Microsoft's Xbox Live
dashboard received an update that turns the console into something that is beginning to resemble an online
software distribution platform, similar to Apple's iTunes.
The Xbox Live update issued today gives users the opportunity to search for and download new game titles directly to their hard drive without purchasing a physical copy. In addition, Microsoft and Netflix have expanded their partnership.
An update to the Xbox Live marketplace is called Games On Demand and lets users shop for and download games directly to their console without having to leave the house. The new download capabilities will be housed in the Game Marketplace that will be preloaded with Xbox titles and updated every Tuesday.
Games purchased through Games On Demand are stored by Xbox Live, allowing users to delete the game on the hard disk to clear up space and then redownload them at no cost.
The Games On Demand feature will be available to Xbox Live subscribers starting Aug. 13.
Last November, Microsoft and Netflix embarked on a partnership that allowed Xbox users to download an application from the rental service that streamed movies directly to the console. With the latest update to Xbox Live, Microsoft and Netflix have made that partnership exclusive and are marking the occasion with new features.
Most notable is the Netflix Instant Queue update. The new feature allows Xbox users to skip going to the computer and instead update their rental queue directly from the console. The ability to browse for content has also been updated, with Xbox users now able to peruse new releases and other genres from the couch.
Finally, Microsoft and Netflix worked together to improve the playback experience for users. The latest update to Xbox Live is aimed at ensuring a better movie-watching experience by adapting to any changes that could occur on a home network while a movie is being viewed.
