| Mail |

You might also like: WoW Insider, Massively, and more

More Sites You Might Like

Greenberg explains why 360 won't get internet browser

by Richard Mitchell on Mar 31st 2010 6:15PM

Speaking to Edge, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg helped explain just why the Xbox will never, ever get its own web browser. According to Greenberg, browsing the web on a television makes for a "poor" experience. Instead, "The real magic," said Greenberg, "is to take those web experiences and optimize them for the living room." He listed the Xbox implementation of Netflix as an example -- the Xbox also has similar Twitter, Last.fm and Facebook apps -- and said that attempting to browse the web on a PS3 is "an absolute nightmare."

Said Greenberg, "No disrespect, there's things I love about the PS3, but that's not one of them." He added that Microsoft wants the Xbox online experience "to be fun and optimized for the living room," and that the company will continue to expand on its applications in order to "get more richness."

Of course, all of this skirts the main issue: Is an Xbox web browser worth dealing with Internet Explorer?

[Via CVG]

Source

Tags: aaron-greenberg, web-browser, xbox, xbox-360

Reader Comments (33)

Nooooooooooooooo!

i'm so glad that microsoft knows what i find fun and useful. they won't give me the web browser i so desperately wanted, but hey, if i ever want to scratch my itch for overpriced retro arcade games that i can play on the internet for free, it's good to know the game room's there.

I don't get why I'd need a browser on my 360.. my lap top is in the same room, so I can check facebook, twitter, read stiq, look at p'.. all while I'm gaming.. If I can't sleep, and too idle, I can use the PSP or my phone for some sites, though I'll usually play a game for half hour till I'm ready to sleep..

My thoughts exactly. I have my laptop next to my chair where my 360 is. If I need a larger screen for browsing, I have a desktop with two screens.

If you REALLY want a web browser for $300, go buy a barebones computer and hook it up to your TV. You'll get way more functionality out of that computer than you would a 360 with a browser.

I'll agree that the PS3 browser is in major need of an overhaul (not even official Playstation sites work on it!) but I really appreciate that it's there. It's nice to be able to look up movie times without having to fetch my laptop, or watch some YouTube videos with friends before starting a game.

True, but I still want one God dammit!

So ummm. when is Youtube coming to Xbox live?

+1 I want youtube too :)

you can have youtube on your 360 right now. use tversity.com

Last time I tried tversity it worked great at first. After awhile though I noticed it kept crashing while I was asleep. Turns out that every time it tried to refresh/search for new media it would just fail and the service would crash.

While it lasted it was alright. I remember it seemed a little bloated at the time, but the benefits outweighed the negatives for awhile.

I solve my hulu and youtube problems by using PlayOn. Which I also use on my PS3. I just find the browser to be a pain in the ass since flash elements as well as google apps, don't really work on there.

I mostly just used it to surf urban dictionary between matches of Modern Warfare.

Added bonus of playon (I don't know if tversity does it), it is PS3/PSP remote play eligible. So I can watch Hulu anywhere with a wifi hotspot.

soo streaming videos online and watching them on my 360 is not optimized enough for my living room...thanks for caring microsoft!

I use the PS3 browser. Its not the greatest in the world but it works. I can check my email and watch youtube from my couch... works for me.

thats not the best excuse i've seen so far.

even the wii has a web browser.
sitting down on your sofa while surfing the web is something that i do everyday. in fact, i am writing this right now on my PS3.

Sorry Greenburg, but we dont like to hear PR excuses.

I agree with him that using the PS3's browser is a nightmare, the damn thing locks up my PS3 nearly every time I use it for some reason. But that should be more of a incentive for MS to make a browser that works properly.

"But that should be more of a incentive for MS to make a browser that works properly."

Why start now?

MS bash on IE or why after 4 and 1/2 years?

Well why is because I want a browser that works, not just half way.As a paying customer, I would like to see MS give it a go even if it is this late in the game it would be something to build off of going forward into the next generation as well. But the integration of a tv.com or something similar would make me a happy camper as well, since those sites either don't work with PS3's browser or have it's been shut out by those sites.

Sorry, IE bash :(

For me, an internet browser would simply be used for Hulu, so really, I think I'd just rather have a Hulu app for the 360.

Then again, my computer is connected to my TV so...

Thats the point. You'd use it to stream content they want you to pay for on their video rental service or through your netflix subscription.

They should make it possible to write a browser with the XNA (or open up 360 development more) and see how many people would pay XNA prices to get a browser on their 360.

It's about canabalizing their video store marketplace sales and netflix properties. Anything else they say is basically a lie.

*not

It's about not . . .

uhhh yea Greenberg....

**continues using PC connected to 46" TV to surf the web**

True... browsing on your TV does make for a poor experience. Hope you get the guy who owns the internet on board with changing everything so it looks awesome on the 360. ...you know, kinda like how the Facebook 360 app is soooo awesome. Hmmm now that I think of it, I never use that, 'cause it sucks.

OH! ...and way to let the competition one-up you.

...this is PRspeak for "we cant make any money off the internet... but we CAN cherry pick selected free and fee based services to bedazzle you! ...and line our greasy little pockets at the same time"

Takes webtv out of attic and blows dust off

So, now that Greenberg has said this, we can expect a browser in 6-8 months?

There can only be three explanations for this. Well, there can probably be more, but they are just as dumb I'm sure...

A) Microsoft doesn't trust their security swiss-cheese browser with their own hardware. I don't either. Their having enough problems securing our Live accounts as it is. Even Larry Hryb's.

B) Hulu cannibalizing their Zune marketplace? I'm not sure about this one, since Hulu doesn't deliver content encoded in Silverlight. Either does YouTube. And Explorer doesn't support any of the video features of HTML5. Okay, scratch that conspiracy theory.

C) They need you to keep buying PCs bundled with overpriced, under-performing operating systems who's license fees make up the bulk of their revenue.

I have a laptop right besides me during most gaming sessions. I do not need the internets implemented into my Xbox360. That's a dumb waste.

and said that attempting to browse the web on a PS3 is "an absolute nightmare."

True dat. Has anyone ever tried to talk with someone on facebook on ps3? It's horrible! Youtube quality could be much better too. I want firefox on PS3.

Well, yes the PS3 browser is a nightmare, but it serves its purpose. Actually it's the thing I most frequently used my PS3 for after I finished Infamous.
I'd love a decent browser on my 360 even if my TV screen is only about 2 feet from my desk where my PC is. The TV is just so much bigger. I never even used Twitter of Facebook in my whole life, so these apps are of little use to me. Just make a custom browser just for the 360 and no IE port and it will be fine.
After you did that, you can expand the range of supported video formats. /wishful thinking

A simple browser would let me accept the stupid terms of service that most motels and hotels make you agree to before you can get a system online. I have to resort to a rather complicated "foolery" of their system.

All because Micro$haft won't give people what they are asking for.... make the damn thing an option!

Breaking News

Greenberg explains why 360 won't get internet browser

Reader Comments (33)

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:25PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:27PM Puertoricarious said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:31PM Mazrael said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:38PM Deezul AwT said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:44PM Ryan P said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:48PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:07PM sykane9 said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:10PM Accessgranted said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 9:06PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 11:12PM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 12:05AM JCarpio said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 12:19AM JCarpio said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:12PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:33PM flannelbeard said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:46PM pwnsause said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:53PM Pimpalicious said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 1:09AM Granger said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 4:13AM Pimpalicious said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 10:39AM Granger said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:20PM GewurztraminerX said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:34PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:27PM Nick Spacek said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:32PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:33PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:45PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 8:49PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 9:40PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 9:58PM Mystictrust said

Posted: Mar 31st 2010 10:48PM Oneprcnt said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 8:28AM whylekat said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 9:21AM AutobotIronhide said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 9:37AM sparkster said

Posted: Apr 1st 2010 11:09PM BustedChain said

Info

Description

MSRP

Release Date

Genre

Developer

Publisher

Rating

Breaking News

WB conjures up Harry Potter for Kinect this fall

Featured Stories

Silver Lining: I Am Alive's unfeeling world

Game Of Thrones and the paradoxes of adaptation

Super Joystiq Podcast 004: 38 Studios meltdown, Gravity Rush, Civilization 5: Gods & Kings, Dragon's Dogma

Engadget

TUAW

Massively

WoW