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Xbox 360 used more for video and music apps than for gaming
More than half of the time people spend on Xbox Live is devoted to watching videos and listening to music, Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi told the Los Angeles Times. "What we're seeing is that people are turning on the Xbox to play games and then keeping it on afterwards to get other types of entertainment," Mehdi said.The Xbox 360 isn't a gaming console; it's now officially an entertainment center that includes games, and it's becoming more popular with this angle. Today households spend an average of 84 hours a month playing games and using other apps on Xbox Live, up 30 percent from a year prior. To compare, the average household watches 150 hours of TV each month.Even before Kinect, a tool that has always made more sense as an entertainment control rather than a gaming one, Microsoft has wanted the Xbox 360 to be "the heart of connected digital entertainment," as HBO senior vice president of consumer technology Otto Berkes put it.Today Microsoft added MLB.TV, HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV apps to its lineup, which already includes Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Zune, Last.fm and others.
HBO GO, Xfinity TV apps debut on Xbox 360 today
MLB.TV isn't the only app premiering on Xbox 360 today: HBO GO and Comcast Xfinity TV are now live and ready for your viewing pleasure. Both apps are available at no cost for current HBO GO and/or Xfinity TV subscribers, and they are both Kinect compatible.From here, this looks like perfect timing, at least on HBO's part -- The second season of Game of Thrones premieres on Sunday, and we believe there's no better place to watch a smattering of gory, smutty violence than through the device you use to play gory, smutty games.
Xbox 360 apps now live for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv
Anxiously awaiting the arrival of those brand spanking new apps for your Xbox 360 console? Well, the wait is over. Video apps for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv have arrived on a number of consoles here at Engadget HQ. Major Nelson dropped the official word a little while ago, leaving you mere moments away from live and on demand television and baseball just in time for the start of the season. Keep in mind all three of these high profile applications feature Kinect integration -- but don't worry, you won't be forced to swing any bats in your living room. If you're looking for more info, details on the HBO Go and MLB.tv offerings await in the PR below.
Xbox 360 Comcast, HBO and MLB.tv apps arrive today on consoles used more for video than games
Microsoft has confirmed via multiple mainstream media outlets that today is the day for several more high-profile video apps to appear on its Xbox 360, namely Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv. There's not a lot of detail on the apps themselves, although the HBO Go and MLB.tv services are familiar due to their availability on other platforms, while we've already heard the Xfinity TV app will mirror the experience and content already seen on the PC. All three naturally include significant Kinect integration, and bring the total number of video apps (already including recent additions like Verizon FiOS and YouTube) available to 36. Interestingly, another stat Microsoft is focusing on is that the time spent using its consoles to watch online video is now over half, outpacing the time users are spending playing its games for the first time. Head of marketing and strategy for Xbox Yusuf Mehdi is quoted by the LA Times as saying usage is up 30 percent from a year ago. We're not sure if that just reflects gamers powering through to (and possibly being disappointed by) the ending of Mass Effect 3, but we'll be keeping an eye on our dashboards for the new apps all the same.
Kinect controls revealed for Xbox Live HBO Go app
With the HBO Go app for Xbox just weeks away, HBO has released a teaser. The clip reveals the app's required Kinect functionality, which unsurprisingly includes gesture and voice control. It sounds like a great idea, until you realize you'll only use it once. "Xbox, Boardwalk Empire, play, forever."
HBO GO teases vocal controls via Kinect, coming soon to Xbox 360 (video)
We knew it'd be arriving on April 1st, but now we're actually longing for it. HBO has just released a half-minute teaser propping up the impending release of HBO GO on Xbox 360, and while it's available on a plethora of other platforms, being able to verbally command HBO (through Kinect, of course) to play your favorite shows just takes the enticement up another level. Care to see for yourself? Tap that video just after the jump.
HBO Go app coming to Xbox Live April 1
If you happen to have cable, HBO and an Xbox Live subscription, your Xbox 360 will get somewhat more useful come April 1. HBO co-president Eric Kessler has confirmed that HBO Go, the premium network's streaming service, will arrive on Xbox 360s just in time for April Fools' Day -- okay, and the premiere of Game of Thrones season two -- according to our cohorts at Engadget.HBO Go goes a step beyond cable on demand services, offering, movies, special features and every episode of nearly every HBO series. Of course, we'll have to see the Xbox Live app in action before we know how many features actually make it to the console. Here's hoping we can finally see what Deadwood was all about.
HBO Go coming to Xbox 360 on April 1st
HBO has slowly been bringing HBO Go to a multitude of connected platforms, from Roku boxes to some Samsung connected TVs, and now we finally know when it'll come to the Xbox 360. Tonight at an HBO event in San Francisco, company Co-President, Eric Kessler, gave us the good news that Microsoft's console will be getting the streaming service on April 1st. It'll make its debut alongside the premiere of season two of Game of Thrones, so you'll finally be able to jump straight from the hills of Tamriel to the fields of Winterfell with the greatest of ease.
HBO Go rolls out to most Samsung Smart HDTVs -- but not through all providers
It's been nearly a year since Samsung first announced HBO Go access would be coming to its Smart TVs, and today the company announced on all forms of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Google+ -- there may be a YouTube video out there somewhere) it's finally available. Most should be familiar with HBO's TV Everywhere offering that opens its archives to users on various internet devices and has already been well received on iOS, Android and Roku platforms. The official HBO Go Twitter account mentions news on the Xbox 360 client is "coming soon" but for now subscribers can just grab the app and start watching -- with a few caveats.For reasons not mentioned, the HBO Go app doesn't play nicely with every Smart TV, with access available on all 2010 and 2011 models with the exception of several from last year (listed after the break). Also key to remember is that not every TV provider has given its blessing to allows customers access to HBO Go in the living room, so it seems Comcast, DirecTV and Time Warner customers are still out of luck. If you've got the right combo of service provider and hardware go forth and download from the Samsung Apps marketplace right now, we'll be busy trying to figure out where the old episodes of Arli$$ are.Update: As a few readers pointed out, DirecTV customers actually are able to access the service on Samsung TVs, and HBO representatives confirmed they should have access to the service, contrary to the list posted on the HBO support site. Stream on satellite subscribers, stream on, and if you notice any other discrepancies in the official lists let us know in the comments.
Xbox Live video consumption greatly increased in 2011; entertainment apps in higher demand
Sure, there are lots of folks playing plain old video games on their Xbox 360s, but lots of folks are relying on their consoles to provide other forms of entertainment. The use of "entertainment apps" jumped dramatically with Xbox Live's introduction of several new programs late last year -- to the tune of 50 percent globally, Microsoft said in a recent release. And in the US that stat is much more dramatic, with "more than 60 percent" of Gold members employing the apps for up to an hour a day on average. Video watching has also seen a marked increase, with global video consumption stats showing a 140 percent increase in 2011 over 2010. We suppose all of this could be little more than thinly veiled chest-pounding, but with 66 million Xbox 360s out there in the wild (as of earlier this month) and 35 million users on Xbox Live (as of August 2011), we'd call them a bit more telling than that. Microsoft promises continued support of its entertainment app marketplace as 2012 continues, which we're hoping means the HBO Go app is arriving sooner, rather than later.
With beta trial completed, Time Warner Cable launches HBO Go, Max Go
Well, that didn't take very long. Just four days after launching a beta trial, Time Warner Cable has decided to bring HBO Go and Max Go to its HBO and Cinemax subscribers, fulfilling its promise to launch the services this month. With today's announcement, TWC customers will have instant streaming access to a chunk of the two channels' back catalogs, including 1,400 titles from HBO, and 400 from Cinemax. Both services, of course, will be available at no additional cost. Stream past the break for more details in the full PR.
HBO Go adding 5.1 surround sound with help of Dolby Digital Plus
Your love of discrete surround sound holding you back from enjoying the fruits of the modern streaming? No longer. HBO has licensed Dolby Digital Plus for HBO Go which will enable HDTVs, Blu-ray players and game consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3 to enjoy 5.1 (or more) channel discrete surround sound. A quick reminder, Dolby Digital Plus is the newer version of Dolby Digital -- that we've loved since 1997 -- and is capable of 5.1 or more channels and at a lower bitrate than its older brother.
Time Warner Cable starts HBO and Max Go beta
It's been less than two years since HBO's owner Time Warner and Time Warner Cable were closely corporately related -- as well as AOL, Engadget's owner -- and one might think that ties remain. Those thoughts should be quickly dashed, once again, now that we know TWC's beta of HBO Go finally started this week. The limited trial for SignatureHome customers will be further restricted to computer based clients, but is expected to be short. It would have to be pretty darn short, though, to keep Time Warner Cable's December promise to launch "in the next month." This really makes us wonder how hard it could be to implement this type of thing -- we assumed HBO already had most of the required infrastructure in place. Then again, it has been about a year since a deal for ESPN3.com was announced and Xbox 360 fans with Time Warner Cable will tell you that it has still yet to arrive.
It's not TV, it's HBO Go, and it's finally coming to Cablevision
Being a Cablevision customer was hard. Watching your colleagues with FiOS subscriptions stream Carnivale on their iPads, the guy who pays Dish Network for his programming could get Cinemax on his smartphone -- and all you had was YouTube for entertainment. Fortunately, the final major provider not to carry Home Box Office's online services has relented and you'll be able to enjoy both HBO Go and Go Max as soon as it's launched in "the next few months." Just remember that while you can now enjoy all those episodes of True Blood in public places, it doesn't necessarily mean that you should.
Time Warner finally cuts a deal for HBO Go streaming, launches 'in the next month'
Ever since it launched early last year, the HBO Go library has quickly become one of the best parts of having the premium channel, however it wasn't part of the package for Time Warner Cable customers -- until now. The two companies just announced they have to an agreement which will see access to the streaming back catalog of films and TV shows (including Max Go) open up to TWC subscribers "in the next month" after a short beta period. We're not sure if this access extends to streaming via the Roku box or if it will be blocked (as it is on Comcast and DirecTV), but iOS and Android mobile devices are definitely in on the action. Check the Time Warner blog or press release ( after the break) for more details.
Xbox 360's new video services won't all launch right away; Comcast, Verizon, and HBO Go delayed
Microsoft's new dashboard for the Xbox 360 is close at hand (read our full review for the details) but not all of the video partners that were announced for the new Kinect-centric experience will be launching alongside it. As of launch December 6th the list will look basically the same as it does now, with Lovefilm and Epix joining options like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Sky Go. Later on in the month more new providers like Crackle, Dailymotion, Rogers On Demand, Vudu, and Verizon FiOS TV will filter in, while the UFC app is timed to launch December 20th. Finally, a few highly anticipated additions including MLB.tv, HBO Go and Comcast's Xfinity On Demand are among those slated for arrival in "early 2012". Check after the break for the complete list (update: and a video trailer), we'll let you know about more specific launch dates as they become available. %Gallery-141022%
Xfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update
The long-awaited "Metro" update to the Xbox 360 dashboard is finally launching this week, but you might not want to make any popcorn just yet. A number of Microsoft's recently announced content partners won't be showing up to the party on time, most notably Comcast's Xfinity on-demand library, Verizon's Fios live-tv service, and the HBO GO app. Microsoft has given a nebulous "early 2012" release window for HBO and Xfinity, though Verizon should be bringing Fios to Xbox Live "later in December" - along with SyFy, UFC, and a number of others. A full list of partners, and when to expect them, is available after the jump.
HBO Go now available on Roku boxes, HBO subscription still required to take advantage
Not a bad turnaround time, we have to say. Nary a month after revealing that HBO Go streaming would soon be pushed to Roku boxes around the known universe... HBO Go streaming has been pushed to Roku boxes around the known universe. As of now, Roku addicts can tap into unlimited access to over 1,400 HBO programs (that's movies, original series, sports, comedy, etc.), with one mondo stipulation: you have to be an HBO subscriber via some pay-TV company. Of course, HBO Go can also be accessed via your laptop, and you've probably got some form of HBO on-demand already, but look -- this is better. This is comprehensive. Use it, and don't ask questions. Capiche?
Microsoft reportedly preparing Silverlight-like app framework ahead of Xbox Live update
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a new slate of Xbox Live partnerships with Verizon, Comcast, and a host of other content providers. Now, the company has unveiled new details about the code upon which these new apps will run. Sources close to the situation tell GigaOM that the new framework, code-named "Lakeview," will be based on Silverlight, but will also bring a few new features from Xbox Kinect, including voice recognition and gesture-based controls. More intriguing, perhaps, are insider claims that Microsoft's new content partners stream video using Apple's HTTP Live Streaming, rather than Redmond's Smooth Streaming. GigaOM's sources went on to say that Microsoft has been introducing major changes to the platform over the past few weeks, in the hopes of having it ready for third-party developers once the Xbox Live update rolls out. Spokespersons for Xbox and Silverlight said they have "nothing to announce" about the new framework, though GigaOM reports that Redmond is aiming to release the update on Black Friday.
Microsoft reveals new TV providers including Verizon and Comcast coming to Xbox 360 (video)
Just as the rumors indicated, Microsoft is bringing video from a number of providers beyond the ones it initially announced to the Xbox 360 in its fall update, including big guns like Verizon and Comcast. While Verizon is promising "a selection" of its live TV channels on the Xbox 360 as expected, Comcast is only bringing its Xfinity TV video on-demand offerings (no AnyPlay powered live TV -- yet) to subscribers when it launches "in the coming months." Other notable providers include Lovefilm (UK, Germany), BBC TV (UK), HBO Go, and Syfy. As promised during E3, the services integrated with Xbox will offer support for search across all available video, as well as support for Kinect voice and gesture controls. The universal search is looking good since it pulls together various services into one UI (as we discussed on our podcast yesterday), but the reality is content providers and geographical limits on what services you can pick from are still throwing up walls between users and content. Check after the break for PR detailing what you'll be able to access and where, as well as a video intro to all the tasty new TV services. %Gallery-135845%
