Details on New Xbox Experience, Avatars, Netflix, Primetime, et al

Please god let me use the old better dashboard.

That looks gawd awful...

Seriously? where are all the colors?

I'm getting sick of this next gen imaging. The dashboard was one of the most colorful things i could look at on my xbox and now they are taking that away? and replacing it with a Gray floor and wall? WTF!!!

You know you can skin it right?

NOOOO! They said that you can still use all that if you chose to. You can still use your Gamerpic if you want. However, most people, probably including yourself, will end up switching to Avatars.

"Every gamer has the choice to stick with that lame old dashboard style and totally not get any chicks at all ...or update to the new and improved family-style dashboard, with which you will make more friends (who will only like you for your shiny new dashboard but at least you finally have friends)! Don't worry, Whubbsie, have we got some exciting new themes and avatar clothing for you!"

No one. Instead, Microsoft will laugh at all the little fools such as yourself who spent money on a couple of jpegs.

Wait wait wait.. are you talking about the present blade system? Sure it looks good, but it doesn't function that great. I think the new system looks good while being more functional. It reminds me a lot of the Zune interface, which is very easy to use.

Then again, we haven't actually used it yet so we don't really know.

At least the blade interface is original. This looks like a Mac version of the XMB with Miis

Come on, did you even read the freakin' post?

Anyway, aren't the "blades" going to pop up when you hit the guide button anyway? Thus preserving the themes.

"You'll be able to keep your gamertag pics if you so choose, though they're encouraging everyone to transition to Avatars"

Microsoft encouragement means dropping good support for something 6 weeks after the newest version is out...

And I doubt, people will keep making pics if most people transition over...

The last thing we need is Vista for XBL. Seriously.

Vista is the only reason why I would buy a Mac over a PC.

I love you XP,Linux and other Operative systems for Pc I don't use.

I agree with that I was just saying this new menu feature is like the feature within Vista to browse through windows. Also, much like the functionality Leopard added with Mac OSX. I really don't have a huge problem with Vista. It is essentially a prettier version of XP. Obviously it can get annoying with all of the built in security features and lack of a true administrator account to the default user. My only problem with Vista is that it is a huge resource hog when it comes to how it uses the RAM. You could easily get by with 1 GB or RAM on a basic XP machine but if you only have 1 GB on a Vista machine you will see tremendous slowdown. As time goes on the driver and compatibility issues will be completely ironed out.

Vista is really more of a media centric OS than it is of a business OS IMO. The big problem with a Macintosh computer (I have two BTW) is that they are virtually not upgradable and they are really not functional in the small business environment in comparison to even a vista PC. The modern day macintosh computers are really behind entry level PC's in terms of media functions. I want to see a Macintosh computer that had a built in TV tuner & HDMi out as well as a built in Blu Ray drive. I can get an HP or a Gateway with all of that and 5-6 Gb Ram for around $800.00. I love my Macintosh computers but I certainly hate the price. I have an iMac, Macbook, 3 iPhones (1 4 GB for my fiance, old 8 GB and new 16 GB 3G iPhone), older 30 Gb Video iPod, Shuffle, 500 Gb Time capsule and an Apple TV so I am speaking from experience.

That is a great idea. Here's hoping they do it. These little incentives would add some charm to Avatar (which I don't dig, at the moment).

It's better than nothing.

Home are you still there?

I just don't see why they are fixing something that's not broken. They say that they won't require you to make the switch, but eventually you will have to. I like the old dashboard. I like the fact that everything was organized but there wasn't an excess of different folders, making it confusing. I hope that much will remain the same about the dashboard and that old themes could hopefully be converted or something. Will all of aspects of the new dashboard still work if you are playing some offline tho? I mean if you take the console off the internet will you be taking it off life support? Because there are so many interactive elements now.

I didn't know that gamerpics and a confusing dashboard interface was considered "hardcore." Sure, the avatars are silly, but it's even sillier to accuse a giant corporation of "selling out." They already sold out. Like, when the company was formed.

Well, shit. That was supposed to be a reply to Browntown.

My Avatar will only be wearing his BVD's....M$ can screw off, nickle and diming us to death for virtual garbage that they discontinue at the drop of a hat.

God knows the update that follows next year,might get rid of avatars and M$ will encourage us to "transition away from avatars".

The whole thing kind of reminds me of avatars in Gunbound. While they actually had a stats-altering purpose in the game, they were basically the same thing---pointless animated crap, insanely overpriced in virtual money, and in order to earn that virtual money, you have to either spend tons of real money or spend hours and hours grinding to gain virtual money. Actually, it sounds like every other MMO around.

Read the post, idiot.

@browntown: I didn't know that gamerpics and a confusing dashboard interface was considered "hardcore." Sure, the avatars are silly, but it's even sillier to accuse a giant corporation of "selling out." They already sold out. Like, when the company was formed.

And if you think there wasn't anything to satisfy your pomposity, you must have been watching a different show. Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, Geometry Wars 2, Portal: Still Alive, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, and Final Fantasy XIII... and you're STILL not happy?

@browntown, can you explain to me how it is possible for a publicly traded corporation whose goal is (let's not forget) to make money could possibly sell out? Here please read this before you use the term again:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selling_out

Also did you not read a thing about the MS press conference or what? A good chunk of it was dedicated to the hardcore audience.

Pomposity embiggens even the smallest man...

Microsoft have "sold out"? Thank god they have the "hardcore" masters to set them straight with their searing insight.

I laughed so hard, a little bit of wee came out.

The old blades dashboard is being moved to the guide. Hopefully it's not slower than it already is (the guide).

Nothing like paying for every single little thing. Microsoft does have a history with kicking early adopters in the groin. See original X-Box. I hope you enjoy paying the pied piper at every single step of the way. Oh and those old gamerpics and themes - You can't use them either. That sure sounds like living to me.

Lol what? Did you even read the post. While I don't know about themes(though why would you buy any of them since they have some decent free ones, plus I'd rather use pics from my comp) it's already stated that you'll still be able to use your old gamerpics.

I know you're just eager to hate every single thing Microsoft does, but next time actually read the article before you do.

And you make it sound like Microsoft is forcing you to buy these things. NO one is putting a gun to your head saying, "YOU FUCKING BUY ALL THIS WORTHLESS SHIT OR I'M KILLING YOU RIGHT NOW!!!" Not only do you not have to use the avatars, but you don't even have to buy crap for them. If you bothered to read the article it already stated that you can get items for your avatar just by playing games. Which I personally think is pretty cool. Unlock a certain achievement in a game, you can get a clothing accessory or some kind of item that is related to the game.

@John McPoop,

Um... I've had the original xbox since maybe a month after it launched... please explain how it was they kicked us in the groin? I sure as hell didn't feel it...

@AoE

Because they dropped all support for the console the 360 released.

@Vegeeta

I did read the article and while they will allow user to keep their gamerpics they even aid they are urging everyone to transition to avatars. Then you will be charged for every little bit of customization on your character. They are not putting a gun to my head in terms of forcing me to purchase content but the update will be mandatory and will not support themes because of the way they work in conjunction with the GUI.

Have you been under a rock today or something because the complaints I made are on top of everyones head. These themes they charged you for will be useless. Also, what happens if an avatar is required to use the avatar like functions? Then you will be forced to get the avatar update thus rendering your gamerpics useless. Again, this is no optional rather it is required to use the new features.

Nest time you go accusing someone of hating you should actually use your comprehension skills and practice some basic deductive reasoning.

Why not just sell up and avoid the heartbreak you so vehemently anticipate?

Meanwhile, the rest of us can get on with enjoying the system.

"Tijuana whores during spring break"

First I doubt you know about that “VIRGIN ALERT!!!”

Second you made yourself sound even more retarded and racist.

Third you are not funny, you are an idiot and no matter what you ever do in your life you will never be as successful as the people behind these companies or games so your opinion doesn’t matter, not that it ever did.

You won’t ever go into a good colleague.

You suck at life.

I hope your death is brutal and incredibly painful like being killed by a thousand brutal kicks in the testicles or being gang raped by white supremacist wearing sandpaper condoms.

Please my internet, people like you make me sick.

Oh yeah and none of your points are valid.

Butthurt fanboy FTL,ROFL

@ Mr.Esc

"You won’t ever go into a good colleague" = poetic justice


Name one thing he said that was untrue. Its all exactly true and you should be able to handle that without resorting to name calling and a pathetic attempt at shit talking. Instead of personal attacks why don't you play devils advocate?

Asshole.