spring-update
Latest
Final wave of War Thunder Ground Forces beta begins, massive content update announced
The third and final wave of War Thunder's closed beta for its Ground Forces expansion has begun. Eager tank drivers who have completed the November challenges or have purchased the game's starter packs can now join the battle. Open beta will then commence right after this closed beta concludes, with starter pack owners getting a head start as well as rare tanks. But that's not all the War Thunder news today. Gaijin Entertainment announced that the biggest game update to date will go live this spring with a plethora of goodies planned for players to enjoy. Update 1.39 will introduce user-generated content tools that will enable players to not only create their own planes and unique camouflage patterns but locations and missions as well. On top of that, there will be 18 new planes to choose from, new squadron features (like Squadron vs. Squadron battles), the ability for planes to overheat, and an improved UI. Check out images of the new planes and more in the gallery below. [Source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
Microsoft: Xbox Live security strengthened, sneakily started with spring update
Despite Microsoft working to ensure the security of its Xbox Live network, the company has encouraged users to check their security information and update their passwords in a community blog post today. It's a cruel (virtual) world out there, folks.It's all part of new security measures that Microsoft is employing, measures that began with the spring update issued last month. The update helped Microsoft "build on security enhancements for the near future," says Xbox Live general manager Alex Garden.Xbox Live took its share of security lumps this year, including claims of a FIFA hack and purported Windows Live ID problems. In the community post, Microsoft also provides some general internet security tips – in case you didn't know it was a bad idea to use the same password for every site you've ever logged onto.
Xbox 360 spring update rolling out to some now, everyone else next week
It doesn't bring quite the overhaul that previous updates have, but at least some Xbox 360 users should be seeing a new software update available the next time they turn on their console. Xbox's Major Nelson confirmed on Twitter today that the spring update is rolling out to "a few" users this week, with everyone else set to receive it next week. As for details on the update, he's only gone as far as to confirm that it contains "behind the scenes improvements & prep for future enhancements." Presumably, those future enhancements include many of the new features we saw at E3 last week, but there's still no official word as to when they'll actually roll out.
TiVo Premiere XL4 review
With the recent spring TiVo Premiere update we figured it was as good of a time as any to spend some quality time with the newly-renamed TiVo Premiere XL4. The highest model in the TiVo line, the XL4 costs $399 plus $15 a month, or $499 for lifetime service. For the money, it records four HD shows at once with a single CableCARD and offers 2TB of storage. More tuners and space aren't the only things that have changed since we gave the original TiVo Premiere a once-over just two years ago. No, there have been a few notable releases as well as the release of the TiVo Slide Remote and a number of TiVo companion apps for phones and tablets. How all that comes together is exactly what you'll find out should you choose to click on through to the other side.
TiVo Spring update brings new Netflix and YouTube experience
As promised at CES earlier this year, TiVo has released its Spring update with the anticipated new Netflix and YouTube apps, as well as porting parental control options to the Premiere's HD user interface. Netflix is the most intriguing of the additions, but while TiVo Premiere owners can now watch Netflix 1080p programming with Dolby Digital Plus discrete surround sound, like Hulu Plus, it isn't a TiVo experience. The new Google-built YouTube app is also like any other streamer and with the exception of search, there isn't much integration at all. Parental control options can finally be set when using the HD UI, but still isn't as full featured as it was with the old UI and is a far cry from KidZone. What the update doesn't do yet however, is complete the HD interface transformation that some Premiere owners have been waiting two years for. Still, we suspect that caveat won't stop owners from rolling the dice on an update check for their TiVo every day over the next few weeks.
TiVo Premiere updates coming with new Netflix and YouTube apps; Bay Area gets Comcast VOD
Waiting for your TiVo to see the upgraded Netflix and YouTube streaming apps we got a peek at during CES a few months ago? How about the ability to access Comcast's video on-demand that we've been waiting for since last year? According to tweets by Vice President of user experience Margret Schmidt we may see all that and more soon, as she mentioned "expecting" the Spring Update with new video streaming apps and parental controls in HD menus to roll out to Premiere and Elite DVRs this month. As far as Comcast Xfinity On Demand, the rollout is targeted to begin in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an update for DVRs there this week before the feature is turned on later this month. This shaping up to be a very interesting year for the smiley faced DVR company with new hardware still waiting in the wings, add in all these new software capabilities and TiVo looks like a winner in more than just the legal battles.[Thanks, Joe, Sebs]
Xbox 360 spring update coming May 19?
If you've run out of beef jerky and had your free Hulu Plus trial go bust, you're certainly not alone. Don't get bored: more bits of new hotness are coming to your console, and they're coming soon. An internal document leaked to our good friends over at Joystiq looks to confirm that the big Xbox 360 spring update will hit on May 19th. However, it'll come in six "separate groups" to "ensure a high quality deployment," so you might not get it until the end of the month, and everyone will have to wait until May 27th to get Avatar Kinect. What else is new? Well, there'll be the slightly larger disc format and support for PayPal, opening the door to a bold new world of personal finance information able to be hacked from your console.
Official Xbox 360 USB drives priced by GameStop
GameStop has leaked information about those official Xbox 360 USB hard drives we've heard about (first rumored and then officially), and they ain't cheap. According to the confusingly similar GameSpot (who saw the prices temporarily listed on GameStop's website), there will be both 8GB and 16GB drives available, the smaller for $39.99 and the larger for $69.99. According to Major Nelson, we'll see them in stores in May. Of course, the system update will also allow you to use any USB drive (not just the official Xbox-branded ones), but before you get visions of 1TB of storage plugged into your Xbox, remember that there's a 16GB limit on each of two possible devices, so you can have only 32GB total. Fortunately, an unofficial 16GB flash drive is about half of Microsoft's price over on Newegg. You may have to tweak things a little bit, as the official drives are meant to be "plug and play," but it can't be that complicated. The GameStop listing is down for now, but we'll see these drives officially in just over a month or so anyway. [via Engadget]
Xbox 360 gaining USB storage support in 2010 update
Documentation obtained by Joystiq – and subsequently confirmed with two separate sources – reveals that "USB Mass Storage Device Support on Xbox 360" will soon be a reality. The document, authored by a senior software development engineer at Microsoft, states that due to "increased market penetration of high-capacity, high throughput USB mass storage devices, a 2010 Xbox 360 system update" will allow consumers to save and load game data from USB devices. The update is purportedly coming in Spring 2010. Once the update occurs, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download Xbox Live Arcade games, Xbox Live Indie games, Games on Demand, DLC and Title Updates to the storage device. "USB storage devices may, however, have far greater memory capacity than MUs (at the date of writing, the largest MU is 512 MB), and may therefore support previously infeasible operations-such as installation of a full disc-based title." That's right, you can also store disc-based games to the USB device; however, it will require the disc to be in the tray for authentication, identical to the current functionality. %Gallery-88477%
MS confirms no Spring update, a DRM fix and an XBLA restructuring
In an exclusive interview with Next Generation, Xbox Live general manager Marc Whitten announced the rather disappointing news that they will not be releasing a Spring update this year. This of course means that the rumored Spring update feature set that was leaked last week was complete bologna. Whitten says that instead of putting their resources into a Spring update, they decided to focus their energy into "building the proper infrastructure and scale for the service" (ahem, more reliability). But all is not lost in the land of updates, as Whitten confirmed Microsoft will be rolling out a change to their DRM policy in June that'll allow content owners to re-license XBLA and XBLM content to a single console. This move will make said content available when disconnected from Xbox Live.Finally, we learn that the Xbox Live Arcade will get a metaphorical Spring cleaning as Microsoft plans to remove under-performing Arcade titles. Games that have been on the market for over six months, have a Metacritic average lower than 65% and a conversion rate below 6% will be targeted for de-listing. A move that Microsoft hopes will streamline the service and open it up to bigger and better things.
Rumor: Spring update adds game installs, DRM fixes, "motion sensor" features
If history remains true the Xbox 360 Spring update should be on its way soon, but unlike previous updates we've heard nothing about new features. According to a tip sent to Joystiq regarding the spring update there are nearly 80 new features and tweaks possibly incoming for the Xbox 360.The completely unconfirmed list can be found after the jump but we can tell you it includes some features we've dreamed for. Voice chat conferences for up to four people, an Inside Xbox Portal which includes news, entertainment, weather and various community features, downloading audio from feeds (such as the Xbox 360 Fancast, or other podcasts we guess), a DRM check for downloaded content which lists items that will not be accessible when disconnected from Xbox Live and a new (hopefully working) way to correct the DRM issue are some of the features on the list.Other notable features include being able to delete games from your played games list if they list a gamerscore of zero (and zero obtained achievements) and the ability to save game data onto the hard drive for faster loading (presumably the way PS3 handles the feature).The most interesting addition is the ability to calibrate motion sensor based peripherals again pushing the Wii-like controller rumor into the limelight.Keep in mind that this all squarely falls under the category of "rumor" for the moment. We'll let you know as soon as we hear otherwise. Find the full list of (rumored) features after the break.
Rumor: 360 dashboard update to support game installs, 'motion sensor devices' [update]
It's becoming increasingly difficult for us to shamble out of bed and avoid stubbing our toe on some unconfirmed list of Xbox 360 features, fixes, enhancements and/or tweaks meant for the system's Spring dashboard update. Though we usually avoid the ones promising "full compatibility with Metal Gear Solid 4" or "online racial slur filters," this latest one proved unavoidable. Thank you, dear tipster, for leaving a concrete block at the base of our bed.You'll find the "incomplete" list of unconfirmed features after the break, though we'll draw your attention to two in particular. "Calibration options for motion sensor devices." That certainly brings to mind the numerous Newtonian rumors of a Microsoft waggle wand we've encountered over the last few weeks. As for allowing games to "store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading?" We'll go make a sandwich while you guys discuss.Update: Microsoft says: "We don't comment on rumors or speculation, but what we can tell you is we've never seen this list before."
Zune 2.5 update brings TV downloads, Zune Card sharing
Microsoft has quite a bit in store for the Zune faithful with its new Zune version 2.5 software update. The high points are the new Zune Card integration and the addition of TV show downloads on Zune Marketplace, but much-requested features like gapless playback, improved syncing controls, meta data editing, auto playlists and other tweaks have also been included. On the marketing front, Microsoft is really pushing the Zune Pass going forward, and will be launching a new TV commercial to help plug it. Subscribers will particularly benefit from the new Zune Card sharing, which lets you automatically score copies of your pals' favorite songs, artists and recent plays -- non-subscribers can view that Zune Card info, but will have to buy the tracks if they want to have a listen. Unfortunately, news on the video store front isn't so compelling: Microsoft is only adding TV shows at this point, no movies, and there's no way to pull video you've bought on your 360 over to your Zune. There's no reason Microsoft can't close this loop and turn some scattered media offerings into a compelling ecosystem, but until then we suppose we'll have to thank our lucky stars that we can shell out 160 MS Points ($2.00) for TV shows we can watch for free online. The 2.5 Spring Update is a free download and should be available nowish.%Gallery-22190%
360 TID officially dubbed the Chatpad
Formerly known as the TID (text input device), the thumb board, and "that thingy," the Xbox 360 controller keyboard has received an official name. In the Spring Update help document (found by clicking the "Learn More" ad block on the Marketplace blade) the device is referred to as the Chatpad. Now all we need is a price and a release date.We think it's a good name, though we were really warming up to calling it the TID. It's got that cool acronym flavor. Everyone likes three letter acronyms. Like X3F, right? Right? Guys ...?
Update brings better VGA picture
For those of you who use VGA to connect your 360 to a display, the Spring update is perfect for your washed out display woes. Included in the Spring dashboard update is a reference levels setting under the displays option, which toggles your interpret black levels to help get those blacks even blacker. The VGA's washed out effect is due to both the VGA cable and HDTV's default black levels not meshing, so the new reference levels setting gives you three options (standard, intermediate, and expanded) to correct the difference. Any VGA users willing to give the reference levels a test and see if it makes your display's picture prettier?[Via Digg]
Engadget has fun with 360's new video codecs
One of the less publicized additions in the Xbox 360 Spring Update is a handful of new video codecs. Mention the word "codec" however, and you can be sure that the folks at Engadget are paying attention. The new dash update brought with it some spiffy high definition codecs and Engadget has given them a test drive. With fresh 1080p support (at up to 10MBps) Engadget declares the Xbox 360 the new king of streaming video, effectively shoving the Apple TV into the deep recesses of an ancient couch. Hit the "read" link for Engadget's full breakdown of the new codecs and their performance.
Live ID lameness rears ugly head once more
If your gamertag is saddled with a Hotmail or MSN email address, you may know of the unbreakable bond between them. Discovered long ago, it is impossible to associate your gamertag with a new email address if your Windows Live ID was automatically created by a Microsoft site like Hotmail or MSN. Before, it was a minor annoyance, as it forced many to maintain an email address they had long since abandoned. Now, with the release of Live Messenger integration on the 360, it's become a serious nuisance.
Finally, Spring dash update releases in hours
It has been a long time coming, but no more rumors and no more speculation ... we have an official release date and time. Today, at around 2:00AM pacific (a few hours away) the Spring dash update will make its way onto the Xbox Live servers for members to download in masses. The update will bring Windows Live Messenger integration, a new restructured Marketplace, and more fixes and fun too numerous to mention. With the amount of anticipation surrounding this dash update, one would think it were going to actually change people's lives or solve world hunger. But it won't, it'll simply make our dash a happier place to be. So, take a seat and relax for a bit, because our Spring dash update will be here in a few hours. Full press release after the break.
Spring dash videos showcase new features
No, this isn't an announcement about the Spring dashboard update's release, but it is an announcement for two dash videos that you can watch while you're waiting. Up on the XBLM are two videos that demo and showcase all the new features that the Spring update will bring. For those of you who still aren't sure to what's included or if you have friends who are clueless, downloading the videos will be an easy way to get learnified. And since you have nothing better to do today, give the vids a download and a quick watch. Even though we haven't seen the videos yet, rumor has it there is a pink gopher halfway through video number two. What? Seriously, would we make that up? Okay fine ... we just wanted you to download the videos. Don't hate us.
Don't cry, Spring dash update isn't coming today
Finally, official word has come through the internet pipeline about the Spring dashboard update. Major Nelson jumped on his blog to tell everyone that the new dash update will not be released today (Tuesday) and doesn't give any hard release details. We know everyone is eager to get the update, but it's important to remember that Microsoft stated way back when that the Spring update would be released the week of May 7th and not the day of. Just sit back and don't bother firing up your 360 periodically throughout the day, because the Spring update will not be there. But be sure to keep your fingers crossed for a Wednesday release. Come on lucky Wednesday!
