WP7 Guide: Xbox, Windows Phone 7 and you

We're all going to be adjusting and warming up to the new Windows Phone 7 Os only the Xbox 360 has been around for 5 years now. If you don't know anything nigh Xbox or Xbox Live than it's about time that we get yous up to speed.

The phrase "game console" is typically the beginning matter that comes to listen but what about social device? Or media hub? How near online entertainment service. . . thing? The Xbox 360 is always sold short when it'southward chosen a game console. November of 2005 was when the terminal great home console state of war saw the arrival of the Xbox 360 and it's Xbox Live service and this November we're going to as well see an extension of some of the integral features of the Xbox Live service through Windows Phone 7. Let'southward take a look at the panel and come across what those features are..

Take a coffee break and read Rob's in-depth tutorial on all things Xbox!

Gaming, Gamercards, Gamertag and Gamera (wait, there's no Gamera)

Every console is capable of playing Xbox 360 games and an ever expanding list of games from the original Xbox's game library through emulation software stored on the console's hard bulldoze. This backwards compatibility is not without limits. A great majority of the original panel's games were designed to use a hard bulldoze to store games saves and downloaded content but peculiarly to use information technology as a functioning memory cache. Some games besides suffer dodgy graphical and audio performance that is typically resolved by switching from widescreen to letterbox or from Hard disk drive to standard definition. The Xbox 360 tin as well play DVD'south, CD'due south, stored media from USB flash drives, stream media from your dwelling house network through shared folders, or act equally a Windows Media Center Extender.

Once you lot've got your Xbox Alive service established the feature list goes up exponentially. Every console comes with bones non-subscription access to the Xbox Live service. This free-tiered service, chosen Silver, lets users create their Gamertag, contour, and an avatar – their virtual counterpart. Argent users have access to the Marketplace and tin chat with other users via text and sound. The subscription based Gold users ($50.00 per year; $59.95 after Nov 1st) will have all of these benefits plus online multiplayer, video chat, early access to demos, Bargain of the Week Marketplace discounts, social media tabs such every bit Facebook and Twitter, and the ability to use the Netflix and Terminal.FM features. If you lot have a Window'due south Alive ID (you lot're hotmail account) than yous already have a Silver Live business relationship. (See our related guide: Linking Windows Live with Xbox Alive!)

After your account has been created you'll be issued a Gamercard. Your Gamercard is a offset cease public display of all of your basic community information. Your Gamertag emblazoned over a silver header for silverish members or a gold header for gold members. Reputation is displayed as a star ranking and symbolizes how well other users have enjoyed playing with yous. Your gamerscore, emblazoned triumphantly upon the Gamercard, is the culmination of whatever achievements yous take unlocked by completing in-game challenges. You lot take the option of besides filling out a more detailed profile with your name, location and short biography so other users can larn more nigh you but that'southward upward to you.

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The Xbox Alive Market is dwelling house to all the downloady goodness you'd expect from on online media retailer. Movies, tv shows, music videos, arcade games, and fifty-fifty etceteras. You can access information technology all straight through the console'due south exceptionally like shooting fish in a barrel to navigate dashboard. Some content is free (demos, previews, and some game content) but the vast bulk of it volition require some Microsoft Points, the online currency of the Marketplace. Microsoft Points are bachelor for purchase in groups ranging from 100 to 6,000 points and are e'er gear up to a ratio of fourscore points being equal to one dollar, then there'southward no discount for ownership in bulk.

In the Game Market place you'll find Xbox Live Arcade games which range from classics like Galaga or Contradistinct Beast to brand new properties like Comic Jumper, Shank, or Plants Vs. Zombies. Indie games are also plentiful. Independent developers, through XNA, are able to submit their games to the marketplace for all to enjoy. Everything in the Game Market place tin can be demoed before making a full purchase and so if you're on the fence about making a buy, you lot tin always try before you buy. The Game Marketplace is also home to Downloadable Content (DLC) to extend the value of games which accept already been released. DLC can be annihilation from new tracks for music games like Rock Ring or Guitar Hero, or new multiplayer maps for games like Call of Duty or Halo, or new missions and game scenarios or costumes or equipment for any kind of game y'all already own on disc or had downloaded from the Game Marketplace.

You lot can as well find Games on Demand. These are full retail games that accept been made available for download at retail cost via credit card. The benefit beingness that you don't take to go out the house to purchase a top-rated game at a shop, y'all can buy it, download it, and play it immediately. Promotional items, such every bit demos for retail-but games, game themes and pictures for the Xbox360 Dashboard, and game-related videos such every bit trailers, gameplay tips, and developer "making of" commentaries are also arable and updated constantly.

Music, Video & Kinect

The main hub of the Video and Music Marketplaces is the integration of the Xbox360's Zune Dashboard. Here you can brand purchases and rentals of either High or Standard definition formats in tiered pricing. Connect your Zune to one of the USB ports on the Xbox360 and annihilation y'all've got stored in it (or whatsoever other storage device – CD, DVD, USB) volition go bachelor through the Xbox360'southward dashboard regardless if information technology was purchased through the Zune Marketplace, the Xbox360 Marketplace, or caused elsewhere (Compatible formats listed here) . The 360 likewise acts as a Windows Media Center Extender and file browser when your home network is set with Shared Network folders. This tin besides be used to gear up slideshows of pictures, listen to stored music, or both at the same time. The entire dashboard can be navigated while music plays in the groundwork. Netflix adds to this already robust feature with Instant streaming (Netflix membership is required) and Last.fm is fully incorporated into the Dashboard as well. With the next Dashboard update we'll as well exist seeing ESPN live and on demand streaming, Hulu Plus, and fifty-fifty AT&T U-verse IPTV.

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The most contempo panel to hit the market is the Xbox 360 S (for Slim! Just don't allow Microsoft hear y'all call it that) and you can go 1 with an already attached 250 GB hard drive or i with an internal 4GB hard drive. Difficult drive space fills up rather rapidly if you're smashing on downloading demos, movies, music, and game content. You can as well employ the hard bulldoze to install games from disc to cut downwardly on disc load times. You lot even so may want to consider the 4GB model if you're on a budget or don't program on using your console to store media. Every console can make use of USB wink media likewise and so there is no immediacy in obtaining the compatible 250GB hard bulldoze. It's just nice to have – never having to hassle with memory makes for a much more than enjoyable experience.

The 4GB console has a black matte finish and comes with a wireless controller and composite video cables. The 250 GB model comes in glossy black finish with a wireless controller, blended video cables, and a headset that plugs into the wireless controller. I know, actually exciting. But look, ports! Each console has five USB ports (3 in the back, two in the front) for peripheral game equipment like the Xbox Alive camera (People have been banned from Alive for exposing themselves. Don't practice that.), flash drives, and chargers for the batteries in the wireless controllers. HDMI is on the back at that place too so exercise yourself a favor and pick up some HDMI cables. I can't stress that plenty. HDMI is one of the best things to happen since USB. Every new console comes with a 1-month trial for Xbox Live Aureate, just to get you hooked. I've even seen plenty of new games come with month long trials as well.

The Slim consoles are too the first to have built in 2.4 GHz 802.eleven b/g/due north wireless (yous can still plug in an Ethernet cable if you lot want), dedicated optical sound out, and proprietary port specifically for the upcoming (Nov. 4^thursday US, Nov. 10^th Eu, Nov. xviii^th AUS) Kinect hardware. Kinect is a webcam-style peripheral that will enable users to exercise futuristic interactions with their Xbox via vocalisation command and total-body move control without using whatsoever controller. Kinect (previously Projection Natal) is an affiliation of camera technology, heat and depth sensors, stereo microphones and a bit of magical Scientific discipline.

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With Kinect hooked up to the Xbox 360, users will be able to employ vocalism commands to pause and resume media playback, browse their media libraries by waving their hands, log into the Xbox Live service via facial recognition, accept video chat sessions with other users (sans headset) of either Xbox Live or Windows Live Messenger, interact with real objects in a virtual environment, and higher up all else - control Kinect-enabled games without holding or wearing or standing on a controller of whatsoever kind. Kinect sits on a motorized pivot and tracks motion so if users get upwardly and motion around the room, it will follow them to proceed them in frame. Information technology'due south capable of recognizing (literally - facial recognition) vi people at a time and tracking upwards to 20 joints (cool term - dimensionality reduction) per two agile players. There is too a vague and completely unfounded rumour that the peripheral volition be compatible with Windows eight simply I hardly find it worth mentioning. Oh, well, oops.

Kinect is compatible with all Xbox 360 consoles, even the discontinued models which are still hands available at reduced prices. The older discontinued models will make use of Kinect in exactly still means as the new models but will require an boosted power source (Kinect comes with ability cables) on top of taking up a USB port. Keep on the lookout to find combo deals with both the newer slim consoles and Kinect bundled every bit snuggely as gadgets tin be in one box.

Windows Telephone seven

So how does this all relate to that wonderful little Xbox Alive tile located on WP7'due south Starting time Screen? It's the Games Hub and it's your ticket to set up and play game sessions with your friends. Hither you lot can make changes to and play with your avatar or check your gamerscore. It opens the Xbox Live marketplace where you'll exist able to download demos and full Xbox-Live enabled games. These games differ from regular Market games and Apps in that you lot'll be able to earn achievements, unlock avatar items, and sync game sessions between the phone, the Xbox 360 console, and the PC.

The Games Hub could easily become the center of your attention with exclusive titles from Microsoft's Mobile Game Studio (Crackdown two: Project Sunburst, ilomilo, The Harvest) and hit tertiary-political party titles from THQ (omg moar Star Wars), Gameloft (Assassin'south Creed, Splinter Cell Conviction, Earthworm Jim), and EA (Demand for Speed Hole-and-corner, The Sims three). Personally, I'thou really looking forward to what Konami has up its sleeve with Castlevania and how Gameloft is handling Ubisoft'southward Assassin'south Creed (seen in video demo here). We expect most people volition exist trying out The Oregon Trail by Gameloft and many of the Halo fanatics will be checking their stats in Halo Waypoint just what in item are you looking most frontwards to? What titles practise yous really want to encounter come to the Xbox Live Games Hub?

Make certain you lot check out our other WP7/LIVE guides!

Preparing for Windows Phone 7: Windows Alive
Guide: Linking Windows Alive with Xbox Alive
Followup: Microsoft'due south Respond to Combining Multiple Accounts (and Master Accounts?)

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