Xbox One Xbox One's new Dashboard: simpler, better

[KN1GHTMARE]

We finally have some information on the new dashboard. While not a whole lot of news, beggars can't be choosers!​

You'll be able to quickly launch (or resume) the game you're currently playing by hitting the big featured box. Underneath that are four boxes that are dynamically propagated with your most recently used apps and games. Many apps, like your friends list, will reside in memory and launch instantly when accessed from this area. Move your cursor to the right, and you'll see four skyscraper banners representing the different marketplaces available on Xbox One: Games, Movies & TV, Music, and Apps. This approach simply makes more sense than having to hit RB a few times to get to the specific tab you want. Move your cursor to the left, and you'll see smaller boxes that give quick access to various settings. All the way on the left are your pins: bookmarks to any app or game on your console.

That's it. It's such an easy-to-understand interface, one has to wonder how Xbox 360 ever became so bloated. Another thing to note: there is no separate interface when hitting the Home button. If you're in the middle of a game, pressing the Xbox button on the controller will bring up the entire Dashboard, with the game suspended in the big box in the middle of the Dash. Simply click that box to go back into your app. The new Dashboard makes a great first impression. However, there are other improvements to Xbox Live that are much appreciated. Perhaps the most noteworthy is the "Follower" system. Much like Twitter, you can "Follow" other Xbox Live users--up to 1000. This way, you'll be able to easily see what Major Nelson or any of your favorite Shacknews writers are doing on Xbox Live--even if they don't follow you back.

The snap feature has been the center point Microsoft has been banking the dashboard on so it's nice to have some information not focus on that. The dash sounds to be very sleek and quick to navigate, which is a great change from what the 360 ended up becoming. I had no idea about the "Follower" system, but that sounds awesome! I can't wait to see what other new features get introduce in the first 2 years and going on forward!

Being able to pin an additional app like Video Studio is quite cool. Even more remarkable is, at least with the simple tech demo Microsoft had set up for us, how stable the console is even when running multiple apps; with Video Studio pinned and recording a video, the framerate remained steady. Another smart decision: requiring all games to be installed on the hard drive. You can switch from one game to another game incredibly quickly. For example, saying "Xbox, launch Call of Duty" will activate a three second countdown. Once that's done, the game will seamlessly open.

Great to hear that all these new features don't come at the cost of playability and usability! This of course is subject to change once we get the console in our homes, but I am very optimistic! All that memory reserved for the OS may pay off!

Source: Shack News

 

[HaloUnionPro]

I love it. Hopefully not oversimplified though. I hope it has a bit more customization than the 360. I hate seeing ads for musical artists I could care less about. I like ads that cater to my preferences.
Love the follower system. Nice touch
And that the home button takes you straight to the dashboard. I am quite happy.

 

[Epicfied]

The look completely reminds me of Windows 8, which can be good or bad. I don't like Windows 8 for the PC, but the concept is nice.
It could essentially work out for the Xbox nicely so I'm definitely up for giving it a shot. It should look nice and sleek for the Xbox.

Hopefully on the Xbox it'll work well since it's a nice transition (for the good) from Xbox360 interface.

 

[KN1GHTMARE]

The look completely reminds me of Windows 8, which can be good or bad. I don't like Windows 8 for the PC, but the concept is nice.
It could essentially work out for the Xbox nicely so I'm definitely up for giving it a shot. It should look nice and sleek for the Xbox.

Hopefully on the Xbox it'll work well since it's a nice transition (for the good) from Xbox360 interface.

Could have been worse. Could have gone back to the "Blades" interface LOL

 

[veda]

slightly disappointed that it resembles the xbox 360 dashboard. ps4 deff takes the win on the dashboard war!

 

[KN1GHTMARE]

slightly disappointed that it resembles the xbox 360 dashboard. ps4 deff takes the win on the dashboard war!

I don't know that there is a dashboard war, but "congrats" for Sony? lol The metro-style dash was the first step in aligning Microsoft as a whole through Windows 8. This new dash is to be expected and is meant to ease the multitasking that is now available.

 

[veda]

I don't know that there is a dashboard war, but "congrats" for Sony? lol The metro-style dash was the first step in aligning Microsoft as a whole through Windows 8. This new dash is to be expected and is meant to ease the multitasking that is now available.

I dint mean the war between the two companies i meant it from a players point of view. esp when playing on xbox live, i hear that "Sony out beat" the dashboard look. dont get me wrong i still like the xbox dashboard but i think that the Sony's looks slightly better!

 

[StingerNLG]

I need to see more here. I use Windows 8 at home and work now so if that's what it's like I'm fine with that. But I need to witness the voice commands and see how the IR Blaster functions. Screenshots aren't doing it for me at this point.

 

[mareebaybay]

I love the way the new dashboard looks. It will look even better once I change the background of it though. I have been waiting patiently for Xbox to make a new dashboard. It's crazy because there are always updates to your system, but the updates never change appearance.

 

[Sugarhill]

I go back and forth between wanting to know and being willing to wait. I probably should want to know since I may have to wait to get one. It looks nice, but I love Windows 8, so I may not be the best judge. Did they only have screenshots or was there some video?

 

[KN1GHTMARE]

I love the way the new dashboard looks. It will look even better once I change the background of it though. I have been waiting patiently for Xbox to make a new dashboard. It's crazy because there are always updates to your system, but the updates never change appearance.

The big fall updates have changed the appearance of the XBOX dashboard a total of four times since launch

I go back and forth between wanting to know and being willing to wait. I probably should want to know since I may have to wait to get one. It looks nice, but I love Windows 8, so I may not be the best judge. Did they only have screenshots or was there some video?

Sorry just the pictures, which are actually from one of the initial showings way back when.