Microsoft and Windows Live Messanger have teamed up for a new way to text chat on your Xbox 360. Sometime in early May gamers will turn on thier 360\'s to notice that updated are available for download and will be accessable through the dashboard. Approximately 1, 600 changes, fixes, and updates will be applied. Most will be superficial.
Xbox Live user world wide currently send more than 2 million text and voice messages via Xbox Live every single day. Numbers are expected to at least double in may with the release of a new add-on to the 360 controllers which is a mini keyboard that will clip into the bottom of a 360 controller. Every gamer knows how it is an arduous process it is texting via Live unless you take the time and enjoy plugging a USB keyboard into your box. Although it looks unwieldy, it is said to fit comfortably in your hands and doesn't impede your ability to easily reach the controller buttons. The keypad will be released this summer and the image shown here isn't the final product. A few changes are still being made, with one being the colors and fonts on the keypad to make it easier to see what you're hitting.
The demo of this Messenger service showed just how simple and powerful it is. When you receive a text message on your Xbox 360, a small box will appear that overlays the bottom portion of the screen. The box serves as a chat room with incoming and outgoing messages appearing automatically, removing the process of bringing up a new screen to see the context of the message. Multiple people can be in each room and the texting can be done on top of games, movies, or on the dashboard. The placement and opaqueness of the box won't be adjustable, though that will likely come in the fall according to Microsoft.
Perhaps the most noticeable change will be the inclusion of a whole new blade on the dashboard. Worry not, this new Marketplace blade won't affect your themes because it will be entirely distinct from the rest of the dashboard with a dynamic look. The major goal here is to make the marekt place easier to navigate. A new Auto Download feature will enable users to download every free and trial version of Xbox Live Arcade games automatically. Perhaps the best addition to this area is the ability to have your Xbox 360 turn off when it is done downloading files. Streaming media from your PC through Windows Media Connect will also get a couple of additions this spring. Included in the update are codecs for H.264 and MPEG-4 formats, expanding the list of supported formats which was previously limited to only WMVs.
^^Just for me^^