Xbox Live gets a mini makeover

The moment Xbox fans have been waiting for has finally arrived; the Xbox Live dashboard update is finally in the process of rolling out to all Xbox Live members. Here’s what you can look forward to when the update hits your beloved console. The update will add a number of new features, including beacons, Facebook posting, cloud storage for game saves and Live profiles and integrated voice and gesture controls across the dashboard and in apps.

Besides the added features the dashboard has also received a new look and feel (codenamed “Metro”) that Microsoft promises will make for a more open, inviting and intuitive experience. It’s also slightly faster than the previous dashboard. Here’s what else you can look forward to in terms of updates:

Beacons are a new way to alert Xbox LIVE and Facebook friends of games that you want to play online. It will also alert you when an Xbox LIVE friend plays a game that you’ve tagged, making it easier to party up for a good multiplayer session. With the new Cloud Profile you can log into any Xbox 360 and access your games saves, friends lists and your Gold membership, including your Microsoft Points balance to make purchases.

The new dashboard also adds voice search, powered by Bing, which allows you to easily find games, movies or TV shows by just saying the search term. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work in South Africa, as voice support still isn’t available locally, but, if you have a UK or US account or don’t mind using your controller, you’re good to go.

In addition to rolling out the new Xbox Live Dashboard, Microsoft also released an Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone users. The app works as a virtual remote for navigating through your Xbox menus – even while someone else is playing a game or watching a video. Use the Companion to find games, TV shows, movies, and music. If you own a Windows Phone and an Xbox 360, this app is a must-download and the best bit is, it’s free.