New 360 Dashboard: "You don't have to use it"

CVG: Never go there and "pretty much do everything that you could before", says MS.

If you don't like the look of the new Xbox 360 Dashboard unveiled at E3 last week, then "you don't actually have to use it," says Microsoft's Xbox Live director of programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb.

According to The Major, every single function available in current 360 backend will be included in the new, clean-looking Dash', which you can bypass completely if you choose.

[thereapersson]

At least MS is giving the consumer a choice when it comes to this new dashboard, and not forcing it on them. I wish I could say the same about their OS market...

[uie4rhig]

Give that some time, and you'll be forced to use the new dashboard!!

[Gondee]

There not forcing anyone. The computer companys are the ones that you should look at. There the ones putting it in there product.

[OmegaKulu]

Not forcing? really?
As I recall, when vista came out, they completely ditch win2k support, and I end up choosing between xp and vista...(2k and xp are the exact same thing except xp got some extra skin, and they completely forced most of the programs only install for xp)

and guess what? they will likely do it again when windows7 come out and force you to change comp or "upgrade".

[Fiona]

because I do not like the new dashboard. I prefer the blades. The new dashboard has a zune feeling

[Rob0g0rilla]

How does it look like when the blades are up while in-game? Does it look the same?

[edhe]

The new 'guide' is going have the same features set and blades as the old 'dashboard'

So, basically, you can use all the dashboard features anytime - only difference (aside from size) is that there's no ads anymore.

[Boldy]

4:04 in to the video.

[boodybandit]

If you by pass the new dashboard will you still be able to use multiple chat or any of the other new implementations? If so that would mean encoding the blades and new dashboard for both. If not you will have to use the new dashboard.

Personally I am not liking the new dashboard design but I hopefully it will grow on me. It's not like it's a deal breaker either way.

[Sez]

i can't speak for anyone else. but i know i'm looking forward to this update. can't wait.

[darkequitus]

After listening to the pod cast, I definately am. I am going to refrain from writing experience off when I've only seen a couple screen shots and a short video.

Edit: So some disagrees becuase I won't pass judgement until I try it? How childish.

[wicked]

I'm looking forward to this update. I think it looks cleaner and easier to navigate.

[Bnet343]

Me too. I like the avatars and the whole party system. Everything looks great, I am really looking forward to this. Xbox Live is going to really pull ahead after being stationary for so long.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

I never seen one dashboard update I didn't like. I will embrace this update like the past ones.

[ravenguard88]

And I've been around since the creation of live, every update is usually welcome.

[uie4rhig]

who has lol its just the fanboys that don't like dashboard updates and/or xmb updates i mean it only gives extra functions, most of which you don't have to use! but some people are like "OMG I DON'T WANT, if you do release it, i won't play on 360/ps3 anymore" im like WTF? just don't use it, and dont be a fvcking retard xD

[PJF_Josh]

I like the fact that the ads appear to be gone, let's hope it stays that way. I just hope it's quick to navigate to what you want. I'm not sure how well it will work with an Elite filled with a ton of content (which is what I currently have) but we'll see. Please, please, please get it right.

The one thing I really want to avoid at all costs is the Avatar system. I really don't like the way they look and I don't want to have to use them at all.

[badkolo]

for gods sake whats not to like, you can still use the guide to get the blades and never have to see the new version, nor do you have to use the avatars.

everyone or many of you said you hated the avatars and the new look but wouldnt mind if you could use the old blades and no avatar and use your old gamercard pics.

well you can, you can do it all.

So now theres no excuse, ms really has set the bar high this time.

[badkolo]

Theres no way microsoft can please everyone with the new look, that will never happen.

But so far the new look is mostly welcomed by us all, many like the avatar system, and its an overall improvement from what we have now.

its more focused and looks cleaner, the way we can use our themes looks better and the fact of this news that you can use your old blades if you want and avaoid the dash, also the ability to not use the avatar system and use your old pics themes and gamercard , this at least can satisfy the guys that dont like what they see.

well now we can have our cake and eat it to, for the ones that like it we have it all and it looks nice and for you guys that dont like it you can use the other method and have your old blades system and use the new dash and not use the avatars and stick with the older gamercard.

[PJF_Josh]

what i did see was a bunch of avatars walking around together and that's everyone on your friends list. they said this was how you would interact with friends and do group chat and form parties to go into games, etc. Have they shown a way to do this without avatars? Or a way to do this where some people are using avatars and others are not?

I'm also guessing that I don't get to play 1 vs. 100 unless I create an avatar, but if I'm wrong about any of this, someone please let me know.

[uie4rhig]

meh i highly doubt you will be able to without a avatar having seen the video of the new dashboard.. what would they put there if you didn't have an avatar lol.. so i think you will need one :P

[juuken]

At least they give you a choice.

[Pain]

Upgrade to XP lol

[Montrealien]

yep, I agree, choice is always good, just like I chose to go Vista. Most Vista problems are 12 inches from the screen anyways.

[n00bzRtehgey]

Perhaps there is yet still hope for Jewkin.

[juuken]

...*rolls eyes*

That doesn't mean I support the 360 in every single damn thing. I just think it's good they give you a choice with the dashboard because the blades were better.

[n00bzRtehgey]

better???? as in...GOOD? as in, they didn't suck ass? wow. i am impressed.

[RAM MAGNUMS]

xbox live STILL doesn't warrant the pricetag.
Even with netflix snuck in there.
Ignore the d-pad & ignore the identity crisis.
Ha Ha!
you are no gamer, you are a customer who is forced to pay for crap you don't want.
omg xbox sux so bad!

[jack who]

your goood:)....

[militant07]

i cant w8 for it
btw juuken are you PS3 fanboy or 360 Fanboy ???
im confused

[AngryTypingGuy]

Choices are always good. I like the current dash, but I'll definitely try out the new one. It looks like it will be better.

[titntin]

Cool that theres a choice - but its no choice for me. I've long thought that the blades were a rubbish interface, so I'll be updating to the long overdue overhaul at the earliest opportunity!

No adds too - about time, they annoy me.

[FPS nut]

sweet

[OJ_juice]

both interface suck anyways. microsoft should have bothered with the old one.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

It could be worse.. You could have to use that XMB garbage.

[Percy]

oh you mean the award winning interface that has been criticly acclaimed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[xc7x]

sometimes a basic menu is best

[tojfs7931]

The blades have been shrunk down and are the microsoft answer to in game xmb access.

[Honeal2g]

I never thought of it that way...

[Infernus]

This basically looks like the XMB. Slide it across to view the contents of 'My Xbox 360' and up or down to change to a different 'channel'.

How comes whenever Microsoft copies either Sony or Nintendo it's all fine and 'somehow different because it doesn't look EXACTLY the same', but whenever anyone produces something that looks anything like a product of Live people are all over them with 'OMG they copied Live!!'

They've taken the XMB and the Wii avatars and mixed them together. The next time MS actually invents something completely original they'll get more praise than this site could handle, but if Sony (With Home) or Nintendo produce something completely new it's shot down immediately.

Microsoft don't need to copy the XMB or Wii avatars, it was fine before, by trying to improve Live they've just copied their competitors. Their next project will most probably be social interaction with the avatars (Called XBHouse)...

[Blackfrican]

...it also looks like the Windows Media Center interface. I wouldn't want to say the XMB is copying because it's obviously an innovative innovation. Media Center was first released in 2002 while XMB was first introduced on the PSX(DVR) which released in 2003.

100% reliable sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Also, because Microsoft's "imitation" is so similar to the highly revered Sony XMB, I can reasonably assume that you like the new Xbox dashboard. That's good news!

[Mr402]

I like when folks try something new. As long as they take out the clutter of the original and hopefully add a web browser I'm set. The backend is still there so functionality can't be lost anyway. Win win if you ask me.

[n00bzRtehgey]

Awesome. And you see, this is the ONE thing Play House has yet to show. So far you still have to virtually WALK somewhere like a nerdy MMO before you can do anything. Just dumb. Fony claim otherwise, so then show it?

[Tmac]

Lol, he's so nervous he starts talking about home, don't worry little one, death will be swift.

[Solid_Snake666]

yes have fun with your Wiis i mean...wait whernt they on Wii First? LMAO

[JokerSGS]

I like that idea, but too bad they don't allow you to fully customize the entire thing on your own. And to get wallpapers and themes you have to pay. But good for MS to realize that not everyone is going to like dashboard although I think it's going to be great. If only they had this time of perspective in the PC market.

[Guitarded]

I have not spent a red cent on either and change my theme and pic on a regular basis. If I found the PS3 to be a worthy purchase, I would use whatever wallpapers were available. I have never even posted a pic on here for crying out loud.

[Arsenic13]

Its not really a choice if your avoiding the new dash by booting to disc.

[onyxbox]

very few people will switch to the new dash unless it offers significant improvemnets in functionality.

[IIIJUMPMAN23III]

Why would few ppl switch? I know I will. I cannot say the amount of ppl that will swicth or not. Appearently, you know the tastes and preferences of most xbox user since you say very few ppl will swicth.

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

cus I just use the far superior XMB anyway!

360 FTL!

[DevonTheDude535]

You obviously haven't used an xmb menu before. There is a reason why it's won awards and why Sony uses it in their Bravia TV's. It's been around since the early 2000's with the PSX that never made it out of Japan (the DVR based PS2). I have both consoles and I would never say that the guide blades are better than the XMB menu. A lot more clutter including ads are what makes the 360's dash so much more disappointing. I am looking forward to the new interface but it's essentially a ripoff of iTunes album flip. 360 coppied the XMB menu in the live "spotlight" and "whats new" sections, they work in a X and Y axis just like the XMB.

[DevonTheDude535]

Responded to the wrong person, sorry!

[devilhunterx]

Come on man. Atleast have some faith in your products.

[kapowi]

If I can change the stupid plain background then I'll switch if not then I'm sticking with the blades.

[PirateThom]

Good, because it's terrible.

[GAMER NOT FANBOY]

r u guys getting paid from the companies u are fanboys to? if not y put much energy in convincing which console is better? hey power of the cell idk u may be getting money from the makers of the cell..IBM..idk

[Solid_Snake666]

GTFO

[Sanhlami]

I hate this new dashboard. Its so vista ugly. The blades looks so much better. And for those who said you can still use the blade, the blade has been shrunken significantly so you still see the giant ugly interface in the background. You also will HAVE to use the new dashboard if you want to use the new feature like 1vs100 and etc... Blades were so much cooler and easier to navigate. This just seems clunky and empty with so much white empty space in the background. And whats with the mii rip offs, just a bunch of ugly dolls that you have to pay for to buy clothes. 2d interface is good with consoles, 3d is good for computers. I say rubbish.

Edit: Also what happens to all the themes that people bought for the blade dashboard?

[badkolo]

now i know for sure the last few posters are ps3 fanbots, first of all the video showing how you can change the backround and even use your own themes works.

Second of all, you dont have a choice, like every update you must take it and you will have to use the new dashboard ,like it or not, i guess the way the ps3 looks is ok but this new dash isnt, i bet no mater what ms made the new dash look like it still wouldnt be good enough.

Now while everyone has no choice and will use the new dash they can however boot to disk and use the guide button to bring up the blades and use the blades similiar to what they use now minus the ads and graphics.

[Dill-Schil]

well as soon as you get the update it will brick your 360. and man sony may be slow at getting stuff out there but when it finally comes out its perfected so xbox live copys wii and home but sony doesnt have home out yet and i mean microsoft is good at copying stuff and getting it out there twice as fast so microsoft will come out with something called neighborhood or something just wait

[FrozenFrag]

Raping the English language I see...

[Dill-Schil]

umm no lol

[dutchdolo1586]

I don't have anything against the 360 considering that I use to own 1 before I upgraded to a PS3. The only thing that bothers me is that people fail to realize how unoriginal the platform really is. They have yet to bring anything new to the table because all they do is copy their competition or buy out all their key franchises.