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Xbox 360 voice search, TV content deals launch December 6

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Video Games

Microsoft said Sunday night that it plans to launch its fall 2011 dashboard update for its Xbox 360 game console, complete with voice search via Xbox Kinect, this week.

Microsoft also announced a significant number of related content partnerships, bringing most major services to the Xbox platform this week or by early 2012. On Dec. 6, Starting Dec. 6, a free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone will let also let users find, learn more about and control content from popular entertainment services on Xbox LIVE.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday night, Microsoft said that the "Bing on Xbox" update would arrive on U.S. consoles beginning "tomorrow," and roll out to U.S. console owners over the coming weeks. Those without a Kinect peripheral will be able to search using Bing text search.

The voice search capability, first revealed in June, will work with both the Xbox Live Marketplace, Zune Video, and selected content partners. On Dec. 6, presumably the date of the update, Microsoft plans to add content from new entertainment partners, including apps, from EPIX, ESPN, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and MSNBC's Today.

Microsoft's vision for the Xbox platform, including voice search via Kinect, probably was more significant six months ago before Apple's Siri began dominating headlines with its ability to naturally search and interact with the user and a variety of apps. Nevertheless, it allows users to interact with a growing sea of content as simply as possible.

Click to continue reading Xbox 360 voice search, TV content deals launch December 6


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Bleeding Edge TV 405: Xbox 360 Fall 2011 dashboard update review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, High Score, Features, Microsoft, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos

The next major Xbox 360 dashboard update happens on December 6th, and we’ve got a look at all the new changes and additions in this episode of Bleeding Edge TV. The Fall 2011 Xbox 360 Dashboard Update is the official name of this release, and we show you the update process, and then walk you through the new interface. We give you a look at new features like Bing, Cloud Storage for games and profiles, the new Social, Games, Movies, and Music channels, and more. Expect good things from Microsoft's latest update, including full Kinect integration. This is a big update that brings another big redesign to the Xbox 360, similar to what they did a couple years ago with the New Xbox Experience. Things are a lot more flat...even boxy. It's somewhat similar to the Metro UI that you’d find on  devices or Windows 8, and the synergy is understandable…plus, it makes things a lot more user-friendly as it pertains to .

Big thank you to GoToMeeting and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like.


Follow your favorite baseball team on Opening Day the geeky way

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Editorial, Home Entertainment, Software

Spring has sprung, and the best thing about spring isn't the warmer weather or the allergies—it's the baseball. The 2011 MLB season begins Thursday, taking over the lives of fantasy owners and fans alike for the next seven to eight months (depending on how good your team is). Whether you're at work, at home, on on the road, here are a few ways to track your favorite team.

MLB at Bat 11
MLB at Bat 11 is the sanctioned-by-the-league option for following your favorite team throughout the year. It's an app for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Mac OS, Windows, and other platforms, and it lets fans watch out-of-market games (crucial if your team isn't your local team), track every statistic you can think of, and see "Live Look-Ins" whenever something critical is happening in another game.

MLB at Bat

There's a lot packed into the MLB at Bat app, but it comes at a cost: the app itself is $14.99 (there's also a very stripped-down version that's free), but if you want to watch live games you'll need a subscription to MLB.tv, which starts at $99 for the season. Luckily, thanks to a deal MLB made with Volvo, you won't need a subscription for the first month of the season, so you can try before you buy.

MLB.TV on Roku and Apple TV
If you own a Roku box ($69 at Amazon) or an Apple TV ($99 at Amazon), you're already almost all set up to watch baseball this season. With an MLB.tv subscription (the same one you'll need for the MLB at Bat app), you get access to live-streaming games via your Roku box or your Apple TV, along with plenty of other features like fantasy player tracking, DVR controls, and even on-demand access to local games (which you can't watch live) 90 minutes after the game ends.

Click to continue reading Follow your favorite baseball team on Opening Day the geeky way


Bleeding Edge TV 366: Xbox 360 Fall 2010 dashboard update review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: High Score, Features, Microsoft, Podcasts, Video Games, Videocasts, Videos

The next major Xbox 360 dashboard update happens in November, and we’ve got a look at all the new changes and additions in this episode of Bleeding Edge TV. This is a big update that brings another big redesign to the Xbox 360, similar to what they did a couple years ago with the New Xbox Experience. Things are a lot more flat and boxy, like what you’d find on , and the synergy is understandable…plus, it makes things a lot more user-friendly as it pertains to .

What else do you get? search and DVD queue management, along with a Netflix app redesign. ESPN brings 3,500 live sporting events per year (close to 100 per day!,) finally brings music to the Xbox 360 with Zune Pass integration, and more. Get a look at the video above for the full scoop.


Xbox LIVE membership fee increasing $10 per year—lock in lower price now

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Microsoft, Xbox Live

Xbox Live Price Lock

If you haven’t heard by now, Microsoft is going to be increasing the yearly cost of Xbox LIVE membership by $10 per year starting on November 1. This comes after 8 years of the service remaining at a steady $50 per year, and kills rumors that the service would actually go free sometime soon. On November 1, a year of Xbox LIVE Gold will cost you $59.99, one month will cost $9.99 (up from $7.99,) and the three-month subscriptions will go from $19.99 to $24.99. They say it’s to support new features like , ESPN, and Hulu Plus coming to Xbox LIVE (despite the fact that Hulu Plus costs $10 a month in the first place.)

The one silver lining here is that you can currently buy yourself a one-year Xbox LIVE subscription for just $39.99, locking in that $20 savings for a year. It will just get tacked on to your current subscription if you already have one. If you want multiple years of savings, you can always find Xbox LIVE discounts on Amazon.

Read More | Xbox LIVE Price Lock

ESPN Ultimate Universal Remote

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Household, Misc. Tech

ESPN RemoteIs your dad/spouse/partner an extreme sports freak? Then he/she deserves the ESPN Universal Remote. This “Ultimate” DMR-1 remote has a 2.2-inch QVGA screen with built-in light sensor, gives real time stats and scores for both teams and players, allows you to browse and shop online with Click365 tech, and lets you text fellow sports fans from the remote. No PC is needed for set-up. Pre-order at Amazon for a hefty $299.99 and if you are lucky, it will make it by Dad’s Day.

Read More | Amazon

Disney to Drop Cell Phones

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cell Phones, Corporate News, Household

Mickey and PhoneDisney Mobile has decided to end its branded cell phone service by the end of this year. They claim that although parents liked the concept, large retailers were hesitant to feature them in their stores. No further phones will be available for sale now but the company promises to service the handsets until December. In the future, Disney will be offering its services, such as its tracking capability, to other mobile phone carriers.

This is the second time that Disney has overstreched with bad results, the first being the dropping of their ESPN-branded cell phone service about a year ago. In fact we wondered then whether this move would cover their losses. Disney Mobile will be handing out reimbursements for those with the units as well as accessories, so contact their site if you have questions or want to transfer your number.

Read More | Disney Mobile

Peter Moore Has Big Plans For EA Sports

Posted by Paul Hamilton Categories: Corporate News, Electronic Arts, Sports

Peter MoorePeter Moore, long known as the public face of Microsoft‘s Xbox division, stepped into his new digs as EA Sports president last week and started off saying he wants EA Sports’ brand to compete in a broader arena than just the video games market, facing off against general sports brands like Nike and ESPN.

Despite selling millions of copies of its flagship titles each year, EA Sports has struggled to expand effectively and EA seems to be banking on Moore to help them widen their reach. “That could mean broadcast sports, sports camps, the ability to license consumer products around the EA Sports brand,” he told the New York Times. Moore is also looking to leverage EA’s technology to create social networking and news sites, all centered around sports and of course the EA Sports name. “I think we have an opportunity to aggregate information and bring it to life with video technologies,” he said.

“If we look at this connected world we’re entering, sports is a sort of social and cultural glue that reaches across the globe,” Moore continues. “There is an opportunity for EA Sports to evolve beyond a games brand to become a true global sports and entertainment brand, and I think we can compete there.”

Read More | New York Times via Level Up


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