Microsoft will begin rolling out a new dashboard for its Xbox 360 games console from 6th December.
Apparently based on the forthcoming Windows 8 “Metro” user interface (UI) theme, the dashboard allows horizontal scrolling between “groups” of “tiles”, to use Microsoft parlance. Taking the metaphor one step further, the Xbox 360 dashboard will also support more advanced things placed into each group, such as your 3D, animated avatar.
The last dashboard update happened in November 2010, mimicking the style of the newly-released Windows Phone 7 Series UI, also called “Metro”, this time round, the update brings many new features to the Xbox platform:
- Cloud storage for game saves and Xbox live profiles
- Facebook integration for sharing achievements and activities
- Stereoscopic 3D support for compatible games
- Both the standard and Kinect dashboards support voice commands
- Skype will make an appearance
- Bing will also be available direct from the Dashboard
- Party chat will be improved
- YouTube will be available too
- “Beacons” will let you tell your friends that you want to play a game and they are welcome to drop in. No more having to invite everyone you know to games, it’s a passive thing.
