Xbox Live dashboard update preview program

[Exatreides]

I'm actually pretty happy with it. I've had a 360 since the original dashboard with the blades. I'm quite impressed with how far they've managed to pull away from that and create an easy browsing dashboard. It does seem a bit sleeker and a tit faster responsive wise. The ESPN thing is very nice. I'm not a huge sports fan, I only really like Boxing, the Bears/Dolphins and the Cubs in baseball. Having the option of going sport by sport and picking which one you want is a very nice touch. If you leave your cursor over a video clip long enough it plays on its own. This is nice in case you just want to hear a few seconds of it with out maximizing it to your TV. Netflix received a nice update as well. The ability to search for things rather then head to your laptop or hope the suggestions they provide on the screen is much needed. Even the descriptions appear next to the movie instead of forcing a popout. I haven't had a chance to check out the new party chat system yet. I have to say that this is a good update.

[CoinReturn]

I'm loving it so far. As said before, nothing huge, just a range of small improvements to help streamline your content. My local ISP just inked a deal to get the live events for ESPN, so I can't wait to try that out. Still haven't had a chance to try out the improved voice quality, as I'm barred from messaging people who don't have the update. Flicking through menus feels a bit more responsive, too. Netflix updates are fantastic; the ability to add DVDs to your queue from the 360 is a nice touch, as is the search feature. I just wish the "New Arrivals" was updated more regularly, like how http://instantwatcher.com/ lists new releases every day.

[darth los]

Update: http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/113/1131338p1.html Can't wait to go home, download it and see what it's all about.

[ProfessorChaos]

so far, seems pretty much the same to me...it is a bit faster, though.

[darth los]

I find it to be the opposite. It feels like things take a little longer to load. But the espn function is freakin awesome. All the other things are just basically reordered in a different way. I'm sure it will continue to morph as time goes on though.

[AcesandEights]

Ugggh, they made my Xbox dash look like a Wii

[Danny]

runs much faster, but from someone who works in media and design there interface has been minimalism-'ed to the point of looking like a mess.

[darth los]

runs much faster, but from someone who works in media and design there interface has been minimalism-'ed to the point of looking like a mess. Perhaps that's the way i would describe it. It just doesn't seem right to me. I thought it would knock my socks off but truth be told i ike the old dashboard better. But again I'm sure they'll get tons of feedback along these lines and fix it. It's not enough to have cool features nowdays. It has to look sleek as well as the people at apple already know. The ps3 interface is lightyears ahead of the 360 in terms of aesthetics as well.

[Danny]

It' doesnt look like apple though, it looks like a mobile phone menu from a few years ago.

[darth los]

It' doesnt look like apple though, it looks like a mobile phone menu from a few years ago. Lolz. Exactly. Like something off a razor.

[SymphonicX]

Shit man, all things considered i now see why there's going to be a membership increase. It doesn't feel nearly as ass raping as it did before i saw the goods. So yesterday, I bought fallout new vegas - as soon as I booted the disc up and was at the "press start" screen - the game crashed! I read previously that if you push X plus right and left bumpers, it resets the cache on the xbox - you're supposed to do this while the game is booting up. So I though, fuck it, clear the cache before loading in this buggy as fuck game - so i turned off my xbox, pressed the button combo as the XBOX was booting up (it boots to the dashboard, I forgot) and there's this new menu system... fucking weird, just timed itself to my actions completely randomly - all yesterday I thought I'd opened up some sort of preview beta dashboard or something by clicking those buttons. As for the new menus, not much changed really? Nothing special on there that I've been bowled over by...

[ProfessorChaos]

the new xbox.com sucks, the new dashboard sucks, and kinnect is going to suck too....looks like MS's time at the top may be coming to an end.

[darth los]

I'm using my ps3 more and more for media. And ever since they came out with netflix it's even better. The picture blows the 360's out the water.

[ProfessorChaos]

considering picking up an hdtv with 1080p capabilities, once in a while they have deals where they throw in a free ps3 with purchase. looking forward to that, as i am about sick to death of MS and their bullshit these days. given that they have no console-exclusive titles that are worth a shit, along with the blu-ray playing on ps3, i'm about to change teams on this console war. sucks that the few friends i care to play online with all have 360's though. oh well, guess it's a reason to hang on to the thing.

[Danny]

considering picking up an hdtv with 1080p capabilities, once in a while they have deals where they throw in a free ps3 with purchase. looking forward to that, as i am about sick to death of MS and their bullshit these days. given that they have no console-exclusive titles that are worth a shit, along with the blu-ray playing on ps3, i'm about to change teams on this console war. sucks that the few friends i care to play online with all have 360's though. oh well, guess it's a reason to hang on to the thing. friends having one are the only reason i have put up with multiple rrod's and am on my 3rd xbox. i use it to play online with them and the xbla games, thats mostly it now. My ps3 has become my default console. If they sorted out there online it would be all the time. but i cant complain because i'm not paying for my ps3 to be online, nor do i need to buy peripherals to plug into it to do so.