Microsoft just announced at E3 that they'll be giving the Xbox 360 a total software overhaul this fall. "When people turn on their Xbox 360s this fall, they'll get an entirely new interface and Dashboard, an entirely new Xbox through the magic of software," said John Schappert, head of Live services. New features will include those
fancy new Mii-like 3D Avatars, a new emphasis on community with IM, video chat, and photo sharing, along with a brand new 3D slide interface for the main Dashboard screen. Avatars will be integrated into your GamerCard, but you can also create a "Live party" and invite your friends, with as many as 8 of your three dimensional homies hanging out at once -- though you're not hanging out in an actual 3D environment. You can use your avatar in certain Live Arcade games like Uno, and even in third party titles such as the upcoming Scene It? title. It sounds like Microsoft is taking cues from the Wii, Sony's Home and Facebook all in one fell swoop, not bad at all.
posted July 14th 2008 2:50PM
i know the whole naked brothers band and allies my girlfriend
The 360's old dashboard looked pretty crappy next to the PS3, Wii, AppleTV, etc., with it's random colors, inconsistent shading, and cluttered layout. For all its billions of dollars, Microsoft seemed too cheap to hire a visual designer for their GUIs. But, from the limited shots of the new dashboard, it looks like a huge aesthetic improvement. We'll have to see about function, though.
thanks alot m$ instead of spending the resources on making this crap interface, why dont you make a CONSOLE THAT FRICKEN WONT Die , im sorry but my 360 only lasted a year! for something i spent alot on i want the thing to last aleast three years! and got a refurbished one that was older!
Have they made it play all the video media formats I use yet, thus making the media center extender aspect useful?
I was so excited when I heard about that function only to have it not play a single file I wanted it to. Even after the update that added some divx support, most of my files didn't work.
Kind of like buying a 4-door car but having the rear doors welded shut.
This is jsut stupid. the xbox 360 is set apart from the rest specifcaly for its amazing games and dashboard and microsoft is going and screwing it up. I like gamer pics i like my themes cuz i paid good money for them. the dashboard as it is is very easy, customizable and jsut better than the other consoles. the new dashboard ideas jsut looks kiddy and cute which is why I never bought a wii. The 360 is for hard core gamers and for the older crowd and it seems microsoft is taking on the wii's kid like influence. It doesnt fit at all to me. Plus the "avatars" look like bobble headed figures similar the Gamecubes Animal Crossing. There ruining the 360 in my opinion
I agree totally - this has ruined my Xbox 360 experience. I'll be trading in my Xbox 360 AND my spare (in case of RROD) Xbox 360 for a PS3. MICRO$UCKS RUINS ANOTHER GOOD THING. IDIOTS.
Good God, that sucks compared to the current interface.
still looks like crap to me.....
For god's sake. There are only so many variations of 'boxes next to each other' you can have. It is not a rip off of coverflow. Its similar to the existing dashboard for christssakes, scroll left/right to access different panels.
And so what if it IS taking ideas from other companies? You'd all be moaning how inferior and dated the dashboard interface is. Jeez-us, get over it people.
This looks stupid and it makes me want to get rid of my 360.
You said it! That's exactly what I'll do, get rid of my 360's, if I'm forced to use that little kid interface! I have two 360's and I'll put them both up on ebay!
One thing is shown through this. DESPERATION. This is a sad attempt to recover after the allready awful interface which they set-up in the first place and its quite hard to consider which interface i now like best (Although a have a lot of time to think thanks to a 3rd internal failure with my Xbox). Their little avatars are a mix between Home and Mii's and mash up into a complete disaster which are flavourless ahdn have no charm, let alone originality.
I don't need Netflix and I sure don't want to waste space installing software to my hard drive. I want to save that all for videos and downloaded XBLA games.
I think this is a bad idea!!! Now when I get online I'm called every word in the book because I'm a chick, put a little person up there and let everyone have at it....If no one thought online gaming is bad now just wait tell this comes out!!! BAD IDEA!!
THIS IS TOTAL GARBAGE! If I want a kiddie freakin' interface on my game console I'll get a Wii ( which will never happen ). If Micro$oft forces us to use this infantile UI I will abandon the 360 altogether. I guess my gaming days are rapidly coming to a close. THANKS FOR SCREWING UP MY GOOD TIME MICRO$OFT IDIOTS!
This is utter crap! If i have to use this interface I'll get rid of my 360!
We should start an online petition and tell Micro$oft we don't want this interface.
Something has to be done about this!
I've got one thing to say: "I can haz recon avatar?"
=D
"If you send this message to everyone on your friends list for the next 3 weeks, you can hazz recon avatar"
mabye a next step to microsoft and nintendo there next console
so does this mean that the new dashboard will be an update with xbox live once it comes out???
Will there be any meaningful new features in the fall dashboard update?
I mean OK, I consider Netflix a good and new feature, but a new dashboard look and avatars instead of gamerpics are no features, that is just a facelift.
Which features of the rumored feature list will become true? I would be most interested in finally being able to video chat from the XBox to a PC via the Live Messenger.
Microsoft is trying to be Nintendo, and it is failing. By trying to please younger and older audiences they are abandoning their main customers, ages 16 - 26.
what about a web browser!!!!!!!
I thought the default theme makes it look a bit childish, but with a good theme (http://209.11.233.26/archive/2008/07/16/what-your-themes-could-look-like-in-new-xbox-experience.aspx) it looks really nice.
Very Nice from Micro$oft! It really made me think about my choice. But is the xbox360 going to be able to play games at 1080p without that killing red light? And what about the movies without "HDCP" copy protection, played with HDMI connector? Is this new version equipped with Blu-ray?
At least it got my attention.
Ah, Microsoft. You've run out of ideas and resorted to stealing whatever you can get away with from Apple and Nintendo.
I guess everybody does that once in a while...just look at Apple, stealing their GUI from Xerox way back when...
I do not have an internet access for my XBOX360
How can i get this ??
I do not have an internet access for my XBOX360
So how can i get this ??
I wonder how long it will take for someone to make a mii, woops, I mean "avatar" that looks like a certain male genetalia?
lol, i am becoming convinced microsoft is seriously incapable of coming up with one original idea themselves. this is exactly just a copy of everything currently popular. take a dab of apple, a pinch of nintendo, a tablespoon of sony, and a little microsoft for flavor (which in itself is just a copy of everything else; only not as good) and there you have it, the new xbox 360 dashboard. oh well, im looking forward to seeing this thing anyway.
So is this out right now or is it coming out soon? If it's out, how do i get it? If not, when is it coming out? I can't find a date.
WHHHHHYYYYYYYY!!!! what was wrong with the blaaaaaaaadddeessss!!
Dear microsoft,
I would just like to say what an exelent idea you have, i dont think any other company would have thought of this clever mii thing.
I hope no other company would dream of copying, ripping off, using this great bit of brainwork you have come up with.
kind regards
Nintendo Corporation
Germany.