Windows Mobile and Xbox Live coming together, according to Microsoft job ad
By Vlad Savov 
posted December 30th 2009 4:11AM
posted December 30th 2009 4:11AM
The hints were already pretty strong on this one, but now Microsoft has come right out and said it, albeit in a job posting -- the Xbox Live gaming platform is extending beyond the console and specifically onto WinMo phones. Seeking a Principal Program Manager who would be responsible for bringing "Xbox Live enabled games to Windows Mobile," Redmond is particularly interested in "avatar integration, social interaction, and multi-screen experiences." That leaves an awful lot of room for imagination as to how the two modes of gaming will complement each other, but at least we now (sort of) know that it's going to happen.[Thanks, Jessy]
I love the way these posts always sound when all we have to go on is a job posting description. It reminds me of the Futurama Bigfoot PSA.
"In the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest dwells the strange and beautiful creature known as Bigfoot, perhaps.
Sadly, logging and human settlement today threaten what might possibly be his habitat. Although if it's not, they don't."
How about bringing this to the Zune HD also? All of Xbox.com's features, avatar editor and have zune games carry like 100GS so we can get achievements on the go.
Seriously, what Microsoft should be looking at doing is consolidating their groups or at least improve sharing of technology and idea between the groups. There's little excuse not to.
The integration of two games on a compact device is something that most people would look forward to possess.
This was promised before - in 2007 i think - but nothing came of it. Its a shame because this would have really pushed the windows mobile platform ahead of the competition. I gave up waiting for real innovation from the platform and tried other smartphones before settling with the iPhone. Xbox live on a windows mobile 7 phone could tempt me back - but i wont hold my breath.
Wait, they can't even get their xbox.com website to work with WinMo and IE mobile, yet they're going to try to get XboxLive to work with it?
Seriously, hardly any of microsoft's webpages work on IE for mobile. You'd think THEY could get that to work if anyone can. And yes, I have a Windows Mobile phone and love it.
Damn... If this doesn't come to the Zune HD then i'll be pretty pissed. The Zune HD already has the insides to handle this task, where as to my understanding most WinMo smartphones don't. I have a WinMo phone and am soon switching to the Google Nexus One. I also have a Zune HD. Not only will this idea be good for Xbox Live, it will help the Zune HD kill the iPod Touch.
Here is a stupid question, but what are the odds of a WinMo 7 phone having a CPu and a DISCRETE GPU. Like Snapdragon and Tegra 2, that would be killer.
Hasn't it been 'coming' for years now, and with nothing at all to show for all the presumed work done on this intergration project?
It's about time. I see Live being the network for all Windows intergration at some point. Why there isn't an "app store" available directly from the Windows OS is beyond me. Why not digitally download all applications? Why aren't there more and better gadgets for Vista/7 by now? And, I really wish there was a common installer for all Windows application. That each developer does their own seems antiquated, plus some are bulky and slow or install unnecessary add-ons (and I'm looking at you Adobe and Apple!)
I think Microsoft really needs to think about positioning Live in the cloud, versus on any one device. I think you should be able to connect any device and have access to your account from anywhere.
I'm also of the mind that the most recent Zune should have been a phone. By the time there is a Zune/Phone, the iPhone will have already eclipsed it with another device. Maybe Microsoft should start thinking about a touch screen e-reader as well.
One last thought, hope someone comes up with a better term than "WinMo" Sounds kinda lame, and reminds me of BevMo for some odd reason.
@Starcade: Microsoft making its own phone would alienate all their mobile hardware partners, and companies like HTC, Samsung, LG, and others may switch to Android (if the Google phone doesn't annoy them too) or a Linux variant, or maybe their own custom OS, which would make it really difficult for Microsoft to catch up and compete.
"touch screen e-reader" = Microsoft Courier, kinda.
I like the term WinMo. Better than WinMob or plain Windows Mobile.
Its called Live Nowhere.