After what appeared to be a false start, the Xbox Live dashboard is ready to be previewed by a select few of the platform's users. Major Nelson recently posted details about the preview program on his blog, announcing that the trial is currently accepting applicants to work out all the kinks.

The streamlined application system will let a few users access the newfangled dashboard well ahead of its official launch, and, better yet, is expected to let folks using the new dashboard continue to play and party chat with folks who are using the old dashboard.

Not that we'll want to party with the chosen ones, anyway. It's hard to get our Bad Company 2 on when you're gabbing about how "totally elegant and robust this new UI is, bro."