Game On!

Xbox 360 owners can connect with more than 260 million Windows Live
> Messenger users on Xbox 360, Windows-based PCs and Windows
> Mobile-powered devices beginning the week of May 7.
>
> REDMOND, Wash. - April 8, 2007 - Your Xbox LIVE(r) friends list is about
> to get a whole lot bigger. Microsoft Corp. today announced the launch of
> Windows Live(tm) Messenger on Xbox 360(tm), connecting friends across
> Xbox 360 consoles, Microsoft(r) Windows(r)-based PCs and Windows
> Mobile(r)-powered devices. With this update to Xbox 360, friends and
> families can easily connect and chat directly from their television
> using Windows Live Messenger, a network of more than 20 billion
> relationships and more than 260 million active accounts.
>
> Beginning the week of May 7, 2007, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will
> provide Xbox 360 owners worldwide with access to Windows Live Messenger
> features, broadening the communication options on the Xbox LIVE social
> network. Members of the 6 million-strong Xbox LIVE community currently
> send more than 2 million text and voice messages a day and can now use
> Windows Live Messenger to text chat with up to six people on their
> contact list at one time, while playing games, listening to music or
> watching movies. Text chat adds to the variety of options friends and
> families already have to communicate with on Xbox LIVE, including voice
> and video chat.
>
> Current relationships on Windows Live Messenger and Xbox LIVE will be
> unified on Xbox 360 and users will see at a glance if their existing
> friends on Windows Live Messenger have gamertags, instantly expanding
> the breadth of connected experiences they can share online.
>
> "Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger,
> to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox LIVE has really become the largest
> social network on television," said Jerry Johnson, product unit manager
> of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. "For our growing community of 6 million on
> Xbox LIVE, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They
> are using Xbox 360 to play games, music and movies while simultaneously
> communicating with one another through video, voice and text chat. With
> this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox
> LIVE users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live
> Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360."
>
> Beginning the week of May 7, users of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360
> will text chat using the virtual keyboard accessible on Xbox 360, or by
> connecting a USB keyboard to the console. This summer Microsoft will
> launch a QWERTY text-input device, a new accessory that will connect
> directly into the Xbox 360 controller to support text and instant
> messaging.
>
> Beyond Windows Live Messenger, the Spring Update for Xbox 360 includes
> hundreds of new features and enhancements including the following:
>
> * A richer Achievement notification pop-up will showcase the
> name of the unlocked Achievement and the gamerscore value without
> needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list.
>
> * Enhanced family settings features for Xbox LIVE communications
> enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat.
>
> * A new Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade lets Xbox LIVE members
> access the content they seek - whether it is game content or TV shows
> and movies (available in the United States) - from one place on Xbox
> LIVE.
>
> * Updates to Xbox LIVE Arcade allow owners to quickly see which
> Xbox LIVE Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun.
> Xbox LIVE members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and
> Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list. Expanded
> Tell a Friend capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about
> Achievements and high scores.
>
> * A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the
> entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox LIVE Arcade games.
>
> * New progressive download controls provide easy access to
> optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause
> and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
>
> * Extension of the background download functionality will allow
> owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after
> downloads are complete.
>
> The Spring Update is free beginning the week of May 7 and is easily
> accessible to every Xbox 360 owner through Xbox LIVE or on Xbox.com.
>
> About Xbox 360
>
> Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system,
> delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox LIVE
> online gaming network and unique digital entertainment experiences that
> revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 has a catalog of more than 160
> high-definition games and is available in 37 countries. More information
> can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
>
> About Xbox LIVE
>
> Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online
> entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire
> console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games
> and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360
> system. Xbox LIVE connects millions of members across 25 countries to
> enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE
> Arcade, free and premium playable game demos, music videos, TV shows and
> movies in the United States as well as new game levels, characters and
> vehicles for all their favorite retail games. More information can be
> found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.
>
>
>
>
> About MSN and Windows Live
>
> MSN(r) attracts more than 465 million unique users worldwide per month.
> With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21
> languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering compelling programmed
> content experiences to consumers and online advertising opportunities to
> businesses worldwide. Windows Live, a new set of personal Internet
> services and software, is designed to bring together in one place all
> the relationships, information and interests people care about most,
> with enhanced safety and security features across their PC, devices and
> the Web. MSN and Windows Live will be offered alongside each other as
> complementary services. Some Windows Live services entered an early beta
> phase on Nov. 1, 2005; these and future beta updates can be found at
> http://ideas.live.com. Windows Live is available at http://www.live.com.
> MSN is located on the Web at http://www.msn.com. MSN worldwide sites are
> located at http://www.msn.com/worldwide.ashx.
>
> About Microsoft
>
> Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
> software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
> their full potential.

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