190°

Introducing Microsoft's SmartGlass

With the official release of the new Xbox 360 dashboard, we step closer to an additional feature that was announced at this year’s E3 press conference: Xbox SmartGlass. You know all your smart devices that you play around with while you are in a Call of Duty lobby or while watching the latest episode of Mad Men on Netflix? Well now you can integrate them into a new entertainment experience giving consumers the chance to breach traditional one screen form of entertainment into multiple screens. And I’m not talking about the 3DS.

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original-gamer.com
MultiConsoleGamer4234d ago

For browsing media content it's a great product.

For gaming it has no practical use that isn't distracting from the central gameplay experience.

andibandit4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

I mostly agree with you, though i can see some minor potential uses for it:

1. have it display whatever message you just received....saves me the hassle of pressing guide button etc etc.

2. use it as a keyboard, for those of us who dont want to have a keyboard connnected to the xbox.

3. as a touchpad while surfing.

4. Minimap, instead of having a minimap take up space on the screen. altho for games like COD where taking your eyes away for a nano second means death, it's less useful

5. as a map instead of having to press back/start constantly to figure out which road to take(Borderlands 2 anyone?)

6. watching a movie with someone, you dont have to pause it for 3 minutes because youre going in the kitchen to make popcorn.(watching the movie in parallel)

7. inventory management in any sort of RPG, coming from M/K and to using a gamepad has been a total backwards step, maybe smartglass could be used.

and so on, nothing breathtaking, just makes things easier.

MikeMyers4234d ago

1. I like it
2. this is true as the controller is very clunky to use for text
3. That could be distracting while playing
4. Kind of like the DS and its dual screens. Could have lots of potential.
5. You risk the distraction while playing and having to constantly look at both screens.
6. Those Google Glasses would do a much better job. I can't imagine having my buttery hands all over my tablet while making popcorn so I don't have to pause it for guests.
7. Yes, sort of like the other resources like mini-maps.

How about the ability to have some sort of reference available at all times. I know many like walkthroughs and now you don't have to go searching to figure out what to do. There are lots of applications that could make gaming more interesting and more involving. They just have to do it in a way that makes sense.

greenpowerz4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

You don't know what it holds for gaming(loading XBLA games etc on mobile devices from Windows or xbox plus games like watch dogs)

I really wish your name was reflective of your post history.

Lots of Sony fans in here ;)

Are you going to try smartglass on your xbox? ;)

Burning_Finger4234d ago

Microsoft needs a person that's good at naming product.

Window
Xbox
Smart Glass
Kinect

XD

GribbleGrunger4234d ago

I think that SmartGlass is a great name actually.

konnerbllb4234d ago

Yeah it fits it well. Can someone think of a better name without trolling?

slapedurmomsace4234d ago

@konner...I tried...I failed.

The Meerkat4234d ago

konnerbllb

I quite like the sound of FingerTip

DBergmark4234d ago

Windows is actually a great name because the Microsoft OS was like a Window to a new world. Kinect is a mix between the two words kinetic & connect. Kinetic is moving energy which connect would you with your gaming console; cheesy but logical. SmartGlass: smartphones & tablets. I don't know why they went with glass but it makes sense either way. Xbox doesn't really make sense.

Fez4234d ago

Xbox was named for it's use of DirectX. Pretty good name, nice and short too.

etowntwo4234d ago

Yeah, like WiiU and Vita are supposed to be any better?

nukeitall4234d ago

Actually I think all those names are pretty good. Perhaps you can suggest something better?

humbleopinion4234d ago

I heard the initially wanted to come up with the name "burning finger", but realized it was taken.

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mickaelmc4234d ago

wow. while Microsoft is wasting our time with this crap, Sony is busy making exclusive triple A titles. Glad I sold my 360 back when there was a perceived value for it. Microsoft is already showing obvious signs of neglecting 360 gamers so they can sell us a new console next year. Even xbox fanboys have to admit this.

bodybombs4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

my lord you make it seem like they dedicate every single person on staff to one project at a time.

god forbid ms make something innovative. i for one am welcoming smartglass.

Since you seem so uninterested in the product and are happy to have sold it, why comment. go back to your bridge troll. you're not welcome here

also, if they were neglecting anybody what would be the point in putting halo 4 out, and developing OS updates for the console.

mickaelmc4234d ago

I was interested in the product. My roommate still has a 360. He likes it. Neither of us are too excited for Halo 4. lol... calm down.

jwk944234d ago

This isn't necessarily innovative. Wii U and PS3/Vita already do this. It's just a unified companion application.

bodybombs4234d ago

the idea may not be new, but the implementation of the idea is.

ItsTrue4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

"As an orange lover, I prefer oranges over apples. In fact, I love oranges so very much that if there was an article online specifically about apples, for people that like apples,
I would be a total jackass and post about how much I like oranges, and how everyone that likes apples are stupid."

mickaelmc4234d ago

I like what you were trying to do here. Sorry if my opinion hurts anyone. I'm a fan of video games. But yeah, I do have a preference but with good reason considering current events. Enjoy your smartglass.

bodybombs4234d ago

@mickaelmc bubble for being understanding

bodybombs4234d ago

see if i ever give a bubble again lol.

Blankman854234d ago

You sold your xbox so Microsoft doesn't owe you jack. Kindly leave.

AngelicIceDiamond4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

@Bodybombs is right you had no reason being in here. Saying that useless and offtopic statement. What you said didn't even contribute to this article in anyway.

Don't comment if you don't have nothing USEFUL to say.

As for this, it'll be interesting to have Xbox where ever you go and have touch screen functionality from your smartphone/tablets. Internet browse, play games, earn achievements, stream networks and manage friends/sort out beacons where ever you are in real time anytime, sounds very innovative.

See that's how you contribute since its complicated for you.

Knight_Crawler4234d ago

@Mickalomc - People who have to keep reminding them selfs why they got rid os something is usually signs of regret.

Dread4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

Forza Horizon
Halo 4
Fable Journey
Deadlight
Mark of the Ninja

All very recent xbox exclusives

you failed
try harder next time

TekoIie4234d ago (Edited 4234d ago )

MS did announce 3 new IP's which were completely overlooked at E3.

Ascend: New gods (This is F2P btw)
LocoCycle
Matter

They also showed their tops 3 IP's (Halo, Forza and Gears). So you know look at things in the real world in the future rather than whats currently being publicised.

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bubblebeam4234d ago

I still vaguely know what smartglass is. Is this the thing Usher was dancing to? Lol.

Animal Mutha 764234d ago

I'd quite like the in game score board of BF3 to be on my iPad whilst playing. I often hit back just to view for a second and I often get shot or miss a kill opportunity whilst doing so.

Excited to see what smartglass can do.

150°

10 Biggest Xbox Mistakes of All Time (So Far)

The Xbox brand has done a lot of good over the years, but their various blunders are pretty wild to look back on in their magnitude.

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culturedvultures.com
piroh4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Ironically number 9 can save them at this point (releasing games on multiple platforms)

ChasterMies2d ago

By “save them” you mean make more profit for Microsoft. Xbox will still be a dying hardware platform.

OtterX3d ago

You could add the naming scheme for the consoles, it just confuses customers. I know they wanted to avoid traditional numbering bc it would always be lower than their competitor, but this whole 360 then One then Series thing is confusing af. Imagine a Soccer Mom trying to figure this stuff out. I still mistakenly call the Series X the One from time to time on accident.

RNTody3d ago

Don't forget about the Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox Series X! Good luck to Soccer moms around the world.

S2Killinit2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

They did that on purpose to confuse and direct attention away from the generational numbering.

MS doesn’t like reminding people that they joined the industry after others had already been involved in gaming.

For instance, they called the xbox “360” to combat PlayStation “3” because they wanted to seem like “more” than “3”, so instead of xbox 2, they opted for xbox 360. Also this had the additional benefit of selling consoles to uninformed parents who might purchase a “360” instead of a “3” by mistake, or because they thought 360 was more than 3. Kind of a disingenuous move.

They have been continuing with their confusing naming patterns for pretty much the same reasons. Frankly, it fits with who and what they are as a brand.

FinalFantasyFanatic2d ago

I can understand their reasoning, but whoever came up with that naming scheme should be fired, bad naming schemes have killed consoles (I'm pretty sure it was the major reason for the downfall of the WiiU). They should have had unqiue names like Nintendo and Sega have had for their consoles, far less confusing for the consumer.

Cacabunga3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

Phil Spencer is the worst that has happened to Xbox.
They built a respectable brand up to Xbox one. Then this guy took over and things became a joke

Reaper22_3d ago

He still has his job. Something you can't say about Jim Ryan.

Cacabunga3d ago

Both bad execs. One is on job and one thankfully retired.

FinalFantasyFanatic2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

I didn't like either person, both people damaged their respective brands and produced worse outcomes, but Phil did save the Xbox brand from being retired by Microsoft. Although in hindsight, he should have just let it die, rather than languish in limbo like it is now.

Rainbowcookie1d 15h ago

Yeah but the one that was "bad" didn't even affect sales.

bunt-custardly2d ago

Phil Spencer was also on the team back when 360 was around, alongside Shane Kim, Peter Moore etc. I think the damage that did the most harm was the Don Mattrick "Always Online" console (ahead of its time basically). They handed Sony and Nintendo a free-pass when that was revealed. It went downhill from there. Then the corporate machine went into full swing to try and recover. They have to a degree as a games company for the masses, and less so for the core gamer. Outside USA, the Xbox brand does not sell as well as Japanese based consoles (citation needed).

Cacabunga2d ago

Want a decision maker. The always online and TV plans was a disaster yes, but they caught up by announcing 1st party games that gamers actually kept the hype going.. until this moron took over and introduced the PC day one release.. e all know where that ended..

S2Killinit2d ago

I dont think they were ever a respectable brand, not since the beginning, when their goal was never to be involved and share in the gaming space. I think the OG xbox was an exception because MS as a brand was still getting its foot in and so the people behind that were people of the gaming industry.

FinalFantasyFanatic2d ago

The 360 was the brand in its prime though, everything went downhill towards the end of that generation. Its staple games like Halo, Forza and Gears are what kept the console relevant and afloat for so long.

MaximusPrime_3d ago

Really good video.

I remember the days with RRoD was big news on here, N4G.

Microsoft had it turbulence number of years.

Looking at the success of Sea of Thieves despite being 6 years old, time to release Halo, Forza horizon 4 & 5 on PS5. It'll help their revenue

shinoff21833d ago (Edited 3d ago )

2 of the 4 games they did already sold really well. So it's definitely going down. Idk about halo or forza but I feel those studios they've bought in the last 5 years, their coming

ChasterMies3d ago

I found this video painful to watch. Can someone list them out?

Top 10 for me from are:
1. 2013 reveal presentation
2. Bundling Kinect 2 with Xbox One
3. RRoD or why rushing to market with hardware is always a bad idea.
4. Buying studios only to close them.
5. Ads on the Home Screen
6. Letting Halo die.
7. Letting Geard of War die.
8. Every console name
9. Charging for Xbox Live on Xbox 360 when Sony let PS3 players play online for free.
10. Cancelling release of OG Xbox games after the Xbox 360 launched.

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150°

Microsoft to Add Copilot AI to Video Games

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to incorporate Copilot directly into video games, with Minecraft being the first showcased example.

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xpgained.co.uk
Fishy Fingers7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

F*** AI

"Hey Copilot, what's a good meme to prove I dislike AI".... https://giphy.com/clips/sou...

Einhander19727d ago

Two trillion dollar company that just can't wait to put as many people possible out of work as fast as possible.

It feels like every single thing they do is making gaming worse and destroying the industry.

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darthv726d ago

....you know it takes people to program the AI.... right? It isnt like it is sentient. We haven't reach skynet level of situation or anywhere close to the matrix just yet.

That's next Thursday.

Einhander19726d ago (Edited 6d ago )

It takes a people to program the AI then that AI is used for who knows how many games eliminating countless jobs which only grows as AI is used for more and more game creation functions.

What you're saying is so ridiculously short sighted and truly larking any kind of understanding and foresight.

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CaptainFaisal7d ago

Why all the hate? Im actually excited about this! Always wanted this kind of immersion, and an AI companion with me all the time helping me out knowing the status of my skills/inventory/progress and giving me tips on the best approach or how to craft something specific is game changing for the industry.

Hate all you want about AI, but this is just the start and I can see the potential already. You wont be complaining in the next 5-10 years about this, but rather complain if a game hasn’t implemented it.

MrDead7d ago

Yes we can't wait for the work of others to be used without the need to pay them so that MS can profit even more from the people they fire.

I_am_Batman7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

There is no chance I'd ever use something like this, especially if it's not part of the core game design, but a layer on top of it. It's way too much handholding. Many games already feel like busy work, because they don't let the player figure things out on their own. Having a real-time interactive guide defeats the purpose of playing the game in the first place in my opinion.

If this were to become the standard like you predict, we'll see more and more video games get away with bad design, because people will just be used to ask for help from the AI companion anyway.

Number1TailzFan7d ago

Well Nintendo don't need this with some of their games these days, with invincible characters, items, easy bosses etc.. they do the hand holding built in

helicoptergirl7d ago

Takes "hand holding" in games to a whole new level.

BlackDoomAx6d ago

Because human nature xD Almost every new technology had these kind of comments.

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70°

Activision team is opening a new game studio in Poland 'Elsewhere Entertainment' to build new AAA IP

Microsoft's Activision subsidiary announced today that it is opening a new game development studio to take advantage of the huge talent pool growing in Poland. It'll be the second Activision studio based in the region, joining Infinity Ward Krakow, although this studio is, in fact, not working on Call of Duty.

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windowscentral.com
Psychonaut8511d ago

They’re not working on Call of Duty? Give it time.