Dashboard Update Details

It’s back! The next Xbox LIVE Dashboard update goes live at 10am GMT / 11am CET on Tuesday, December 4, and we’ve just released all the official details on what’s coming down the pipe. No doubt you’ve heard plenty of rumours, but this is the real deal:

“MORE DOWNLOAD OPTIONS:
• Xbox Originals – With this new service, announced on Nov. 13, consumers can download-to-own full original Xbox games that were previously only available at retail. The digital shelves will always be stocked with classic titles, such as “Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex” “Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge,” “Halo,” “Fable,” “Fuzion Frenzy,” “Psychonauts,” and more as the catalogue grows over time, at 1200 Microsoft Points per game.

• Xbox LIVE Arcade Hits – On Xbox LIVE Arcade, the Arcade Hits program kicks off where some of the best selling Xbox LIVE Arcade games will become available at permanently reduced prices, making it easier than ever for everyone to build a library of downloadable games! The first games to become Arcade Hits will be “Bankshot Billiards 2” and “Lumines LIVE,” which will be available for 800 Microsoft Points each, and “Marble Blast Ultra,” “Small Arms” and “Zuma Deluxe,” which will be available for 400 Microsoft Points each. With free trial downloads for every game and over 100 games to choose from, Xbox LIVE Arcade offers something for every member of the family.

NEW WAYS TO KEEP UP TO DATE AND CONNECTED:
• Enhanced online profile – Members interested in sharing a few more details about themselves will have the option to go beyond their motto and further personalize their profile with an expanded bio.  The extended bios will be visible to “Friends Only” or the entire Xbox LIVE community.  Go to www.xbox.com/fof to select your setting.

• Expanded Friends List access – A quick and easy way for gamers to expand their personal community on Xbox LIVE, members will be able to see the Friends Lists of other Xbox LIVE members, boosting their social networking experience on the service.

ENHANCED OVERALL EXPERIENCE AND CONTROL:
• Enhanced Parental Controls – Family Timer, a strong and flexible new addition to the Xbox 360 Family Settings, enables parents to set the amount of time their Xbox 360 can be used on a per-day or per-week basis by their children or other members of the household.

• New video features – The convenience of full-screen movie previews and enhanced video codec support further expand the options when it comes to the Xbox 360 entertainment experience.

• Easy-to-use navigation features – With several noteworthy changes in the Xbox LIVE Dashboard, from the new Game Store button to the Video Store button to enhanced visuals and descriptions in the video library, Xbox LIVE members can find what they want, when they want it.”

I’m particulalry inteested in the Friends of Friends feature – I think it’ll be really interesting checking out your mate’s Friends Lists like you can on Spaces or Facebook or MySpace. Of course, you can decide how much this feature affects you. If you go to www.xbox.com/fof you can decide whether you want to block this altogether (ie no-one can browse your Friends List), set it to Friends Only, or leave it open to everyone, which is the default option.

Look out for the Dash Update on Tuesday, December 4. As always you’ll just need to turn on your Xbox LIVE-connected Xbox 360 to download it.