Players will be able to connect over the 360, PCs and Mobile devices through Windows Live messenger this Spring.
The service will be free to Silver and Gold users who send more than two million text and voice messages daily according to Microsoft. These users will now have access to the new service Starting May 7, the release date of the dashboard update. Compatibility between the two services will also be increased by allowing Windows Live Messenger users to see their friend’s gamertags in addition to what they can do while connected.
Messages from the service will display on the screen much like current messages with the placement and opaqueness being non-adjustable. Because this service will require a keyboard, Microsoft has also revealed a snap-on keyboard for the 360 controller.
In total, there are roughly 1,600 changes, large and small, being made in the spring dashboard update.
Some of the other major new features of the update include:
name of the unlocked Achievement and the gamerscore value
without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements
list.
communications enable different defaults for video chat and
voice chat.
access the content they seek—whether it is game content or TV
shows and movies (available in the United States)—from one
place on Xbox Live.
which Xbox Live Arcade games their friends are playing and
join in the fun. Xbox Live members can also compare progress
of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all
friends on their friends list. Expanded “Tell a Friend”
capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about
Achievements and high scores.
the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox Live Arcade
games.
optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward,
rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from
Xbox Live Marketplace.
allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off
automatically after downloads are complete.
Some smaller updates will be:
dashboard.
game icon and gamerscore for that game is displayed.
progressively downloaded from Video Marketplace.
video playback.
playback (Auto to Letterbox, Zoom, Stretch, Native).
turned off—the console will automatically power down when
background downloads complete (not enabled by default).
Gamerscore details over the game without having to bring up
the guide or leave the game.
information for quick identification of users that are
joinable.
to improve navigation.
Management.
Finanlly, arcade improvements include:
in Arcade, see what they’re playing and join in the fun.
Friend information is displayed in multiple locations
throughout Arcade.
about your latest achievements and earned high scores. Three
new messages have been added to help you exalt your
accomplishments.
trial games directly to your collection. Build your collection
quickly and easily through background downloads. A simple
press of the X button will bring up the queue for review.
Scroll through your entire friends leaderboard list (up to
100) and compare achievements.
