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Rhapsody app now available on Xbox 360
People with expensive home theater set-ups and/or insane people who listen to music through television speakers now have yet another option when using their Xbox as a weird internet radio device. Specifically, subscription-based streaming music service Rhapsody has launched a new app, which is available now for anyone with Xbox Live Gold and a (paid) Rhapsody account.The app includes access to Rhapsody's full music library, allowing users to access playlists they've constructed on other devices. It also supports gesture and voice commands via Kinect, which sounds good on paper, but we're going to withhold final judgement until we've tested whether our Girls' Generation choreography practice is falsely interpreted as interface navigation.
Free Xbox Live Gold this weekend for pretty much everyone except Europe
Xbox owners somehow eeking out a meager existence without an Xbox Live Gold account will be given a peek at how the other side lives this weekend, when Gold features are opened up to everyone for a limited time.The promotion runs from now through Sunday and includes access to services such as online multiplayer, Internet Explorer and the like. Apps that require outside subscriptions, like Netflix and Hulu Plus, will still require their associated ancillary subscriptions to function, but will otherwise be accessible.The promotion is available for Xbox owners in "Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States," according to Major Nelson. Sorry, Europe.
Microsoft expands subsidized Xbox 360 offer to 250GB model, from $99
Microsoft has thrown an additional two Xbox 360 models into its subsidized subscription deal. Accompanying the original 4GB console at $99, a 250GB option will also be priced at $99, accompanied by two years of Xbox LIVE Gold at $15 per month. Throw in a Kinect, and this rises to $149, initially. The company hasn't revealed whether the new models will be accompanied by additional retailers alongside Best Buy and Gamestop, but there is a holding page that promises to offer a "full list of participating retailers" soon.
Fox Broadcast app now available to Xbox Live customers with Dish and FiOS subscriptions
Xbox Live frontman Larry Hryb (aka Major Nelson) took to his blog on Tuesday to announce that Dish and Verizon FiOS customers can now download the Fox Broadcast app for Xbox 360 to stream next-day Fox programming. In order to use this free app, you'll need a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription. In addition to keeping you up to date with recent episodes of Fringe and Family Guy, this new app also includes access to legacy series such as House and 24. Like most things Xbox, the Fox Broadcasting app features Kinect integration, because everything is "better with Kinect," right?
Xbox Essentials Pack coming in October for $80
Even if you didn't make the cut for the most recent Dashboard beta, Microsoft's still got some goodies for you. It's helping budget-conscious gamers with more than one friend swell their collection of accessories with the Xbox 360 Essentials pack. The package includes a controller, media remote, three months' Gold subscription and a HDMI cable you'll probably leave in a drawer. The set will arrive Stateside in October, setting you back $80 before the holiday shopping begins in earnest.
Paramount pulls back the curtain on its movie-streaming app for Xbox
Another app for streaming movies debuts on Xbox 360 today. The Paramount Movies app allows you to watch purchased and rented movies – both in standard and high-definition formats – from Paramount's website. Yes, before you can watch anything through the app, you'll need to go through the website and spend some money first. As usual, you'll also need a Gold subscription to Xbox Live.
PSA: One year of Xbox Live Gold for $35 on AmazonLocal
AmazonLocal is offering a voucher for a one year subscription to Xbox Live Gold for $35. The deal is applicable in every supported location in the United States, one per customer. If you live in one of the 20 states that don't receive AmazonLocal deals (what's up, South Dakota?), the retail service won't mind if you lie to it and select a location that does.So if you're a liar that loves Xbox Live subscription deals, get this one while it's hot as vouchers are in "limited quantities."[Thanks, Jonathan!]
$99 Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle rolling out to Best Buy and GameStop this month
Microsoft's canny subscription-based Xbox scheme launched last month, but was , at that point, limited to its own stores. Looks like it's been deemed a success though, as Microsoft has decided to expand the deal to all Best Buy and selected GameStop stores later this month. The $99 deal ties you into a two-year subscription at $14.99 per month and includes a 4GB Xbox 360, Kinect unit and Xbox Live Gold. According to Microsoft, this is only the next stage of the "pilot period", with limited numbers and dates. No specifics just yet on those exact numbers and which stores will be offering the deal. But even if SmartGlass didn't grab you the first time round, this makes it even harder to say no. Your turn, Nintendo.
PSA: Free Xbox Live Gold this weekend
For those among us that have no Xbox Live Gold subscription and would like to see how the other half lives, Microsoft will be temporarily granting Gold-level access to all internet-connected Xboxen this weekend, from Friday, June 1 through Sunday, June 3.Amazon Instant Video, IGN, Manga and MUZU.TV apps will also be accessible, and while Amazon's prerequisite ancillary Amazon Prime subscription will be required to make use of its "free" streaming catalogue, users will still be able to use it to buy or rent movies/shows for Xbox-enabled viewing over the weekend. [Image credit: Hto2008]
Xbox 360's Comcast Xfinity TV app in beta testing, won't count against data caps when it launches
We're still waiting for the Comcast Xfinity TV app to appear on our Xbox 360 dashboards, but word is its beta tests have expanded to cover more Microsoft and Comcast employees, and it could launch as soon as the next week or so. In case you're wonder exactly what its capabilities will be when it will arrives, a post over at AVSForum points out a support page that's already live and details both the requirements for service and content available. Customers that have Xbox Live Gold and both internet and video services from Comcast will be able to log into the app with their ID and view video on-demand (no live TV) including free videos, national broadcasters and premium channels. That includes access to HBO Go (which will already have an app) and additional content from Max Go, as well as other premium stations -- basically the same lineup currently available on the Xfinity website. Also notable is confirmation that the cross-provider content search Microsoft is so proud of will apply here, and that any video viewed through the app won't count against those 250GB data caps Comcast has in place. Hit the link below for all the answers currently available, we'll wait until its actually launched to try out the promised Kinect voice and gesture control features.[Thanks, Tyler]
BBC iPlayer app finally launches for all UK Xbox 360s
All of those Kinect-enabled Xbox 360 video apps Microsoft has been promising since last year's dashboard update continue to slowly leak out, and the latest is the BBC iPlayer. Already long available on the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, UK gamers finally have access to the catalog of titles on any major console they choose. The Xbox 360 supports HD streams and, of course, voice and gesture control courtesy of that little add-on, however unlike many of the services on Microsoft's box, this one is available to all users with or without an Xbox Live Gold subscription. Platforms that are next up for iPlayer's blessing? Sky AnyTime+ is confirmed for later this year while a Windows Phone 7 is reportedly being developed. Check after the break for a couple more shots of the interface, plus a video demo for users on the appropriate side of the pond.
Vevo app brings ad-supported music videos streaming to the Xbox 360
The video services Microsoft announced would be coming to Xbox 360 continue to trickle out and the latest is from Vevo. What it brings free of charge (with the exception of the req'd Xbox Live Gold subscription, of course) is a library of music videos that's big enough (45,000 deep) for you to remember when the M in MTV stood for something. An additional bonus is that many of the videos are actually in high definition, unlike the ones broadcast on MTV and Fuse's high definition channels, and when we talked to the company ahead of the launch we were told the audio and video have been reencoded specifically for TV viewing.There's the requisite Kinect integration for voice and gesture control, and users can create a queue of videos and skip through them without pausing the action, and of course share what they're playing with other users on Xbox 360 and services like Facebook. Best of all, it's not a pay-per-view setup like iTunes or the standard Xbox music videos. There are a few quirks however, like needing to create a Vevo account to get access and the number of clicks it takes to add videos to a playlist. Still, whether you want to autoplay all of your favorite artist's videos or pick one at a time it all works pretty well -- the only problem now is finding something worth listening to. Check the Xbox 360 app marketplace to download it or give the video demo (embedded after the break) a peek.
Xbox Live Gold membership 40 percent off on Amazon, Newegg
One-year Xbox Live Gold memberships are $36 right now on Amazon, down 40 percent from the standard price of $60. Three-month subscriptions are 23 percent off, for $19.16 now as well.Newegg is matching Amazon's deal on 12-month memberships, offering up to five per customer at $36 a pop. Not that you have to buy five but, really, if you're going to buy Gold today, it might as well be for half a decade at 40 percent off.[Thanks, Ahmed.]
Mass Effect 3 Xbox Live demo temporarily bumps Silver subs to Gold
If you're a Silver subscriber on Xbox Live, downloading the Mass Effect 3 demo will allow you to cease being that one weirdo in your group who can't ever play with his friends online because he's a cheapskate. Well, in Mass Effect 3, anyway. Upon downloading the demo, all Silver members will be automatically bumped up to Gold level within the demo until Mass Effect 3 launches on March 6.The demo will be available on February 14 not only for Xbox 360 users, but also PC and PS3. Players will get a taste of the multiplayer component and sample the Reaper attack on Earth that opens the game.
One year of Xbox Live Gold for $36 on Amazon
Looking to save some scratch on an Xbox Live Gold subscription? Look no further than Amazon, which currently has 12 month cards for $36 ($24 off the usual price). These tend to sell out quickly, so act fast if you're in the market for more Live.
Verizon details live FiOS TV service for Xbox 360, Kinect controls on tap
Microsoft announced back in October that it would be bringing live FiOS TV channels to the Xbox 360 (along with some offerings from Comcast), and Verizon has now finally filled in most of the specifics. As expected, you'll need both FiOS TV and internet, plus an Xbox Live Gold membership to access the "select" live channels (up to 26 depending on your TV package), but Verizon is making a special offer available to coincide with the launch. You can get its FiOS Triple Play package including FiOS internet, TV and phone, plus a year of Xbox Live Gold for $89.99 a month if you sign up before January 21st, and Verizon will also throw in the new anniversary edition of Halo. What's more, Verizon has also confirmed that the new service will make use of Kinect voice and gesture controls, and it's accepting orders for the new bundle package right now -- the service itself will be available next month.
Bing brings the holiday gold, offers free Xbox Live preview for Thanksgiving weekend
Need something to do while your loved ones slave over hot stoves and turkey platters? Microsoft and Bing have got your back, offering gamers another free Xbox Live Gold weekend to help you frag your way through the holiday. Of course, if you're feeling too sedentary to twitch your thumbs, you can always veg out with your Netflix queue or use the console's ESPN app to get your traditional Thanksgiving sports fix. Either way, you're golden until the 27th -- after that, you'll need to pony up and subscribe. Don't have an Xbox 360, you say? We hear there are some deals floating around that might help you fix that.
U-verse on Xbox 360 is getting upgraded in November, but will require XBL Gold
The good news for everyone anyone using their Xbox 360 as a AT&T U-verse set-top box, is that it will be upgraded as a part of the new dashboard update coming this fall. that means support for the integrated search, new UI and control via voice or gestures with Kinect. The bad news? After the update, it will only work if you're also a subscriber to Xbox Live Gold. No problem if you were already shelling out in order to get your Gears 3 co-op on, but not so awesome if you weren't planning on buying the gaming package just to watch some TV. Giant Bomb has talked to Microsoft and of the new services, some, like the BBC, may be accessible without a paid-up Gold pass, but for HBO Go, Dailymotion and others you'll need to toss some cash Redmond's way. To ease the pain, AT&T is tossing a one-time $60 credit towards its users with the package -- still no word on whether or not you'll need to pay that installation fee for a new setup after the upgrade goes through.
Free Xbox Live Gold this weekend, help out with a Guinness world record attempt
Even if you've never joined the prodigious ranks of the Xbox Live Gold subscribers, or whether you've simply allowed your honorable title to fall by the wayside, you can get a temporary pass to the Gold Zone this weekend. From today through Monday, free users will find their status upgraded, giving them access to the online multiplayer functionality usually reserved for their premium counterparts. Of course, there's no such thing as a free lunch -- Microsoft is asking that folks participating in the freekend help break an extremely specific Guinness world record using Kinect Sports: "The most people running a virtual 100m dash at one time." That ... that can't be a very large number to beat, can it? Regardless, if you'd like to participate (and grab a free Avatar shirt at the same time), check out the details on Rare's blog.
Microsoft takes measure to counter alleged Indie Games ratings manipulation
Microsoft has disabled Xbox Live "Free" members' ability to rate Marketplace content on Xbox.com in an apparent effort to curb ratings manipulation. The announcement was made on the XNA Game Studio Team Blog and was specifically addressed to the Indie Games Community. "By implementing this change, we believe our customers will experience more consistent ratings and a significantly reduced potential for abuse across the entire Xbox catalog," said the statement. "We have also investigated rolling back suspect votes, however, we determined it will not be possible to do this." Several weeks ago, developers of some of the top-rated Indie Games suspected foul play when their games began to slide down the Top Rated listing after receiving, by one developer's count, "hundreds of 1 star ratings" in a single week. While the XNA Team conceded that it would be unable to take away such seemingly unwarranted ratings, it did add that "we are investigating users who may have violated their user agreement during this series of events." "Violating user agreements may result in actions up to and including banning from Xbox Live, removal of currently posted games, and loss of ability to post games in the future," the statement continued. A few Indie Games developers have expressed gratitude, as reported by Armless Octopus, for Microsoft listening to their concerns and taking action. (Historically, it's been a somewhat rocky relationship between the two sides.) While limiting rating powers on Xbox.com to paying Gold members would seem to thwart the most egregious attacks and manipulation of content, it does not solve some of the other issues with the system; most notably that a user need not play, let alone purchase, content to rate it.
