Xbox.com has just undergone a major upgrade and overhaul, and Xbox Live users will find lots of enhancements to their overall experience.
The facelift’s biggest new feature is the new Avatar editor where you can now create and edit your Xbox Live Avatar right from your browser. This is something Xbox users have longed for, for ages, and it’s a fully-interactive Silverlight application that lets you purchase or preview new items, including in-game reward items. Other new enhancements include:
- New layout for messaging, where you can view messages, friends, and game requests more easily
- Your Account center now has basically all of the same functions as what you can access from your Xbox menu — messaging, redeeming of codes, and all account settings
- New “Family Reports” show parents how they and their kids spend their time on Xbox LIVE
- New web games are now available in-browser or via Windows Phone 7
- Search has been drastically improved in the Marketplace
I can’t wait for the Xbox Live update. Improved audio over headsets. A slicker, more responsive all-around feel. A better Netflix. ESPN. Can’t tell you how excited I am about that. I will ultimately get the kinect once I pick up one of the new Xbox Slims so that should be interesting. I am most interested in the Video Chat technology. Should be cool.