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Internet Explorer coming to Xbox 360 this year, Kinect / voice integration and all
Microsoft just confessed that while other outfits have brought web browsers to televisions, "no one is using them," because "keyboards don't belong in the living room." Aside from thoroughly slamming Google TV, MS just offered its own alternative: Internet Explorer on Xbox 360... with full-on Kinect / voice command integration. It'll hit later this year, right alongside Smart Glass. Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here! %Gallery-156886%
Nike allies with Xbox 360 for Nike+ Kinect Training: real-time feedback, training reminders through your phone
Nike took to Microsoft's stage at E3 to announce a new fitness feature for your Kinect, Nike+ Kinect Training. We're told it'll make us "athlete-fit", with constant feedback on technique and every four weeks, it'll even re-assess your progress. The setup will also nag remind you through Windows Phone of incoming training sessions -- though there's no specifics on whether the fitness setup will play nice with other mobile platforms. The companion phone app will also allow you to compare and share progress with friends also using the training program.%Gallery-156893% Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here!
Microsoft's SmartGlass gets official: app brings AirPlay-esque streams to Android, iOS and Windows Phone
Microsoft may not be introducing a next-gen console at E3 this year, but it is teaching its venerable Xbox 360 some new tricks. SmartGlass brings AirPlay-style wireless technology to Xbox and Windows 8 by letting you send video from your tablet or phone to your TV. It then turns that second screen into an information window giving you data of the content you're watching. Plus, it updates the info on your mobile device as the content on the TV changes. The app also enables peripheral controls for games you're playing -- so you can scroll through different plays on your tablet while playing Madden on your big screen, for example. In addition to providing your peripherals with contextual awareness, the SmartGlass app turns your phone into a remote and trackpad for your Xbox, in case using Kinect and regular controllers aren't something you're into. So, you can pinch to zoom, move the onscreen cursor and scroll to your heart's content in Xbox's new web browser using your tablet or phone. When will we be seeing SmartGlass in living rooms? Unfortunately, not until this fall, so our liveblog photos of the app in action will have to suffice until then.%Gallery-156889% Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here!
Microsoft announces Xbox Music, coming to 360, PCs, tablets and phones
Say goodbye to Zune, folks. Microsoft has just announced its brand new Xbox Music service during its big E3 presentation. That brings with a library of more than 30 million tracks, which you'll be able to access across all of your Microsoft devices, including your PC, Windows 8 tablet and Windows Phone in addition to the Xbox 360 itself. Expectedly, that all comes wrapped in a Metro-style interface, but it appears to basically be a Zune rebrand beyond that, with few other surprises to be found (at least for now). Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here! %Gallery-156888%
Microsoft enhances Xbox Live Bing Search with genre navigation, extends support to 12 additional countries
Microsoft's proud of its homegrown search product -- so proud, that gamers hooked on its Xbox Live service will find themselves uttering that word aloud in a bid for hands-free control. Announced today at its E3 keynote, the company's expanding Bing Voice search functionality with the ability to navigate by genre. Simply saying, "Bing comedy," will bring up a host of titles allocated to that category. And non-English speakers will get to enjoy this new perk as well, as the service will now extend to 12 additional countries. Stay tuned for more live coverage of E3 2012 as the show unfolds. Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here! %Gallery-156894%
Xbox 360 software at E3: FIFA 2013 / Madden 2013 gaining Kinect voice commands; Halo 4, Fable, Forza Horizon and Gears of War showcased
No new hardware for Microsoft at E3? No problem. Clearly, this year's all about software for the Xbox 360, with both FIFA 2013 and Madden 2013 confirmed for release with Kinect support. Aside from letting you flail to and fro in order to make plays, both titles will also support voice commands, right down to understanding multiple dialects in the former. As for Madden? There's some pretty intense voice integration, enabling one Joe Montana to actually call plays and direct the huddle with his voice here at the E3 stage. The demo was unsurprisingly awesome, and we're told to expect it on store shelves on August 28th. For those who aren't exactly "sports-inclined," there's also Fable and Halo 4 -- two titles that'll supposedly make this year the "best ever" for Xbox 360 software. Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here! %Gallery-156885%
Xbox 360 video gets 35 new content providers, 24/7 live ESPN video
Microsoft's E3 2012 keynote has seen it kick up the video content by more than a few notches: it's adding 35 new content providers for the Xbox 360. Machinima, Slacker, Nickelodeon, Paramount and Univision are among the picks, but the real highlight is the sports push: the NBA and NHL will both have the live treatment that we've previously seen with the MLB. If you're a fan of the existing ESPN app, you're in for your own treat, too: a revamp, Watch ESPN, will provide 24/7 live video that includes sports from ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU. The timetables for each rollout will vary, but you can be sure you'll have an even wider selection before too long. Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here!
Nyko, NVIDIA out pair of PlayPad controllers for TegraZone gaming
If anything's giving gaming juggernauts like Nintendo and Sony reason to look over their shoulders, it's the recent uptick in mobile gaming. And much to those titans' chagrin, Nyko's come to stir the pot. Announced just today, the accessory maker's outing a new line of wireless controllers made specifically for TegraZone titles. The peripherals, co-developed with NVIDIA, come in two distinct sizes: the PlayPad Pro for more traditional gaming with its dual analog controllers, d-pad and array of shoulder and face buttons, and the diminutive PlayPad with its dual analog sliders, carrying case and foldable stand for a truer portable experience. Though both controllers are designed for use with optimized Tegra 2 or 3 titles, legacy games will also be supported via the accessory maker's free Playground app, which will also allow for customized layouts, as well as pre-sets for top titles on devices running Android 3.0 and up. No pricing or concrete release information's been made available at the moment, with the company mentioning only a Fall launch for later this year. We'll be sure to have a hands-on coming in the hours ahead, but for now, content yourself with the presser below.
Microsoft: Xbox is now the top-selling console worldwide
Before Microsoft had even set off any of its gaming fireworks, Don Mattrick took to the stage to tell us that its Xbox had now graduated from best-selling console in North America to best selling console in the world. We've already seen that new versions of Halo and Splinter Cell are both incoming -- so it looks unlikely that Microsoft's good run will be ending any time soon. Follow our liveblog of Microsoft's E3 keynote right here!
Live from Microsoft's E3 2012 keynote!
The first of the big three! This year Microsoft kicks off the keynotes with its pre-show Media Briefing and, while we have some idea of what to expect, we're hoping for a whole lot more. No, this may not be the year that the Xbox 360's proper successor is finally unveiled, but could 2012 be remembered as the year when the Kinect grew up? And, is Smart Glass going to be as intelligent as its name would claim? We can't wait to find out. June 4, 2012 12:00 PM EDT
We're live from E3 2012 in Los Angeles!
Well friends, a barrage of gaming glory is about to descend on southern California. The 2012 edition of E3 begins today with a handful of pre-show press conferences from the industry's big three. We're on the ground at the Los Angeles Convention Center and surrounding area to bring you coverage of all the happenings. While we don't anticipate any big console reveals from Microsoft or Sony, we are looking forward to Unreal Engine 4, Wii U news, Smart Glass, some sort of PlayStation news and a dash of mobile gaming. If you're looking to follow along easily, keep an eye on our event hub for all of the latest game-centered coverage.
We're liveblogging Microsoft's E3 2012 keynote at 12:30PM ET!
E3's about to get real, y'all. Microsoft's getting this party started with today's Media Briefing at 12:30PM ET. Will we be on hand? You can bet your Smart Glass we will be. Our crew is going to be liveblogging the whole thing, and you can follow along right here. What can we expect from this year's event? Most likely we won't be seeing a successor to the Xbox 360 just yet, but we're sure that Microsoft's got plenty up its sleeve this time out. Stay tuned!
Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference video is now available -- relive the magic again and again
Did you miss any of the magic that was the Nintendo pre-E3 press event? Great news: it's now online in pre-recorded form, so you can watch it to your heart's content. Using the Wii U controller as a TV remote? The Wii U Pro Controller? The unveiling of the Miiverse? It's all there, friends. Experience the magic after the break.
SOEmote brings your facial expressions to EverQuest II, lets fellow gamers know when you stub your toe
So, you love you some EverQuest II, but how much of you is really in that Ogre character of yours? Sony Online Entertainment has unveiled a new way let players put a bit more of their own personal stamp on the game, in the form of the SOEmote. The new feature, unveiled a few days ahead of E3, uses a computer camera to track facial movements, bringing player expressions to the characters themselves. Also new are voice fonts, allowing players to tailor the timbre of their speech, so your character can sound a bit more like the killer in Scream, just as you've always imagined.
Wii U unlocks the key to the Miiverse, Nintendo promises mobile integration to come
As its pronoun heavy name indicates, the Wii U is all about the social. With that in mind, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata unveiled the Miiverse, a coming together of players' avatars that will live on the console's home screen. Log in, and you'll see your Mii, your friends' Miis, Miis on your Wii U system and Miis of folks playing the same game as you in your locality. The Mii Wara Wara features Miis gathered around tiles representing Wii U games, with speech bubbles offering up real messages from other players. There's plenty of social functionality built into the touchscreen controller, as well, users can text with other players to get information -- like gaming tips. Info can be input with a virtual keyboard, smartphone-style or can be handwritten or doodled with a stylus, à la the 3DS. The controller also seems to be a useful tool when using your system to teleconference on the big screen, so you can, say browse the web for info while chatting, tablet-style. Nintendo has also promised more integration with non-Wii devices -- functionality that likely won't hit at launch. Since the information is accessible via mobile browser, you'll be able to carry social functionality over to your 3DS, PC and mobile phone -- it's not Super Mario for iOS, but it's a small step toward a more mobile Nintendo, we guess. Update: Join us past the break to view the webstream for yourself!
Nintendo shows final Wii U Gamepad, TV remote app (update: video)
Looks like Nintendo didn't want to wait for its proper E3 press conference to spill some Wii U details early -- it just used its preview event to show the finished version of the Wii U controller, called the Gamepad, as well as a TV remote app. The Gamepad is decidedly wider than what we saw a year ago, with comfort clearly the top priority in other areas: the analog sticks have been moved further outwards and made clickable, while the back grip has been tweaked in the process. There's also no doubt as to where to interact with NFC gadgets, either, as a dedicated spot below the directional pad will take all your device-to-device taps. As for the remote, it looks to be a straightforward number pad navigator with a programming guide, all steering your TV through infrared. Between this and the Wii U Pro Controller, though, it's clear Nintendo hasn't been sitting still in the past year, and has some home theater ambitions in the process. We're curious as to what Nintendo is saving up for its bigger gala on Tuesday. Update: Join us past the break to view the webstream for yourself!
Nintendo pre-E3 press conference liveblog!
We can't wait for the E3 showroom floors to officially open -- and thankfully, neither can Nintendo. The company is upholding its promise to blanket the media with news by kicking things off with a pre-E3 press event, getting the upperhand on Microsoft and Sony by a few days. The company's president Satoru Iwata will be on-hand for an event that will most likely involve some game announcements, for starters. Will Nintendo offer up some more info on the Wii U or some welcome changes to the 3DS? Join us right here at 6PM ET to find out! June 3, 2012 6:00 PM EDT
We're liveblogging Nintendo's pre-E3 press event today at 6PM ET!
Are you ready for E3? Too bad, it's already here, a couple of days early, thanks to the overzealous folks at Nintendo, who just couldn't wait until Tuesday to hold their press event. The company is holding a pre-E3 event, helmed by president Satoru Iwata today at 6PM ET. The broadcast will likely revolve around games, but perhaps Nintendo had more surprises than it could contain in a single event. Find out by following along here.
Microsoft buys every 'Smart Glass' domain it can think of, E3 goers nod approvingly
A wise thing to do right before you launch a new product? Vacation, if we're being honest. But if we're being forced to pick another, we'd say registering domain names germane to said product ain't a half bad idea, either. Microsoft has seemingly snapped up a healthy few "Smart Glass"-related domains, giving us more reason to believe that the whispers we've been hearing about a wireless streaming doodad have some merit. With E3 festivities kicking off this evening, we're guessing it's just a matter of time before the list (shown after the break) stops forwarding to Bing and starts forwarding to... well, awesomeness. Refresh fingers ready?
E3 predictions: what to expect when you're Electronics Entertainment Expoing
Happy June! We're out holding things down in sunny, smoggy downtown Los Angeles, preparing for the on-coming storm of video game goodness. It's shaping up to another exciting year for all things Electronic Entertainment Expo, albeit one a bit less focused on the hardware side. Things unofficially kick off on Monday, with press conferences from two of the big three -- Microsoft and Sony. Nintendo will round things out on Tuesday morning, officially opening the show. So, what sort of action can we expect to see over the week in LA? We've compiled a quick list of what we're looking forward to over the next several days.
