Gamers have been impatiently twiddling their thumbsticks waiting for the massive Xbox dashboard update, but after a frustrating delay it looks like it's finally here.
The update was supposed to go live yesterday but never materialised, with Xbox team member Larry Hryb tweeting that the dashboard update had been "slightly delayed".
Earlier this morning he tweeted that the update was ready, and had been pushed to Xbox 360 consoles all around this big watery beachball we call Earth. We've checked our machines in the office (for research purposes, you understand) and the update has indeed arrived.
That may not quite be the end of Microsoft's update woes, with a later tweet from Hryb acknowledging that some Xbox Live members were struggling to connect to the online gaming service.
The update itself brings an aesthetic overhaul, dragging the Xbox 360 in line with Windows Phone by introducing the tiled 'Metro' interface that will soon be gracing Windows 8.
The update brings a slew of new apps, including LoveFilm and 4oD, that go one step further towards turning your Xbox into a proper telly offering -- unless of course you own one of the older models that makes a noise like a jet engine whenever it's switched on, and sometimes when it's switched off.
Doctor Who fans will be excited to learn that BBC iPlayer is expected to debut on the Xbox in 2012.
What do you think of the new dashboard? Is it easier or harder to use? Tell us in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
Android App 
RSS Feeds 
iPhone App 
Newsletters 
Comments 7
Add your comment
smalltownanimal 7 December, 2011 12:52
Had a quick knock with it this morning. S'alright, I suppose. Nice to have a change. May as well have a go with 'LoveFilm' et al.
Not really sure that 'Metro' lends itself particularly well to thumbstick navigation, but it looks good. And now it matches my Windows Phone.......fnar!
Ryan J Pattinson 7 December, 2011 13:24
lol like you said jetplain iv got the core system from like 3/4 years ago hopefully a new one xbox
anonymous 7 December, 2011 18:59
Great... so now my old style xbox will probably either crash or not connect to live. Great.
anonymous 7 December, 2011 21:00
This is great waited for ages for it to actually update, then restart then update again then not connect to live and now it's updating again, why bother chainging when it was fine the way it was?
anonymous 8 December, 2011 00:51
New look is ok, but it's a real shame they didn't improve the woeful music player.
anonymous 8 December, 2011 06:04
Why isnt xbox live working after the update? Snowheli7@hotmail.com
georg55 8 December, 2011 17:04
The update downloads and work first time, no problems if you have a fast boardband speed,the voice controls are very accurate contrary to reports in the us sites.The kinect swipes also worl well.you must have kinect if not nothing much to see really,or a nokia wp7 phone to get the companion app,bottom line you must have kinect or windows phone to get any benefits