Today, Xbox Live saw the realization of it's Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm integration into the Xbox Dashboard. Microsoft has really been boasting about these new features, claiming they will be revolutionizing the console internet interface. Sadly, they couldn't be more wrong.
The implementation was a total bust, in my opinion, and here's why: All three features come as "apps," if you will, not interface changes. Netflix, for example, is an "app" on the Xbox Dashboard. In order to access it, you can't be in a game or movie and if you are, they take you out of the game/movie quite quickly and throw you into there "app." Now, this is all just fine for a video provider, but for social networking and radio? No.
The best thing about Facebook and Twitter on the web are the tools that let you update your status or accept new friends etc., straight from your phone. It's easy. But with the Live method, you have to exit anything your doing and load an app just to change your status or view some pictures. This goes for the radio service, Last.fm, too. Excited because you thought you would get to listen to your favorite tunes while playing Halo or Modern Warfare? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but it can't happen. Last.fm, like Netflix and Twitter and Facebook, require you to exit what your doing before listening. Because of the services being apps, they cripple themselves to an excruciating degree.
I've had this new services since they previewed them. I was one of the ones who signed up for the preview program. As soon as I got my update almost a month ago, I realized how silly these features were. All my hype for updating my status while playing Modern Warfare 2 as I progressed the levels, was taken away from me. Twitter is even less exciting now, because unlike Facebook, their are no photos of anyone to view. Last.fm is the only feature worth using right now and that's only if you are having a party or cleaning up your house and need something to jam to.
This can be fixed, so have faith. Microsoft needs to allow updates to come through Live and into your TV while you are playing a game. They need to allow a pop to say "New Facebook Message" or "Photo Comment by blah blah." Yes, I know that could get annoying so with that, they would need controls. User-defined controls. I don't want Microsoft picking what I want to see. And for God sakes, let me listen to Last.fm while I'm shooting zombies in Left 4 Dead 2!! It wouldn't be that hard...trust me.
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