On December 6th the Xbox 360 Dashboard changed once again. Any Xbox 360 users connected to the internet received a mandatory update to continue playing online. The update drastically changed the look of the Dashboard and added lots of new functionality and apps.
What Has Moved
If you’re having trouble finding your way around the new setup, or you just want to know where all your favorite stuff is, this section is for you.
First off, all the channels are horizontal instead of the previous vertical configuration. Also each channel is now only a single page instead of several. You can scroll through each item on every channel with the D-pad or the joystick, and you can switch channels with the left and right bumper buttons.
Another big change is the condensing of the spotlight channel. Before the update, it was the default channel for the Dashboard, showing you a series of advertisements. Now it is combined with the several “play games” options. This is your default channel now, and the first one you will see when you go to the Dashboard. You can play your current disc game from here or quick launch an arcade game from your system’s memory.
Your profile has moved to the social channel and is now part of the same page as your friends and chat options. You can also access Facebook and Twitter from this page.
All options related to profile management, system settings, memory, Kinect options, and privacy have been condensed to the Settings channel at the far right end of the Dashboard. They are also joined by a new “Turn Off” option that can be used to power down your console.
What Has Been Added
There are loads of new additions to the Dashboard and your Xbox 360’s functionality. Some of these are readily apparent, while others are a bit more subtle. The most obvious addition is the Bing channel to the far left of the Dashboard. You can use this to search for any kind of content across all applications and channels on your Xbox 360. You can also use Kinect to search Bing with your voice by saying, “Xbox. Bing,” and then whatever you are looking for.
This Kinect functionality is applicable across all channels now and can be used to play games, watch movies, and start video chats.
New to apps are Epix (a video streaming service) and Last.fm (a radio streaming application). These are part of the new Apps channel that houses Hulu Plus, Netflix, and ESPN. Like all streaming apps on your Xbox 360, they are restricted to specific countries.
Another addition is beacons. Beacons are accessible from the Guide button menu. You can set beacons to let your friends know what games you want to play with them. You can also see what beacons your friends have set and what games they are interested in playing.
The beacon section also shows what games you have played recently and what apps you have used. It tells you which of your friends have used or played the same apps and games.
The final new addition is the search button. You can use it on any channel by pressing “Y”. It will allow you to search alphabetically or by category (movie, game, TV, etc.).
While a lot of things have changed or been added or moved around, it should not take long for users to adapt to the new Dashboard. Hopefully this guide will help you find your way around much easier.