December 2011 Update is here!

[blueamcat]

Just downloaded tonight on my original 360 Pro. So far so good! Its pretty slick. I'm going to test it out more, along with the Kinect features tomorrow after work.

What do you guys think so far? I really like the new layout. Looks like it will be easier to navigate and find what you are looking for.

[Symmetrics Love]

Live in Canada, can't even connect to XBL right now... Apparently "they" are aware of the issues with connecting etc... and are working on it! So i haven't had a chance to dl the new update yet.

[Shawn-XBA]

I've been playing with it for about 2 months now. I really like it. I like the integration of Kinect and Bing. The Bing search feature is pretty cool. I really like the beacon feature, I think it's really cool to be able to tell your friends what you want to play.

[RalliArtEvo]

first impressions..... no sir, I don't like it.

[Symmetric-XBA]

I f'ing hate it. f this "better with kinect" b.s. menu. I say Bah Humbug to this new dashboard update.

[Variation-XBA]

I f'ing hate it. f this "better with kinect" b.s. menu. I say Bah Humbug to this new dashboard update.

Get over it, Kinect ain't going anywhere :P

[Symmetric-XBA]

Get over it, Kinect ain't going anywhere :P

lol i know it's just i was watching a Christmas Carol and got a lil bit of scrooge goin on lol. wait.... that sounds wrong on so many levels.

[Enamelized420]

I downloaded it late yesterday evening and didn't have the time to fully check it out and explore the new stuff. I did notice that they changed up the blades once again and now go left to right with BING being on the far left. I hope to get some time to pay around with it this evening... :)

[blueamcat]

The bing search is really quite helpful so far...I can search for whatever I want and it brings it up! I was hoping something like that would be implemented but never really thought about how they'd do it. Now I know!

Also, the beacon thing is pretty sweet. I have yet to try it though...

[Symmetrics Love]

i hate the new dashboard! UGH!

[Fargoth]

You guys sound like my friends every time facebook moves something over an inch.

[Variation-XBA]

You guys sound like my friends every time facebook moves something over an inch.

Yup, but they adapt and continue using it and forget about it a week later.

I don't mind the change, I just gotta learn where a few things are moved to. Seems quicker for me and I'm liking the Bing search.

My only beef is the huge panel right in the middle for advertising, but at least it's usually xbox related stuff like the 101 videos

[vman]

just downloaded it. i never really got used to the old dashboard so I really dont have a preference. At first glance, it seems as though this version is a little easier to work with. it looks like they are trying to make it look like their phones.

[Bertnell]

The bing search is really quite helpful so far...I can search for whatever I want and it brings it up! I was hoping something like that would be implemented but never really thought about how they'd do it. Now I know!

Also, the beacon thing is pretty sweet. I have yet to try it though...

yeah Over all its like the rest of the updates of the past, it will grow on you .... lol.....

[RalliArtEvo]

You guys sound like my friends every time facebook moves something over an inch.

Comparing this to "moving things over an inch" is a complete understatement.
This is a total overhaul and I don't like the way it's layed out at all and I hate how "busy" they keep making each new update. I do like that the the menu's are faster though. IMO MS take's one step forward and two steps back with each update.

Something I wish they'd consider in the future is letting us customize how things are layed out and even hiding certain channels that we don't use/want. But something tells me that it won't ever happen and the ads/flashing videos will only get more pervasive.

[Symmetric-XBA]

one of the features that pisses me off is the absence of watching a netflix movie in a party. time to go cancel that now.

[Pryor beast]

I like the beacon idea, not sure how well it works yet.
I expected bing to search online as well, but maybe that will come with future updates.
Overall not too bad of an update.

[Unreal]

Considering I am never on the dashboard that long, I don't care what they do with it. With that said I am liking a lot of the features that were added and it is a lot quicker to use. The biggest thing I was worried about was custom themes and they are still there.

[Ainokeatoo]

I like the beacon idea, not sure how well it works yet.


It actually doesn't work that bad, it shows the last five games, how many people played which game from your friends list and the last time they played said game. I like it, it's interesting.

[blueamcat]

one of the features that pisses me off is the absence of watching a netflix movie in a party. time to go cancel that now.

Ya know, I never got to try that before they cancelled it. Sad. How did it work?

[Steeps5]

I like this dashboard update more than the previous one for sure. The whole interface looks more "stylish" (I guess that's the word) than the all white everything on the previous dash.

[Jinty.Maginty]

it looks like a windows 7 phone set-up, just like every dashboard update ppl hate it but in time they will learn to love or at least put up with it xP

[blueamcat]

it looks like a windows 7 phone set-up

It does, which makes sense...they're probably wanting to make all of their systems look similar.

[The Mattbox]

I took part in the BETA of the new dashboard and loved it from the minute I got it. EAsy and clean set up. No delays in scrolling. Where everything is, is very clear.

My fave dashboard yet.

[Symmetric-XBA]

I took part in the BETA of the new dashboard and loved it from the minute I got it. EAsy and clean set up. No delays in scrolling. Where everything is, is very clear.

My fave dashboard yet.

yeah i'm going to have to disagree w/ that. with all these massive menus and huge boxes it takes away from seeing your background image, plus with the themes being destroyed yet again from MS, it puts a bad taste in my mouth from ever purchasing another theme. I had one back from the original force unleashed on the original dash which was Star Wars art done up like different paintings, then the new dash came out and rendered that obsolete. So then I was ok with dl'ing other themes such as ME, AC, Tron, and then Skyrim, now that we have this new dash those are worthless. Glad to know I spent money on those. Plus finding anything now takes more time as you have to go through more menus and more stupid boxes that cover the screen. How did you used to find arcade games? Well you went to the scroll tab for game marketplace and you could find yourself looking at the arcade games in less than 5 seconds. Now though you have to go through multiple menus and scrolling through more pointless boxes just to find arcade titles.

Oh and lets not forget the video issues that came with this new dash. Testers were complaining to MS to fix the 1080p video playback and color issues, but MS just blew it off with a statement "we appreciate your feedback, unf. we can not implement these changes at this time but we will keep your ideas for future updates". Yeah, now even Major Nelson has finally come public saying that MS IS aware of the issue and a fix should be arriving HOPEFULLY SOON (whatever the hell that means). Yeah, this new dash should go in the trash. If I wanted something to look like a windows phone i'd buy a windows phone.

[The Mattbox]

Don't care for backgrounds. If I wanted to see a picture, I'd open up my laptop.

As for Arcade games, I went along to games, my games and selected the one I wanted?Nothing difficult or time consuming.

As for video playback? I assume you mean streaming/DVD playback? Don't use the DVD and anything I watch on Netflicks etc, isn't in HD anyway.

[blueamcat]

I was a bit disappointed about the background themes as well. At least I didn't spend any money on them...though being able to use your own picture was quite awesome. :]

I haven't noticed any video problems yet, which are you referring to exactly? Is the Xbox just not using 1080p? Colors seem ok to me so far...

[Variation-XBA]

I was a bit disappointed about the background themes as well. At least I didn't spend any money on them...though being able to use your own picture was quite awesome. :]

I haven't noticed any video problems yet, which are you referring to exactly? Is the Xbox just not using 1080p? Colors seem ok to me so far...

only videophiles will notice it.

[Symmetric-XBA]

only videophiles will notice it.

sooooooooo, what ya tryin to say huh?!?!??!?! lol

[blueamcat]

only videophiles will notice it.

That could be...but I do (gasp) use my PS3 for video purposes for the most part. It just seems more user friendly in that respect. ;] Netflix, Blu-ray, streaming from home network etc.