So it’s official. The next big dashboard update for the Xbox Live interface will take effect on November 25 – Black Friday in some shopping circles. And while a number of features are expected to stand out with this new update, including better Facebook integration, improved Kinect controls and other features, there’s some more that we want out of it. Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to create a list of features that’d we like to see on this new update. Some of these have been confirmed, while others are merely wishful thinking on our part. But one thing’s for sure – they’d be great to have on the Xbox 360 console. So, without further ado, our list…
The talked about cable channels/features. It’s already been confirmed that Xbox Live will include a number of new streaming services, similar to what ESPN provides, but a date hasn’t been given yet. The November 25 date would be ideal for launching the likes of HBO Go, Comcast, Verizon and other services, just to see how they’d fare with the voice commands and Kinect controls. Granted, you need to be a subscriber to get the most out of them, but that’s a small price to pay to watch Game of Thrones anytime you freakin’ want.
Better loading. To be honest, one of the biggest beefs we have with the Xbox Live interface right now is how long it takes to get your full game selection loaded up in your library, even though you’ve paid for them free and clear (or accessed them for free, like demos). Hopefully, the Xbox Live interface update will bring quicker loading for this, so we don’t have to waste a minute or two waiting for the option to pop up that allows us to start a game of Orcs Must Die! We’ve got games to play already. (And movies to watch.)
No “gimmicky” Kinect stuff. By that, we mean, don’t give us some lousy commercials to wade through when it comes to our motion controls. The Kinect is supposed to be this wondrous device that REALLY puts us into our experiences, and not just paid advertisements. Yeah, they need to happen to help pay the bills, but include some other cool stuff as well, Microsoft. Throw in menus that actually make us feel like we’re Tom Cruise in Minority Report. Include more demos that highlight Kinect features. Give us better video chat capabilities. Just make us feel like it’s a natural part of our system, rather than this wide-angle lens sitting on top of our TV.
Facebook status changes. When we visit Facebook, we know we can update our status anytime by manually typing in what’s happening. But like Sony, Microsoft needs to activate automatic updates so we can tell our friends what we’re playing, talk about the Achievements we just unlocked, or simply make fun of someone when we beat their score in Pinball FX 2. Yeah, we like taunting. So?
More main page options. We have several menu options to choose from at the moment, and they’re good and easy to sort through. However, they aren’t really built with your gaming personality in mind. You have to wade through some subjects you just don’t care about to get to the stuff you do. With this new menu system, Microsoft should include customization options that let you sort out the stuff you want and skip the stuff you don’t. So you don’t have to dig through family game offerings if all you want is, well, Orcs Must Die! highlights.
This feature top 10 concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to find out what other features we want included in the dashboard update.
