It’s spring time so you know what that means right? It’s time for Microsoft to release a new update for the Xbox 360 gaming console. This time around, Microsoft’s adding a number of new and notable features to the console. Here are the highlights:

  • Windows Live Messenger is coming to the console providing gamers the ability to communicate with others on Windows PCs and Windows Mobile devices
  • Users will be able to chat using a virtual keyboard accessible on the 360 or by connecting a USB keyboard to the console. Microsoft will be launching a new QWERTY text input device add on. 
  • Richer Achievement notification pop-up - will showcase the name of the unlocked achievement and the gamerscore value without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list
  • Enhanced family settings for Xbox Live communications enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat
  • New Xbox Live Marketplace blade lets Xbox Live members access the content they seek - whether it’s game content or TV shows and movies
  • Quickly see which Xbox Live Arcade games their friends are playing and join in on the fun. Live members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list. Expanded “Tell a friend” capabilities makes it easier to boast about Achievement and high scores
  • New feature in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free trial-version Xbox Live Arcade games
  • New progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause, and resume as their video is downloaded from the Live Marketplace
  • New background download feature which allows users to turn off the Xbox 360 automatically when all downloads are complete
  • Integrated support for the new Xbox 360 text input device. The device includes a new wired headset
  • Playback progress bar indicates download completion
  • Switchable aspect ratio now available during video playback (auto to letterbox, zoom, stretch, native)
  • Player and friends lists now quicly show session presence information for quick ID of users that are joinable
  • Added H.246 video support - 10 Mbps peak, Baseline, Main, and High Profiles with 2 channel AAC LC audio support.
  • Added MPEG-4 Part 2 video support - 5 Mbps peak, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC audio support
  • Show folder hierachy for video content played from all devices
  • Windows Media protected content (WM-DRM) can now be streamed from the PC to the console.

To see the complete list, check out the press release here. My personal favorite addition is the new H.246 and MPEG-4 video support. Forget instant messaging.. we now have more codec support than ever before.

[Check it out]

 

The new update will be coming out on May 7th to all Xbox 360 owners worldwide.

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