MS to bring IE Browser to XBOX 360 with Kinect controls?

[garyopa]

Too late for a Browser on the console?



According to The Verge, MS will soon release Internet Explorer 9 on the XBOX 360, with Kinect gestures and voice control...

Looks like Microsoft will finally release a full Web Browser on the XBOX 360, as The Verge reports that Internet Explorer 9 is currently being tested on the console, and will integrate Kinect gestures and voice control.

The Xbox 360 currently includes Bing voice search, but it's limited to media results. Microsoft's new Internet Explorer browser for Xbox will expand on this functionality to open up a full browser for the console. We are told that the browser will let Xbox users surf all parts of the web straight from their living rooms.

Microsoft has also integrated Kinect gestures and voice control heavily into the experience, allowing Xbox owners to quickly search using the existing Bing functionality and pull up relevant web pages. Kinect support is not mandatory according to our sources, but the browser is said to be tuned for Kinect usage.

There's no word yet on the release date, but with Microsoft’s E3 showcase around the corner, most likely we will see it there.

What do you think? Too late now or a good addition?

NEWS SOURCE: http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/10/30...box-360-kinect

Our thanks to 'Gauss' for this news story!

[billysastard]

will this really happen?

if it does them ms will have two choices, make it only available to live gold subscribers or gimp it more than the original ps3 browser, if its a fully working browser then almost all the current "apps" that ms wont let you use without a gold sub will suddenly become available for everyone via the web browser.

if its gold only then the negative publicity alone will render it useless but if its available for silver then it destroys microsofts current push to relegate gaming and promote its music and video services on live gold all of which and a whole lot more are available for free in a half decent web browser.

[JonathanD]

will this really happen?

if it does them ms will have two choices, make it only available to live gold subscribers or gimp it more than the original ps3 browser, if its a fully working browser then almost all the current "apps" that ms wont let you use without a gold sub will suddenly become available for everyone via the web browser.

if its gold only then the negative publicity alone will render it useless but if its available for silver then it destroys microsofts current push to relegate gaming and promote its music and video services on live gold all of which and a whole lot more are available for free in a half decent web browser.

I am pretty sure it would be heavily sandboxed and probably will not have Java and a few other things since those are third party "add ons" will be nice to do a few things on the net and might be kind of cool to be voice controlled? Like a web version of Siri? "Xbox show me some pronz!!!" lol

[DEDDOA]

Maybe and I am only hoping here as it's highly unlikely, MS may actually add official mouse support, which may actually offer a game benefit, again tho I doubt it will happen given the kinect being their gimp mouse, I still live in hope that the only real multi-purpose motion control finally makes it onto consoles via the front door and not the hit and miss support of the past that is about as frequently used as the pressure sensetive buttons, that most people don't even realise the pads have since the PS2.

[billysastard]

Maybe and I am only hoping here as it's highly unlikely, MS may actually add official mouse support, which may actually offer a game benefit, again tho I doubt it will happen given the kinect being their gimp mouse, I still live in hope that the only real multi-purpose motion control finally makes it onto consoles via the front door and not the hit and miss support of the past that is about as frequently used as the pressure sensetive buttons, that most people don't even realise the pads have since the PS2.

i just hope it supports silver and the chatpad, i can live with using a stick instead of a mouse.

[sped]

Please please please let there be flash!!! Will be nice to read Maxconsole on the big screen though