Your Xbox Live friends list is about to expand exponentially. Beginning May 7th, Microsoft is going to offer Windows Live Messenger to Xbox Live users.
“Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger, to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox Live has really become the largest social network on television,” said Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox Live at Microsoft. “For our growing community of 6 million on Xbox Live, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They are using Xbox 360 to play games, music and movies while simultaneously communicating with one another through video, voice and text chat. With this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox Live users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360.”
Users of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360 will text chat using the virtual keyboard accessible on Xbox 360, or by connecting a USB keyboard to the console. This summer Microsoft will launch a QWERTY text-input device, a new accessory that will connect directly into the Xbox 360 controller to support text and instant messaging.
I'm definitely looking forward to the qwerty add-on. Microsoft continues to expand Xbox Live's functionality. Sony needs to pay attention to this, but of course they won't. I'll gladly pay $50 a year to get the kind of stability and features I get with Xbox Live. Sony's HOME may be free (for now), end up being an improvement over their current online offering (it HAS to be an improvement) but until they iron out the basics such as universal online standards and friends lists in EVERY game, Microsoft will own the online gaming space.
Update 4/10/07 - 1:00am cst
Plenty of other new features are included, ranging from enhanced family settings, better Achievement notifications, an improved Xbox Live Marketplace blade, updates to the Xbox Live Arcade, an auto download of trial versions of Xbox Live Arcade games, better progressive download controls for video downloads, an option to automatically switch off the Xbox 360 after downloads are complete, if desired.
The Xbox 360 Dashboard also gets a range of mini updates, ranging from the name of the game in the tray being displayed on the dashboard, a progress bar showing download completion, better fast forward and rewind functionality when watching video, switchable aspect ratios and more. See Microsoft’s announcement for all the additional details.
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