Topic: New Xbox dashboard update (mostly for Kinect) is out

[W7RE]

I guess the main reason for this update was to add Kinect integration. Also the audio codec for chat is supposed to be better, but I haven't used it yet.

I'm pretty disappointed though. The new dashboard uses the same basic layout as the "NXE" one, but everything is more flat and boring looking. Also, lots of white. I still hate that the dashboard is like 90% advertisements. It's layout looks like this (brackets [] mean one panel):

My Xbox: [game disc][profile][game library][video library][music library][picture library][media center][family settings][system settings]
Spotlight: [ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad]
My Community: [ad][ad][ad][facebook][halo waypoint][twitter][ad][ad]
Inside Xbox: [ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad]
My Friends: can only see 2 on screen at one. I feel sorry for people with lots of friends.
Music Marketplace: [zune][last.fm][music games and store][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][music library]
Video Marketplace: [zune][espn][netflix][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][video library]
Game Marketplace: [game content][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][ad][game library]

72 total panels
50 are advertisements
22 are useful
3 are duplicates (music, video, and games libraries show up twice each)




What should it be instead?
-move all marketplaces into one heading titled "Marketplace"
-merge "family settings" into "system settings"
-merge "video library", "music library", "picture library", and "media center" into one "Media" or "My Media" panel
-shift "Game Library" to the left of "Profile", because honestly, you're going to go there more often than you're going to edit your profile

Final result:

My Xbox: [Game Disc][Game Library][Profile][My Media][System Settings]
Marketplace: [Game Marketplace][Video Marketplace][Music Marketplace]
Friends: list friends in a manner that you can see at least 8-10 on screen at once

8 panels
0 are advertisements
8 are useful
0 are duplicates

[idolminds]

But...where would they put the ads? I mean its not like you're paying for th.....oh.

[K-man]

I like the new design.  Crisp, clean, and organized a little better.

I still miss the original design with the blades though.

[W7RE]

Yea I know, there's no way M$ is going to just drop all of the ads. But really, they've gone WAY overboard. Just look at those numbers, 50 ad panels out of 72 total panels. Holy fuck!

I really don't mind the new design, it's just that I hoped they would use this opportunity to trim some of the fat.

[K-man]

Still much easier to navigate than the XMB at any rate.

[W7RE]

I just realized there's one other gripe I had with NXE that's still preset. Go to game library, load a non-disc game (games on demand, XBLA, indie, demo, whatever). Exit the game through the in-game menus ("exit to game library"). Now watch as it takes a full minute to load up your list of recent games. I just timed it, it took 57 seconds.

[Cobra951]

Mmhmm.  Now go offline, and do it again.  See the difference?  The fuckers are loading all the online shit first, then the local data.  Assholes.  I noticed that some time ago while looking at multiple panels across the screen.  I verified by doing what I suggested.