It's not enough just to play games anymore. Nowadays, you have to watch them too. That just got a little easier on the Xbox 360, thanks to a new Twitch.tv app. The streaming app is now available for Xbox Live Gold subscribers, offering "access to 300 of the most popular streams," including tournaments, all organized by game or popularity.
Twitch will host a special live broadcast with Xbox Live guru Major Nelson following next week's "Xbox Revealed" event on May 21. The broadcast will air on Twitch.tv and the Twitch app on Xbox 360, beginning at 3pm Eastern. The event itself, incidentally, starts at 1pm Eastern. Tune into Joystiq for lots of live coverage.
With the next Xbox reveal just ten days away, it's as good a time as ever to revisit a report that dates back to November 2012: Microsoft's reported interest in developing a set-top box, or "Xbox TV." Anonymous sources recently told the Wall Street Journal that Microsoft has come as far as producing working prototypes of said media device. Those prototypes reportedly work with Kinect, and are built to provide streaming services for viewers.
The Wall Street Journal also noted that it's unclear whether Microsoft will introduce the as-yet-unannounced device at all. We've contacted Microsoft for comment and will update as we learn more. In the meantime, we recommend that you take a ten-day nap, because the rampant speculation leading up to the Xbox reveal on May 21 probably won't go away.
How much would you spend to try and win a new Kinect? $10? $20? If your answer is $2,600, you are probably Henry Gribbohm, a New Hampshire man who says he lost his life savings trying to win the motion-sensing Xbox accessory.
Gribbohm, who went to a carnival and sat down at one of those clearly-rigged games in an attempt to snag a Kinect—which typically retails for $100 or so—told WBZ-TV that he spent $300 on the game, lost, went home, got another $2,300, and spent it all. He did not win an Xbox Kinect.
He did win a banana. (Pictured above.)
Gribbohm claims the contest was rigged—and he's filed a police report, according to WBZ-TV—but, really, $2,600? Come on, dude.
(via Gawker)
Microsoft has booked its usual LA haunt, the Galen Center, for an event on June 10. Neowin contacted the venue and discovered the booking, which suggests that Microsoft will hold a pre-E3 press conference the day before the show begins.
This isn't a surprise - Microsoft always holds a pre-E3 event at the Galen Center - but the company has yet to announce this year's iteration. This event follows very shortly after the May 21 event at which Microsoft will reveal the next Xbox. Presumably we'll get more detail on that system and new game announcements at the E3 event. Or we'll be tricked into some avant-garde circus performance.
A free CW app on Xbox 360 allows Gold subscribers to stream full episodes of network shows and other content through their console. Episodes of Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and other select CW shows will be available the day after airing.
The Vampire Diaries supports Xbox SmartGlass functionality, enabling content like an interactive map, character biographies and show lore. The CW app is the third to make its debut recently on Xbox 360, following yesterday's amazing/horrible Pizza Hut app and last week's addition of Flixster.
While Kinect integration isn't all that new for EA Sports, as both Madden 13 and FIFA 13 included support for the device last year, the Xbox 360 cover art for NCAA Football 14 includes the "Better with Kinect" banner at the top. EA Sports told Joystiq that Kinect support will be for offline play only, and will be "similar to what we've done in Madden, focused on pre-play voice commands."
Check out the hi-res versions of the game's box art, which features speedy-looking Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, in the gallery below. NCAA 14 will sprint to Xbox 360 and PS3 on July 9.
The Warner Bros.-owned movie destination app Flixster has come to Xbox 360 with a new Kinect-enabled application available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Flixster on Xbox allows users to buy and rent films, access "the latest" film review scores from the critic aggregator source Rotten Tomatoes and look up local showtimes in the most clunky way possible ... on your television!
As part of the Warner Family, Flixster on Xbox 360 also allows users access their existing UltraViolet movie collection. The app is available to download in select regions and only to those with a continued appreciation of DRM.
Forza Horizon will get a free infusion of new content tomorrow. Entitled the 1000 Club, the DLC adds over 1000 challenges to complete, along with some new Achievements. The DLC will automatically suggest challenges based on whatever cars a player owns. Based on the trailer, the challenges offer more than racing, tasking players with everything from making huge jumps to just crashing into things. The 1000 Club will also include two new cars, the 1956 Ford F100 and the 1995 RUF CTR2.
Microsoft tells Joystiq that the pack will feature unique challenges for every single car in the game, including the cars from the standard game and those that have been released as DLC.
Folks trying to sign into Xbox Live right now may encounter some issues, specifically that they, well, can't. Microsoft is aware of the situation, however, and is working to resolve it. No ETA has been given for a fix, so we recommend doing what we always do whenever there's some sort of ongoing service outage: Watch Girls' Generation videos on YouTube and wait for everything to blow over.
Update: Limited connectivity appears to have returned, although Microsoft warns that users may still encounter errors while managing their friends lists and/or while attempting to send text or voice messages over Xbox Live.
Folks trying to sign into Xbox Live right now may encounter some issues, specifically that they, well, can't. Microsoft is aware of the situation, however, and is working to resolve it. No ETA has been given for a fix, so we recommend doing what we always do whenever there's some sort of ongoing service outage: Watch Girls' Generation videos on YouTube and wait for everything to blow over.
An updated version of Kinect for Window's software development kit will be available from the device's official site on Monday, March 18, Microsoft's Bob Heddle announced today during Engadget's ongoing Expand event in San Francisco.
Perhaps most importantly, SDK version 1.7 will include "Kinect Fusion," Microsoft's at-home 3D modeling solution that allows the Kinect to capture and fabricate real-time 3D models of people and objects. We first saw this technology in action way back in August of 2011, when the concept surfaced as a Microsoft Research project.
Additionally, the new SDK also includes "Kinect Interactions," which adds support for new gestures such as "push-to-press" and "grip-to-pan," as well as "support for smart ways to accommodate multiple users and two-person interactions," according to Engadget.
PC developers looking to fiddle around with Microsoft's Kinect peripheral just got a big gimme. Microsoft has released 22 different samples of Kinect for Windows code under an open source licensing agreement, meaning you're free to tinker away to your heart's content - just don't try to pass it off as your own.
What makes this different than the previously widely available software development kit? Microsoft says it has issued these samples for the sake of convenience, allowing fledgling flailers access to bite-sized segments designed for specific functionality and lessons that don't require a lengthy download of the full SDK. Convenient.
Kinect for Windows officially launched on February 1, available now for a suggested retail price of $250 - though some retailers like Amazon and Newegg have it listed on the lower side of $200.
This month marks the last time that we'll see downloadable content for Dance Central 3 anytime soon, Harmonix has announced. "As Harmonix moves forward with several new titles currently in development, the talented developers who make this content are needed on other projects," reads the Dance Central blog. The studio doesn't completely shut the door on more content, however, stating that March is the last month of new DLC "for the near future." Live challenges and leaderboards will continue to be supported, and all DLC tracks will remain available.
This is the second time Harmonix has made such an announcement this year. Last month, the developer revealed that Rock Band 3 will receive no more DLC after April 2. The Rock Band franchise as a whole has had weekly DLC since the original game debuted in 2007.
That raises the question: Just what is studio working on now? Dance Central has consistently been one of the best-received products for Microsoft's Kinect, so it wouldn't be surprising to see a new Dance Central debut on the next Xbox, which is believed to have a more advanced Kinect sensor. The PS4 Eye is capable of motion-track as well, so a multiplatform title is also possible. Or who knows, maybe we'll see something entirely new.
Microsoft recently showed off some impressive new tech for the Kinect. Called Kinect Fusion, the software uses depth information from the sensor to to instantly create detailed 3D models. All you have to do is move the Kinect around an object, person or room and the model is automatically generated.
Kinect Fusion will be implemented in a future update to the Kinect for Windows SDK. The applications for game development are pretty obvious. Imagine being able to easily insert yourself as a playable avatar in a game, for example. Check out a video of Kinect Fusion in action after the break.
This month's Dance Central 3 downloadable content celebrates both single-name performers, and former child actors. Degrassi: The Next Generation alum Drake's "Take Care," featuring Rihanna, will be available March 5. The next week, Rihanna's own "Umbrella" and "SOS" will be available as a 400 MSP ($5) bundle or alone for $3 each.
Finally, on March 19, "London Bridge" by Fergie of Kids Incorporated fame will be released as danceable DLC.
Xbox Live is expanding its cultural horizons, adding the Slacker streaming-music app and a hub for all Latino content, Zona Latina, both free for Gold members.
Zona Latina, available in the US, collects all Latino-oriented media, including TV shows, movies, music, news and sports, with content from Telemundo, Univision HBO GO, Hulu Plus, NBC Latino, and VEVO. Slacker, available in the US and Canada, offers millions of songs and streaming playlists, along with music news and recommendations, all with Kinect voice control options.
Xbox Live's latest streaming event struts its stuff at 6pm ET on Sunday, February 24, when film aficionados in the US with an Xbox Live Gold subscription can tune into the Associated Press' red carpet coverage of this year's annual Academy Awards. SmartGlass users can also engage with the second-screen experience through their tablets and smartphones.
During the event, Xbox Live users can participate in the same interactive voting and tweeting stuff introduced during the Presidential Election coverage. We're not sure what kind of questions will be asked, but if the Presidential Election was any indication, it'll be a lot of bar graphs showing community support levels for Jessica Chastain's dress and questions about foreign policy in Iran.
#kinect
Many of us have played some version of Breakout before—but probably not on this scale, and probably not to Daft Punk. The neat thing is, this game uses a Kinect so that you control the paddle by moving your body—and, more interestingly, snippets of the song are played depending on what you can hit with the ball. More »
Alleged specs for the next iteration of Microsoft's Kinect sensor have popped up on VGLeaks. The new Kinect will be included with the next Xbox, according to the report, and it seems to outperform its predecessor in nearly every way. It packs a much larger field of view (70 degrees horizontal by 60 degrees vertical, versus the current 57.5 x 43.5) and a dramatically higher resolution (1920x1080 versus 640x480). The unit also features significantly lower latency (60ms versus 90ms), conceivably giving it a much faster reaction time.
It will apparently ditch the tilt motor seen in the current Kinect, as the larger field of view should accommodate most play spaces. For example, the new Kinect should be able to detect a 6' tall person at just over five feet from the television. As previous reports have suggested, it will also be able to recognize more minute details, such as whether a hand is open or closed.
For what it's worth, in the absence of verification, the tech wizards at Digital Foundry find the leak plausible, though it may not be the most current information. Furthermore, the information does seem to match up with previous reports, specifically the sensor's improved resolution and its ability to detect much finer details.
EA Sports tweeted the above picture of a player in the new Night Golf mode of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14, and he appears to be more creature than feature. We're no experts, but those look like goat legs. That, or it's a pair of these fancy faun-inspired heels.
Japan has found new heights (depths?) of creepiness today with the United Arrow Marionettebot, a custom Kinect hack pairing Microsoft's motion-tracking camera with display mannequins.
The mannequins of United Arrow's clothing store mimic the poses and movements of passersby. It's billed as a marketing effort in the video above, despite being the stuff of nightmares.
#kinect
Microsoft exec Larry "Major Nelson" tweeted out this melding of Kinect and commerce earlier today. Nelson is likely proud of the execution here, since it shows the flexibility of the company's motion-sensing camera in a non-gaming setting. More »
La Telemundo aplicación está vivo en Xbox Live y la encuesta dice que tendrá fragmentos de las programas que tu abuelita le encanta ver: Caso Cerrado, 12 Corazones, La Patrona, Pasión Prohibida, Fandango Cine y Crossover One on One. Telemundo está disponsible en los Estados Unidos hoy.
También hay una aplicacion para ver ánime japonés, pero con subtítulos en ingles, llamada Neon Alley. Neon Alley trabaja en los Estados Unidos y Canadá.
Que te diviertas con las aplicaciones en Xbox Live. ¡Ciao!
Microsoft's new "Xbox Entertainment Studios" in Los Angeles is making a variety of "entertainment" different from what you might expect Microsoft to produce for Xbox: television programming. "Interactive" TV, but TV nonetheless.
The studio is spearheaded by president of entertainment and digital media Nancy Tellem, who also oversees live events on Xbox - like the Elections 2012 hub and similar "interactive" presentations for the Grammys and the (upcoming) Oscars. XES will work to create original interactive content for Xbox (and other devices).
While the new studio creates programming, Microsoft also plans to add more channels of other companies' programming, to the tune of 40 new TV and entertainment apps this year.
Microsoft has sent out a chest-thumping press release, boasting about new milestones for the Xbox 360, Kinect and Xbox Live. As of now, 76 million Xbox 360 consoles have been purchased worldwide, with a total of 24 million Kinects flailing their way into homes around the globe.
The hardware numbers are bolstered by 46 million subscribers on Xbox Live. Microsoft says this new figure represents a 15 percent increase in year-over-year subscribers - both free memberships and premium Gold subscribers are accounted here.
In a missive over on Microsoft's website, newly appointed President of Entertainment and Digital Media Nancy Tellem says the company is looking to launch 40 new custom Xbox interactive entertainment apps for 2013. It's quite a sign of the times if we're not counting games as "entertainment apps."
The next-generation Xbox may not only be accompanied by a new and improved Kinect, but may actually require the sensor to function. Kotaku has published an exhaustive report about Microsoft's forthcoming console, lending credence to many prior rumors about the system's performance and features, but revealing new information about how the system may interact with Kinect, as well as its capacity for running multiple simultaneous games and apps.
Microsoft's next Xbox, AKA Durango, will have much better speech detection, according to sources at the Verge. That includes natural language detection, which will allow the Xbox to process normal speech patterns, similar to Apple's Siri. So, for example, instead of saying "Xbox, play 3," you might simply say, "Xbox, where can I watch The X-Files?"
Furthermore, users may be able to turn the new Xbox on using only voice. Speech-to-text is also a possibility, which would allow users to, say, compose Xbox Live messages using only voice. The Verge also mentions a possible function that would allow the Kinect to detect the number of people in a room and suggest suitable multiplayer games (hopefully not used games).
An improved Kinect, possibly bundled with or built into the next Xbox, has been expected for quite some time now. As such, it's not much of a stretch to assume the upgraded device would feature improved voice recognition in addition to improved physical recognition.
According to a report by Edge, the Xbox 720 will allegedly require an internet connection to function. A new Xbox Live will also play a huge role in the console's services, and improved Kinect hardware will launch alongside the system.
There is a strange cult of people out there - you may have seen them, huddled around those giant red vending machines outside your local gas station or grocery store. These people are actually renting DVDs from those machines, called Redbox. We know, it's so precious!
Redbox is testing the streaming waters with a new beta program called Redbox Instant, and Major Nelson has announced a corresponding app will be available exclusively on Xbox 360. Nelson says those in the beta right now - if you want in, you can sign up here - will receive an email with their Xbox 360 download code "in the coming days."
Redbox Instant is a combined monthly subscription service that provides unlimited online streaming of content and four one-night rental tokens for use at local Redbox vending machines. Redbox Instant subscribers can opt into the DVD package $8 or upgrade to Blu-rays for $9 a month.
[Note: Image taken from iOS Redbox Instant app on iPad.]
