What should be in the Spring Update for the Xbox 360
Every Spring and Fall the Xbox Live folks at Microsoft release a system update that introduces some new features. In the past this is how they introduced background downloading and add your Windows Live Messenger contacts to your friends list. Here is my list of features I'd like to see in their Spring update:
1) Web Browser
2) Delete games from profile
3) Improve content navigation
4) Group Chat
5) Solve DRM Issue
The addition of a web browser seems like a trivial feature to add but the PS3 and the Wii both offer the ability to surf the web from the console. For that reason alone I think the 360 needs a web browser. This is not like the days of internet tv where you tried to surf on a 480i TV, people with an Xbox 360 probably have a 720p or 1080p TV and the display should be a lot better on these HDTVs. Come on Microsoft, I want to watch youtube on my TV!
The ability to delete games from your profile would be nice for people like me that play a ton of games but get stop playing a game before gaining too many achievements. I hate seeing the 0 I got from Need for Speed or the 65 I got from FarCry. I'd love to see these games and all earned achievements go away.
It seems every update Microsoft tries to improve content navigation. I think it's time that Microsoft allows the users to organize the content themselves. On occasion video content gets placed in an odd area making it a lot more difficult to find. If I could organize the content it would be much easier for me to find. I have tons of videos and trailers so navigating the default menues is not always very convienent.
You can already join voice chat with one person but you can't add anyone else. I would love o be able to have voice chat with multiple people so we could all talk together while playing other games. It would be so much easier to setup games with your friends.
The final issues that really needs to be resolved is the DMR issue. Downloaded content is locked to the physical game console not your profile. If you log into Live you can still access the content but if you aren't always online and get a new console you will not be able to access that content. I ended up losing a bunch of free trailers because they wouldn't play and they were no longer available in the marketplace. The paid content I could re-download them but this is really annoying.
I'm sure that Microsoft will roll some cool stuff out when they do the Spring update. There is already talk that it will include an improved DRM as well as support for a motion sensitive device. This is one of the very cool features introduced this generation. By putting out new features twice a year the games consoles are evolving to meet the needs of their users. This is one reason I think the current generation of games consoles is the best ever.
1) Web Browser
2) Delete games from profile
3) Improve content navigation
4) Group Chat
5) Solve DRM Issue
The addition of a web browser seems like a trivial feature to add but the PS3 and the Wii both offer the ability to surf the web from the console. For that reason alone I think the 360 needs a web browser. This is not like the days of internet tv where you tried to surf on a 480i TV, people with an Xbox 360 probably have a 720p or 1080p TV and the display should be a lot better on these HDTVs. Come on Microsoft, I want to watch youtube on my TV!
The ability to delete games from your profile would be nice for people like me that play a ton of games but get stop playing a game before gaining too many achievements. I hate seeing the 0 I got from Need for Speed or the 65 I got from FarCry. I'd love to see these games and all earned achievements go away.
It seems every update Microsoft tries to improve content navigation. I think it's time that Microsoft allows the users to organize the content themselves. On occasion video content gets placed in an odd area making it a lot more difficult to find. If I could organize the content it would be much easier for me to find. I have tons of videos and trailers so navigating the default menues is not always very convienent.
You can already join voice chat with one person but you can't add anyone else. I would love o be able to have voice chat with multiple people so we could all talk together while playing other games. It would be so much easier to setup games with your friends.
The final issues that really needs to be resolved is the DMR issue. Downloaded content is locked to the physical game console not your profile. If you log into Live you can still access the content but if you aren't always online and get a new console you will not be able to access that content. I ended up losing a bunch of free trailers because they wouldn't play and they were no longer available in the marketplace. The paid content I could re-download them but this is really annoying.
I'm sure that Microsoft will roll some cool stuff out when they do the Spring update. There is already talk that it will include an improved DRM as well as support for a motion sensitive device. This is one of the very cool features introduced this generation. By putting out new features twice a year the games consoles are evolving to meet the needs of their users. This is one reason I think the current generation of games consoles is the best ever.
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