On December 6th, Microsoft will roll out an all new Dashboard.  We’ve been told that it will bring the following features:

• New design for integrated Kinect and controller navigation
• New Beacons to play online with friends
• Deeper Facebook integration
• New Cloud Storage for Game Saves and Xbox LIVE Profile

We’re also hearing that this update will mimic Microsoft’s other platforms, such as the PC and Windows Mobile.  If you’ve got yourself a Kinect, you’ll be able to search the web via Bing using your voice.  You can also expect new apps for “televisions, movies, internet videos, sports and music” – we’re not sure what they mean by “televisions”, though.

Regardless of what other features the update brings, the new UI looks much cleaner and once again puts the PS3′s “live” experience to shame.

Buy.Com via eBay has a special discounted offer on this Xbox Live 4000 Points Card!

Now you can get the most out of your Xbox 360 Gaming experience while saving a decent chunk of money at the same time. With Microsoft Points and Xbox Live connectivity you open up a huge selection of hit Arcade titles to choose from. And with this many points you can get several of them at once for maximum gaming enjoyment. In addition to Arcade titles on Xbox Live you can also purchase TV Shows, Movies, Songs, Games+Applications, and even customize your Avatar fashionably and give yourself plenty of gear and props to show everyone what kind of gamer you really are. The options are nearly limitless and thanks to this discount now they are even cheaper than before.

$39.99 with $0 shipping makes it $39.99 delivered

Amazon is offering a great price on this Xbox Live Gold Membership 3 Month Card w/ Free 800 Microsoft Points which is only $24.99 – $5 Instant Off + Free Delivery = $19.99!

If you’re looking to save some money on your next Xbox Live gold renewal or even if you’re just starting a combo like this is very good to have. Not only can you get 3 months of access to the tightest online community around with tons of games to play and thousands of achievements tracked you also get 800 Microsoft Points to spend on anything you need in the Xbox Live Arcade which includes many hit titles for anyone to enjoy. With a Gold Membership you have full online connectivity not only for playing games and using the marketplace but also tracking your stats and friends, comparing achievements with friends and joining in gaming parties with your buddies which includes both voice and text chat capabilities.

Amazon has some great bundling options available, and now you can get this Xbox 360 4GB Console with $50 Amazon.com Credit and 1600 Xbox 360 Live Points for just $199.99 + Free Shipping = $199.99!

If you’re looking to upgrade your Xbox or even starting out new then take a look at this bundle of savings! For the normal price of this Xbox you can also get your hands on $50 of Amazon credit which can go onto any Amazon related purchase, including Xbox 360 games or other accessories and you also get a free 1600 Microsoft Point card ($20 Value) which allows you to purchase items from the Xbox Live Marketplace! This new sleek Xbox alleviates the traditional Red Ring error while looking much cooler and taking up much less space, it includes 4GBs of memory which can be expanded with a hard drive and is also ready for the Kinect upgrade so you can take your gaming control to a whole new level.

Amazon has a discount going for this Xbox 360 Live 12 Month Subscription Gold Card priced at just $59.99 – $16 Instant Off + Free Shipping = $43.99!

Give yourself the gaming connectivity you need at a price lower than ever before! Xbox-Live in a renowned gaming service that connects you and your Xbox 360 console onto a fully featured online platform where you can play all your favorite online games and keep all of your friends in the loop. It offers you features like Achievement tracking, friend’s list, chat parties and even the ability to buy special games and DLC content right online using Microsoft Points in the marketplace right from the comfort of your home. With this card you will get 12 months of connectivity to live (an entire year) at a super low price that can’t be beat! If you own an Xbox 360 then now’s the time to get connected.

Microsoft Points for Xbox Live don’t come cheap.  They can be used to purchase a variety of goods on the network, including avatar upgrades, expansion packs, movies and more.  So were not too surprised to see that a group of hackers cracked MS’s algorithm that assigns a set of numbers for redemption of their points.

Apparently the hackers figured out how to modify a used code into a new code and thus redeem free Microsoft Points.  The hack went undetected to the tune of $1.2 million.

It’s not clear if MS will take action against those that utilized the hack, but our guess is yes, they will.  In theory they have a database of codes that have been purchased and can be matched or “keyed” against a real working credit card.  In this case these codes wouldn’t have a purchase or credit card associated with them.  Lastly, all they need to do is is lookup all the codes redeemed during this time frame and match them against a credit card database.  Any codes that weren’t paid for with a legit credit card would be flagged and ultimately cancelled.

Keep in mind that this is legit money, though if $1.2 million was spent a percent of that is only given to the developers of the content, so that’s not the actual amount lost on Microsoft’s behalf, though it is money not earned.  However, getting all the money back will be near to impossible, especially if the points were used to watch a movie or for something that has a one time use.  If MS dared they could take back avatars and other downloadable content, though it’s questionable if this feature is built into the Xbox Live marketplace.

Update: However, if someone were to buy the Microsoft points through a third party it could make tracking them down very challenging.  But nonetheless Microsoft should be able to track the initial distribution of the physical point cards.

Read

The latest Xbox Live update is here and it includes a variety of features that will have even the most curmudgeon of Live users clapping with happy happy joy joy.  According to Major Nelson the update is being randomly distributed across the globe, and its distribution will be completed over the next few hours.  As always, when you turn on your Xbox and sign in you’ll be prompted to update the system.  If you don’t receive this notification, be patient, because it will eventually arrive.

Don’t forget that Kinect arrives in a few days time.

It includes the following:

• Access to EPSN.  You’ll be able to tap into 3500 live sporting events a year, which includes college basketball, MLB, NBA and international soccer games.
• Zune Music with Zune pass for unlimited music for a low monthly fee.
• Netflix search. Nintendo and Sony received the update last week and now Xbox users will be able to search for movies and tv shows directly on the gaming console.
• Voice chat quality has been improved.
• Updated UI for what is said to be an improved experience.
• And a few other minor updates that include a new WiFi access selection, family programming tweaking and the ability to sign-out other controllers

Read

Visit the Microsoft Connect site and use the appropriate Windows Live ID that is tied to your Xbox Live Gamertag if you want to sign up for the Xbox 360 System Update.

Before they let you in though, there’s a survey to complete. Soon after, if accepted, you’ll get to take the new Xbox LIVE dashboard for a spin, watch ESPN on your Xbox, listen to Zune music, get access to Netflix search and the newest updates to Zune video.

The big attraction here is ESPN – a television giant on a gaming console – and this speaks volumes about their willingness to enter new media, not the viewer/user base for the two is that different.

Don’t sweat your chances of making the team, Connect is looking for several thousand participants, which sounds to me like the approximate populace of one of those really small countries you hear about all the time in the news.

In this particular case, not a politically correct country – Xbox LIVE Gold members get priority and a case of champagne (but don’t quote us on this last bit).

Read

Can’t wait to get your hands on Xbox Live’s new Dashboard? No worries, because there are already a few leaked videos on the net detailing the experience.  It’s not quite as a drastic change as last year, but it includes some minor updates (more square menus) along with Kinect menus. But again how excited can you get about another Xbox Dashboard iteration?

Come November 1st, 2010 Microsoft will increase the yearly price of their Xbox Live Gold membership by $10, from $49.99 to $59.99.  While the 3-month membership will see a $5 increase to $24.99.  The 1-month membership will continue to be $10.  This pricing only affects Xbox Live Members in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom or the United States.

The price increase is a reflection of the additional services that Microsoft has added over the years.  This would include Facebook support, Netflix and other services.

Major Nelson made this announcement this morning and stated that you can order your memberships now and lock in the original price.  If you’re smart, you’ll track down an online retailer who sells the membership for $30 to $40 and by a few years worth.  We don’t think they ever expire.

Right now Amazon has the 12-month Xbox Gold membership for $40.

Read

It’s $44.99 – $15 instant savings + $4.95 shipping = $34.94!

Orders over $50 get free shipping, so get two to qualify for it!

It’s $44.99 – $15 instant savings + free shipping = $29.99!

New Xbox LIVE Gold Family Subscription Plan Delivers More Value and Family Fun

Xbox 360 makes family time, quality time. Only Xbox LIVE delivers a world of games, movies, social entertainment and starting this November, live sports, allowing you to share them with the people you care about, around the world.

This November, the new Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will offer up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for only US$99.99 – the price of two regular Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions. Now as you prepare for the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360, which makes YOU the controller, consider giving your family premium Gold experience and access to the biggest names in entertainment.

Perfect for families, the Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack will also offer access to additional conveniences and services including the new Family Center, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and Xbox.com for easier family management, access to activity monitoring reports, and the ability to purchase and give Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.

An Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack includes:

* Up to four individual Xbox LIVE Gold memberships for the price of two – (US) $99.99.
* Family Center – a single, easy to use, destination for Family Settings and account management, accessible on the Xbox dashboard and on Xbox.com.
* The primary account member has the ability to purchase and dispense Microsoft Points to other Xbox LIVE Gold Family Pack members.
* Activity monitoring reports viewable on Xbox.com to help encourage discussions about safer more balanced gaming and entertainment habits.
* Simplified billing that applies all purchase charges to the primary account holder’s billing account and the ability to authorize purchases, helping to manage the family’s entertainment budget.
* Exclusive family content and discounts.

The industry-leading, built-in Xbox 360 Family Settings are also being taken to the next level this November. It’s Microsoft’s goal to provide parents and caregivers with tools and resources to manage their children’s gaming and entertainment experiences, and these features are available to all Xbox LIVE members:

* Family Programming that removes all mature games, movies, and content from the dashboard, based on ESRB, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings and the TV Parental Guidelines system . Family Programming is password protected, and easy to turn on and off for each member. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Title exceptions – the ability to allow your family members to play specific games above the console’s designated ESRB rating if you deem appropriate. (Compatible with international ratings systems.)
* Intelligent default settings for child, teen, and adult profiles. Xbox will automatically assign default privacy and activity settings for each member that can later be individually customized.
* Family Settings are displayed prominently in the MyXbox channel. Current tools include the Family Timer, which allows you to control the amount of time – either daily or weekly – your children may use the console.

Whether you want to play your favorite games, stream movies and music from Zune, or watch the latest sporting event together via ESPN on Xbox LIVE1, Xbox 360 brings the best family-friendly entertainment straight to your living room.

ESPN and Microsoft announced today that the sports network is bringing over 3,500 sports games to Xbox Live through their ESPN3 service, most of which will be live and in high definition. There will also be replays, special events, and other special content. You’ll need Xbox Live Gold, but that seems a small, small price to pay for the content and everything else Gold offers. This is a big draw for Microsoft’s console — I don’t know what else they need to do to keep males age 18-35 in front of their game box.

Read

Today, from the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) stage in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced plans to revolutionize sports entertainment in the home through an exclusive deal with ESPN.

This November, do more than just watch the sports you love – connect with friends and share your sports experience in brand new ways with ESPN on Xbox 360:

· A World of Sporting Events: Xbox LIVE Gold members who have high-speed internet service from an affiliated service provider will enjoy more than 3,500 live sporting events from ESPN3.com – ESPN’s 24/7 broadband sports network – including college basketball, college football and bowl games, MLB, NBA, international soccer, tennis including all four Grand Slam tournaments, golf majors and more. Watch out-of-market games and access on-demand ESPN.com video clips, refreshed daily – all completely free to Xbox LIVE Gold members.

· Social Interaction Only Xbox LIVE Can Deliver: Connect with friends and rivals coast-to-coast and declare which team you’re rootiAng for, participate in community polling, trivia and game predictions, all tailored to the game you’re watching. Even pull up current scores and stats and easily switch between events without “changing the channel.”

· The Magic of Kinect: Through the power of cutting-edge gesture and voice technology, Kinect for Xbox 360 tracks your body movements and gestures, giving you full DVR control, no remote or controller required, and a brand new way to interact with your sports entertainment.

Dell Home has it for $50 – $17 instant savings  + $4.98 shipping = $32.97!

Note: Item is currently backordered, but you can still place order.

Orders over $50 receive free shipping, buy two to qualify for free shipping.

Dell Home has it for $44.99 – $15 instant savings + $6 shipping = $35.99!

Adding $5 worth of items to your cart gets you free shipping.

Dell Home has it for $49.99 – $13 instant savings + free shipping = $36.99!