Xfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update

by Arthur Gies on Dec 5th 2011 12:00AM

The long-awaited "Metro" update to the Xbox 360 dashboard is finally launching this week, but you might not want to make any popcorn just yet. A number of Microsoft's recently announced content partners won't be showing up to the party on time, most notably Comcast's Xfinity on-demand library, Verizon's Fios live-tv service, and the HBO GO app. Microsoft has given a nebulous "early 2012" release window for HBO and Xfinity, though Verizon should be bringing Fios to Xbox Live "later in December" - along with SyFy, UFC, and a number of others. A full list of partners, and when to expect them, is available after the jump.

Dec. 6:

·EPIX. United States
·ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
·Hulu. Japan
·Hulu Plus. United States
·LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
·Netflix. Canada, United States
·Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy
·Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria, Germany
·Telefónica España - Movistar Imagenio. Spain
·TODAY (MSNBC). United States

Later in December:

·4 on Demand (C4). United Kingdom
·ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Australia
·AlloCiné. France (AlloCiné), Germany (Filmstarts), Spain (Sensacine), United Kingdom (Screenrush)
·Astral Media's Disney XD (Astral Media). Canada
·blinkbox (Blinkbox). United Kingdom
·Crackle (Sony Pictures). Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
·Dailymotion. Available in 32 countries globally
·Demand 5 (Five). United Kingdom
·DIGI+ (CANAL+). Spain
·GolTV (Mediapro). Spain
·iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
·Mediathek/ZDF (ZDF). Germany
·MSN. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
·MSNBC.com. United States
·MUZU.TV. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
·ninemsn. Australia
·Real Sports (Maple Leaf Sports). Canada
·Rogers On Demand Online (Rogers Media). Canada
·SBS ON DEMAND. Australia
·Syfy (NBC Universal/Syfy). United States
·TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
·TVE (RTVE.es). Spain
·UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC). Canada, United States
·Verizon FiOS TV. United States
·VEVO. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
·Vudu (Wal-Mart). United States
·YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally

Early 2012:

·Antena 3 (Antena 3 de Televisión). Spain
·BBC (BBC). United Kingdom
·CinemaNow (Best Buy). United States
·HBO GO (HBO). United States
·MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media). Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
·Telenovelas/Sports (Televisa). Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom
·Xfinity On Demand (Comcast). United States

Tags: dashboard-update, dashboard-update-fall-2011, fios, hbo-go, HboGo, metro, microsoft, verizon, verizon-fios, VerizonFios, xbox, xbox-360-dashboard, Xbox-Live, xfinity, XfinityTv

Reader Comments (61)

Can't wait to try out the new dashboard with the Kinect. I really like the new look (from what I saw in the pics) and can't wait for YouTube!

I've been using the beta for a couple of weeks, and the Kinect works beautifully with the dashboard. Much better than the previous UI.

And I second the excitement for a YouTube app :)

@NBear927
I am too :) I've been enjoying the metro UI look since sune embraced it and I got my windows phone last year. I think I'm most excited for the Xbox companion app for my samsung focus S.

@Bewoulf
Damn you auto correct. Zune*

@Mouthsmasher

I just wish the Kinect didn't take so damned long to boot. I'm at the dashboard ready to go and the Kinect is still booting for another minute.

So what about AT&T U-Verse? We already have an app that let's us watch TV, but no idea on when we get Kinect features.

Might miss the update. Will probably send in the Xbox for a repair tomorrow, but maybe it would be best to wait so I can get a little taste, perhaps?

The new dashboard is going to change everything. A system's UI is one of it's most important assets.

@Shadowbender It's pretty good not a huge game changer as it seems, or maybe I just got used to it already

@Masker13
You won't find a huge difference with a controller since you just move around with the dpad/analog stick but ask anyone with Kinect and they'll tell you it's a gamechanger.

@Masker13

It's actually (for the most part) a big improvement if you have Kinect. Hulu Plus is now incredibly sweet to use and I haven't seen if Netflix got the update for it yet. Worth buying Kinect just for this IMO.

Gold really shouldn't be a requirement for any of these. But we all know it will be.

@Silent Killer01
Yeah, why should you expect to pay for these things. It's not like it costs MS money to put all this in place. Note: that was sarcasm.

@InfernoShade

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

You have to already be a paid subscriber of those services to use them. Look at all the services on PS3 you don't have to pay an additional fee to use. Netflix, Hulu, NFL Sunday Ticket, MLB, NHL, Vudu, Youtube etc etc.

I'm not saying PSN is better or than XBL sucks. I'm just saying if you already subscribe to HBO and have a cable company that is partners with them why should you have to pay an annual fee to a 3rd party to use the service on their device. HBO GO is free on every other platform except the 360.

I hope that if comcast is coming to xbox streaming(What ever its going to do) then it would finally drop that cap limit that set. Otherwise can't wait for the full release of the dashboard beta is cool :)

@StormChaser91

The prior article which listed the announcement of what services would be coming to the TV service only listed 3 providers as requiring Gold.

If you take the UFC app as an example everyone can use it with Gold users getting extra features.

@This Little Man Says His Name Is not sure lol, but were you trying to reply to the poster above me?

@StormChaser91
I read somewhere that use of the xfinity app will not count toward your cap, but i think everything else will

@YourMomsLover mostly streaming uses so much like RvB or my brother watches allot of the star craft tournaments live but the only thing for is big downloads like Fallout NV from steam ,and Portal double pack.

@sonic2041 alright thanks :)

@YourMomsLover

Are you talking about the amount of space you use on your Xbox 250GB hard drive? If so, I use almost all of it and have to delete stuff constantly. FYI, it's the game installs that take up so much. Every game I get I install to the HD so it fills up pretty quick over time but it's a feature that I can't NOT use.

@jtsuth

i like that feature as well, but usually when i'm done with a game i will delete it from the HDD. no need to keep it on there if i have moved on to other things, right?

XBLA games take up the majority of space on my 360's harddrive.

HBO Go needs to hurry up!!!

Trying to figure out if all that is necessarily "new"? I guess it's cool but if you have those same things on multiple platforms, which most people do, then.. Then again it must count for those who doesn't...

A little off topic but do any of the dashboard beta testers know if the new dashboard is custom wallpaper friendly this time around? The new layout looks wonderful and this is pretty much my only concern.

@LoneWolf18 I'd say it's not friendly at all with custom wallpapers. Even premium themes seem worthless now, you see strips of the wallpaper around all edges but make no mistake, the new UI is up-front, centered and large.

@Bielzer

Yep, welcome to 2008!

Netflix just launched few months ago in some countries

I'm disappointed that only the UK gets the BBC. Not gonna lie, I'd trade all the other American apps for that. Need my news, doctor who, primeval, and top gear fix

I want Syfy. I want to watch BG: B&C on my Xbox when they finally show it.

@kilroy214

The SyFy app is not the channel by any means. You cannot watch any TV shows or movies through it. It's all just clips and promos.

@ItsameMatt03

I SERIOUSLY hope you're not correct. I'ma be pissed.

I have the beta and i got to admit thois will change everything. Today i updated the xbox and noticed the different apps they already have availble for the beta users. Syfy, daily motion, epixhd. Its pretty amazing what they are doing here. Especially with kinect integrated and bing you can search pretty much anything youd like thats within the app. This is the future and i like what im seeing. They even have there own apps marketplace. Its pretty much any broadcast channel a la carte.

I'm so disappointed. The only thing I was looking forward to was the FiOS TV app. The only reason I'm in the beta was because I thought I could try it out early. My Xbox is going back to being a dust magnet until Halo 4 comes out.

@Mr Hett

My entire entertainment center is a dust magnet. It's frustrating to have to swiffer everything twice a week just to keep it all looking nice. That's just one of those things.

@ItsameMatt03

same here! given how actively my household is playing the PS3 and 360, it's amazing how dusty everything gets within a couple days.

Still hoping that someday, one day, one of these music playing apps can integrate itself with the Xbox Guide so I can listen while I play.

I would even settle for an option in Zune to "send playlist to Music Player".

@Mystictrust
I couldn't agree more. The Zune app on Xbox is incredible for when you're just have music playing in the living room but I also wished it'd work while playing.

Dailymotion app needs a lot of work, can't even log into an existing account, ufc app works good, navigating friends list and managing parties is now more complicated, harder to find stuff overall. I like it so far but it does take some getting used to.

Also what's the appeal of the syfy app? It's just short clips from shows and movies, can't even watch any full episodes or movies so seems useless

If all this stuff isn't going to make the dead line then maybe they should have delayed the whole Dashboard update altogether.

@twisted2979

is that Arseface from the graphic novel Preacher in your avatar pic? :D

Can't wait for Crackle!

@NukeAssault What's that?

@NukeAssault

Crackle is a TV/Movie streaming service Sony purchased a few years ago. The Movie selection isn't great but free is free. Good TV shows though. Mainly watch Anime through it. Site is Crackle.com and they have a Youtube page but that has tons more commercials.

You are gonna be late to the party, may as well show up in style and sure as hell Microsoft has done so, this a lot of swagger for one update.
And to think I was only excited about the new look (I'm simple like that), only to find that this sexy new coat has pocketfuls of happiness. Digital mind melting happiness.

I'm mostly excited for the youtube app. It's going to be nice to watch my subscriptions from the couch.

@lyls21r 4 times? Really?

Tbh, I'm only looking forward to YouTube. In my case I couldn't care less for the other things. I already have Netflix for my movie fix, and when I want music I just plug in my iPod. I think the new look for the dashboard looks great and I guess if I ever need the extra services, at least they'll be there. My digital needs are pretty simple, but to each his own.

I'm sure the UK line-up was much stronger in the initial press release.

Now it's just LoveFilm, which is truly awful, and 4 On Demand later in December. (I'm excluding all the junk services which no-one as ever heard of)

When Microsoft were assigning legal and engineering teams to this BBC iPlayer should have been no.1 of the UK list by a mile, as to be frank, none of the other services are even worth looking at both in terms of content and picture quality.

The new dashboard is so limited in use. It's more of a promotional tool for Microsoft Zune products, Microsoft Xbox marketplace, and PPV services like Hulu Plus, UFC, HBO GO, EPIX, and on and on and on. Yeah, I'm in the preview, and am extremely disappointed. Bing search only shows Zune crap and games you already have played. Inside Xbox videos are not searchable, and there are only a handful of new episodes, no more looking through the full list of old episodes. This has been the preview, anyway. Maybe things will change once this is live, but why a broken and borked preview?

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Xfinity, Verizon services miss this week's Xbox 360 dash update

Reader Comments (61)

Posted: Dec 4th 2011 9:16PM NBear927 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:04AM Mouthsmasher said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:44AM Bewoulf said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:48AM Bewoulf said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:35PM Vidikron said

Posted: Dec 4th 2011 9:27PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Dec 4th 2011 9:32PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Dec 4th 2011 9:37PM Masker13 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:01AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:14PM jtsuth said

Posted: Dec 4th 2011 9:42PM Silent Killer01 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:41PM InfernoShade said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 2:56PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:13AM StormChaser91 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:21AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:31AM StormChaser91 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 2:36AM sonic2041 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:48AM StormChaser91 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:48AM StormChaser91 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 3:47PM jtsuth said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 5:11PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:16AM MLC said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:27AM AyaisMUsikWhore said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:44AM LoneWolf18 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 8:19AM Dekkadekka said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:48AM ItsameMatt03 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 3:33AM Vidaluko said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 12:50AM Doctor Who said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:12AM kilroy214 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:46AM ItsameMatt03 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:25PM kilroy214 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:12AM chronicles32 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:23AM Mr Hett said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 8:54AM ItsameMatt03 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 5:24PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:34AM Mystictrust said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:52AM Bewoulf said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:37AM joer22784 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:39AM joer22784 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 1:50AM twisted2979 said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 5:27PM Liquidfingers said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 2:06AM NukeAssault said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 4:47AM Wizardsofwaverly said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 4:58AM NukeAssault said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 2:33AM Faris Hilton said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 5:03AM CaramelZappa said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 6:57AM Faris Hilton said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 7:20AM Churrotastic said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 9:48AM moroboshi said

Posted: Dec 5th 2011 10:14AM TheSecretMe said

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