“You don’t need to invent anything, you just have to do traditional research where you look at history and then compliment that with scientific research where you’re trying to do something new. That can lead to a lot in the business and technology sectors these days” – Bill Buxton
A chat with Microsoft Principal Researcher Bill Buxton, Part I
Source: Engadget.com
Microsoft’s New Xbox Experience has been pored over and dated, but now that Major Nelson has revealed it requires “at least” 128MB storage available to work, where does that leave suckers Core and Arcade SKU Xbox 360 owners? Enter the Xbox 360 Memory Upgrade Program, doling out free 512MB MU’s or $20 20GB HDDs to Core owners, and a $30 20GB HDD + 3 months of Xbox Live package to Arcade owners looking to upgrade. November 19, Xbox Live becomes a storage-only affair (that goes for Netflix streams too, requiring 8MB of free space), so grab your serial number and console ID from the current Xbox 360 Dashboard and hit the registration website. Impressive customer service gesture to extend functionality for all, or more evidence of a short sighted and flawed dual-SKU launch plan that’s cost gamers and developers alike? All we know for sure is we’ve probably figured out where the profits from those $149 120GB HDDs are going.
Tags: XboxExperience, Microsoft, Xbox Live Experience, Xbox 360
Source: Blorge.com
This generation has seen a new battleground for the console wars: the online community offerings. Up to now, few would argue that the Xbox 360 has ruled the roost, with Xbox Live offering a brilliant and user-friendly place for gamers to congregate. But the battle lines are now being redrawn as the all-new Xbox Live attempts to go up against Home on the PS3.
The Tokyo Game Show has brought few surprises, but some interesting announcements, nonetheless. In terms of the new online offerings from both companies, Sony confirmed that its long-awaited Playstation Home service, exclusive to the PS3, will be here by the end of the year; while Microsoft announced details of its New Xbox Live ‘Experience’ – coming to a 360 near you on November 19th.
Home has been a long time coming and there are still mixed views over whether it will actually live up to the hype built over the past three years. It’s still not quite here, currently stuck in private beta, but a full, open beta has been promised before the end of 2009.
Home will allow PS3 owners to create an avatar and decorate their own apartment. They will then be able to live out a virtual life, online, in a kind of Second Life way. Community will be the order of the day, with meeting new people, chatting, hanging out together and generally cohabiting being the main bulk of the experience.
Other features will include a virtual cinema, showing movies, stores by companies such as EA, Rockstar, and Sega, and of course the chance to play against other gamers online for free.
The New Xbox Live ‘Experience’ demonstrates a whole new way of thinking by Microsoft. According to an interesting look at the new online playground by CNET, the Experience is mostly about the new avatars, which themselves are just a rip off of Wii Miis.
Another new feature will be ‘Parties’, a new way of interacting with friends and keeping track of who’s playing what. But apart from that, there doesn’t look to be too much to get excited about. And to be honest, I can see many Xbox Live veterans not being happy at the changes, clearly intended to appeal to the more casual end of the gaming spectrum.
I can see both services having difficulties for a few months, with Xbox 360 owners struggling to adapt to the changes while PS3 owners will have to come to grips with the complete change of pace on their network. In the end though, despite all the difficulties, delays and disappointments in getting Home here, I think it’ll prove to be the ultimate winner.
Tags: Microsoft, Opinion, PS3, PlayStation 3, Sony, Xbox 360, Xbox Experience, Xbox Live
While you worrying about Xbox Live being down for another 4 hours last night, a new feature was added to the New Xbox Experience feature list. Xbox Live users who this fall take advantage of the Netflix Instant Stream service, can now experience Starz Play. Starz and Netflix inked a deal to provide Netflix users with Starz Play access as part of there Netflix subscription.
Not stoping there, Netflix also added CBS and ABC to their list of partners. This fall Netflix will have all CBS and ABC shows on demand 24 hours after its original show time. These deals add significantly to a growing library of over 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly through your Xbox 360.
Source: Analoghype.com
Tags: XBOXLive, XBOX Experience, XBox Live Experience, Netflix, Starz Play
Source: Analoghype.com
With Xbox Live down for maintence, everybody is digging for more information on the upcoming Xbox Live experience. Saturday, Xbox released a new site to preview some of the features for the new experience. They may have released more information then they wanted. If you look at this video with Xbox Live General Manager, they come across a “Browse” feature very breifly.
This may be reaching or wishful thinking, but only time will tell.
Tags: XBoxExperience, IE7, Xbox 360, XBox Live
