New Xbox Dashboard Marks Major Entertainment Push

Microsoft said today that the new Xbox 360 dashboard, due to launch tomorrow, will allow for "entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever." As part of the update, nearly 40 TV and entertainment providers will provide new TV, sports and music channels that the Xbox 360 is yet to see, including the likes of EPIX in the U.S., LoveFilm in the UK and Sky Go in Germany. The company revealed the free update last month along with the December 6 release date. The update is due to add a variety of new features such as "Twist Control" and "Beacons" to the Xbox dashboard. It will also grant users the option to search through Xbox TV and game libraries via Kinect voice recognition and motion control, using the Microsoft Bing search facilities. This particular feature will initially be available in the U.S., Canada and the UK for Zune Video, the Xbox Live Marketplace and select partner applications. Those users who do not own a Kinect will be able to use text search with Bing. Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, said of the update, "A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place." "With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever."