Sources: Kinect beta kits going out, Dashboard update live for participants (with pics!) [Update: and video!]

by Randy Nelson on Aug 26th 2010 7:25PM

That email purportedly sent out by Microsoft a couple weeks back inviting its recipients into a Kinect beta program? Yeah -- it was legit. Joystiq has received corroborating evidence confirming the program, including pictures of the promised Kinect-enabled Dashboard update running on a participant's retail console. In them, you can clearly see the flatter presentation, new mini-guide and revamped Avatar editor -- complete with a re-proportioned Avatar.

Our tipsters clearly didn't read the included guidelines, pictured in the gallery bellow. Apart from the laundry list of methods via which participants aren't supposed to talk about the program, there's confirmation that Kinect hardware is indeed part of the beta, "is being packed" and will presumably be on its way to testers soon. These same sources report that the beta support site mentions Kinect Adventures, Kinect Sports and Kinect Joy Ride as titles they can expect to receive for testing purposes.

We'll have more on the program as its participants continue to refuse acknowledgment of Microsoft's terms and conditions. [Update 8/27, 9am: And we've got a video of the new Dash posted just after the break, featuring much more than the boot-up screen. Thanks, Bradley!]

Kinect beta dashboard (8/26/10)

Tags: Avatar, beta, bigpark, dashboard-update, dashboard-update-fall-2010, good-science-studio, kinect, kinect-adventures, kinect-joy-ride, kinect-sports, microsoft, Microsoft-Game-Studios, rare, xbox

Reader Comments (84)

@mhart :: Yeah, but not everyone is breaking the terms/rules of the BETA by sending out this confidential stuff. MS wouldn't have done this if they were worried about word getting out, but people should respect the rules of the agreement regardless.

I bet it is a major pain in the ass for people to have not tell their friends, "Guess what I got..!"

If this leads to positive publicity for Kinect it would benefit MS..

It gives them free publicity and if the participants are enjoying it then it can only work in their favour..

Put it this way kinect is releasing in less than 2 months there is nothing the beta testers could show that could make this thing look worse..

After which point do you think we should suspect we didn't get in? Tomorrow afternoon, earlier, or later?

@Doctor Who If you have not received an email thus far, it a safe bet you were not chosen. Stay tuned for more info tho... :D

@TheMainProtagonist

That's what I was thinking, I still feel guilty for posting that I got in. I don't want to break the rules, my eagerness got the best of me. I wish Joystiq had an Edit button.

Well I'm bummed. I've been on 2 dashboard updates and the rewards program. I was really looking forward to being in on this. I'm an older gamer (32) and would have loved the opportunity..... Supposedly all will go out within 24 hours. Maybe lady luck will be on my side, but I'm not holding my breath....

No update or email.... Boo

@Wolfpoc

Same here, but we still have 24 hours or so

Love the newly designed dashboard and avatars. With the exception of the lack of depth(the squares and text going backwards) this time around that is.

Whos gonna buy that piece of crap anyways, people already have the Wii wish is another piece of crap.

Who wants to be jumping like a maniac ? Not me im To old for that crap.

@Futbol de 1ra

Not too old to know how to spell though.

Not sound self-righteous or deserving of anything... but I've been an Xbox beta tester since Live was beta. I'm kinda pissed I didn't get picked for this. Oh well...

@WhetWetty Did you provide valuable and useful feedback during the betas or did you just use them for bragging rights and didn't contribute anything? I heard they were letting people in who actually gave feedback.

@TomeOne I definitely gave comments. Especially for the Live beta. I didn't try to hack any code or anything, but I tried to usefully break the betas. Guess I'm not good enough. No problem; I'm patient.

The people who break the NDA should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and thrown in jail. Or, at least, Major Nelson should show up at their house and beat the daylights of them.

I hope they do a more open beta for the non-kinect portions of the new dash (if possible). I liked getting all the cool stuff early last year.

I think its ok that you can say you are in, you just can post any pics, videos and talk about the specific material pertaining to the beta program.
He specifically showed pics of the new dash and he wasn't supposed to, that was a break in the TOS. You probably cannot show pics/videos of you and the Kinect sensor and the material pertaining to it (people will do this, I know).

So saying I'm in and that it looks cool would be ok as long as you don't go into detail of how everything is (again people will still do this)

Always angers me when people do this. As excited as I get for news, subby, you were asked to follow some rules. You want praised for breaking them?

Plus, now that you've been stupid and not erased your gamertag, there's a good chance you'll pay for it. This is some less-than-juicy material anyhow (I'd call it downright underwhelming), so was it really worth it? I find your foolishness and moral questionability more interesting than the boring not-even-a-change to the dashboard.

Anyhow, what the hell is the point in beta testing when your product is actively being made and shipped? At this point in the game... you're too late. Sorry. Unless there are interface issues, I don't see why they'd waste time or money in the last few minutes. This is when you pray it goes without a hitch.

@MasterYogurt

Very true, I couldn't agree more. Frankly I find it rather odd at this point-in-time (only months away, at that) before Kinect dropped there just NOW doing interface beta testing. I mean, haven't this thing when announced several months ago as being available Holiday 2010? They should have been beta testing this FAR before freakin August (literally days away from September)!

Only thing I can think is if they're feeling a bit unconfident about some of Kinect's integration....

I'm actually really glad that I didn't get picked for this. Having no access to the party system with non-beta users until November is beyond unacceptable. A lot of people just lost the ability to play Halo Reach in a party until November. Ouch.

Being able to use the party system >>>>>>>>>>>> Getting a sneak peek at a bunch of terrible waggle mini game garbage

@trent82In game chat will still function normally, so no one has lost chat entirely. Just cross game, party chat when not in game, and private chat. So its not totally disabled.

@spamandpeeplover The only way a beta member can use voice with non-beta users is with in-game chat. So, if you're an adult who doesn't want to hear all of the children and morons constantly making noise and using every slur they can think of, you can no longer have the easy escape of just getting in a party with your friends. Instead, you must be exposed to the trash or not have voice communication at all.

I understand the situation. I'm not in the beta, but one of the people I usually play online with is, so this has screwed up our routine for the next 2 months. The initial beta invite emails that went out did not warn of this problem for everyone...some mentioned it and others did not.

sweet, I got into the beta program :)

Well I got another 12 hours or so of holding my breath.... Still no email or update....

Momma likes!

looks more clean than the current dashboard

Well congrats to those that got in. I was excited to have the opportunity to be chosen, but on the other hand bummed that I didn't get chosen from the chosen.....

Could someone please tell me how exactly people were chosen for this? Did you need to check something in your Live profile? Applications? Picked at random from all Live users? What is it?

I feel like I missed out on at least having a chance...

@SpaceJock connect.Microsoft.com is where many people are part of software testing for MS. if they make it, they test it, and they rely heavily on the community to put their products through the ringer. Code, applications, games, and yes, even XBOX systems, and accessories like Kinect... I was invited some years ago to test the original xbox, but was brought to an office building, in a room filled with mirrors. Play the games, feel the controllers, talk about what you like and don't etc... ANYONE can sign up for it, but how they choose who will participate is anyone's guess. Be honest in the surveys you are asked to participate in ( you can opt in for many of them, and get access to lots of new software ) and don't try to BS about your console, hours played, or anything else... Maybe they WANT someone who only plays for 2 hrs a week? Or someone who plays 40 hrs a week! who knows. Its a nifty program. check it out.. As far as Kinect, there was no rhyme or reason...

good job, Psycho419, u couldn't even wait a day .

I'm pretty sure at this point I haven't gotten in, but I'm still holding out some hope. If I don't have an email or update by tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'll definately know I didn't and just move on. I've done my fair share of beta testing for companies in the past :)

I prefer the rounded look of the boxes in the current Dashboard. The square look isn't working for me.

Are they even going to update the notification pop ups?

Previous 50 Comments

Kinect Adventures

Sources: Kinect beta kits going out, Dashboard update live for participants (with pics!) [Update: and video!]

Kinect beta dashboard (8/26/10)

Reader Comments (84)

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 12:15AM delicatessen lama said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 8:46PM McDuckScrooged said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:15PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:41PM everythingxbox said

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Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:36PM Wolfpoc said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:37PM Wolfpoc said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:43PM Doctor Who said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:42PM NasalBaton said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:47PM Futbol de 1ra said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 9:50PM Futbol de 1ra said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 11:31PM Raffi256 said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 10:11PM WhetWetty said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 10:36PM TomeOne said

Posted: Aug 26th 2010 10:50PM WhetWetty said

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Posted: Aug 27th 2010 12:26AM BumbleBeeTuna said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:12AM MasterYogurt said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:39AM MizzDiva said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 2:36AM trent82 said

Posted: Aug 28th 2010 5:30PM spamandpeeplover said

Posted: Aug 28th 2010 5:49PM trent82 said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 3:16AM tebass said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 7:01AM Wolfpoc said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 7:04AM MomDad said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 9:42AM GhostPhantasm said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 10:22AM Wolfpoc said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 11:40AM SpaceJock said

Posted: Aug 27th 2010 1:36PM everythingxbox said

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