Xbox 360 Dashboard update comes to beta testers

Those who signed up to test out the new version of the Xbox 360 firmware are now able to do just that.

Microsoft has been rolling out significant upgrades to the internal Xbox 360 software consistently over the last few years, and this one is expected to be as big as any of the others.

Microsoft teased the update at the annual E3 trade show earlier this year. Among the features expected to roll out are the ability to stream live TV, have access to exclusive sports and music content, and deeper integration and menu controls with the Kinect motion and voice recognition.

Microsoft is good at presenting a lot of really high-concept, lofty marketing language, but some have had issues with its inability to deliver on those high promises.

The Kinect is a good example, as it was supposed to revolutionize the way we play and has ended up being nothing more than a unique version of the Wii.

So the proof will be in the pudding as the newest version of the Xbox 360 Dashboard is put through its paces. Expect to see a lot of comments from users trickle down over the next several days.

Microsoft still has not said when it plans to release the Dashboard update to all Xbox 360 owners, but it’s been suggested that the date may be as early as November 15, which would correspond to the 10-year anniversary of the launch of the original Xbox.