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Daily Roundup: April Fools' roundup, a tour of ThinkGeek's headquarters, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Rumor: Microsoft set-top box in prototype stage, supports Kinect [Update]
With the next Xbox reveal just ten days away, it's as good a time as ever to revisit a report that dates back to November 2012: Microsoft's reported interest in developing a set-top box, or "Xbox TV." Anonymous sources recently told the Wall Street Journal that Microsoft has come as far as producing working prototypes of said media device. Those prototypes reportedly work with Kinect, and are built to provide streaming services for viewers. The Wall Street Journal also noted that it's unclear whether Microsoft will introduce the as-yet-unannounced device at all. We've contacted Microsoft for comment and will update as we learn more. In the meantime, we recommend that you take a ten-day nap, because the rampant speculation leading up to the Xbox reveal on May 21 probably won't go away. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson got back to us with the following: "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation."
Microsoft Soho hiring producer to develop 'interactive TV experiences'
Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business studio in Soho is seeking a television producer to "develop and deliver a number of new TV projects" using Xbox Live and Kinect, a LinkedIn want ad reads."Soho Productions is pushing the boundaries of Kinect and Xbox Live to bring a new line of interactive television experiences to the world," the ad continues. "Working with leading global entertainment partners, we are creating experiences that are not bound by the traditional definitions of television or gaming. Experiences where watching and participating are inseparable that will delight and enrich the lives of people everywhere."As the console landscape alters to highlight mainstream entertainment services, such as music and streaming television and movies, Microsoft appears to be making a major grab for the potential of a broader audience. Microsoft is rumored to be working on a set-top box called Xbox TV, and the Spartan Ops Halo 4 series is an ambitious, serialized endeavor – a television producer would fit nicely within the system the company may be cultivating.We can't wait for the first episode of The Master Chief Comedy Hour (Now better with Kinect!).
Rumor: 'Xbox TV' set-top box in progress, to debut pre-holiday 2013
Microsoft is developing a set-top box that provides access to its entertainment features, made as a low-cost alternative to its full console, The Verge reports, citing anonymous sources.The device, dubbed "Xbox TV," supports "casual" games and runs on Windows 8, with an "always-on" chipset that allows for quick boot-up and resumption of programs, the report says. Xbox TV would be part of a broader attempt to scale its products, making them available on a range of devices, such as Microsoft Surface, SmartGlass (for iOS pictured above) and smartphones. It is expected to be revealed before the holidays next year, The Verge says.Microsoft provides the following statement regarding any future set-top box plans: "Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend the console lifecycle by introducing controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention."That's certainly not a "No, we'd never do that" kind of statement.
AT&T offering credit to Uverse subscribers for Xbox Live Gold
We already knew that some of the new services coming to Microsoft's Xbox 360 TV service would require an Xbox Live Gold subscription but, according to a Giant Bomb tipster, it looks like some previously Silver services will soon be turning Gold as well. One company apparently making the alchemical leap is AT&T U-verse, which will require Xbox Live Gold starting this November. The company is apparently sending notice of the change to its customers and offering a one-time $60 bill credit in order to soften the blow. In theory, the $60 saved on your AT&T bill can be applied towards an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Of course, if you already have Gold – a likely possibility given the effort required to get U-verse on the ol' Xbox – it sounds like you'll have an extra sixty bucks to play with next month. [Image: Giant Bomb]
Microsoft reveals Xbox 360 TV partners, including Comcast, Verizon, HBO [Update 2: Comcast shows Xfinity on Xbox 360]
Microsoft's Major Nelson has revealed that 40 different partners have been confirmed for the expanded TV functionality coming to the Xbox 360. There's some surprising stuff in the list just past the jump, including HBO Go, Comcast, SyFy and Verizon. Turns out that report was correct! Hit the jump for the full list of initial TV partners for the upcoming Fall Dashboard Update, which has a tentative launch date of "Holiday 2011." Update: Microsoft sent us some new images of the update. You can check them out in the gallery below. Update 2: Comcast has published this blog post talking about its partnership with Microsoft to offer Xfinity content. There isn't anything really newsworthy in there, but there is an early glimpse at the UI you can expect from the Comcast Xfinity pane in the updated Xbox 360 Dashboard. %Gallery-135843%
Microsoft reportedly adding video from Comcast, Verizon, HBO Go and others to Xbox Live
Microsoft announced new integration with live TV as a part of the Xbox 360's fall update during E3 earlier this year, but didn't name any US pay-TV partners at the time. Now, anonymous rumors recently posted on Digiday suggested the folks at Redmond were looking to work with Verizon and Comcast, followed by Bloomberg hearing similar talk from its own "people with knowledge of the situation." Today's rumors finger Verizon (which showed off live TV on a variety of devices at CES), Comcast, HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy and UK service Lovefilm as likely partners. Missing from the list is AT&T's U-verse, which already offers an Xbox 360 tie-in and distributes its IPTV on the Mediaroom platform, just like some of the international partners previously announced. If these services launch it will be interesting to see how the integration works and if it's VOD like the existing Xfinity TV and Flex View mobile apps, or if providers cross the IPTV bridge with in-home devices like the Televation / AnyPlay box.
Xbox TV launching this holiday season
Microsoft will launch a TV service for Xbox 360 this holiday season, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced at a financial analyst meeting this week. Ballmer said Microsoft is working with "dozens or hundreds of additional video-content suppliers," which makes us wonder if someone should send out a company memo describing the substantial difference between those two figures. Xbox TV will feature live television as well as on-demand services. Xbox TV will use Bing and the Kinect voice commands to facilitate users' searches, a feature that Ballmer said separates Microsoft from previous, failed TV-peripheral attempts by other companies, such as Google and Apple. Van Baker, an analyst at Gartner, said that may not be as much of an advantage as Microsoft thinks. "Search is not discovery," he said. "Search as an answer to discovery implies you know what you're looking for. Most people have no idea what they're looking for." A well-integrated streaming TV service is a wonderful idea, if it's implemented correctly -- we'll see if Microsoft has the magic formula (Wingardium televisiosa!) this holiday season.
Former News Corp president wants Xbox TV channel?
From its humble HD-DVD-playing beginnings, the Xbox 360 has grown into a full-fledged set-top box that pulls down HD content from Netflix, the Zune Store and Sky TV (for Ireland and the UK). Now, rumors indicate an Xbox TV channel might be next in line. Bloomberg writes that former News Corp. president Peter Chernin discussed the possibility of adding regular exclusive programming to the console at an April 12th meeting with Microsoft, and reportedly suggested a $1 to $2 increase in Xbox LIVE monthly fees to cover the additional cost. However, since Microsoft apparently hasn't formally responded to the proposal, this may just be another pipe dream -- from the man who thought we'd pay $30 per movie for on-demand HD, no less. 'Course, with all this talk of Hulu going paid, we suppose just about anything is possible.
