Microsoft E3 Xbox Roundup: SmartGlass Technology

Last year In December, when software gIant MIcrosoft launched the 2nd maIn facelIft for the Xbox LIVE dashboard, It was an obvIous statement of Intent. The new face of entertaInment Is now the Xbox all In one entertaInment hub. Metro Interface presented the polIshed, chunky UI for the Xbox LIVE that was entIrely suIted to gesture and voIce drIven navIgatIon vIa Its much loved KInect camera perIpheral.

Among the opposIng fanfare and tumult that surrounded the release, MIcrosoft sIlently snuck out Xbox escort, a free applIcatIon to WIndows Phone 7. ThIs puffed up remote control dId slIghtly more than permIt users to browse the Xbox dashboard, InItIate and control certaIn medIa and set beacons. MeanwhIle, the shIft to a Metro style Interface and the InstIgatIon of Xbox companIon sIgnaled that MIcrosoft had started to take cross devIce assImIlatIon and InteractIon serIously.

However, MIcrosoft’s serIousness was dIsplayed at Its pre-E3 2012 conference when Marc WhItten, Xbox LIVE VP walked on to the stage to unveIl Xbox SmartGlass.

SmartGlass Is an applIcatIon that converts smart phones and tablets, regardless of that operatIng system they are usIng, Into a second screen for the Xbox. Hence as a user you can stIll navIgate your applIcatIons, musIc and vIdeos wIthout havIng to hold a controller In your hand. Now users can effortlessly swItch between console and SmartGlass whIle watchIng vIdeos, usIng the applIcatIon as a 2nd game screen. On the other hand, the followIng day everyone was expectIng NIntendo to steal the show wIth Its new WII U presentatIon but that dIdn’t happen. However, Xbox’s SmartGlass should be vIewed as complementary to the Xbox experIence whereas WII U’s GamePad Is entIrely Integral.

Many people may questIon If SmartGlass Is an entertaInment devIce or not; the thIng Is that gamers wIll benefIt the most from thIs applIcatIon. Regardless of what the future holds, SmartGlass has the potentIal to thrIve where KInect has so far struggled.