Xbox Experience and Netflix Review

[admin]

As most Xbox 360 owners know (at least those that have and Xbox Live account) the new interface went live today. This update completely revamps the interface adding a number of features like 8 person chat and Avatars. More importantly, for those with a Netflix account, Netflix streaming of movies has been made available. This editorial will be a short review of the interface changes and a more in-depth one of Netflix streaming.

Discuss "Xbox Experience and Netflix Review" here. Read the article.

 

[FirstReflection]

And here's where living in Canada equals FAIL.

*sigh

No Netflix up here...no Hulu...extremely few movies on the regular Xbox Live service...no TV shows on the Xbox service...no video store on the PS3 up here.

I'm happy that we have Zip.ca...which is our equivalent of Netflix in so far as offering DVDs and Blu-ray discs by mail. But no streaming or online downloads as of yet.

60GB caps on our internet services. 6GB caps on our iPhones. A lot fewer choices in our iTunes store.

I really don't get why content is so restricted up here, but it isn't fun

 

[phlakvest]

At first I wasn't all that impressed with the "experience."

My initial though was, "the wii splatter-farted all over my xbox."

After I started browsing through the interface, I realized its not that bad. I wish I could hide "channels." I would get rid of the spotlight and default to my games channel. But everything else comes packaged with advertisements why should my game console be any different.

I still need to browse around it somemore. As soon as it downloaded I went straight to the netflix app and never left.

If nothing else the netflix streaming makes it all worth it. I have been too lazy to run a 50' dvi/hdmi cable from my computer to my reciever; and my laptop doesn't have any decent resolutions for my TV. I've been waiting for this update as soon as I heard it would have netflix built in.

Now all I need is a bluetooth remote for my ps3, a robot butler to swap game disks out, and I will never have to leave my seat again.

 

[Mw`]

ROFL @ splatter-farted!!! FYI - You can remove the welcome channel, but I think that's about it.

My thoughts after playing around for a bit:

- What an incredibly fast download/install; PS3 please take notes. I was up and running the NXE within 2 minutes of turning the xbox on.

- Avatars are lame as hell but should draw the younger crowd as intended. I made the weirdest looking one possible and laughed the whole time doing it.

- Netflix is cool. I streamed a few episodes of The Office in HD and it looked fantastic. Started very fast with no stuttering. I was adding insta-movies to my queue via PC and I could see them pop up on my dashboard queue within seconds.

- Party chat rocks, makes things so much easier when gaming with buddies. We had some drops but that'll be fixed. Say goodbye to annoying randoms.

- Installed Gears2 but didn't boot it up to see the difference. Looking forward to a quieter 360 and faster loading.

- Themes need work. It's annoying to see half your screen taken up by nothing.

 

[phlakvest]

ROFL @ splatter-farted!!! FYI - You can remove the welcome channel, but I think that's about it.

Yeah, I removed it right away, which made be curious if I could disable more of them.

- Themes need work. It's annoying to see half your screen taken up by nothing.

I agree. I prefered it before when I hit the xbox button I could see 2/3 the screen. Now the OSD covers everything.

It would be nice if I could utilize my widescreen TV by letting me chat with friends on one side and have netflix streaming on the other side.

 

[GlocksRock]

I completely forgot about this update yesterday... I will be checking it out when I get home today.

 

[Wayde Robson]

And here's where living in Canada equals FAIL.

*sigh

Dude, get over it!

If there's one Canadian trait that annoys me it's whining.

It could be worse. I used to visit FL and NC every spring... sadly it was always during the NHL playoffs and I swear trying to glean scores or lord forbid watch some hockey highlights on TV was like trying to find news in Stalin's Russia.

ESPN (I and II) Sports networks... whatever... if a New York Yankee farted it was national sports news in early April. Forget about round two of the Stanley Cup finals. A-Rod has gas!

So, you miss some streaming Netflix. Enjoy the winter, seriously.

The sooner we trash the CRTC up here (and the CBC with it) the sooner we can start enjoying a level playing field media-wise. That means US competition to satellite entertainment, streaming media and wireless data.

But that's another issue. I find the grass is seldom greener on the other side. Too many Canadians I know fantasize that on the side... streets are paved with gold and a free watch. Although I loved the time I spent living on the other side of the border... if you fail... access to Netflix over LIVE doesn't make life any more of a winning proposition.

 

[majorloser]

DL'd last night. Made up my new Mii ripoff dork. Played with the menus.

So for my final review...

IT SUCKS! (splatter fart is an excellent analogy)

I'll play with the Netflix thing later. After I figure out how to clean up the screens.

 

[GlocksRock]

I checked out the new interface last night, and I think it's ok, but I think they should have just left it alone. I want more functionality and features added with a major update, not a Wii ripoff that doesn't really do anything for me. Hopefully I will like it more after I get used to it.

 

[Mw`]

I mean, once you get past the heavy sugar coating, there are some pretty solid updates. Sure some of them are things we all wished were there from the start (16x10 for example), but you can't tell me that installing to the HD, netflix, and party support aren't substantial. If anything this is simply laying the groundwork for the future.

 

[abboudc]

My impression: WAY overhyped.

First the interface. It's like a strange hybrid of the Zune, the PS3 cross media bar, and Vista's 3D Flip, none of which are good interfaces, IMO. The old interface needed some work, but this update isn't better. It does appear to be higher resolution (which is nice), but it looks like the driving force behind the interface was a way to jam more ads on the screen (and make them visible all at once).

The "avatars" are complete Mii ripoffs, but you get so many more options on the Wii. On the Wii, you can space the eyes, move the nose up and down, tilt eyebrows or move them, etc. There are so many more combinations and possibilities. You'd think since they were copying they'd at least make them better. Well, Microsoft did give them arms and legs

Netflix streaming is cool, but i think it's stupid that you have to add them to your watch instantly queue on the computer before they show up. Why not be able to browse and add them via the Xbox directly?

The Friends list also could have been much better. The avatars for your friends stand in front of different objects. At first i thought they represented the game they were playing as i saw a guitar and mic (i thought my friend was playing GH or Rock Band), but it appears to be random as that's not the game in his drive or even in his recent play list. And if they're offline they hang their head and sleep.

I'd have been much happier adding Netflix to the old interface with an increase in resolution.

 

[sp44]

Other than the ads I think it's great. I could care less about the avatars. I don't know what kind of interface people are looking for. Netflix will be great.

 

[chescatatum]

Thanks for the article Tom . Just want to inform all folks who live outside US that Xbox One is a great media Player. If you want to access Netflix and other streaming stations on your Xbox One you can use UnoTelly as I do to get around the geo block.