Xbox Live update preview program now rolling out
By Ross Miller 
posted Oct 22nd 2009 10:28PM
posted Oct 22nd 2009 10:28PM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Please note: If you're a current Engadget commenter, you do not need to re-register. Simply login and you will be prompted to select a username.
I got in :D.
Is this really a big deal? I enjoy my xbox like any other gamer... but this "update preview" crap? :S makes me think of when IGN makes you pay to play an Open beta. It's just hype for nothing.
ZOMG a limited featured Facebook app on my xbox? Awesome I can't wait! Will there be annoying ads like in the real Facebook?
/sarcasm
I got kicked off xbox live in the middle of a Halo game to get in. -1 EXP Point, +1 facebook, 0 Last.fm (not for Canada?).
@n0ne:
You honestly think that open betas are a bad thing? You get people to sign up for something that they are obviously paying attention to (non gamers and non blog readers likely wouldn't have known about the preview) and they find your bugs and feel like they are in on the action. It's great for Microsoft, it's great for the end user.
Open betas tend to yield great results. Hell, remember the Halo 3 Multiplayer Preview? It was pretty buggy at first but when the real release came, most of the bugs in the multiplayer gameplay were gone. Weapons were optimized for the most even matches. Spawn points were changed. It led to great things.
holy shit, i don't want to see my friends on facebook on a 52 inch screen. except the ones with boobs. mmmm.
Not talking about normal Open beta's, I'm talking about the paid ones... You know the fake Open Beta's that are more demos to advertise than anything...
Hard drives still working?
First report says yes :)
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=694303
Better link: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=694300&st=0&#
Seems really nice ive been watchign the Yankees game but in between commercials ive tried out the facebook/twitter app the Twitter app seems to be the Nicest of the apps will have to see how last.fm is
GO ANGELS!
The 1080p streaming seems to work as promised. I was a little disappointed that the Zune video rentals are not available on three screens, only purchases. Facebook is great for looking at photos on the big screen...Q
but they only have to do some renaming and it becomes Sky.Net
Thanks to Richard Lawler for the info on this...feels like we've been waiting forever for some new stuff and this came just in time...Q
Facebook integration interests me - but, its not for really much more than letting people know you are playing Borderlands or COD4 and too buys to be bothered with them.
Too bad Xbox 360 doesn't have a web browser cause I wish I could use it to watch Youtube, rather than rely on PS3 or Wii.
No built in WiFi isn't helping either.
And what's with the character creation? Why did they bother to copy Wii? Those characters add NOTHING to the xbox live experience.
You may be able to unload your unwanted 360 on Ebay. Then you wouldn't be bothered by it so severly...Q
Built-in WiFi? "What's with the character creation"? Did you just crawl from under a rock? The XBOX did "copy" that from the Wii, but that was done in a system update a WHILE ago....Built-in WiFi...did you think a system update will give you that?
Too bad another 360 RRoDeath me.
Bummer dude.
Hopefully you're still able to count your rrod consoles on one hand.
Kinda sounds too good to be true with all this stuff.
The only thing that bothers me now is how long it will take to type in a twitter update.
http://www.2pstart.com/2009/10/07/tweet-the-deets/
deleted my facebook couple months ago.. anyways, I don't have an xbox yet.. still debating between 360 or ps3 + GT5 bundle whenever that comes out.. what do you guys think?
which one is better for madden and baseball games?
@Rube PS3 just Cause MLB The Show is quite simply the best reviewed baseball game and most detailed games ever made Best baseball game ive ever played
Well all Madden games are developed for the 360 and ported to the PS3. In theory that means the 360 should be a little better, but in Madden 10 I didn't see any difference. Here's what you'll see in a lot of games that are made for 360 and ported to the PS3 (watch the embedded video): http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3176576. I would get an Xbox 360, but if all you're playing is sports games (and don't plan on playing online), it really won't make a big difference. PS3 does have MLB the Show, which is exclusive to PlayStation if you're interested.
thanks for the comments and interesting link.
GT5 will be an awesome game, well awesome exclusive. The PS3 is not bad at all on the PSN network, not quite Xbox live, but fine for multi-player gaming. If you go the PS3 way, get uncharted 2! But if you go 360, Halo Reach will be awesome (in a year!)
I received the prompt to update my Xbox 360 like 45 min ago! Facebook is really great - don't feel the same about Twitter
Pretty cool that I'm able to watch Tony Jaa's Ong Bak 2 a day early AND in 1080p... better than it would look at the theater!! (little expensive, though)
I think it's great how they thought to include an update that includes things that use text, aka Twitter and Facebook updates.
I thought I would never get one of those expensive controller keyboards since I'd just leave voice messages.. genius Microsoft, genius!
(Well I guess I could just hook a USB keyboard up to the 360... but that would be really goofy and I should just use a computer then.)
Of course I have computers to do all of that, but if you're on a computer, why would you even be using 140 char. Twitter? Just seems really silly unless you are on a mobile device, because otherwise you would just use Facebook or Myspace.
Hopefully you can update achievments and whatnot to Facebook like I've seen in random screenshots, that would be a nice advantage over using a PC to Facebook :P
I think it'll be great Tweeting on Xbox, when there's really nothing to do but spurt out random comments to the world (during loading screens.... if you can Tweet in game.)
I don't really care about the Zune Marketplace integration since my computers have larger hard drives to store random videos (if podcasts and web videos will be included), and I could just hook them to the TV if they worth 40 in. screen worthy, and if it's a movie I'd just rent it on Xbox Live to begin with. No point in watching HD podcasts on the TV (or Zune for that matter since I don't walk to commute), unless of course they scale the HD podcasts to be HD on your tv.. Haven't tried that yet.
wait, so can you get this if you have a silver membership. is it a preview for gold?
If you only have silver, then Facebook and Twitter will be unavailable to you- they are Gold only. Last.fm works, but there is a (3 hour?) trial period before you have to be a gold member.
You will be able to watch movies and tv shows (and podcasts and web videos if included) with other people that are on Xbox Live though, right? That would top it off for me, although my girlfriend would be jealous if she ever found out that I'm watching movies with other people instead of her :P
But the rentals are in 1080p and they stream instantly now. It's better....end of story...Q
Last.fm is very well done, I see myself using it a lot more than the other new apps, although they are nice. Music is scrobbled to your profile, contrary to rumor, and the radio stations are very Pandora-esque with picture slideshows and whatnot.
You could say that pandora is very last-fm-esque since last fm has been around a lot longer.
I got in.. not bad...
awww... No preview for me upon log-in :'(
yee son, got in!
btw im silver member
I didn't sign up until October 19th = I'm probably not in for a few days or at all. When did you guys sign up?
This is the first update that has absolutely nothing that interests me. I just hope it doesn't screw up my HD.
Last 2 updates didn't do anything for me, other than faster loading time. They are targeting the updates towards their cash cow, the gold user. If enough people are willing to pay for it, then they would be stupid not to charge for it.
just finished upgrading mine...
Child Accounts (accounts below 18 years of age) get screwed in this update! Signed up mainly for facebook feature BUT since my account is 17 years of age, im not allowed to do this (or even access twitter/last.fm). what a waste of an update for just the zune marketplace
AM IN!!! Update is nice
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs202.snc1/6916_1237520294754_1131638528_30732213_2297330_n.jpg
go to that link for a quick preview shot of the Last FM ;)
Well I didn't get in, yet. Hopefully in the morning when I check again.
Hope I get in by morning too. Facebook, twitter, 1080p is gold on Xbox.
There's a video on the update in the Xbox Live video archive.... in the E3 section. Shows a much better screenshot of Last.fm and real usage of Facebook and Twitter.
I keep turning on my Xbox trying to ping the update (no... I know it won't PING it.. but I do have my fingers crossed and keep turning it on. RRoD here I come!)
Come on MS I want to play and give valuable input! :) Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaseeeeeee!
Ok, so I downloaded the zune client for pc to download a movie. Sharing with the xbox is really really nice. I might actually use zune at least one more time. lol
#XboxTweet is trending too.
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23XboxTweet
Got in. The upgrade its nice. The new features are confusing to find and load up. They should be in my xbox section for twitter, facebook, last.fm.
Anyone can get in.
They just give priority to gold members.
Which is a bummer, Because I'm silver. :(
Is the 1080p - 720p difference really going to be visible? I rented the HD version of I Love You, Man on the Xbox Live Marketplace and assumed it was 1080p... then I went back after I saw that the Zune HD outputs in 720p...and the movie was actually in 720p! Fooled me, it looked like a regular HD show or movie on cable tv...
Would the 1080p give more of a difference in movies with tons of action and/or special effects? I'm viewing on a 40 inch so I should be able to see a difference, right? Otherwise they should give an option to view in 720p if it would be cheaper since it would likely be less data, right?
Is Oct. 30th the confirmed release for the update? If so, I bet the Zune apps might be avail. then too.. I'd rather tweet and FB on my Zune anyway.. even thought I do have PC wherever my Zune has wifi (only at home.. no wifi in this stupid town) then on Xbox... feels silly to have the chatpad keyboard.. like having a pc keyboard. Twitter seems like it should only be used on mobile devices (phones and Zunes). Hey MS, why not send me a Zune preview update? hehehe #ZuneTweet or #ZuneHDTweet
From the reports it looks like homemade HDDs are not blocked in this update.
"Homemade" HDDs are not going to be blocked, only 3rd party unlicensed memory cards.
I'm in! :D
i got it, i don't think facebook is done that well on it, twitter looks better. however the last.fm might be good but no playing ingame?? so whats teh point?
WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS SPOTIFY ON THE XBOX!
Anyone have insight if some of these services will be limited for Europeans?
I have a hard time beliving we in Europe will get the 1080p streaming service.
I was in on the last preview program earlier this year, does that mean I'm in this too?
Very good article mate. One that is very interesting to me as I had a book for Facebook Statuses published this year entitled 'is: The Phenomenon of the Facebook Status' (www.theisbook.com). I wrote this book whilst traveling around the globe and I found Facebook Statuses to be very useful to tell what people what people at home were up to at a glance.
Something that you and some of your readers may be very interested in is the Facebook Status Generator to help on days when the creative pool is not so deep, so have a look and let me know what you think:
http://www.theisbook.com/status-generator/
Looking forward to reading more of your stuff mate.