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Gridplane releases hazy NXE mockup that never was
Design / animation studio Gridplane's recently unloaded photos of a mockup it contributed to the Microsoft Xbox team in charge of revamping the Xbox user interface, which eventually became the New Xbox Experience, AKA NXE. There are a few things here we like -- the design has a clean, other-worldly feel to it that's semi-appealing. However, we're not so into the milky haze that could have separated us from our beloved, fashionable avatar. Check out a few more shots of the proposed design after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Gridplane shows off what the NXE could have been
Design and animation studio Gridplane has revealed one of the many mock-ups it developed for Microsoft as a potential user-interface update, which later became the NXE. Tasked with creating new ways for users to interact with multimedia, this particular mock-up showcases some of the style found in the NXE. Notably, the use of full retail packaging to list titles and the panes of information, such as the disc in tray image for Halo 3, can be found on current Xbox 360s.Gridplane also mentions that they dreamt up an "immersive 3D environment" for users to explore games and events within the Xbox Live Community. Which, to us, sounds suspiciously like Sony's Home service. While the mock-up is stylistically impressive, it all looks a little too much like we forgot our glasses somewhere. Luckily, the final NXE nabbed some of the best ideas and ditched the whole "ethereal plane" look this version seems to evoke.%Gallery-43452%
Reminder: 360 memory upgrade program ends Saturday
Last call for those Xbox 360 Arcade console owners who are looking to take advantage of Microsoft's NXE storage solution offer. The program -- which was setup to get Arcade console owners storage to install the NXE -- ends this Saturday, January 31st when Microsoft will pull the plug on the website. To receive either your free 512MB memory card or to take advantage of their 20GB HDD deal, simply head over to the official memory request website, enter your console information and review what storage solution offers you receive. There is no time for procrastination, so get to it![Thanks, Beagles]
Preview premium NXE themes before you buy
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of the long defunct Dashboard Themes website, comes a new site that has the simple goal of giving XBLM consumers a chance to preview premium dashboard themes. NXE Themes has screenshots of the entire catalog of premium dash skins, including all free and paid content. It's quite the nice community service NXE Themes is offering, seeing that a premium download can cost upwards of 250 Microsoft points.The only negative we can find with the site is the amount of bandwidth that is required. Dial-up users stay far, far away. [Thanks, NBA Kirkland]
Xbox Live Gold subscription on sale at Amazon for $29.97
You heard it right! Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold subscription, which normally runs $50 annually, is being sold by Amazon right this very instant for $29.97. A similar discount was apparently going on at Buy.com last week, so we're not sure what it all means, but we suppose it could mean that Microsoft might possibly be moving toward a lower price for the subscription (don't hold your breath). We don't really know "why" or "how" this has happened, but it "rules" and we're looking forward to all the extra cash our avatar's going to have in the coming year for new hats and fingerless gloves. [Via PC World]
Engadget's Netflix HD streaming shootout
Netflix seems to be doing things right when it comes to the streaming game, partnering with several hardware companies in an attempt to make its service more or less ubiquitous -- a pretty sharp break from the proprietary hardware approach taken by most of its competitors. That means Netflix subscribers have quite a few choices when it comes to streaming, and we thought we'd put the ones available now head-to-head and try to crown a winner. The good news? There isn't a mediocre choice out there. The bad? Well, read on.Update: We shot another video to answer some lingering questions about the Roku player, check it below.
No shirtage of polos: New clothes for NXE Avatars
Hoo boy. It's time to get all crazy with your Avatar fashions, Xbox 360 owners. Major Nelson has announced that more Avatar duds are now available within the New Xbox Experience, with no fewer than four new, totally extreme ... polo shirt options. Here's a breakdown of the latest shipment:Boys' Department: Striped Polo Shirt Striped Jacket with Polo Checked Jacket with Polo Open Neck Cardigan Embroidered Pants Suspenders with Hi Pants (Dress Up) Girls' Garb: Hacking Jacket Chinos with Belt Rainy Day Boots Scarlet Pumps Lavender Polo Shirt Like us, you're probably wondering what, exactly, a "Hacking Jacket" is. It isn't what Trinity wore in The Matrix. It is this. So there you go.
Fresh Avatar apparel, more polos and pants
Today being an official Avatar Wardrobe Expanding Wednesday (patent pending), Microsoft has unleashed a bunch of new Avatar clothing selections. All of which can be accessed via the 360 dashboard's Avatar customizer. The new apparel includes various jacket and polo combinations for male Avatars along with new bottoms and suspenders for dressing up. Female Avatars now have access to a Lavender polo, new shoes, and some trendy chinos. Check the break for a listing of all the new fashionable duds you can use to play Avatar dress-up.
CES 2009: Microsoft wants to increase the 100-friend Xbox Live limit
So, it's not quite the "ZOMG Friends List Increase Confirmed" announcement that we hoped for but Xbox director Aaron Greenberg came as close as we've heard to revealing that it's in the works. When we spoke to him at CES today (more on that later) Greenberg told us "I can't commit to when that will happen, but that is something we want to do. It's definitely something we're looking at expanding and, as this social network grows, we've absolutely heard the pleas for that. It's on the list."Greenberg explained that original Xbox games were coded to be limited to 100 friends, and that limit was brought into the current generation. But now that Live is built in to the system, they've got a little more flexibility. We, and the thousands of potential friends we turn away daily, can't wait to hear more.
CES 09: MS solidifies Primetime's launch this Spring
More Xbox 360 news coming from CES, Microsoft has just announced that the long delayed New Xbox Experience feature Primetime will be releasing to the masses sometime this Spring. Microsoft's Robbie Bach demoed Primetime on stage, showing off Primetime's gameshow 1 vs. 100 all while showing what the experience will look and feel like. Primetime is the live, social and fully interactive Xbox Live channel that lets the community come together, play games and win prizes.
Columbia Pictures flicks restored to Netflix Instant Watch
We all remember the terrible tale of NXE-eve, when Superbad, Karate Kid and more went from fully available to not-on-Xbox and in some cases eventually disappeared entirely. Fear not, as whatever the licensing issue was, it appears to have been amicably resolved, sending Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and many of the rest flowing though a series of tubes near you.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Microsoft won't use PlayStation Home, will keep meetings boring
Despite taking part in a cost-saving virtual conferencing initiative, Microsoft has told CVG that it will not be using PlayStation Home to facilitate cheaper, virtual meetings. The company insisted that it had access to everything -- including Live Meeting and Xbox Live's party system -- needed to "host a virtual meeting in-house" ... and not in Home. It's probably best not to indirectly endorse your competitor's efforts, but just think of how excruciatingly boring meetings will be without Sony's eccentric virtual haven:"And that's why, by altering our predicted life-to-date replacement ratio matrix, our profits will positively sway our exponential yield curve. Joan, do you understand?""Mark, I've got some curves for you right here. They're swaying.""And so ... spontaneously at that. Why do I have the sudden urge to start gyrating in rhythm to non-existent music?""Come on, do the robot with me!""Oh yeah, doin' the robot! Damn, Joan, how big are your measurements, 'cos they do not compute.""Ugh ... why do men become cretins in Home? Also, it's not Joan. It's Joe.""As in Joe-Ann or OH CRAP YOU'VE SUDDENLY BECOME A HIDEOUS AND UNDESIRABLE MAN!"
Columbia movies back on Netflix instant view
Keen-eyed observers (or at least one keen-eyed observer, anyway) over at 360Sync have noticed that movies from Sony's Columbia Pictures are once again available for Netflix streaming on Xbox 360. After the titles were first yanked from the service in November, we later reported that most of the Columbia movies had returned, but it seems that now all of them are available once again. Just to be sure, we decided to see if our beloved Paprika had returned. Lo and behold, it has! Now go and add some movies to your queue! Do it because it's more fun than working.
Revolutionary: It Ain't Mii
As the New Year approaches and some of you are making your resolutions, it's a natural time to reflect on who you are and who you would like to be. Two years ago when I brought home my Wii and was sculpting a likeness of myself in Mii form, I was doing just that sort of reflecting. Recently, Sony opened up their new Playstation Home service to public beta and Microsoft unrolled the New Xbox Experience. With these additions, it has become possible to create an effigy of ourselves across each platform, so I'd like to give you my impressions of my own three representations. I can tell you right now, a couple of these ain't pretty.
Avatars receive questionable 'rave' fashion options
Get ready for your Xbox Avatar to rock the latest fashion trends when you dress it in ... "Day-glo Zebra Print Pumps?!" Major Nelson posts that the new Avatar clothing options are free, which we guess is good. But it means we might actually see our Xbox friends wearing them -- that's bad. Check out this list: For the boys: Pixel Art Hoodie Rave Baseball Cap Dark Purple Jeans Green Skinny Fit Jeans Pink Sweat Bands For the girls: Green Chunky Ring Red Chunky Ring Yellow Fingerless Gloves Blue Fingerless Gloves Chunky Beaded Bracelet Day-glo Zebra Print Pumps Rave Baseball Cap We can't decide if the choices are '80s or '90s rave clothing. We'd ask someone on staff who attended a rave, but if they remember it, we'll know they did it wrong.
Microsoft making 'Zune Xbox' Application
If there is one harsh reality we've learned at X3F, it has to be that more people own a Zune (and care about Album Art) than we thought. While both on a market for quite some time, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Zune do not offer any special functionality when working together but MS is taking steps to introduce both devices to each other -- if a recent job posting is to be believed. According to CNET, Microsoft is looking to add a "User experience designer" to its Zune group who will focus on the Zune user interface, Zune PC application -- used to access the Zune Marketplace -- and a Zune Xbox application. No details are listed but speculation is it could be that Microsoft is developing an application that will allow users to download, manage and transfer content from one device to another. Anything is possible with the NXE and what Microsoft calls, a much easier interface to roll out extension services to. At this point we'd settle for a little "Xbox Live Anywhere" love we were promised years ago. [Via Engadget]
Video: Possible future Avatar clothing options discovered
The diligent folks over at Xbox Avatar Life have uncovered some YouTube videos of ... enterprising Xbox users that have discovered lots of currently unavailable clothing and accessory options for Avatars. All told, there are three videos covering the various hats, tops, shoes, pants, skirts, accessories and hairstyles for both male and female Avatars. Now, keep in mind that we have no idea when, or even if these options will ever be released, so don't get your hopes up about any particuar options. Actually, we're just going to disregard our own advice and say we can't wait for the puffy shirt. Check out all three videos after the break.
NXE audio issues continue to fire up forum users, Microsoft still working on a fix
When the switch was flipped to release the New Xbox Experience (NXE) everyone at X3F HQ was huddled around a candle, hoping that Xbox Live wouldn't ... you know, explode! Thankfully, the NXE was released and the Live service continued to run strong, for the most part. However, not everyone had a rosy experience. Some Xbox users connected throughout HDMI noticed an issue, the NXE would not play audio via an HDMI connection. While this isn't news, users that have been hit with the audio issue have taken to the Xbox.com forum, now threatening to take the issue to the the Better Business Bureau and contact consumer advocacy groups due to Microsoft's refusal to address the problems. Only, Microsoft did address the NXE/HDMI problem. On December 2, X3F reported that Microsoft admitted the NXE had caused the HDMI audio issue for some users and are currently working on a fix in a story on ShackNews. While they don't get points for speed -- actually, maybe they do ... we don't know how long it takes to fix these things -- Microsoft has admitted the problem and aren't leaving anyone out in the cold. Get it? 'Cuz it's December. Never mind, you seem upset.[Ed. Note: Story edited to clarify the audio issue has only hit some HDMI users]
NXE Avatars receive new formal wear
Like most foppish gamers, we've been politely castigating Microsoft for the improvident dearth of formal Avatar clothing -- so much so that we're inclined to use the words "castigating" and "improvident" in a single sentence. How are we meant to enjoy the NXE when our on-screen representation fails to capture our posh, everyday attire? To think, there are brutish button mashers who venture online wearing naught but jeans and a body rag! To that we say, "Hmph! And good day!"Thankfully, Microsoft has now recognized the erudite e-citizens of Xbox Live, releasing a new set of Avatar clothes: Gentlemen Blue Tuxedo Black Tuxedo Shirt with Cummerbund Black Trilby Bowler Hat Noble Women Elegant Ball Gown Little Black Dress Formal Trouser Suit Elegant Watch Red '60s Shades Strappy High Heels Platform Shoes You'll find them in the Avatar Customization menu, most likely next to some uncultured "threads."
Dress your Avatar in new formal apparel
Freshly sewn for inclusion in the Avatar customizer closet is brand new clothing for your Avatar that's mostly made up of formal wear. Male and female Avatars now have the option of wearing two new hats, a new shirt and a few new tuxedo suits including the blue gem you see to the right. Spiffy, right?All new threads are accessible via the Xbox 360 dashboard's Avatar customizer and are marked with a gold star for your convenience. Have fun playing dress up.
