Microsoft may not have announced the Xbox 720 at its E3 Press Conference, but it unveiled something equally as cool: Xbox SmartGlass. The new feature will allow gamers to stream media from Xbox 360 to tablets and mobile phones.
SmartGlass will launch this Fall for Windows 8, Windows Phone and “other portable devices” — which hopefully means it will have iOS and Android support. The application will connect phones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, giving users extra “relevant content,” such as tips on how to take down a game’s boss. During the conference, Microsoft gave the example of drawing a play for Madden NFL 13 on a tablet, and then using that play in-game on Xbox 360.
SmartGlass will be also be controllable using the Kinect, and Microsoft is making sure the sensor is more accessible than ever by expanding language support to twelve new countries: Australia, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland.
“We are deeply committed to bringing the services and entertainment that people love on Xbox LIVE to our members around the world. This year, we are expanding our voice search capabilities to 12 new countries and we are bringing more entertainment applications than ever to more countries on Xbox LIVE. We’ve also made it easier to connect to our global Xbox LIVE service on Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox 360 in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.”
Internet Explorer will also make its way to the Xbox 360, and can be controller with Kinect — including voice commands. From what we saw in Microsoft’s conference, the browser looks to be tailored for the Xbox 360, offering a much more stable experience than other console browsers. Internet Explorer will have SmartGlass integration, allowing gamers to control the web browser from their tablets, and see it manipulated on the TV screen.
Overall, SmartGlass sounds like a very ambitious project, but it does have plenty of potential; it’ll be interesting to see how third-parties integrate it into their games.
Xbox SmartGlass and Internet Explorer will launch this year on the Xbox 360.
-
Follow me on Twitter @AnthonyMole.
Source: Major Nelson
What You May Not Know About The ‘Xbox One’ [Updated] 
Xbox One: Watch The Next-Gen Xbox Presentation Here! 
Electronic Arts Engineer Blasts the Wii U 
GR Giveaway: Win a Superhero-Sized Trip to San Diego This July! 
Loading ...
I don’t mean to be pessimistic but I just dont get the smartglass thing at all. I have to look away from my TV screen to look at the smartglass tablet so why not just have that display on a menu on my screen when I pause the game. Also, I really am not interested in getting fun facts during a film or TV show. This inhibits immersion, it does not enhance it. ‘Oh yea look, I’m in my living room playing with this tablet,’ is what you will think as you loose immersion from whatever film, tv show or game you’re enjoying, leaving that world and remembering your own.
But I get it, half the population sits browsing facebook and twitter when theyre watching TV anyway so I suppose you have to try and stay relevant, and I guess it will compete with the Wii U, but I won’t be shelling out for it.
I shared the same opinion too, but I rewatch my movies with special features often. I would go through it the first time uninterrupted, then the second time with commentary and funfact options the blu-ray gives. This expands that even better IMO.
This sounds like an awesome project, much more so than nintedo’s new system. If they have support for more than just windows phone even if its just android I will make real use of this. Yet I will probably hold off on it for a while after its up to make sure that its as stable as they say it will be.
Why does this sound so familiar…. Oh wait… Miiverse or whatever thing Nintendo came up with. It’s good that Xbox has this though. Its like, Xboxverse. Not liking the name :/