The Future of Television Begins Today

The Future of TV Begins Now on Xbox 360

Updated XBOX LIVE Homepage

XBOX LIVE downloadable apps

XBOX LIVE Netflix App

Microsoft’s newest update for XBOX LIVE completely reinvents the way you watch television.  Microsoft founder Bill Gates had been touting for years how he will merge the television and computer into a full service entertainment center.  December 6, 2011 is that day.

The title of Microsoft’s press release today simply read “The Future of TV Begins Now on Xbox 360”.

“A new era in entertainment begins where all your entertainment is together in one place — your games, movies, TV shows, music and sports,” said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “With this update, Xbox 360 system owners will experience Kinect voice control integrated with Bing search, making your TV and entertainment experiences more social and personal than ever.”

“Microsoft has just built and delivered it: A single box that ties together all the content you want, made easily accessible through a universal, natural, voice-directed search. This is now the benchmark against which all other living room initiatives should be compared,” said James McQuivey of Forrester Research. “…with more than 57 million people worldwide already sitting on a box that’s about to be upgraded for free, Microsoft has not only built the right experience, it has ensured that it will spread quickly and with devastating effect.”

Microsoft had been building on its expansive catalog of movies, sports, television, music and social media.  You can access these catalogs through apps on XBOX LIVE.  The available apps include Netflix, ESPN, Hulu Plus, Today, Zune Music Video, Epix, Last.FM, Video Kinect, Facebook and Twitter.

Microsoft has announced that there will be more apps to follow.  Those apps will give users access to Youtube, Crackle, Dailymotion, iHeartRadio, MSN, Syfy, TMZ, UFC, Verizon FiOS, Vevo, Vudu, MLB.TV, Xfinity and HBO GO.