As expected, the new update to Xbox.com, featuring the new Beacons functionality to mark certain games you'd like to play with friends, has gone live and is now available to anyone with an Xbox Live account. The update looks clean and purty, and features not only those Beacons, but revamped friends and messaging functionality, and a nice quick interface for browsing through games and achievements.
And there's something else new on the page: The option, as seen above, to cancel your autorenewal subscription right there on the site. Previously, doing so was more of a pain, and you had to leave the site to go to Microsoft.com and do it, but now you can click through to your account and change any subscription settings right through Xbox.com.
A note of warning, however: Microsoft will put a few special deals in front of you as you click through, including a discount on the subscription designed to keep you around. But that's understandable -- someone's got to pay for the design money that went into this update. And speaking of update, where's that console dashboard update we were promised? Soon.
Reader Comments (42)
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:17PM Ranman1234 said
Yay!. I can't finally cancel my auto renewal after 4 years of being to lazy to call support.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:17PM Ranman1234 said
@Ranman1234
can*... just go ahead and down vote me :(
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can*... just go ahead and down vote me :(
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:46PM Master Troll said
@Ranman1234
I think you were already able to do that. At least i was able too.
Reply
I think you were already able to do that. At least i was able too.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:56PM HobbitGamer said
@Master Troll I was, too. At least a few months ago
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Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:00PM Ranman1234 said
@Master Troll
Not without having to change my location or something like that. All I know is this is a lot easier compared to the process that I normally would have had to go through.
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Not without having to change my location or something like that. All I know is this is a lot easier compared to the process that I normally would have had to go through.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:02PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@Master Troll
Only certain regions were able to, which generally means the US only.
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Only certain regions were able to, which generally means the US only.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:47PM maveric101 said
@This Little Man Says His Name Is
i tried to cancel mine a couple months ago (US) and there was no option on the site. i had to call xbox support; it was annoying.
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i tried to cancel mine a couple months ago (US) and there was no option on the site. i had to call xbox support; it was annoying.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:18PM Hivetyrant said
Finally, my lazy ass can remove the auto-renewal and possibly take up a better option!
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:19PM Brian333 said
Those in the preview program started receiving the new dashboard today. Just in time for Skyrim, which means I will never even see it.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:20PM fid said
the console dashboard update might be live for some as well. ;)
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:24PM System Has Failed said
As per usual, Joystiq is late to the party. The Fall 2011 Dashboard Preview update was rolled out today at 1 pm according to Major Nelson
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:29PM HobbitGamer said
@System Has Failed The article was probably talking about access for everyone, since it didn't mention the Preview Program. Try not to be so pretentious.
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Posted: Nov 10th 2011 10:13PM 343 Guilty Fart said
@System Has Failed
I know, it's like they report on news the day it happens, what gives?
Reply
I know, it's like they report on news the day it happens, what gives?
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 11:11PM MaulerX said
@HobbitGamer
So then why only report on the site update and completely ignore the fact that the console beta was pushed out 7 hrs earlier? Also, it was already reported that for everyone, the console update is to occur on Nov. 25, but I can totally understand his anxiety for wanting it now.
And talking about the update, it's just as Beautiful and sleek as my Windows Phone. That Metro UI is distinctively unique. It's one of those things that once you look at, you know in an instant it's a Microsoft product. Kudos to them.
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So then why only report on the site update and completely ignore the fact that the console beta was pushed out 7 hrs earlier? Also, it was already reported that for everyone, the console update is to occur on Nov. 25, but I can totally understand his anxiety for wanting it now.
And talking about the update, it's just as Beautiful and sleek as my Windows Phone. That Metro UI is distinctively unique. It's one of those things that once you look at, you know in an instant it's a Microsoft product. Kudos to them.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:24PM neosxtc said
Yep got my dashboard update about an hour ago. Overall not to bad seems a tad faster.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:26PM svlad cjelli said
I have my dashboard preview, downloaded a couple of hours ago. Does anyone know if there's a way to filter search results to just Netflix or anything like that? Seems like they are really focused on the Marketplace so far.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:03PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@svlad cjelli
If you bring up search it will have a box on the left hand side which by default says search everything. Not sure if you can select it and then select your options but I know that after searching it will give you the option to press X to do an advance search.
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If you bring up search it will have a box on the left hand side which by default says search everything. Not sure if you can select it and then select your options but I know that after searching it will give you the option to press X to do an advance search.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:29PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@This Little Man Says His Name Is
Just checked now and yeah if you press down when searching it will highlight that box and pressing A will bring up an option to just search, Music, Videos, Games, etc...
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Just checked now and yeah if you press down when searching it will highlight that box and pressing A will bring up an option to just search, Music, Videos, Games, etc...
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 10:41PM svlad cjelli said
@This Little Man Says His Name Is
Yeah, but it just seems to search the Marketplace, and not Netflix
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Yeah, but it just seems to search the Marketplace, and not Netflix
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:31PM Hoops said
I'm not sure I understand how Beacons work. I highlight a game I want to play online so my friends know? That seems pointless.... Am I not understanding something?
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:53PM HobbitGamer said
@Hoops It lets you post to Facebook that you want to play it. I guess it's good for people that have a bunch of facebook friends.
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Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:55PM swooded said
@Hoops
I think it's meant to be a way to let people know you'd be into playing certain games, that you're not currently regularly playing, IF other people on your friendslist wanted to play too maybe. Rather than sending out messages to coordinate games etc, you could flag something like L4D2 ( an example I would actually use, cause I'd like to play with friends but don't feel like jumping in pubs at this point) and just play whatever you're normally currently playing. Your friend sees your beacon & thinks, "Yeah I havn't played that in a while..." Fires it up & invites you, or messages you about it.
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I think it's meant to be a way to let people know you'd be into playing certain games, that you're not currently regularly playing, IF other people on your friendslist wanted to play too maybe. Rather than sending out messages to coordinate games etc, you could flag something like L4D2 ( an example I would actually use, cause I'd like to play with friends but don't feel like jumping in pubs at this point) and just play whatever you're normally currently playing. Your friend sees your beacon & thinks, "Yeah I havn't played that in a while..." Fires it up & invites you, or messages you about it.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:15PM Mystictrust said
@swooded I think that's it! That's exactly how I see it, too. I think of it like "lighting up a beacon" for a game you want to play, and hoping someone sees that beacon and uh.. hones in on it (by contacting you) :P
Reply
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:30PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@Mystictrust
From what I've read I think when a friend launches a game that you've got a beacon set for and you're online it will give them a notification saying that you've got a beacon set for this game or even the beacon itself.
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From what I've read I think when a friend launches a game that you've got a beacon set for and you're online it will give them a notification saying that you've got a beacon set for this game or even the beacon itself.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 8:35PM gtakiller0914 said
Getting to the parties takes a lot of digging into the dashboard.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:12PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
@gtakiller0914
It's not that much digging, from the default Home screen press RB to go to social then press A on Friends and the first highlighted option is Parties.
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It's not that much digging, from the default Home screen press RB to go to social then press A on Friends and the first highlighted option is Parties.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:00PM Arsenic13 said
Got the update as well. Now my Xbox looks like my Windows Phone.
Only negative...can I stop having advertisements on the account I pay $60 a year for?
Only negative...can I stop having advertisements on the account I pay $60 a year for?
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:12PM EDZiLLUH said
the dashboard update is pretty cool just sucks i had to download Netflix, Last FM & ESPN again.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 9:14PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said
I like the new Social Page of xbox.com. The new layout of everything is quiet nice and there's a few extra features that you can now do from it that you could only do from the 360 before.
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 10:40PM Prboi said
Just got the dashboard update earlier. Pushing out a video on in a bit
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 10:42PM svlad cjelli said
Why did we have to re download Netflix, when it looks exactly the same?
Posted: Nov 10th 2011 11:34PM exnihilio13 said
@svlad cjelli
Found I've had to re-download pretty much everything (game patches, Zune, Kinect Video Chat) I suspect it's because it's a beta maybe it made a seperate slice on the hdd so we could chose to revert to the old dash?
Myself I'm just bummed that Netflix is ommited from the searches. Pretty much only showing content that can be *bought* in the searches actually. Kinda turns it into a simpler marketing tool. Go figure huh..
Reply
Found I've had to re-download pretty much everything (game patches, Zune, Kinect Video Chat) I suspect it's because it's a beta maybe it made a seperate slice on the hdd so we could chose to revert to the old dash?
Myself I'm just bummed that Netflix is ommited from the searches. Pretty much only showing content that can be *bought* in the searches actually. Kinda turns it into a simpler marketing tool. Go figure huh..
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 12:22AM GewurztraminerX said
Bacon?! Oh... beacons. meh, less interested now.
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 1:34AM dblue said
LIKE FINALLY
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 6:38AM Capgun said
About autorenew: FRIGGIN FINALLY
Could care less about the rest honestly, I barely play the 360 anymore.
Could care less about the rest honestly, I barely play the 360 anymore.
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 8:54AM killr0y said
@Capgun I think its pretty awesome that you took time out of your busy day to troll an Xbox 360 thread when you 'barely play the 360 anymore.'
Cuz, you know, the first thing I do when I see a blog article about something I don't care about is go into that thread and tell everyone how much I don't care.
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Cuz, you know, the first thing I do when I see a blog article about something I don't care about is go into that thread and tell everyone how much I don't care.
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 10:29AM (Unverified) said
Man, it's about time they added that option! It was a pain having to call MS Support everytime I wanted to take advantage of their $1 a month deals lol.
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 12:09PM (Unverified) said
When will beacons be available in Canada? Seems like a pretty good idea.
Posted: Nov 11th 2011 10:41PM darcwolf said
Nice lie joystiq, you couldn't turn off auto renewal on Microsoft.com you had to call xbox support.








