It has been a long time coming, but no more rumors and no more speculation ... we have an official release date and time. Today, at around 2:00AM pacific (a few hours away) the Spring dash update will make its way onto the Xbox Live servers for members to download in masses. The update will bring Windows Live Messenger integration, a new restructured Marketplace, and more fixes and fun too numerous to mention. With the amount of anticipation surrounding this dash update, one would think it were going to actually change people's lives or solve world hunger. But it won't, it'll simply make our dash a happier place to be. So, take a seat and relax for a bit, because our Spring dash update will be here in a few hours. Full press release after the break.
Windows Live Messenger Comes to Xbox LIVE, Uniting Friends and Families on the TV, PC and Mobile Phone
Starting tomorrow more than 6 million members of Xbox LIVE can instant message with people on PCs and mobile phones, one of the hundreds of enhancements coming with the Xbox 360 Spring Update
Beginning May 9th, Xbox LIVE, the most interactive gaming and social network available, is once again expanding with the arrival of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360. This new feature, available as part of the Xbox 360 Spring Update, will connect people across Xbox 360 consoles, Windows PCs and Windows Mobile devices. Xbox LIVE members will be able to socialize with people on their unified friends list, including their contacts from the more than 260 million Windows Live Messengers across the world. With Instant Messenger, Xbox LIVE members will have the ability to:
· Chat via instant messenger with up to 20 contacts in a single conversation, and have up to six different conversations at the same time with people on PCs, mobile phones and other Xbox 360 consoles.
· Instant message while playing games, listening to music or watching movies or TV shows downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
· View at a glance if friends on Windows Live Messenger have gamertags and add them to a unified friends list.
· Utilize the virtual keyboard on the Xbox 360 to text chat or connect a USB keyboard to the console. Launching later this summer, the Xbox 360 text-input device accessory will connect directly to the controller to support instant messaging.
In addition to the availability of Instant Messenger on Xbox LIVE, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will bring with it hundreds of other features and enhancements to the console. Here are just a few:
· On-screen pop-ups that immediately display the name and gamerscore value of a just accomplished Achievement, allowing gamers to see their progress without leaving or pausing the game.
· An even safer way to communicate through Xbox LIVE with enhanced family settings that enable different default settings for video chat and voice chat.
· A new, standalone Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade houses all Xbox LIVE Marketplace content in one easy to navigate space.
· Xbox LIVE Arcade enhancements that showcase what games friends are playing directly from the friends list. Boasting about high scores, comparing progress and checking out leaderboards are all easier now as well.
· Faster access to free, trial version of Xbox LIVE Arcade games through an improved Auto Downloads feature.
· The ability to fast-forward, pause and rewind video as it is being downloaded on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
· Owners can now set their consoles to turn off after downloading content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace to help save energy, and download speeds have been increased.
The Xbox 360 Spring Update is free to all Xbox LIVE members. For more information, please visit http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2007/0408-im.htm.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
5-09-2007 @ 1:15AM
Chirel said...
Chool, i'm also getting my x0 today. ^___^
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5-09-2007 @ 1:23AM
Toph said...
Dear site (that'd be www.xbox360fanboy.com);
Please ask readers that download this 'Update' if there are any instances of bricked consoles.
Call it a one-stop public service!
Well, looks like I'm running out of room,
Wish you were here!
~Toph
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5-09-2007 @ 1:28AM
Imadogg99 said...
I'll keep you guys posted on what happens to my console, I hope all goes well, cuz this update looks pleasing
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5-09-2007 @ 1:35AM
DjDATZ said...
I can't wait!
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5-09-2007 @ 1:48AM
mike said...
"Faster access to free, trial version of Xbox LIVE Arcade games through an improved Auto Downloads feature." Im interested if this means we no longer have to visit the demo section to get the downloads. I like to check in on XBLA once a month, to try the new demos out, but the auto download is completely pointless because it does not download a single game until I actually visit the xbla demo area. So that whole month, it does not download a single demo.
I am also interested in the other 93 unlisted changes in the fall updated that were not posted (it claims over 100 changes)
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5-09-2007 @ 1:50AM
mike said...
*spring update reffering to my post above
Another added feature I would like to see is an edit button for weblogs inc blog comments.
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5-09-2007 @ 1:50AM
k0llateral said...
I was hoping it would mention something about making the in-game dash more responsive and faster.
It gets soo slow sometimes.
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5-09-2007 @ 2:03AM
Sir_NightSky said...
So will this new update allow you to fastforward music?
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5-09-2007 @ 2:47AM
Drew said...
Yessssssssssssssssss. I wants it.
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5-09-2007 @ 3:04AM
Tim said...
I like how people talk about bricking consoles as if that's not the first thing Microsoft does. Puts it on hundreds of consoles.
Give me a break. If it happens to you so be it. It's probably because yours was going to break sometime soon anyway. They wouldn't release it if it were going to mess up your box.
Also stop pirating games.
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5-09-2007 @ 4:22AM
C. Taylor said...
Top improvement left out of this update:
Support for 16:10 resolutions for those of us who use computer LCD monitors. Just give me two slender black bars at the top and bottom so the screen doesn't have to stretch and can maintain the 16:9 aspect ratio. There over 750 requests for this with more every day on the 360 forum. http://forums.xbox.com/26/11741462/ShowPost.aspx#11741462
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5-09-2007 @ 5:15AM
Stevie said...
I got it! It looks pretty good so far. I like the fact that it displays the game in the disc tray, along with achievements. The Marketplace blade is also nice.
My launch 360 is still going strong :)
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5-09-2007 @ 5:16AM
Gross Greg said...
w00t! Got it! 5:14 AM Eastern Time!
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5-09-2007 @ 5:19AM
tony said...
im on eastern time too and havent seen any update so far.i turned off my system several times and it starts up like always,nothing there.so how did anyone get it yet?
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5-09-2007 @ 5:27AM
pinkhippo123 said...
anyone in the uk got it yet?
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5-09-2007 @ 5:28AM
ash said...
Got it! 6:15 AST.
Looks pretty cool. Messed around with Messenger integration a bit. Can't play long tho. Needs to get to work. I wish 16x10 was there but oh well. Something called tv reference levels is there under resolution.I never noticed that before, I dunno what it does.
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5-09-2007 @ 5:29AM
Klinjon said...
I live in the UK, just outside of London, and have literally just finished downloading the update.
Aside from the nice new features that have been introduced, the big thing that I've noticed is how fast the dashboard now loads and runs overall. My friend list, xbox guide, and videos load almost instantly. Big improvement over the sluggish performance offered in the previous update.
All in all, VERY impressed. Great new features, SIGNIFICANTLY upgraded performance, and a thoroughly unbricked 360.
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5-09-2007 @ 5:39AM
Renaud said...
Is the canuck download flag not active? I'm in -5/EST and twice I checked, twice to no avail.
Itches...
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5-09-2007 @ 5:45AM
Toph said...
I've got it! System seems to be running faster now, a little quieter perhaps too. The Marketplace Blade is clean and efficient, and I like how, when you check Achievements, it's fashioned now like the Video Marketplace downloads, with the information on the right and no need to click on each past Achievement to see what it is.
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5-09-2007 @ 6:13AM
Tom said...
Got the update! Woohoo!
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