Rumor: Xbox Live Spring Update Will Bring Avatar Kinect

[Scott Bullock]

Rumor: Xbox Live Spring Update Will Bring Avatar Kinect

Xbox Live's annual mega-update will see the release of some highly anticipated features.

According to Joystiq's sources, the Spring Update of Xbox Live will be series of 6 major software updates from May 19 to May 30, and will feature the release of the Avatar Kinect group chat system announced in January [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106697-Microsoft-Makes-Conference-Calling-Fun-With-Avatar-Kinect]. It will also include a change to the existing PayPal integration, bringing international users the same PayPal support currently enjoyed by US Live subscribers.

Avatar Kinect, announced at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, is an application that shows off the Kinect's face and body tracking, allowing your Xbox Live avatar to replicate your movement, facial features, and speech. This can be used to participate in a group chat function where you are represented by your avatar on one of several themed "sets". The option to record and share your chat sessions is also available, and has been advertised as a good way of making video podcasts or personal talk-shows.

The update will also add support for a new disk format that will supposedly have 15 percent more space [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108859-Microsoft-Testing-New-Xbox-Disc-Format-With-Free-Halo-Reach] than the current disks.

While the Avatar Kinect and extra disk space are nice, it's the international PayPal that seems the most interesting, in light of the recent Sony information-theft debacle. Perhaps this is Microsoft nudging gamers outside of the US, saying, "Psst... you don't have to give us your credit card. Just saying."

Or it could just be a nice little update for international users, with no connection to Sony's current problems. Honestly, that's more likely the case, but isn't it fun to try and spot sinister motives where there likely are none?

Get me my tin-foil hat!

Source: Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/source-xbox-360-spring-2011-update-launches-may-19-adds-paypal/]

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[Lost In The Void]

Interesting features, bar for the Kinect thing which I don't use, but could be good for those who do. I'm sure the PayPal thing was on the table before this whole situation but hell its good timing regaardless, MS could enjoy some positive PR based off of that alone. Either way looking forward to more disc space myself and the PayPal thing

 

[Waaghpowa]

While the Avatar Kinect and extra disk space are nice, it's the international PayPal that seems the most interesting, in light of the recent Sony information-theft debacle. Perhaps this is Microsoft nudging gamers outside of the US, saying, "Psst... you don't have to give us your credit card. Just saying."

As nice an option that is, it doesn't mean that someone can't get your associated email and get your money directly. I don't feel that the risk is any less, Just sayin'.

I don't understand the obsession Microsoft has with these avatars, it's gotten to the point where people risk getting banned for them.

An extra Gig or so on Xbox discs, perhaps multi platform games wont skimp on the extra content like they do currently, giving the PS3 extras all the time. Most recent example is Dead Space 2, giving an HD version of Dead Space: Extraction.

 

[mjc0961]

According to Joystiq's sources, the Spring Update of Xbox Live will be series of 6 major software updates from May 19 to May 30

What? Six updates? What the fuck is this, the PS3? I hope Joystiq's sources are wrong about that one. I like how Microsoft just has one update every once in a while that brings us some new toys instead of a new update every week or two that doesn't do jack shit. And even if all six of these updates do stuff, it'll still be annoying.

Anyway, enough ranting. I like the paypal thing. I just hope they won't store the login e-mail and password at all, but I guess that's usually the point of paypal in the first place right? The only one who has your sensitive info is paypal when you pay through them. Let's just hope paypal doesn't get hacked...

And awesome, the disc update. That means the preview update thingy is ending soon.

 

[DustyDrB]

Is that a trailer park?

 

[LunaSocks]

Honestly, I was just hoping they would drop making us have to pay for XBox Live Gold. I just really hope the Avatar Kinect doesn't require Gold, otherwise I'm going to be really pissed.

 

[smut]

Free updates are fine with me. And I'd rather Gold stay paid for, they have more money to spend on security. At least LIVE hasn't lost 100 MILLION USERS DATA.

 

[Firehound]

Free updates are fine with me. And I'd rather Gold stay paid for, they have more money to spend on security. At least LIVE hasn't lost 100 MILLION USERS DATA.

I believe they prefer the term.... Misplaced.

 

[smut]

Free updates are fine with me. And I'd rather Gold stay paid for, they have more money to spend on security. At least LIVE hasn't lost 100 MILLION USERS DATA.

I believe they prefer the term.... Misplaced.

My email is like the village bicycle. It was leaked in the Epsilon breach, Gawker, and now PSN.

 

[Firehound]

Free updates are fine with me. And I'd rather Gold stay paid for, they have more money to spend on security. At least LIVE hasn't lost 100 MILLION USERS DATA.

I believe they prefer the term.... Misplaced.

My email is like the village bicycle. It was leaked in the Epsilon breach, Gawker, and now PSN.

Hah. Some people have no luck.

 

[trollnystan]

Great! Now I'll never have to leave my room to socialize!
Never.
Ever.
Again.

OT: I can't wait until someone makes a web series out of this.

^This
I bet 1 internet cookie that one centred around group therapy sessions will be made.

 

[MercurySteam]

I'll admit that the last update make the dashboard look a bit silly, but it certainly cut DLC download times down to size. I'll always welcome a new update to the 360, Microsoft. Ready when you are.

 

[Legion]

Before they do all this, I'd personally like the basic features to work properly first.

The navigation system on the marketplace is still broken (no matter what you search for, gamer pics, downloads, themes, videos and so on, you always go to the same menu of the game you are searching for, which completely defeats the purpose of searching for anything other than the game itself).

The video streaming system is abysmal. It doesn't buffer like a normal video system, instead it streams as though it is live, regardless of how long you leave it. So you could leave it for five minutes but it would still buffer at random points regardless.

Some options in the Xbox menu will quit you out of your game without any warning, despite the fact the Xbox menu can be opened in-game.

You can be kicked out of party chat for no given reason.

The list goes on.

 

[pepitko]

PayPal for international users, it's about time, now we could use having Zune and other stuff enabled so that the gold membership brings more to the table than just multiplayer gaming.