During last week's E3, Microsoft showed its entry into the world of adding a secondary display to its Xbox 360 ecosystem. Microsoft updated its My Xbox Live App for distro on the iPhone to show us that they are ready to expand the market of secondary devices to control your Xbox 360. By releasing this app, they are also following through on their promise to expand the market to other manufacturers.
How to get started?
Similar to the thousand blue tooth devices that you have around your house, you use your free My Xbox Live app to pair your phone and your Xbox 360. The entire process took all, but a couple of seconds. Right now, the controls are pretty rudimentary, but they should gain in complexity as the app is further developed. You now have a media remote. It is not as good as the Xbox controller, but it is definitely good enough and it fits in your pocket.
Just like the controller, there are directional buttons for navigating the Xbox 360, an "A" button in the center and the "Y," "X" and "B" buttons are below as usual. It is a little difficult to use since there is no feel, like the real controller. You might need to check where you are pushing on the glass since all you feel is a smooth surface.
Things that I hope SmartGlass can do in the future...
Since the iPhone App can connect through your cell phone connection, it would be great if it could queue up games or movies. As you are heading home and decide you are in a comedy mood, you hit a button and it is waiting for you as you walk through the door. Also, there is no telling where we could go with the app. Like other home automation apps, why couldn't you see your house through the web camera to see if your dog is chewing your couch? If he is, turn a movie on real loud to stop him since he will think that you are home.
I like the idea of using the My Xbox Live app since it uses devices I already own and it is free. Since it fits in my pocket and I always keep it on me, at least my dog won't chew it while I am away... unlike one of my current controllers. I can't wait to see what other devices join the SmartGlass ecosystem that I call my living room.
http://www.smartglassworld.com/ looks at the world through the lens of Microsoft's Xbox SmartGlass.
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