Xbox

Microsoft Is Turning Kinect Into a Narc

Kinect is tons of fun. Have you ever played Dance Central 3? Great game. But according to a newly discovered patent, the Xbox add-on is also maybe spying on you, which is totally not cool, man. This very big brother-y piece of intellectual property—Content Distribution Regulation by Viewing User—uses Kinect’s camera to count the number…

Report: Microsoft’s 7-inch Tablet Is Xbox Surface

According to the Verge, Microsoft has a 7-inch, gaming-centric tablet coming called the Xbox Surface, and its hardware is close to being finalized. Microsoft recently entered the tablet and PC manufacturing game with the Surface RT and forthcoming Surface Pro, and a smaller tablet makes total sense. Seven-ish inches has been popular enough that even…

Smartglass for Android is here, only for those running Ice Cream Sandwich and higher. [The Verge]

Xbox SmartGlass Hands On: Controlling Your Xbox Is Really Awesome Now

Xbox SmartGlass has been floating around for a while now, but we got a chance to check out some of the final features being added to it before it’s available to everyone later this week. Here’s the new stuff. https://gizmodo.com/what-is-xbox-smartglass-5915553 Browsing The biggest boost to convenience with using SmartGlass is probably the keyboard. You know…

Xbox 360 Dashboard Update: Oh Hey Internet Explorer for Your TV

Starting today, Microsoft will officially release a new software update to all Xbox 360 users that will include a big blue icon with an ‘e’ stamped on it. Yep, the Xbox 360 is finally getting Internet Explorer, a real browser for your TV. We’ve been playing with the new 2012 Xbox 360 dashboard update for…

Xbox Music Hands On: The Perfect Music Service—If You Use Nothing But Microsoft Stuff

We’ve known that Microsoft has been working on a music service for a while now, and we finally got a chance to check it out first hand. Xbox Music is exactly what you’d want in a streaming service and store. It’s complete in a way that Spotify, Amazon, and even iTunes aren’t. Microsoft’s new music…

Translating Steve Ballmer’s Letter to Microsoft Into Real Talk

Steve Ballmer just wrote a letter to Microsoft shareholders about the future of Microsoft and to update them on how much money they’re printing with Office and the Enterprise market. The letter is mostly a bore fest but Ballmer points Microsoft’s future towards devices. Meaning, Microsoft believes in making actual stuff. We’ve translated the entire…

Kinect Can Help Doctors Monitor Your Physical Rehab From Home

Bright minds at the West Health Institute in San Diego have developed a technology that allows patients in need of physical therapy to perform necessary exercises away from their doctors expert guidance through use of a Microsoft Kinect. The technology, called the Reflexion Rehabilitation Measurement Tool (RMT), utilizes a Windows 7 personal computer and the…

Microsoft Looks Like It’s Going to Make Original Shows or Movies for Xbox

The New York Times Bits Blog is reporting that Microsoft has hired former CBS executive Nancy Tellem to head up production of “original video content” for the Xbox. It’s not clear what kind of shows would be produced for Xbox, but it’s reasonable to assume that it probably has something to do with games or…

The Kinect only costs $110 now. That probably means a lot of Kinect dance parties coming up?

Get Internet Explorer for Xbox Before Anyone Else Does

Major Nelson just announced that Microsoft is accepting beta testers for the next version of Xbox Live which includes new features like Internet Explorer for Xbox, better search and discovery, an updated dashboard and more. If you’re interested and of course you are (new features yay!) you can sign up right here. [Major Nelson] https://gizmodo.com/incoming-xbox-internet-explorer-will-be-kinect-driven-y-5909295

Is There Anyone Stupid Enough to Believe That This Cable Has Anti-Virus Protection?

This “Xbox 360 Elite HDMI cable” should be just like any other HDMI cable in the planet, right? Wrong! According to the box, it’s a “100% Mylar” double shield 1.3c grade cable with anti-virus protection to reduce virus noises and to obtain perfect image transmission.” Now, forget about the fact that this company should get…

9 Things a Microsoft Tablet Needs to Succeed

Today, Microsoft will—reportedly, hopefully—finally unleash its tablet on the world. But other than that it might possibly exist, not much is known about Redmond’s iPad and/or Kindle Fire fighter. Since we don’t know what it is, let’s talk about what it should be. Here are the nine pieces to the tablet puzzle that Microsoft needs…

Will Microsoft’s Major Announcement Be a Xbox Surface Tablet?

Microsoft is announcing something today and no one has any idea what it will be. Barnes and Noble officially said that they have nothing to do with whatever is happening today so the rumor mound is eagerly hopping to the next rumor: a Xbox Surface tablet. It’s a 7-inch tablet that’s probably going to play…

Will the Rumored Microsoft Tablet Feature Xbox Streaming?

Microsoft has something big planned for tomorrow, but it won’t say what. All signs point to a Microsoft-branded Windows 8 tablet. Now, TechCrunch claims it will be co-branded as a Nook device will feature some of the Xbox’s streaming features. What this entails exactly is uncertain, but presumably, the rumored tablet would be able to…

Leaked Microsoft Document Reveals the Xbox 720, Kinect 2, and a Possible Google Glass Competitor

E3 has come and gone without any sign of the Xbox’s successor. But a leaked Microsoft presentation, dating back to August of 2010, seems to indicate that the oft-rumored Xbox 720 is definitely on the way, and is on track for a holidays 2013 release complete with Kinect 2, more set-top box functionality, and a…

Kinect’s New Trick: Ads That You Can Interact With

Miscrosoft’s Kinect is a powerful little device. The latest trick up its sleeve, though, is something called Nuads: interactive advertisements that will have you waving at your TV to take part in polls and games. The LA Times reports that so far Toyota, Unilever and Samsung Mobile have all signed up to the scheme, which…

You Can Use an Xbox 360 Controller with a PS3 or a PS3 Controller with an Xbox 360 Now

The PS3 controller is a starved, emaciated excuse of a video game controller. It’s terribly skinny with no curves and feels like you’re holding the result of a skinny TV remote’s incestual relationship. The Xbox 360 controller? Now there’s something worth holding. And with this Cronus adapter you can use the Xbox controller with your…

It’s Time for Xbox Live Gold to Be Free

If you didn’t catch Microsoft’s press conference at E3 today, here’s a brief recap: game, game, XBOX LIVE CONTENT STREAMING SPORTS MUSIC APPS, South Park game, exeunt. The message was clear: streaming services aren’t just the sideshow anymore; they’ve got a spot in the main tent right alongside Master Chief. As of today, the Xbox…

What Is Xbox SmartGlass?

As expected, Microsoft just announced something called SmartGlass at E3. Less expected? Just how awesome SmartGlass turned out to be. What could have been just an Apple AirPlay imitation, is something more ambitious. Something that could change television forever. But what is it, exactly? It’s the lifeline that’ll make your dumb TV smart. SmartGlass is…