By: Sarju Shah - Posted on Friday, Apr. 8, 2007

On May 7, Microsoft's spring update will bring a host of new features to the console. Foremost among them, the ability to add Windows Live Messenger contacts to the friends list. Coming into its own, the Marketplace will now have a dedicated blade in the user interface, and Microsoft also tweaked numerous other features dealing with achievements, downloads, and the friends list.

Messenger

According to Microsoft, many users have a rather lonely initial experience with Live. By giving users access to their Messenger contacts, Microsoft wanted to give new users a toehold into the world of Live rather than throwing them in headfirst. For new users who have no gamertag friends to speak of, the ability to add Messenger contacts will ease them into the network and help new users identify friends who already have gamertags, but didn't know about them beforehand.

Users will be able to add up to 600 Messenger contacts to their Live account, which is in addition to the 100 gamertag contacts. For the moment, Microsoft will provide basic text-chat functionality with Messenger accounts, although Microsoft indicated that other features like audio and voice might be in the works.

You'll be able to chat with up to six friends at once while playing games or watching movies. Dialog windows will appear seamlessly over anything you're currently doing, allowing you to switch to them at your pleasure. Some games will automatically pause the action if you want to respond; others will continue unimpeded. In addition, your Messenger friends will know what game you're playing, as well as your gamertag. Live will automatically update your screen name to show the following information: "Xbox 360: [the game you are playing]: [your gamertag]." You will also be able to set your gamertag and Windows Live Messenger account status independently of each other, allowing you to appear on or offline to certain groups of users.

To help you sort through your friends and contacts, Microsoft will implement a feature that lets you see who is online, what game they are playing, and if you can quickly join them.

1246 Comments

  • Aaron_Knuts1

    Posted Apr 12, 2009 6:32 am PT

    hi

  • ZachBobBob

    Posted Oct 10, 2008 2:36 pm PT

    A complete copy of the PS3! And the new avatars look like Mii's. Still gonna buy an xbox though!!!

  • sam3febzzzz

    Posted Oct 3, 2008 8:28 am PT

    360 rocks, i am going to buy it in summer! i already have a ps3.. but this new update rocks

  • hirushan88

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 11:07 am PT

    360 rocks!!!....this is just getting more and more cool.

  • OrianaDorta

    Posted Aug 18, 2007 6:49 am PT

    I like Sony products, but i have to admit this is awesome! 360 has no limits

  • De4d_W0lf

    Posted Aug 6, 2007 3:13 am PT

    - Bear1961 - Obviously your just a loser sony fanboy that is jelous of microsoft's genius and the fact that there are no decent games on the ps3!

  • JustQuest

    Posted Jul 31, 2007 6:23 am PT

    I like what I see, its great to know you can get a text msg when your watching a film.

  • USmellLikePoopy

    Posted Jul 27, 2007 11:11 pm PT

    That's pretty cool.

  • bear1961

    Posted Jul 22, 2007 5:54 pm PT

    vahid_xbox_360, actually, sony is the one

  • vahid_xbox_360

    Posted Jul 14, 2007 2:09 am PT

    microsoft you are the one

  • jetbruceli

    Posted Jul 4, 2007 11:09 am PT

    First off this update wasnt that great! I am in the US Army and stationed in Germany, since the update, xbox live wont allow me to get some videos and demos that could before cuz, I am not in the states. This horse crap! Other than that, I still love my 360 and watching HD DVD's are amazing.

  • WizengamotX

    Posted Jun 30, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    This has to be a highlight summer starter for me. And god said my world was perfect. And it is. AMEN!

  • SaintRasmus

    Posted Jun 27, 2007 11:57 am PT

    Cool !!!

  • French023

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 7:38 pm PT

    this didnt even mention the marketplace slide to the spring update

  • Nickolas

    Posted Jun 17, 2007 11:35 am PT

    I want the xbox 360!!!!!!

  • 2ndWonder

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 3:51 am PT

    sweet update

  • Zeroni76ers2131

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 5:06 pm PT

    Stay tuned for these updates and many more on May 7

  • Arab-man666

    Posted Jun 2, 2007 8:39 am PT

    ...... my xbox never froze... untill this freakin update....

  • samir_ghofran

    Posted May 31, 2007 2:49 am PT

    not very useful.

  • Anthonyl22

    Posted May 25, 2007 10:18 pm PT

    hopefully the canges will be good for the xbox 360 some of the changes might be good or bad ... but will have to wait and find out when the updates come out

  • gmanpluto

    Posted May 22, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    More changes are need for the 360

  • bear1961

    Posted May 18, 2007 2:00 pm PT

    this product isnt even in stores yet. dont expect it to come any soner than 1 month this forum is DEAD

  • Romayo83

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:40 am PT

    No keyboard yet??? msn is great but not while using the joystick to type! horrible takes way too long and interrupts too much online play! lol

  • quickhhh

    Posted May 18, 2007 4:12 am PT

    swe_hotshot Well, I haven't seen the keyboard in any store yet
    ------------------------------------
    same

  • swe_hotshot

    Posted May 17, 2007 2:22 am PT

    Well, I haven't seen the keyboard in any store yet.

  • bigpimppapa

    Posted May 14, 2007 2:30 am PT

    THIS IS POINTLESS WHEN I AM PLAYING FEAR AND SOME PUNK KID WANTS TO INVITE ME TO PLAY CALL OF DUTY 2 TEAM DEATH MATCH IS ANNOYING. I WILL NOT STOP MY GAME JUST TO PLAY BIRD FACE,THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LOSERS ON LINE TO BEAT WHY BEAT HIM?

  • citybeat1200

    Posted May 13, 2007 5:58 pm PT

    hey bear1961 i have the ps3 and the xbox360 and to tell u the ps3 was not as good as they say it was going to be i got mine in nov 17 and i think i have only turned it on 2 times and the xbox360 good im on that all the time so xbox360 is better

  • bear1961

    Posted May 12, 2007 9:03 am PT

    wverything about the ps3 is bettter than the 360. halo is the only good game, and that sucks. it is a pity, such a shame that microsoft would make a controller that is not en=ven sustainable to hold up to a ps3 controller or wii. this controller is nto that good. it is lame according to me. get a ps3. controlllers that look as lame as this wont cut it with the consumers

  • mariosx93

    Posted May 11, 2007 5:30 pm PT

    whens the key board coming my usb key board is to frekin heavy

  • Young_Taizy

    Posted May 11, 2007 5:13 pm PT

    Whoa, chill out bear1961, go MS bashing on the playstation forums. Everybody can see that xbox is completely running the PS3.

  • bear1961

    Posted May 11, 2007 4:28 pm PT

    microsoft is so lame. this is controller is not that good. gittin in stores late, costumer satosfaction is low, just bad overall. hey children, if u changed to ps3 that wouldnt happen.

  • world3000

    Posted May 11, 2007 2:35 pm PT

    XxJorge12219xX form what iv heard theres no way to change the family settings give Microsoft a phone and tell them to get it changed looks like thats the only way unless you want to make a new profile

  • world3000

    Posted May 11, 2007 2:31 pm PT

    brearleysam does any one know how to get the mini chat box like on the screens shots i'm having trouble finding it
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    yeah if anyone knows how to do this can u please let me know thanks and does anyone know when the keyboard controller is coming out ???

  • brearleysam

    Posted May 11, 2007 1:52 pm PT

    does any one know how to get the mini chat box like on the screens shots i'm having trouble finding it

  • mariosx93

    Posted May 11, 2007 11:21 am PT

    when is the key bored be in sores and for how much pleas tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • XxJorge12219xX

    Posted May 11, 2007 10:28 am PT

    I also have that problem that i cant use messenger because i am down as a child can anyone tell me how to change that without having to create a new account or lose all my achievements??

  • jfkunrendered

    Posted May 11, 2007 7:58 am PT

    The new update would be so much better if it didnt have me down as a child. I got the Xbox 360 when I was 17 and i`m 18 now, so I had to make a new account and get all the achievements back...that`ll keep me busy this summer.

  • jjjacko

    Posted May 10, 2007 11:23 pm PT

    it may be just me, but it seams that the update has all but junked the dashboard, its slow, clunky, freezes up and takes 10 minutes to send a game invite! as for msn.... jeez its useless, i have a usb keyboard and there is no overlay, and once the shabby dashboard finanlly opens the guide to get into msn itself, it jams up and i have to wait 30secs in between messages! it like they have given the dashboard LAG! anybody else got any tips for me? or are you guys having the same issues? i was pumped for this update but i prefer the old one! message me and give me a hand!?

  • Dukeit200

    Posted May 10, 2007 10:18 pm PT

    They should add a codec that supports Divx movies cause most of my movies are in Divx Format.

  • General_Gustaf

    Posted May 10, 2007 11:24 am PT

    Actually, chat overlay works with a USB keyboard. You need some sort of keyboard for the overlay though.

  • vaejas

    Posted May 10, 2007 11:11 am PT

    Twelve-hundred and FIRST!

  • oli_kester

    Posted May 10, 2007 10:18 am PT

    the achievements and auto-downloads features will be the most useful

  • KillaZero

    Posted May 10, 2007 9:58 am PT

    Pay attention people....You won't have the chat overlays until they release the Qwerty Controller keyboard.

  • MetaRidley42

    Posted May 10, 2007 7:53 am PT

    I though we were supposed to be able to remove played games like arcade demos we never bought from our played games?

  • garjen2478

    Posted May 10, 2007 2:07 am PT

    has anyone noticed this?.......all my xbox original games now have no jaggies and the resolution has increased. KOTOR is most noticeable, looks like it is running on a high end PC. Also Doom is the **** it looks better than the PC version. Was this caused by the Spring Update or are my eyes just ****

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Xbox 360 Spring Update

Check out the new additions to the Xbox 360 Dashboard.

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