Microsoft has updated their Xbox 360 services today, adding the long hyped Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune Video apps.
“It’s the community that drives us forward, and it’s the community that allows us to pioneer new ways of connecting people through the entertainment they love,” says Neil Thompson, senior director of Microsoft’s Entertainment Division in UK & Ireland. “Tonight we’re celebrating the transformation of the TV as tomorrow everyone will be able to enjoy some truly exciting interactive entertainment experiences which continues to deliver on our vision of connected entertainment for everyone.”
Users will need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access the services and the full features are as follows (via GI.biz):
Facebook: Update your status to share the movie, game or entertainment you’re enjoying, connect with friends and view their Facebook stream, status updates and photos on the big screen - as well as compare your Xbox Live and Facebook friends lists.
Twitter: Discover, post, and reply to Tweets on your Xbox 360. You can view friend profiles, trends and conversations, or search Twitter content.
Last.fm: Set up personalised radio stations with Last.fm on Xbox 360. Skip, ‘ban’ or ‘love’ songs to create your perfect mix, with built-in “Gamer Stations” featuring music selected specifically for the gaming community (available in the US and UK).
Zune: A premium high fidelity video experience with instant-on HD in 1080p and 5.1 channel surround sound for Xbox Live, with no waiting for downloads or buffering. The experience can also be shared with up to seven friends through voice chat and Avatar integration on the TV screen.
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At IFA in Berlin, Samsung is currently showing off a 7-inch touchscreen remote control that can browse through other TV channels than the one showing on your TV screen. The concept remote needs a second tuner and WiFi link between the two devices for it to work correctly. A user can browser through TV listings on the remote control and watch alternative channels on the 7-inch screen itself.
“The advantage is that if you have a family, your wife [can be] watching one channel, and you can browse on your small device some other channel or zap there without annoying anybody else,” said Michael Zöller, a marketing director at Samsung Electronics Europe.
In order to switch the channels being viewed on both, the user can hold down the channel icon on the remote control and then sweep the icon toward the top of the screen, which will send the channel showing on the 7-inch screen, to the big screen main TV set. Since it is just a concept remote control, it has no planned release at the moment.
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Nintendo has announced the release of the new Wii MotionPlus accessory is scheduled for June 8 in the United States. The accessory will push the motion-sensing controls of the popular Wii system to new levels of precision and performance, the company claims. Nintendo points out that it will be available on July 26th, when the Wii Sports Resort game launches.
Wii Sports comes packed with the Wii console. It grew into a worldwide phenomenon and continues to attract millions of new players to the world of video games. Each Wii Sports Resort game comes packed with a single Wii MotionPlus accessory. When used with specially designed games, Wii MotionPlus tracks players’ movements in finer detail and with greater accuracy.
Even the slightest twist of the wrist or turn of the body is replicated exactly on the TV screen, allowing users to become even more immersed in Wii game play. Designed for easy attachment to the Wii Remote controller, the Wii MotionPlus accessory will be offered at an MSRP of $19.99.
