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AT&T stops offering Xbox 360 U-verse bundle until it can deliver an updated version
In a relatively strange fashion, AT&T's quietly pulled the plug on its U-verse kit for the Xbox 360 -- at least for the time being. According to a note on its own site, the company's taking some time to focus on "improving and enhancing" its U-verse bundle. This is probably a reference to the updated app (that would also require XBL Gold) AT&T promised for the new dashboard with Kinect support and a new UI, but has yet to deliver. As Multichannel points out, earlier last week Netflix had filed a complaint with the FCC, claiming that AT&T's U-verse on Xbox violated network neutrality regulations -- though, it's unclear whether this had anything to do with the outfit's decision to suspend the service. AT&T has said the set-top kit won't "be available until the new enhancements and functionality are added," so we'd recommend not holding your breath for too long.
AT&T U-verse set-tops go wireless, free you to herniate yourself moving your HDTV around
Chances are, you put your TV in the most convenient spot based on where the requisite cables are feeding into your abode. And putting a set in a new room usually means someone is breaking out a drill. Well, starting October 31st, AT&T U-verse customers will no longer be constrained by wires! (Besides HDMI and power cords, that is.) The company's new wireless receiver pairs with your AT&T-issued residential gateway and pulls in broadcasts over WiFi. What the provider claims is the first consumer wireless receiver of its type should simplify installation and free customers from the worry of running coax around their homes. You could even drag your big screen out to the patio and try to enjoy the "big game" under the glare of the sun. Just don't make lugging your 42-incher around a habit -- hernias aren't covered by the warranty. The receivers will be available to order on Monday for a one-time fee of $49 and a $7-a-month rental fee there after. Check out the (bizarre) demo video and PR after the break.
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]
Video: watch how you'll watch TV on Xbox 360 U-verse
AT&T's demonstration video for the Xbox 360 U-Verse service (after the break) gives us a better idea of how the service works -- and what's in the mysterious hardware kit (a remote and some kind of receiver device). The presenter also describes the installation process, wherein the U-verse software is installed on the 360 via a CD, a process described as "super-easy." ProTip, AT&T: don't tell us that the installation we have to pay $55 for is "super-easy." The interface shown in the video looks exactly like the UI for a normal U-verse receiver. The only perceptible difference, of course, is the appearance of Xbox Live notifications. [Thanks, cool8man]
