Quick Look: The New New Xbox Experience

Don't like where they moved the games library...now it takes longer to get there. Also feel the same way about the ads. I'd like the option to toggle them off if I'm a gold member.

Ultimately, though, I'm playing games the same way and they're the same games. So...no changes there.

Are themes and jumping avatars really that awesome? I don't get how Brad can get so excited over this and excusing ad bullshit everywhere, can't MS get it finally right outta the gate? I also don't understand how changing the NXE several times is a good usage of XBL-money and they don't need that much money for that.

Wait, Brad...can you actually get me that theme? Is that possible? Or are you joking?

I wanna know!

I don't know why Jeff was acting like "X is playing this game" is a new notification. That's the way it's been for a long time. Sure, beacons are new, but login and "playing this game" have been standard notifications since NXE.

I don't know - looks too boxy and cluttered. Some of the icons are badly designed.

I am also in the "no commercials when paying for service that should be free"-camp.

The nerd rage in these comments are great!   A++ would read again!

I still miss the blades.

@MormonWarrior said:

Don't like where they moved the games library...now it takes longer to get there. Also feel the same way about the ads. I'd like the option to toggle them off if I'm a gold member.

Ultimately, though, I'm playing games the same way and they're the same games. So...no changes there.

And lose ad revenue? Not a chance. There is a ton of money in advertising and your yearly sub won't cover it.

WHAAAAT 134148 ACHIEVEMENT POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!

Ugh, the comments section is starting to look a bit like system wars...gross.

I am I the only one who actually appreciates the fact that there are ads?I am paying for the service-I want to know what is available without searching through submenus.

@Th3_James: Yeah, that is some Microsoft kind of bullshit right there.

Hoda Kotb is from my neck of the woods.

...

That's really all I have to contribute.

If he's not just joking, I'd love that holiday theme :D

50%+ of home screen wasted

I wish it said Search as the top left instead of Bing, but that's too much to ask.

@ttocs said:

@MormonWarrior said:

Don't like where they moved the games library...now it takes longer to get there. Also feel the same way about the ads. I'd like the option to toggle them off if I'm a gold member.

Ultimately, though, I'm playing games the same way and they're the same games. So...no changes there.

And lose ad revenue? Not a chance. There is a ton of money in advertising and your yearly sub won't cover it.

Well obviously. They exist in ADDITION to the subscriptions so of course the yearly sub won't cover it.

@ilduce620: Ah yes. I didn't think about the fact I'm using Canadian Netflix. We don't get any of the Star Trek TV series... at least not yet. We do have the original movies, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek (2009), but personally I would much rather get all of the TV series instead. Hopefully they will come soon.

I'm sure this is actually the New New New Xbox Experience.

Not totally sold on this, but I appreciate MS keeping a consistent UI across all their software these days, it's a nice effort.

Still kinda partial to the XMB, not flashy but it works so well.

@Jonnyflash80: To be fair, I post about Netflix on Google+ frequently and I'll get various "...only in the US" responses. So yeah, I don't think about it, either. Hope you get the series soon, though!

They're right about Dailymotion. I go there for some bondage videos. What?

what mr show skit was jeff talking about?

Wait, so when is this damn update supposed to go live then?

@FreakAche said:

I love Star Trek 4

Me too, "Khan" may be the best film but Star Trek 4 is my favorite of the original series movies.

Ohey, the dash got delayed. Really last minute decision.

I didn't even have to read the title of this QL. Once I saw Kirk and Spock I was already on board to awesomeness.

ok, so how do i get that festive holiday theme?!

Another new interface? Jeez...

Microsoft, I love you. But Jesus Christ. With the ads. And the fact that there's so much wasted space. I mean, what was wrong with the original UI? Not enough ads, I'm guessing.

I guess what I'm saying is take that American Horror Story ad down already. It takes up half the screen, and that show is terrible.

Bad news guys :(

The holiday theme should be here according to my download history:

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Winter-Holiday-Theme/00000000-0000-4003-803f-0003fffe07c3

As you can see, that's a bad link, and I can't turn the theme up in search on Marketplace. So if anyone can figure out how to work backwards from that URL to find the legitimate page (if it even exists), or if you know of a way I can make the theme available for download since I have it on my Xbox here in the office, please let me know.

@onan: I'd prefer they just update them to work.

Will this update bring my Xbox back to life?

@Brad said:

Bad news guys :(

The holiday theme should be here according to my download history:

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Winter-Holiday-Theme/00000000-0000-4003-803f-0003fffe07c3

As you can see, that's a bad link, and I can't turn the theme up in search on Marketplace. So if anyone can figure out how to work backwards from that URL to find the legitimate page (if it even exists), or if you know of a way I can make the theme available for download since I have it on my Xbox here in the office, please let me know.

There is no legitimate way to get it. Only people who already have it can redownload it. You could use Modio (which you used for the Skyrim thing) to rip the theme file off a USB drive and upload that file. Just don't do it openly, it's against the TOS to use Modio. But they also can't see if you did it.

The whole apps section strikes me as a poor attempt at bringing in Roku box or, as was said, Boxee Box functionality for the XBox.

@Thoseposers said:

what mr show skit was jeff talking about?

It's weird, they had all six Original Series films on Netflix over the summer, and it seems like right when the TV shows went up all the movies went down. They haven't been back on the service since.

Sweet! Changes look good. Yet half of the folks watching this or not watching this are complaining about things that haven't changed like the premium themes, they still work fine big rip off but fine. Also saying the XMB is better then this or has no ads is completely off base... Granted the holy grail for any system is to be able to customize your start screen like a PC but sadly I don't think that will ever happen for a console.

@Branthog said:

Let me get rid of all the god damn advertising and replace it with actual things I give a fuck about. Then, instead of having fifteen little tabs/screens each filled with one or two useful features and six or eight ads, I can have one screen with everything I need on it. I mean, sorry, but I don't exist just to consume advertising.

QFT!

Really, how hard can it be to create one (1) screen with all the 5 things I (and I think, most people) actually use? (Launch disk in drive, game library, marketplace, settings and video)

@Branthog: Regarding the advertising - would you feel the same way if your monthly fee was twice as much? I'm willing to bet that the membership dollars do not cover their overhead. Hence, ads.

The right balance is no fucking ads for a $60 service.

The Pig Keepers Daughter on Netflix

Straight up 70's porn

I just switched the holiday theme, thanks for reminding me that it exists.

Does look good for an update to the Xbox hud. Can't wait to see more though like Jeff, I don't know of anyone personally that uses some of the sections in Xbox Live (ie. video section for anything but dvds or netflix, facebook, ect).

@JDillinger: How do you know that? You know what their expenses and membership count is?

Yeah, ads suck, but why is it that the internet makes everyone feel like they are pricing experts?

@thirteenyahs said:

@Branthog: There's nothing on the new dash that qualifies as spamming. If you don't want to use Hulu or watch movies: don't. If you don't care about the ads: don't select them.

You're kidding, right? The new dashboard only makes use of about 50% to 66% of the screen and of that used space, about 75% of it is used for various advertising and 25% of it is used for content. The interface is all boxy, now, so it's really easy to do the math. One tile to play the game you've inserted and everything else for ads.
 
If I don't want Hulu, stop shoving it in my face on the interface every time I use the console. If I don't want ads, don't show them to me. It's 2011 - the only place that I don't have any control over the advertising and my exposure to it is on the console. On every other device, I'm able to implement limitations. Like I say, if you want to shove constant advertising in someone's face, give them the membership to Xbox Live for free. For paying customers - get rid of that shit. or at least make it an option that I can toggle. Let me get rid of all the god damn advertising and replace it with actual things I give a fuck about. Then, instead of having fifteen little tabs/screens each filled with one or two useful features and six or eight ads, I can have one screen with everything I need on it.  I mean, sorry, but I don't exist just to consume advertising.

@mostman: They run a cheap P2P service. There is no way they aren't making enough money from subscriptions to cover the cost of running Xbox Live while also making a healthy profit.

Only like 50% of the screen is being used. Imagine how many ads you could fit on those empty borders!  
Get on it, Microsoft!

Woohoo my avatar showed up in the video :)

I switched to the holiday theme every Christmas because honestly, why wouldn't you?

I've been in the beta since it launched early November and I still think it's kind of janky and inconsistent in spots. I live in the UK and switching to my US account shows it off. In my US login, it shows all the deals and stuff like that but in the UK, it simply doesn't show up even though the same deals are on so if you're not clued up, you're missing out. The UK is also missing out on a lot of the apps but you can easily download them from a US account and use them with your UK login.

Just like Jeff, I too really hate doing the search with all the text on a single line. I'm entering text so why not just bring up the keyboard(which still isn't as good as the one on the PS3).