AfterDawn: News

Xbox Live fall update gains friends

Looking at the success of social networking sites such as MySpace, the fall update for Microsoft's Xbox Live dashboard will contain a few features that bring you and your friends closer together. Launching on December 4th, the update will soon allow Xbox Live customers to browse the friends list of your friends so you can see who else your friends play, in an effort to gain more playable online friends.

By default, this update will make your friends list available for browsing by default to only your friends, but also will let you custom tailor how you'd like to appear online. If you are 18 or older, you can set your profile to Everyone, which will allow anyone in the community to browse your profile, Friends Only, which if you're 13 or older can allow only your immediate friends to browse your categories, or Blocked, which of course will not allow anyone to browse your friends list.



No word on how the gamers will take this approach. There are some that feel they would like their gaming experiences to remain as private as possible and don't like the idea of anyone and everyone keeping tabs on their video game prowess. It remains to be seen if Microsoft will make a clear indication that the default settings can be altered or even blocked to help keep those people who would like to remain private just that.

Source:
ArsTechnica

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 27 Nov 2007 12:59

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• 15 comments

• evz

  ooh! first comment.
  
  this should be a great update for the already incredible LIVE!

  27.11.2007 13:02 #1

• sk8flawzz

  well at least this "first post" guy commented on the article
  but man what a waste of an update..the spring one was awesome because of MP4 support, why don't they do DivX support or anything worthy? if i want to know who my friends play with ill be like "hey lets start a party and invite your friends"

  27.11.2007 13:18 #2

• goodswipe

  lol @ sk8flawzz...
  
  i smell an exploit comming on.

  27.11.2007 13:49 #3

• spydah

  This really isnt the best update news from M$ on the 360 but i understand why they are doing it. I think they are doing a similar thing like Sony trying to identify the different age groups and offer more protection to block unwanted folks and allow only who you know if you want which is great. Plus i know they want to avoid any and all law suits from foolish things people do over the net. I think the spying on peoples friends list and other info is a bit to much but thats me.

  27.11.2007 14:15 #4

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by sk8flawzz: well at least this "first post" guy commented on the article
  but man what a waste of an update..the spring one was awesome because of MP4 support, why don't they do DivX support or anything worthy? if i want to know who my friends play with ill be like "hey lets start a party and invite your friends"Divx was rumored, so who knows if it will show up? (It was also rumored for the Spring update too.) MS just added a bunch of games to BWC too.

  27.11.2007 14:51 #5

• miked2892

  haha Sony has already confirmed Divx support

  27.11.2007 15:18 #6

• vinny13

  WOW that's gay(no offence to anybody...)! What a waste of time.
  
  As an avid 360 user(at friend's 24/7 until I get a PS3) I find this useless... I hate myspace and facebook by the way :P

  27.11.2007 15:53 #7

• limelight

  All i want is a randomizer for the music player, so i dont have to listen to the same tracks in the same order all the time when i play games.

  27.11.2007 19:05 #8

• sk8flawzz

  Originally posted by miked2892: haha Sony has already confirmed Divx supportI KNOW!!i was like....dang it sony, i want one now...
  
  PS3 owners interested in divx must be happppy

  27.11.2007 20:14 #9

• vinny13

  Quote:Originally posted by miked2892: haha Sony has already confirmed Divx supportI KNOW!!i was like....dang it sony, i want one now...
  
  PS3 owners interested in divx must be happppyYa now we can watch flat out aXXo rips :)

  27.11.2007 22:22 #10

• Andrew691

  Originally posted by vinny13: WOW that's gay(no offence to anybody...)! What a waste of time.
  
  As an avid 360 user(at friend's 24/7 until I get a PS3) I find this useless... I hate myspace and facebook by the way :P
  Whats not mentioned in the article is the 80+ backwards compatible games that have supposedly been added, making the update not useless but A very good improvement.

  28.11.2007 02:51 #11

• ChromeMud

  Originally posted by limelight: All i want is a randomizer for the music player, so i dont have to listen to the same tracks in the same order all the time when i play games.There has been one since the start, works fine ,shuffles, plays 'n' everything.
  Errr...welcome to the Next Generation :P

  28.11.2007 09:14 #12

• SProdigy

  The rumor now is that Divx/Xvid support will be in this one. We'll see.

  28.11.2007 12:22 #13

• ExoticBM1

  How about 6 person video conference like <saying under my breath> another rival console has available?

  29.11.2007 22:01 #14

• borhan9

  updates galore :)

  20.12.2007 06:55 #15