NEW DASH UPDATE, CAME DOWN

Complete Dashboard Update Feature List

New Features

• HD 1080p video mode support over VGA and component cables.
• Xbox 360™ HD DVD Player support.
• Stream WMV video from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11, Zune software, or Windows Media Connect.
• Play video from storage devices such as USB flash drives, Xbox 360 Memory Units, etc.
• Play video from CD or DVD data discs.
• Xbox 360 Wireless Headset support, including battery level indicator in the Xbox Guide.
• Video support for 50 Hz HDTV modes (DVD and HD DVD only).
• Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel support.
• Set up automatic downloads of newly released Xbox Live Arcade trial games.
• Support for upcoming release of XNA Game Studio Express (separate download and subscription required.)
• Stream music, pictures and video from a Zune device.

Xbox Live Arcade

• Lightning-fast enumeration and listing of all Xbox Live® Arcade games on the console.
• Find games quickly with two new sort options: Recently Played and By Category.
• Have all new Xbox Live Arcade games at the ready with auto downloads. Auto downloads optionally adds newly released trial versions of games to active downloads when you enter Xbox Live Arcade.
• View full achievement info in Xbox Live Arcade, including icons, achievement point details, and descriptions.
• Friends leaderboard: Compare yourself with friends and view leaderboard details right from the Xbox dashboard.
• Tell a friend: Send a message to a friend about your newest favorite Xbox Live Arcade game.

DVD Player

• Optionally disable notifications from Xbox Live while watching DVD movies.
• Improved support for audio streams on incorrectly authored DVDs.
• Better handling of unreadable discs.
• Updated count-down timer.
• HD DVD player support.
• Added zoom support for non-anamorphic content.
• Added support to Family Settings to block Unrated Content

Video Player

• Improved support for extended all black scenes in WMV content.
• Added support for Windows Media Video 9 Advanced profile video.
• Screen saver now becomes active when videos are paused.
• Now shares UI and player controls with DVD player.
• Improved video playback while downloading from Xbox Live.
• Added skip controls (forward approx. 30 seconds, back approx. 7 seconds).
• Improved messaging around unplayable video content.
• Added time elapsed and time remaining displays.
• Improved playback of high bit-rate HD content on fragmented hard drives.
• Improved visual quality of video playback.
• Added selectable display modes: default and letterbox zoom.

Localization

• New locale setting for China
• Improved German translations in console settings.
• Improved German translations in memory area.
• Improved Japanese translations in Family Settings.
• Added localized text for all supported languages in pictures area
• Improved Spanish translations in camera effects.
• Improved locale-specific decimal denominators.
• Added localization support for title menu and main menu in the DVD player.
• Added localization support for “Attempting to Read Media” system message.

Memory Area

• Added support for Xbox 360 HD DVD Player content..
• Added new page for viewing content size by category.

Other System Improvements

• Updated support for new Daylight Savings changes coming in 2007.
• Improved support for games to better handle host migration in multi-player matches.
• Improved Xbox Live Vision camera support for changing room lighting while zooming.
• Background downloaded videos appear in video area
• Improved Xbox Live Vision camera support while using VGA.
• Playing photo slideshows from PC now maintains picture folder hierarchy.
• Improved user experience when playing and deleting videos from the Games or Media areas.
• Improved handling of invalid characters during Xbox Live signup.
• Better handling of watermarks in gamer cards.
• Improved text for Windows Media Connect..
• Improved UI performance in Media Center Extender
• Improved connection support for Buffalo WZR-G108 wireless router when using Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter.
• Redownload of deleted Arcade Games no longer re-enumerates all games on the Arcade page.
• Improved visual display of text in themes.
• Improved support for CD playback after signing up for Xbox Live and losing network connectivity.
• Improved support for long names of items memory area.
• Improved handling of gamer pictures downloaded from Xbox Live.
• Improved background download notifications when downloading many small items from Xbox Live.
• Improved support for custom backgrounds after return

Not as extensive as I would have liked . I would have liked to see support for streaming xvid, divx etc.... added. Probably never going to happen because of the popularity of the formats on the net.

CRAZIES TARGET YOUR GAMERSCORE FOR CASH?

There seems to be a new craze hiting Xbox Live, you can now pay someone to play for you and increase your gamerscore, if you ever felt the need.

However there are several drawbacks to this, firstly you will handing over your account and credit card details to total stangers and secondly, You may not get a chance to gain an achievement on your own merits because it was done with a game that you may have wanted play in the future.

My point is that some high profile gaming sites that have featured a service like this, are adding to the illusion of the importance gamerscore. It is just a way to revive the age old concept of the highscore.

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

PRINT SCREEN....

MOST WANTED....

Splinter Cell Double Agent (For some stealthy action)

Godfather The Game (For the nostalgia value of the movies and despite some repetitive gameplay. This is somewhat eased with addition of crew, for the xbox 360 version)

Gears Of War (Tactical action / Horror Game)

Call Of Duty 3 (Unique gameplay of the series, with the addition of 24 multiplayer action)

RainbowSix Vegas (Another tactical shooter, observe, plan and assault)

Halo 3 (As they say, finish the fight)

F.E.A.R. (First. Encounter. Assault. Recon.)

Mass Effect (science fiction, roleplaying game)

Lost Planet - Extreme Condition

MY LOW-END SETUP

I have one of these, it's ok. If you want to do things on a budget without breaking the bank....
Relisys RLT17AP15 17" LCD

The new Sony X Series looks the business.
Sony KDL52X2000

PLAYED GAMES

Halo 2 (Enough Said)

Perfect Dark Zero (More like a retro game of the 1980's....)

PGR: Project Gotham 3 (Cant't even drive in a straight line....)

Battlefield 2 - Modern Combat (Rank Chief Warrant Officer) [Offline]

Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (Rank sergeant)

Call of Duty 2 (WW2 Action)

FarCry Instincts / Predator (Another fps with some interesting multiplayer modes....)

Saints Row (Lacks the appeal of the Grand Theft Auto Series....)

NEW GODFATHER CHEATS

There seems to be new content for Godfather The Game on marketplace, cheat your way to the top of the Coleone family by handing over real dosh... to get various enhamcements.
For the ethically minded gamer, it no longer has any REAL play value..

MobFace Apparel Bundle – 5 Items - FREE

The Don Collection - 800 Points

Level 4 Revolver - Black Widow - 100 Points

Level 4 Pistol – Herzstopper - 100 Points

Level 4 Magnum – Annihilator - 100 Points

Level 4 Tommy Gun – Spectre Minigun - 100 Points

Level 4 Shotgun – Lupara Semi-automatic - 100 Points

Hired Assassin - 250 Points

In-Game Money - $50K - 40 Points

In-Game Money - $100K - 75 Points

In-Game Money - $250K - 150 Points

Level 4 Weapon Bundle - 400 Points

Favor Pack – 3 Favor Missions - 250 Points

XBOXLIVE MARKETPLACE ANNOYANCES

Xboxlive marketplace is supposed to be Microsoft's premier delivery system to deliver additional gaming content to the masses, for the Xbox 360. However most of the time, it fails to perform on even a basic level.

Mostly, a general failure to catalogue content properly, with content appearing and disappearing live the wind. Content never seems to be available, as advertised.

Content can become completely inaccesable, despite repeated logins over several days. If your anything like me, most people are on tender hooks for the latest demos and trailers....