Pulse2 Technology and Social Media News » Microsoft Xbox LIVE

Microsoft Launches XBox LIVE iOS App

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:04:13 +0000

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has launched a universal iOS application for Xbox LIVE. The free Xbox LIVE app allows you to stay connected to the Xbox LIVE community when you don’t have your console near you. Features include:
- Ability to read/send messages
- Manage friends list and invite new friends
- Read/Edit your LIVE profile
- Change avatar and items in the avatar closet
- View/compare achievement progress

Microsoft Xbox Live Software Update Will Allow You To Navigate Through Content With Voice or Hand Gestures

Amit Chowdhry — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:00:19 +0000

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is launching a new interface for Xbox game consoles that will allow users to navigate through music, movies, TV shows, games, etc. by waving your hand or using your voice. The upgrade will be going live tomorrow.

Microsoft is also launching several other new features through the upgrade. This includes a new dashboard user interface and improved Kinect voice commands.

“We think you’re going to use one device for movies, music and games in the future,” said Ross Honey, general manager of Xbox Live entertainment and advertising, in an interview. “We want to make the content accessible and enhance the actual experience. We think you will want to watch it on Xbox as it is more social and more personal.”

The update will give people access to on-demand TV, movies, and user-generated videos. For example, you will be able to have access to 26 TV channels from Verizon’s FiOS TV service or Comcast’s complete library of 10,000 On Demand movies.

When you say the word “Xbox,” the Microsoft Kinect motion-sensor wakes up. You can say “Bing” to use the search function across the console. From there if you say “Iron Man 2,” then the movie will be pulled up. You can watch the movie through Zune, Vudu, Epix or Netflix from there. Netflix requires a separate subscription.

The new user interface was designed around Microsoft’s signature Metro look, which has square tiles and buttons that are used on Windows Phone 7. When Microsoft releases the Windows 8 desktop operating system, it will also have the Metro look.

About 57 million Xbox consoles have been sold around the world and 35 million users have logged on to the Xbox Live service at least one in the past 3 months. About 40 content partners are expected to be a part of the platform and apps will be rolled out gradually over time from them.

14 Xbox LIVE Games and In-App Purchases Are Coming To Windows Phone 7

Amit Chowdhry — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:40:17 +0000

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced 14 new XBox LIVE titles coming to the Windows Phone 7 operating system within the next few months. Microsoft made the announcement at the annual Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany. Some other new features coming to Windows Phone 7 also include Avatar Awardables, game add-ons, parental controls, and fast async.

The 14 games that are coming to Windows Phone 7 include Beards & Beaks: Cave Area, Bug Village, Burn The Rope, Chickens Can’t Fly, Collapse!, Gravity Guy, Farm Frenzy 2, Fight Game Rivals, IonballEX, Kinectimals Mobile, Mush, Orbital, TextTwist 2, and Toy Soldiers Boot Camp.

[Windows Team Blog]

Conan O’Brien Almost Signed Exclusive Show For Microsoft Xbox

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:06:29 +0000

Conan O’Brien almost signed a deal with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) to have an exclusive show on the Xbox 360 according to executive producer Jeff Ross. The deal did not end up getting signed because it was not clear what Conan would be doing exactly. Conan ended up going with TBS as a result. [GamaSutra]

Modern Warfare 2 Gamers Log About 1.75 Billion Hours On Xbox Live

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:44:55 +0000

Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward sent out a tweet saying that Modern Warfare 2 gamers have logged in about 1.75 billion hours into the game on Xbox Live itself. When dividing this many hours into years, it comes out to be around 200,000 years. [Kotaku]

Surge Of Banned Xboxes Added To eBay and Craigslist

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:05:49 +0000

Microsoft has banned somewhere between 600,000-1,000,000 Xbox LIVE users for having a modded Xbox 360 recently. When a console you have suddenly stops working online, what do you do with it? Sell it on the cheap. You may have noticed that tons of these blacklisted Xbox 360 consoles have been added to Craigslist and eBay.

The consoles aren’t completely bricked. Modded Xbox 360 consoles can still play with pirated games but they cannot be played online. According to PC World, over 200 postings in New York City has been added since November 5 on Craigslist with a modded Xbox 360 for sale. Chicago had over 195 listings added during the same period.

What does this mean for people wanting to buy an Xbox soon? Be wary when shopping on eBay or Craigslist for them.

Dog Spends $62.50 On Greg Stroke’s Xbox Account. Yup You Read It Right.

Amit Chowdhry — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:53:30 +0000

Greg Stroke entered his credit card into Xbox Live so that he does not have to enter it every time into system. One morning Stroke and his girlfriend woke up the next day and found a chewed up controller. It turns out that his dog chewed up the controller to the point that 5,000 Xbox points were purchased for $62.50. It turns out that Microsoft made it so easy to buy games that even a dog could do it. “I just wish they’d make it a little harder to purchase points,” said Stroke.

Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 Wireless Headset Allows More Convenient Gaming Smack Talk

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:28:10 +0000

Turtle Beach has developed a new headset called the Ear Force X41. These headsets are primarily used for gaming on the XBox 360. The X41 is the third generation headset made by Turtle Beach. The Ear Force X41 supports Dolby 7.1 channel surround sound. The Ear Force X41 headphones also has a Digital Signal Processor feature built in. For better smack talking sound clarity, there is a feature called Chat Boost. This makes XBox Live chat louder. The cost of the headphones are $199.95.

[via TG Daily/Engadget]

Microsoft Announces 24 Titles For Upcoming Games On Demand Service

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:29:31 +0000

On August 11, there be an XBox Dashboard update that will be arriving on XBox Live. Features will include Games on Demand, Netflix improvements, Avatar Marketplace, Avatar Awardables, game ratings, and friend list sorting. This fall there will also be Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm support. When the dashboard launches on Tuesday, the following 24 titles will be available for download at various prices.

- Assassin’s Creed
- Rainbow Six Vegas
- LEGO: Star Wars
- Mass Effect
- Ridge Racer 6
- Meet The Robinsons
- Burnout Paradise
- Call of Duty 2
- Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
- MX vs. ATV Untamed
- Sonic The Hedgehog
- Need For Speed Carbon
- Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise
- Test Drive: Unlimited
- Prey
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- Viva Piñata
- Karaoke Revolution American Idol
- Kameo: Elements of Power
- Perfect Dark Zero
- Dance Dance Revolution Universe

Microsoft Releases Kodu Game Lab For Download

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:23:07 +0000

Microsoft Research has developed a platform called Kodu Game Lab. The Kodu Game Lab allows users to create XBox 360 LIVE games for download. Kodu is supposed to be easy to use that even a 12 year old girl was able to create a game in a demo. As of right now there is a free trial version of a Kodu Game Lab available for download. The full version costs 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

Below are some of the details about the new video game creation software:

- Developer: MSR Kodu
- Game Rating: Unrated
- Genre: Family
- Players: 1-4
- Co-Op: 2-4
- HDTV 1080p
- Custom Soundtrack
- Only Multiplayer: 2-8

[via PCW]