The iOS version is a bit limited when compared to the Windows Phone’s “Xbox Companion” app because you can’t search for games, music, or movies that you can get on Xbox LIVE. It also can’t act like a controller, allowing you to launch a game or movie through it, pause and play videos, etc. with the system it is linked to like the Xbox Companion app can. Either way, both apps are fun little ways to navigate your Xbox profile, but does anyone really see themselves using these apps on a regular basis?

Source: Major Nelson

• New personal and social features including Cloud Storage for Game Saves and LIVE Profile
• Beacons and Facebook Sharing
• Enhanced Family Settings
• Integrated voice and gesture controls across the dashboard and in apps
• Bing voice search (Available this year in the US, UK and CA)

In addition to this, Microsoft will continuously add some more content, primarily for all your entertainment needs. There will be new apps for television, music, sports, movies, and internet videos. Who wouldn’t want to see Charlie bite fingers on his or her Xbox 360?

I’m not really sure how it’s going to work..but it appears that the rumors were true. The next Alan Wake … will not be on a disc. Yes, it looks like they’re going to use that Internet thing, more specifically XBLA, to distribute this one, according to the Alan Wake Facebook page. Also announced is a screenshot that will be released today, along with the promise of further light being shed on this title December 10 at the upcoming VGA’s.

Earlier this year, we learned that Halo: Anniversary would have some sort of Kinect functionality. Today at New York Comic Con, 343 Industries let Halo panel attendees know exactly what this functionality would be. The most interesting new feature announced is the new ‘analyze’ mode.

While shooting your favorite bad guy, players can use the Kinect voice commands to analyze them, which will in turn place them into an in-game database. Cool, right? Players can also shout commands like ‘grenade’ or ‘reload,’ and Master Chief will have no choice but to comply.

Although these are some cool features, I have to say, I’m a little disappointed that I’ll no longer be able to watch my Jersey Shore reruns while I shoot some aliens, Master Chief just doesn’t have enough grenades for that.

Halo: Anniversary will be released on your Xbox 360 November 15.

With Lakeview, the TV apps will have added Kinect voice recognition and gesture support. Microsoft is issuing weekly updates of the modified Silverlight so that the partners can make sure their apps still work properly while everything is still being adjusted. However, the ultimate goal is to get other 3rd-party developers to make apps  that will utilize “Lakeview” in order to help the console grow beyond the plane of videogames.

Do you think there will be a lot of potential with Lakeview on the Xbox 360, or do you think it will be about as unsuccessful as say, oh I don’t know, Silverlight?

Source: Gigaom

We’ve known that they’ve already had HBO Go get on the bandwagon, but the scope goes far beyond that.  Syfy, Verizon and Comcast are also joining the ranks of the Microsoft partnership. Comcast even put out a blog post with a preview of what Xfinity would look like on the Xbox Dashboard. Hopefully  this will bring us one step closer to getting rid of those cable boxes. For a full list of partnerships, click here.

Source: Major Nelson

Entertainment Partners on Xbox 360 (Existing and New)

•    ABC iView – Australia
•    AlloCiné – France, Germany, Spain, U.K.
•    Antena 3 – Spain
•    Astral Media’s Disney XD – Canada
•    AT&T** – U.S.
•    BBC – U.K.
•    blinkbox – U.K.
•    Bravo – U.S.
•    BSkyB** – U.K.
•    Canal+* – France, Spain
•    Channel 4 – U.K.
•    Channel 5 – U.K.
•    CinemaNow (Best Buy) – U.S.
•    Comcast – U.S.
•    Crackle – Australia, Canada, U.K., U.S.
•    Dailymotion – Available in 32 markets
•    EPIX – U.S.
•    ESPN** – U.S.
•    Facebook** – Available in all 35 Xbox LIVE markets
•    FOXTEL** – Australia
•    GolTV – Spain
•    HBO GO – U.S.
•    Hulu – Japan
•    Hulu +**– U.S.
•    iHeartRadio (Clear Channel) – U.S.
•    Last.fm** – U.K., U.S.
•    LOVEFiLM – Germany, U.K.
•    Manga Entertainment – U.S.
•    Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports – Canada
•    Mediaset – Italy
•    MSN with MSNBC.com – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, U.K.
•    MUZU.TV – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K.
•    Netflix**– Canada, U.S.
•    Rogers On Demand Online (RODO) – Canada
•    RTVE – Spain
•    SBS On Demand – Australia
•    Syfy – U.S.
•    Telefonica – Spain
•    Televisa – Mexico
•    “The Today Show” – U.S.
•    TELUS** – Canada
•    TMZ – U.S.
•    Twitter** – Available in all 35 Xbox LIVE markets
•    UFC – Canada, U.S.
•    Verizon – U.S.
•    VEVO – Canada, U.K., U.S.
•    VimpelCom** – Russia
•    Vodafone Portugal** – Portugal
•    YouTube – Available in 22 markets
•    ZDF – Germany
•    Zune** – Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain

* Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or other subscriptions/fees required. Kinect functionality varies by feature, provider and region.
** Denotes existing partners on Xbox LIVE available today.

Luxury, brilliance, class. There are only two things that I can think of that fit this description. Those two things are Forza Motorsport 4 and Xbox Live Gold subscribers. That’s why it’s only fitting that those with subscriptions of gold have been allowed to take their rightful position on top of the Forza 4 demo podium, TODAY. Those less fortunate than us, those mortal *laugh* silver subscribers must wait until Friday.  But really my fellow goldies, who cares about them? Head to your Xbox and play it while you can before Friday, you don’t want your friends seeing you playing something that a silver is playing, do you?

Forza will be racing onto your Xbox for goldies and silvers alike on October 11.

Source: Top Gear

Apparently driving a chainsaw into Locust throats is more popular than we thought. Microsoft announced this morning that Gears of War 3 has sold over 3 million copies in its first week on shelves. This was enough to push the Gears of War franchise over a billion dollars in its lifetime.

Also announced was that in one week, Gears had “grossed more than any 2011 video game to date”. This is a title I’m sure everyone will hold close to their hearts for the month and a half remaining before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gets released on November 8, 2011. No word was given on how many million season passes they’ve sold so far.

Tim Schafer threw us all for a loop when he announced that his newest game would be a Sesame Street title for the Kinect. We’ve all had time to get over it, and now the game is set to be released in just a couple of months, which means it’s time for marketing.

Above you can check out the newest trailer for Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, which really pushes the family friendly vibe of it. Not only are the kids in the newest commercial are way less awkward than the father and son duo at this year’s E3, but we also get a look at some of the different types of gameplay that will be offered. There’s dancing, jumping, flying, and tickling. It seems like the game will have everything a kid could ever want when it is released this October.

The Casual multiplayer mode has its own dedicated server that implements a helpful aim-assist mechanic. The only way you would be able to join a Casual game is if you haven’t played any of the previous Gears of War games online or participated in the Gears of War 3 beta. This is to prevent seasoned Gears vets from joining a game and “owning face” on all the “n00bs.” This is a clever idea on Epic’s part. Do you think we’ll see more of this as online gaming becomes an even bigger market?

Gears of War 3 will be available on the Xbox 360 on September 20th.

Source: USA Today