Microsoft reveals usage stats for Facebook, Last.fm
by Xav de Matos 
{ Nov 28th 2009 at 1:30PM } 
Microsoft also stated the addition of Last.fm -- a music streaming service currently only available for US and UK gamers -- prompted nearly one million new profile activations. In its first week, Last.fm users streamed "more than 120 million minutes" of music to their Xbox 360 consoles. If we've learned one thing from these numbers, it's that people love to click on shiny new boxes.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Obie @ Nov 28th 2009 1:35PM
Yup, same here, logged on to check em out, then noticed that my iPhone version of those apps are more to my liking.
But maybe it's just me.
Prox @ Nov 28th 2009 1:42PM
Well, your iPhone apps let you listen to music (like last.fm) while you're doing other stuff. Thus it's already better than the one on the 360.
Initially, I was quite excited for some of the new additions, but the lack of integration makes them right next to worthless to me.
Tiptup300 @ Nov 28th 2009 2:05PM
TO EVERYONE:
These applications are a great step forward. Microsoft is providing an alternative to having a web browser on the tv. Instead having native applications, possibly building up to have a fully fledged app store. Web browsers do not work on the tv, they just don't, not built for em.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Nov 28th 2009 2:07PM
@prox
what exactly "else" is it you can do on an iphone while listening to pandora or last.fm? i'm curious to know. walk around? clean? sit? you can do those with the 360 as well.
time @ Nov 28th 2009 2:14PM
@BIGGEN:
leave your house.
Markez @ Nov 28th 2009 2:38PM
Tiptup, my PS3 seems to think that web browsers work just fine for the most part on TVs. Wouldn't be able to watch season 4 of Dexter without it. You're nuts. And, your nuts.
Morisato @ Nov 28th 2009 3:39PM
@time
I laugh at your ignorance!
All the cool kids use this combo to use the 360 apps on the go.
http://benheck.com/Games/Xbox360/x360_page_5.htm
http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/tethering.html
yuyuujenkins @ Nov 28th 2009 4:48PM
It just goes to show you that gamers are musical whores. As says so by the last.fm fan on this page.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Nov 28th 2009 5:27PM
@time
what does that even mean?
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Nov 28th 2009 5:32PM
BTW, i was referring to the fact you can't run another app while listening to pandora or last.fm, same as 360. i assumed that's what prox was referring to. perhaps not?
yolarrydabomb @ Nov 28th 2009 9:30PM
@Tiptup300
What you talking about? I'm veiwing this website on a 52 inch Samsung and it looks beautiful
Emblazin @ Nov 28th 2009 1:37PM
Ya know theres that always fancy computing machine thing I hear about that does this as well.
Avatar @ Nov 28th 2009 2:34PM
The more like computers consoles become, the more people are fooled into thinking that it's progress. Eventually there will be no difference, and with "progress" will come hacking. It's already starting.
HighFiveJesus @ Nov 28th 2009 6:02PM
Fratboys just need facebook bro!
Maybe twitter. Anything else, now you're just confusing me bro.
Special Agent Steve @ Nov 28th 2009 1:40PM
Honestly, I still haven't found out how to get either of those on my system. Then again, I wasn't really trying.
Texbbq @ Nov 28th 2009 1:48PM
u got that rite
Obie @ Nov 28th 2009 1:50PM
Yeah the way to access and install them is a mess. I mean they bury the stuff between adds for Dr Pepper and Old Navy, no wonder people don't even bother checking them out.
Spartan [Planeteer | Power of Sunshine & Lollipops] @ Nov 28th 2009 1:40PM
I checked out last fm.
Haven't used it since...
... wait...
my 360 E74'd on me the other day :(
that's why I haven't used anything.
Carbonize @ Nov 28th 2009 1:41PM
Yup I have tried all the new apps just to see what they are like and not used them since. Takes to long to do anything in the Facebook app. Might as well just give us a web browser to view the sites through.
myabsolution @ Nov 28th 2009 1:43PM
I was glad about the zune marketplace.now canadians can actually rent tv shows.
Rhamsey @ Nov 28th 2009 1:44PM
Facebooks and the Twitters are of no interest to me. I have spent a lot of time on last.fm though. I have found some new groups/songs I like, and heard some I havent heard in forever. It's nothing to special, but I like it, and since my radio broke a couple years ago, it's nice to have some music in my room.
Kevin949 @ Nov 28th 2009 2:06PM
And 20 bucks was too much for a new radio? I mean really, you have a PC which does all this. Most smart phones will do it too provided you have the horribly overpriced data plan (IMHO). I guess I just find it odd that you haven't had music in your room "for years" because your radio died and you didn't look into the many many other avenues for listening to music. Heck, even cable has channels dedicated to music only. Not that it's that good mind you, but still...
BigFat @ Nov 28th 2009 2:35PM
Maybe he just listen to CD's (by using his Xbox) until he got into a car or something. I personal never listen to locale radio either, after my favorite radio station went off the air. But This Last.Fm thing was the perfect tool to get me back into listening to radio.
BlaqueBeird @ Nov 28th 2009 2:39PM
@Kevin
Just because he does things differently than and takes advantage of a feature you don't doesn't warrant hostility and criticism.
Rhamsey @ Nov 28th 2009 3:36PM
Kevin, my radio was also my alarm clock, but since I just use my cell phone, I never really cared. I dont have a smart phone or a mp3 player, because besides podcast, I normally just listen to CDs or Freebeer and Hotwings. Also, my room doesn't have cable, not like it would matter since I don't watch any tv thats not on hulu/netflix.
I have lots of music on my 360 hard drive that plays when I'm gaming, and I just like this new feature because I'm not really a huge music person, but the commercials are short, I have more control of what is playing, and I don't like to download music illegally.
Kevin949 @ Nov 28th 2009 3:40PM
@blaquebeird
The heck are you talking about? I wasn't being hostile to him nor was I saying ANYTHING about him using last.fm. I couldn't care less if he used it or not. I simply found it odd that he stated he didn't have radio in his room for years cuz his radio broke, but there are many many other venues to listen to radio on nowadays.
Granger @ Nov 28th 2009 1:46PM
I wasn't even looking forward to this, but I definitely use it more than the rest of the new features (I even finally got into Last.FM after years of Pandora love).
The one feature I was looking forward to ended up being the one that I absolutely hated... Zune on 360. It's bad enough that the dashboard is still a clusterfuck of ads and clickable menus, but now you have to load an app to browse your purchased video content? Takes over a minute to get from pressing the 360 power button to even opening the Zune app... Then you get to load even more menus in Zune until almost two and a half minutes later you can finally watch that Rocket Riot trailer you downloaded. Lame.
Tiptup300 @ Nov 28th 2009 2:01PM
I'm with yah there. Zune marketplace should have been built into the dashboard, not twitter.
abelpc @ Nov 28th 2009 1:46PM
The Facebook interface is Meh but I do like Last.fm and alot of my friends are constantly using it. Twitter would be better if you had a browser to open up links that peeps tweet about.
CobraClutch @ Nov 28th 2009 1:47PM
So pointless. I'm sure almost everyone who has a 360 has a computer somewhere nearby.
BigFat @ Nov 28th 2009 2:37PM
Computer speakers . . . .
TV speakers . . . . .
which one would you prefer?
i peronally would take T.V speakers anyday.
Einhanderkiller @ Nov 28th 2009 3:20PM
I have 5.1 computer speakers, so I'll take the computer speakers.
Zeke The Geek @ Nov 28th 2009 3:24PM
Yeah come on, seriously, listening to Last.FM through my surround sound is so much nicer than listening to them through my computer speakers. I mean, sure I can listen to my iPod by plugging it into my receiver but I have discovered so many good bands through Last.fm...
BigFat @ Nov 28th 2009 3:33PM
"I have 5.1 computer speakers, so I'll take the computer speakers."
Then you must also have a good rig which probably cost a alot , (to the average consumer) and i doubt everyone haves a computer that has a 5.1 surround sound system connected to it.
to me Last.fm ais a good way to play quality music from my t.v and stereo system.
Einhanderkiller @ Nov 28th 2009 5:31PM
Nah, my rig is good, but it would cost like $700 to build. The average consumer buys things like $900 Macbooks, so that's not "a lot" of money. My 5.1 speakers cost me around $80 on sale. Logitech X-540. Good quality for the money.
Dreaded Fear @ Nov 28th 2009 5:41PM
You can connect your PC audio to your sound system. This argument always baffled me about PC vs Console. You can connect your PC to anything: TV, Reciever, etc...
Ordeith @ Nov 28th 2009 10:28PM
Good Combo:
Last FM on the 360 through the good surround system.
ZunePass on laptop nearby.
Hear something I like? Hit the laptop and put it on the Zune.
If I could only get the Zune smartDJ on the 360 and create a playlist from there.
This is the next best thing, though.
I Like Corn @ Nov 28th 2009 2:05PM
More interesting will be the usage stats in, say, a month. I can see myself using the Facebook app occasionally to check statuses between games or to go through photos if someone posts a lot of them relevant to some event, but it's not going to get much heavy duty use from me.
Last.fm would be a treat it could stream during games, but really it's just a semi-competent app.
I'm not into Twitter, so I suppose the appeal is lost to me. Can't really see the appeal of basically taking Facebook and stripping the functionality down to status updates.
Dreaded Fear @ Nov 28th 2009 2:06PM
Everyone just checked it once, and will probably never check it out again. Give me some statistics a month from now and you will see that hardly anyone will use the features. Such a waste of resources, and money for Xbox live for features that could have been implemented if they just put in a web browser.
Durden @ Nov 28th 2009 2:06PM
Last.FM came in handy one night when I had some friends over and we wanted to hear music through my sound system but even then we ended up pulling Beatles: RB and RB2 out.
I think Microsoft should focus more on making the dashboard more user friendly and easier to navigate.
Access Granted [No one can stop Mr. Domino!] @ Nov 28th 2009 2:08PM
I wonder if someone could create a web browser in indie games because MS sure doesn't want too...
wages of sin @ Nov 28th 2009 2:22PM
I don't get the fascination of having a web browser on a console. They tried it on the Dreamcast and it didn't function correctly. Granted it was 56k but still, it wasn't very good. They have it on PS3 and while it's functional I find it to be too cumbersome especially in this day and age of laptops and pc's. Simply put, a laptop or a pc does a MUCH better job at everyday online applications. Although I give Sony props for offering the option of it's use, and that's what it's all about, options.
With that being said, I personally do like having and using an integrated FB, Twitter and LastFM right on my dashboard that I can choose to use or not. You don't have to download it if you don't want to, so why all the complaining. The same complaints over and over again. We get it, you hate having the option of integrated apps on your dashboard and you love the idea of a web browser.
I do use the applications and while not fully functional, it's a great first step. Kudos to MS and Sony, hell even Sega for that matter, for at least giving us the option of utilizing said features or not.
p.s. When I say you, please understand I'm speaking in general and not specifically to you.
Access Granted [No one can stop Mr. Domino!] @ Nov 28th 2009 3:05PM
Meh... I use the apps on the 360 but when someone post a link to something on twitter or facebook you can't go to it so it's really just a crippled version of itself. By the way I have a laptop too but If web browsing was integrated into the console I wouldn't need to leave by laptop on all the time just to look at something quick. I would just go to the dashboard and start the browser from the console look up what I want to and continue from there since the console was already on. I don't see the point in releasing apps one by one when you can can use a ton of flash apps by having a web browser built in to the console. Well that's just my 2 cents anyway.
Mazrael @ Nov 28th 2009 2:16PM
I use Last.FM either on 360 or PC.. depends if I'm gaming or working out, although it occassionly throws out electronic stuff, I don't know what I 'loved' for that..
Facebook is occassional as my PC is usually on, although my brother uses it on the 360 to update his status. uses Sky too, only seen him use Last.FM a couple of times
dylanpopien @ Nov 29th 2009 2:57PM
I love how the title says "facebook, last.fm" but the pic is facebook and twitter.
Just pointing that out...
Raikage (Back from hiatus) @ Nov 28th 2009 2:20PM
I checked out the Facebook app. And created a Last.fm account. The Facebook app is pretty bad... It's OK I guess as an alternative... But my Blackberry has more options on its app, and even more when I use the browser.
Last.fm is pretty cool. I've used Pandora quite a bit and I'm using this a lot too.
If any of you old-timers remember me (you better) my Gamer Tag is D3m0sthenes so add me so you can murder me at CoD: MW2.
(Fernando, I sent you one but you have to add me!)
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 28th 2009 2:26PM
I don't think he has a 360 anymore, I remember him telling me it croaked. He has a ps3 though.
Raikage (Back from hiatus) @ Nov 28th 2009 2:32PM
Fernando... PS3...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Haha, The Wii has changed Fernando...
Anyway. Thanks for the info. If you switched to the darkside add me.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 28th 2009 2:37PM
Yup a lot has changed, I'm getting a wii next month...picked up a DS yesterday. Still got my ps3/360 though.
mycbrad @ Nov 28th 2009 2:21PM
Can't help but notice the lack of Sony fanboy interaction here. Come on boys pony up.