to the Xbox 360. Tucked away behind all the hubbub about Instant Messaging and a Keyboard Accessory were these golden eggs:
- H.264 video support: Up to 15 Mbps, Baseline, Main, and High (up to level 4.1) Profiles with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
- Added MPEG-4 Part 2 video support: Up to 8 Mbps, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
Unanswered Questions:
* Is Windows Media Center (2005 or Vista) is required to stream these types of videos?
* Can we stream videos using Windows Media Connect (which basically means any recent Windows PC)?
* Can we playback these videos off of removable storage?
Our Analysis:
This puts Microsoft at the head of the pack in the Apple TV vs PS3 vs Xbox 360 video battle royale. Wth the Xbox 360 you get full 1080p video support (aka H.264 Level 4.1) as well as H.264 High Profile support. The Apple TV maxes out at 720p (Level 3.1) and H.264 Main Profile support. Meanwhile the PS3 supports 1080p (Level 4.1) but only at H.264 Main Profile as well.
Mini FAQ:
* Are you going to update Videora Xbox 360 Converter to support these new formats?
Of course! We will also add a few cool features that PS3 Video 9 users are currently enjoying.
* Will the Xbox 360 play divx/xvid/avi/mkv files?
No, the Xbox 360 will only support the WMV and MP4 containers. It also supports the MPG container but only via Windows Media Center
* Can the Xbox 360 play xvid video streams without re-encoding?
No the Xbox 360 only supports MPEG-4 Part 2 Simple Profile. Xvid videos are encoded as MPEG-4 Part 2 Advanced Simple Profile.
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Full Story: redkawa.com and joystiq.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta Hits Xbox LIVE Worldwide on May 16
>> From the press release:
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Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the multiplayer beta of "Halo 3" will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 5 a.m. PDT and run through June 6 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 console this fall, "Halo 3" is the highly anticipated third chapter in the groundbreaking "Halo" trilogy from legendary developers Bungie. "Halo 3" lets gamers experience Master Chief's greatest battle as he launches an epic mission to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat and ultimately save mankind.
Made possible through Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox LIVE gaming and entertainment network, which provides a robust online service for more than 6 million gamers worldwide, the multiplayer beta for "Halo 3" will give anxious Xbox 360 gamers their first opportunity to get their hands on the new levels, weapons, vehicles and game types, as well as a chance to provide valuable data that Bungie will use in continued development. Starting May 16, gamers who secured their admission to the multiplayer beta either through the "Rule of Three" promotion or by purchasing a specially marked copy of "Crackdown™" for Xbox 360 will be able to don their Spartan armor, download the beta on Xbox LIVE, and jump online using their Xbox LIVE Gold account* to battle other gamers from around the world.
When gamers gather online to play the multiplayer beta via Xbox LIVE in May, they will be treated to three richly detailed, action-oriented maps: Snowbound, High Ground and Valhalla, which represent a mixture of large- and medium-scale combat environments and are brand-new to "Halo 3." Each map will test gamers' mettle as they are placed behind the controls of new "Halo 3" vehicles such as the agile Mongoose all-terrain vehicle, and armed with deadly weapons such as the new and improved Assault Rifle, the ferocious Brute Spiker, the devastating Spartan Laser and the treacherous new Spike Grenades. This is just a taste of what gamers will experience later this fall when "Halo 3" goes on sale.
"'Halo: Combat Evolved' and 'Halo 2' changed the face of console gaming forever," said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. "Gamers from around the world have logged more than 800 million hours on Xbox LIVE playing 'Halo 2,' and years after its launch it remains the No. 1 title on our Xbox LIVE network. Bringing an early look at the multiplayer elements of 'Halo 3' to our passionate fan base is tremendously exciting for us."
Gamers worldwide who did not participate in the "Rule of Three" promotion but are interested in joining the multiplayer beta of "Halo 3" can still participate through the purchase of the critically acclaimed Xbox 360 title "Crackdown," which was launched in February. "Crackdown" sets players loose in a free-form, persistent city for action-packed crime fighting that requires a bigger, faster and stronger hero that evolves as a more efficient weapon through continued gameplay. Each copy of "Crackdown" has been specially marked with a "Halo 3" beta sticker prior to the beta period, and starting May 16 the game will act as a key for gamers to download and participate in the "Halo 3" multiplayer beta.
In addition, gamers who can't wait for the multiplayer beta this May can get an even earlier look at "Halo 3" with a new, behind-the-scenes video feature available at http://www.bungie.net and in high definition over Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Starting today, viewers can go behind the scenes at Bungie Studios to learn about the people, technology and process that are making "Halo 3" an unforgettable multiplayer experience, and to get a taste of what to expect from the upcoming "Halo 3" multiplayer beta. The latest multiplayer video documentary, titled "Is Quisnam Protero Damno!," will offer a glimpse at how "Halo 3" multiplayer maps are being designed, built and architected, and how these amazing spaces are converted into fun places in which to play. Gamers can also catch the first-ever glimpse of brand-new "Halo 3" multiplayer levels in their early stages of evolution and construction.
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And here's the Halo 3 'Multiplayer' video doc dubbed "Is Quisnam Protero Damno!":
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Spring Update: Instant Messaging Comes to Xbox 360 and More Update Details
>> From the press release:
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Your Xbox LIVE friends list is about to get a whole lot bigger. Microsoft Corp. today announced the launch of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360, connecting friends across Xbox 360 consoles, Microsoft Windows-based PCs and Windows Mobile-powered devices. With this update to Xbox 360, friends and families can easily connect and chat directly from their television using Windows Live Messenger, a network of more than 20 billion relationships and more than 260 million active accounts.
Beginning the week of May 7, 2007, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will provide Xbox 360 owners worldwide with access to Windows Live Messenger features, broadening the communication options on the Xbox LIVE social network. Members of the 6 million-strong Xbox LIVE community currently send more than 2 million text and voice messages a day and can now use Windows Live Messenger to text chat with up to six people on their contact list at one time, while playing games, listening to music or watching movies. Text chat adds to the variety of options friends and families already have to communicate with on Xbox LIVE, including voice and video chat.
Current relationships on Windows Live Messenger and Xbox LIVE will be unified on Xbox 360 and users will see at a glance if their existing friends on Windows Live Messenger have gamertags, instantly expanding the breadth of connected experiences they can share online.
"Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger, to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox LIVE has really become the largest social network on television," said Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. "For our growing community of 6 million on Xbox LIVE, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They are using Xbox 360 to play games, music and movies while simultaneously communicating with one another through video, voice and text chat. With this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox LIVE users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360."
Beginning the week of May 7, users of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360 will text chat using the virtual keyboard accessible on Xbox 360, or by connecting a USB keyboard to the console. This summer Microsoft will launch a QWERTY text-input device, a new accessory that will connect directly into the Xbox 360 controller to support text and instant messaging.
Beyond Windows Live Messenger, the Spring Update for Xbox 360 includes hundreds of new features and enhancements including the following:
* A richer Achievement notification pop-up will showcase the name of the unlocked Achievement and the gamerscore value without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list.
* Enhanced family settings features for Xbox LIVE communications enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat.
* A new Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade lets Xbox LIVE members access the content they seek -- whether it is game content or TV shows and movies (available in the United States) -- from one place on Xbox LIVE.
* Updates to Xbox LIVE Arcade allow owners to quickly see which Xbox LIVE Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun. Xbox LIVE members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list. Expanded Tell a Friend capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about Achievements and high scores.
* A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox LIVE Arcade games.
* New progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
* Extension of the background download functionality will allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after downloads are complete.
The Spring Update is free beginning the week of May 7 and is easily accessible to every Xbox 360 owner through Xbox LIVE or on Xbox.com.
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Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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