Xbox 360 Gets a Much Needed Update

Is Microsoft actually listening to the gamers? Many reports and forums are buzzing on Microsoft’s amazing ability to use blogs to reach their customers demands. Many Xbox gamers have issues with the 360’s dashboard. This includes the menus, which have hard to find information scattered about them, not to mention the Xbox Live can only download just so much. Thanks to the public outcry and Microsoft actually listening for once, the updates that promise to make every one happy will be released soon..

The update will greatly improve the dashboard and Xbox Live capabilities. The Market Place has new categories with subcategories that make finding what you need a lot easier. The categories are games, media, entertainment, demos and game videos, as well as theme and gamer pictures. You also can redeem codes, and view active downloads on the same screen that you observe your account management. There is also the option to boot to the dashboard instead of ejecting a disk to go there. This is very useful if you are more into live arcade gaming and don’t want the hassle of ejecting disks. Themes can also now be applied as soon as you download them.  The Xbox also now has optional iPod support. Additionally, you can set your online status to away, or the Xbox will automatically set it for you after 15 minutes. Say goodbye to the old way of entering text.  The new update will come with full USB support allowing you to have a wireless keyboard for typing messages to your gamer friends. I don’t know about you, but I think that they are making the Xbox into a powerful, and relatively cheap, media center that is the perfect mate for any television. Sony and Nintendo have a lot of catching up to do, because the Xbox can do far more than play games and read DVD’s.    

    The Xbox’s major advantage is with it’s new downloading features. You can now queue up 6 downloads at once; nevertheless, they still download one after another. However, you can tell which download to start, stop, or pause. Another nice feature added is that there is no longer the hideous wait with nothing else to do but stare at the download screen.  Instead you can actually play DVD’s or games while you wait! The Xbox also controls the download speed by detecting which downloads have more bandwidth so it can speed up the process. If one of your buddies asks you to join in on an online game, the download manager will pause or slowdown the download to prevent you from lagging. That’s not all.  If you turn off your 360 in the middle of a download, and then turn it back on, the download manager will pick up where you left off.

    The Xbox’s movie and music management has also been given a face lift. Now you can play your DVD’s, turn off the console or start a game and the Xbox will remember where you left off. Microsoft also put fast forward and rewind controls on downloaded movies. Even though they don’t have streaming of videos on the XBL servers, you can at least control the movies now. Your music play lists will always play even if you start a game. Now you can even play a “rock’em sock’em” shooter to Beethoven’s 5th symphony with all the gunfire and screaming if you so desire. The sound effects will still play while the games background music is silenced and replaced with your own tunes.
When is this feature going to be released and how can you get a hold of it? Well, according to Microsoft it will be “in a week” (as of May 25th) so that means, according to Microsoft’s time, about a month or longer. Microsoft said that they plan on updating the Xbox this “spring” and again over the holidays. To get the new update you need an Xbox live account and your 360 hooked up to the internet. There has been talk however, that they will package the update on retail game disks for those of us who do not have internet access.

    All I have to say is, “Way to go Microsoft!”   I never thought I would praise you for anything, but you have finally found out that it is a good idea to listen to people who use these consoles on a regular basis! Now do it with XP! I think that if Microsoft keeps up what it is doing now, the Xbox will be ahead of the other game consoles so far as media center and usability is concerned.  Sorry to all of you hard core Xboxers out there, but the graphics still don’t impress me much.