The Future of TV Begins Now on Xbox 360
Kinect for Xbox 360 brings voice control to living room entertainment with update that launches December 6th
London. — Dec. 5, 2011 — Microsoft is pleased to announce an entertainment revolution starting tomorrow in living rooms around the world.
Tomorrow, the future of TV entertainment begins with the launch of an all-new Xbox 360 experience, including the first wave of custom voice controlled entertainment apps on our online service, Xbox LIVE. Xbox 360 is transforming how you enjoy TV entertainment, giving you the power to control all your favourite content - games, music, movies and sports as well as live and on-demand TV – using your voice. Thanks to the unique combination of Kinect for Xbox 360 and Bing Search, you say it, Xbox finds it. It’s that easy.
“A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place—your games, movies, TV shows, music and sports,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever.”
“Microsoft has just built and delivered it: A single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search. This is now the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives should be compared,” said James McQuivey of Forrester Research in “Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience,”* Sunday, Dec. 4. “With more than 57 million people worldwide already sitting on a box that’s about to be upgraded for free, Microsoft has not only built the right experience, it has ensured that it will spread quickly and with devastating effect.”
Speak Up, Your Entertainment Awaits
With the new Xbox 360 experience, entertainment is now more intuitive with the launch of Bing on Xbox, which lets customers search entertainment services on Xbox using their voices. Last year, Kinect for Xbox 360 revolutionized controller-free entertainment by letting you use your body and voice to play your favourite games and entertainment, turning you into the controller. This year, the power of Kinect combined with the search intelligence of Bing is turning your voice into the ultimate remote control. With Bing on Xbox, you can use your voice to effortlessly find the games, movies, TV shows and music you want and discover the best offerings on Xbox LIVE, by simply saying what you’re searching for. You say it, Xbox finds it. It’s that easy.
All Your Entertainment, All in One Box
This Christmas and beyond, in addition to offering the best blockbuster and Kinect games, Xbox 360 consoles are set to deliver live and on-demand TV shows, movies, videos, sports, music and news, becoming the best device to experience all your entertainment. TV and movie fans can instantly stream live television via our current UK TV partner, Sky, as well as enjoy a variety of fantastic content from the likes of AlloCiné (Screenrush), blinkbox, Channel 4, Channel 5, Crackle, Dailymotion, LOVEFiLM, MSN Video, MUZU.TV, YouTube and Zune, as well as, in 2012, the BBC.
This ‘next wave’ of content and innovation sees Xbox 360 building on its comprehensive catalogue of movies and TV shows available through Zune Video and Sky TV here in the UK by rolling out the following entertainment apps*:
Dec. 6:
· EPIX. United States
· ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
· Hulu. Japan
· Hulu Plus. United States
· LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
· Netflix. Canada, United States
· Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy
· Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria, Germany
· Telefónica España – Movistar Imagenio. Spain
· TODAY (MSNBC). United States
Later in December:
· 4 on Demand (C4). United Kingdom
· ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Australia
· AlloCiné. France (AlloCiné), Germany (Filmstarts), Spain (Sensacine), United Kingdom (Screenrush)
· Astral Media’s Disney XD (Astral Media). Canada
· blinkbox (blinkbox). United Kingdom
· Crackle (Sony Pictures). Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
· Dailymotion. Available in 32 countries globally
· Demand 5 (Five). United Kingdom
· DIGI+ (CANAL+). Spain
· GolTV (Mediapro). Spain
· iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
· Mediathek/ZDF (ZDF). Germany
· MSN. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
· MSNBC.com. United States
· MUZU.TV. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
· ninemsn. Australia
· Real Sports (Maple Leaf Sports). Canada
· Rogers On Demand Online (Rogers Media). Canada
· SBS ON DEMAND. Australia
· TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
· TVE (RTVE.es). Spain
· UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC). Canada, United States
· Verizon FiOS TV. United States
· VEVO. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
· Vudu (Wal-Mart). United States
· YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally
Early 2012:
· Antena 3 (Antena 3 de Televisión). Spain
· BBC (BBC). United Kingdom
· CinemaNow (Best Buy). United States
· HBO GO (HBO). United States
· MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media). Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
· Telenovelas/Sports (Televisa). Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom
· Xfinity On Demand (Comcast). United States
The Best Entertainment Platform Offers Choice
Whether choosing the movie you want to watch or the service you want to watch it from, Xbox LIVE is giving you multiple choices in how you interact with your favourite content; including your voice, your controller and now your Windows Phone. Also starting on December 6th,, the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone will let you find, learn more about and control content from popular entertainment services on Xbox LIVE and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 has transformed social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social entertainment network of nearly 35 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of nearly 35 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* “Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience,” Sunday, Dec. 4, Forrester Research, http://blogs.forrester.com/james_mcquivey/11-12-02-introducing_engaged_tv_xbox_360_leads_the_way_to_a_new_video_product_experience
** Schedule subject to change. Available features and content subject to change. Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or additional subscriptions/fees may be required. Kinect functionality available with select Xbox LIVE content and varies by feature and country. For additional details and availability, see http://www.xbox.com/live.
Tomorrow, the future of TV entertainment begins with the launch of an all-new Xbox 360 experience, including the first wave of custom voice controlled entertainment apps on our online service, Xbox LIVE. Xbox 360 is transforming how you enjoy TV entertainment, giving you the power to control all your favourite content - games, music, movies and sports as well as live and on-demand TV – using your voice. Thanks to the unique combination of Kinect for Xbox 360 and Bing Search, you say it, Xbox finds it. It’s that easy.
“A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place—your games, movies, TV shows, music and sports,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever.”
“Microsoft has just built and delivered it: A single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search. This is now the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives should be compared,” said James McQuivey of Forrester Research in “Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience,”* Sunday, Dec. 4. “With more than 57 million people worldwide already sitting on a box that’s about to be upgraded for free, Microsoft has not only built the right experience, it has ensured that it will spread quickly and with devastating effect.”
Speak Up, Your Entertainment Awaits
With the new Xbox 360 experience, entertainment is now more intuitive with the launch of Bing on Xbox, which lets customers search entertainment services on Xbox using their voices. Last year, Kinect for Xbox 360 revolutionized controller-free entertainment by letting you use your body and voice to play your favourite games and entertainment, turning you into the controller. This year, the power of Kinect combined with the search intelligence of Bing is turning your voice into the ultimate remote control. With Bing on Xbox, you can use your voice to effortlessly find the games, movies, TV shows and music you want and discover the best offerings on Xbox LIVE, by simply saying what you’re searching for. You say it, Xbox finds it. It’s that easy.
All Your Entertainment, All in One Box
This Christmas and beyond, in addition to offering the best blockbuster and Kinect games, Xbox 360 consoles are set to deliver live and on-demand TV shows, movies, videos, sports, music and news, becoming the best device to experience all your entertainment. TV and movie fans can instantly stream live television via our current UK TV partner, Sky, as well as enjoy a variety of fantastic content from the likes of AlloCiné (Screenrush), blinkbox, Channel 4, Channel 5, Crackle, Dailymotion, LOVEFiLM, MSN Video, MUZU.TV, YouTube and Zune, as well as, in 2012, the BBC.
This ‘next wave’ of content and innovation sees Xbox 360 building on its comprehensive catalogue of movies and TV shows available through Zune Video and Sky TV here in the UK by rolling out the following entertainment apps*:
Dec. 6:
· EPIX. United States
· ESPN on Xbox LIVE (ESPN). United States
· Hulu. Japan
· Hulu Plus. United States
· LOVEFiLM. United Kingdom
· Netflix. Canada, United States
· Premium Play by (MediaSet). Italy
· Sky Go (SkyDE). Austria, Germany
· Telefónica España – Movistar Imagenio. Spain
· TODAY (MSNBC). United States
Later in December:
· 4 on Demand (C4). United Kingdom
· ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.). Australia
· AlloCiné. France (AlloCiné), Germany (Filmstarts), Spain (Sensacine), United Kingdom (Screenrush)
· Astral Media’s Disney XD (Astral Media). Canada
· blinkbox (blinkbox). United Kingdom
· Crackle (Sony Pictures). Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
· Dailymotion. Available in 32 countries globally
· Demand 5 (Five). United Kingdom
· DIGI+ (CANAL+). Spain
· GolTV (Mediapro). Spain
· iHeartRadio (Clear Channel). United States
· Mediathek/ZDF (ZDF). Germany
· MSN. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom
· MSNBC.com. United States
· MUZU.TV. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
· ninemsn. Australia
· Real Sports (Maple Leaf Sports). Canada
· Rogers On Demand Online (Rogers Media). Canada
· SBS ON DEMAND. Australia
· TMZ (Warner Bros.). Canada, United States
· TVE (RTVE.es). Spain
· UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC). Canada, United States
· Verizon FiOS TV. United States
· VEVO. Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
· Vudu (Wal-Mart). United States
· YouTube. Available in 24 countries globally
Early 2012:
· Antena 3 (Antena 3 de Televisión). Spain
· BBC (BBC). United Kingdom
· CinemaNow (Best Buy). United States
· HBO GO (HBO). United States
· MLB.TV (MLB Advanced Media). Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States
· Telenovelas/Sports (Televisa). Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom
· Xfinity On Demand (Comcast). United States
The Best Entertainment Platform Offers Choice
Whether choosing the movie you want to watch or the service you want to watch it from, Xbox LIVE is giving you multiple choices in how you interact with your favourite content; including your voice, your controller and now your Windows Phone. Also starting on December 6th,, the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone will let you find, learn more about and control content from popular entertainment services on Xbox LIVE and Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 has transformed social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social entertainment network of nearly 35 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy one of the world’s largest on-demand libraries on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of nearly 35 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* “Engaged TV: Xbox 360 Leads The Way To A New Video Product Experience,” Sunday, Dec. 4, Forrester Research, http://blogs.forrester.com/james_mcquivey/11-12-02-introducing_engaged_tv_xbox_360_leads_the_way_to_a_new_video_product_experience
** Schedule subject to change. Available features and content subject to change. Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or additional subscriptions/fees may be required. Kinect functionality available with select Xbox LIVE content and varies by feature and country. For additional details and availability, see http://www.xbox.com/live.
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