As expected, Microsoft just announced something called SmartGlass at E3. Less expected? Just how awesome SmartGlass turned out to be. What could have been just an Apple AirPlay imitation is something more ambitious; something that could change television forever. But what is it, exactly?
It’s the lifeline that’ll make your dumb TV smart.
SmartGlass is an app…
SmartGlass is a new app that turns your phone or tablet into another screen for your TV, another controller for a game, a companion feature for a show, a remote control for the internet and more. More importantly, it’ll work with iOS, Android and Windows, so you won’t need to buy new hardware to fit into its ecosystem.
…that connects your phone, tablet or computer with your Xbox 360…
SmartGlass does more than just push video and audio around. It turns the Xbox 360 into the beating heart of a multi-screen media experience in your living room. A tablet, phone or computer running SmartGlass essentially becomes a second and third screen for your TV.
A concrete example: As Game of Thrones was being shown on the TV via Xbox 360, a SmartGlass-enabled tablet displayed a map of Westeros and other relevant information about the show. Content can either be pushed from the tablet/phone/computer to the Xbox 360, or from the Xbox 360 directly to the TV. SmartGlass connects all of those devices to make content engrossing on multiple levels. Your individual devices don’t have to ignore each other, they’ll work together to entertain you more.
…and works with games, movies, TV shows and the internet..
But SmartGlass can be used with more than just movies and TV shows. Microsoft also showed how a gamer could use a tablet as a separate playbook while playing Madden on the Xbox. Microsoft will also finally bring Internet Explorer to the Xbox, with SmartGlass turning your phone into mouse. Sure, it’s silly to surf the web on your television with an old keyboard and mouse setup — unless the keyboard and mouse are your phone and tablet.
…to make your living room a lot smarter…
Microsoft very clearly wants to make the Xbox 360 the centre of your living room transformation. It’s the hub that powers everything. But if the Xbox 360 is the heart and the brain, SmartGlass gives users the limbs needed for a fully functional, self-sufficient media beast. Combined with the Xbox’s growing dominance as a top-flight streaming box, you’ve got yourself a potentially powerful monster.
…and it’s all because of the Xbox.
If you think about it, Microsoft’s vision of the living room of the future is a throwback to what the company has already known and mastered: the PC. It’s smartening up the living room by using the Xbox as the PC, the TV as the monitor, the phone and tablet as the keyboard and mouse, and Kinect as its futureproof wild card technology. SmartGlass, then, plays the role of Windows, seamlessly connecting everything.
But the real key to SmartGlass is its openness. Bring your own tools, Microsoft is saying. It doesn’t matter, because however you control it, all that really matters is the Xbox. And that’s all Microsoft.
ummmm yeah, that sounds unbelievably awesome!
since they make it compatible with any smart phone or tablet , even iPhones and iPads... its an APPLE TV KILLER! Microsoft have beaten Apple in the living room now.. Microsoft WIN!
Grow up. Is this all about 'winning'? Do we want any company to 'win' and be the only choice?
It's brilliant stuff that we'll enjoy using. That's all that matters. Who the hell cares if it kills anything? If you're using stuff simply for a sense of 'beating' the competition, you're using it wrong.
"Sure, it’s silly to surf the web on your television with an old keyboard and mouse setup"
Strange quote here, I've used tablets and phones to browse the web and a keyboard and mouse setup is still by far the best interface. Simulating that setup on a phone and tablet doesn't make it any better either. I've got my PC and xbox hooked up to my TV (but no aerial) and surfing the web on it using "an old keyboard and mouse setup" is freaking awesome.
Argh that wasn't meant to be a reply post :P
keyboard and mouse the best... NO WAY is it the best in my lounge chair, in a plane or train or car.... please call planet reality...
My post is based in reality. I wouldn't know about in a plane, train or car but I certainly know it's best in my home.
I think you missed the point, which was that using a keyboard and mouse IN YOUR LOUNGE ROOM is not the best solution.
My point is specifically referring to my lounge room, wireless keyboard and mouse wins.
This is what I am doing this very second. Wireless Keyboard/Mouse with my PC connected to my HDTV and 5.1 sound system. That being said, about time MS stuck a browser into the Xbox. After all, it isn't like they don't own the rights to one or anything.
For the most part I agree with you, I don't really care which company is the more successful. But in the case of Apple and Microsoft, yes, it is about winning because if Apple "wins" then they'll have a much larger say in how PCs work and they'll deteriorate the industry with their overpriced, simplified products.
I DONT THINK SO, it is about winning.... thats the nature of business.. suggest you study some strategy of why businesses exist... !
I'd much rather Microsoft win with Smartglass working on all of my and my friends devices, than apple win with airplay compatible with only iOS and MacOS products.
g'damn microsoft are pushing the envelope these days!!!
im expecting teething problems, but still... fantastic concept!!!
Brilliant stuff.
Hopefully someone will use this concept and make an app that turns ur phone into a universal remote
So, something like XBMC (http://xbmc.org/) and Constellation for the iPad (http://fss.cc/constellation/), but a hell of a lot better.
Now to add .mkv support to the XBox.
Awesome idea. Looks great in the demo. It definitely could change the way we watch just about anything.
A few problems though. The 360, while being my gaming hub, is not my video hub and likely won't become it because a) no HD tuner, b) no bluray, c) no unmetered access for video through my ISP. If I had that magical trifecta then I could conceivably utilise the 360 for everything and Microsoft would win.
Exactly +1, I could live without the HD Tuner, if they had DLNA support, and yeah, BluRay would be nice....
Xbox 360 has no DLNA support? How can I use PS3 media server then?
Foxtel On Xbox Now Officially Unmetered On BigPond
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/05/foxtel-on-xbox-now-officially-unmetered-on-bigpond/
Blu Ray... you mean physical discs?? that format thats basically dead next to online downloads??? wow... how niche!
lol
Really? Dead, you say? Funny, I see stores full of them in every shopping centre. It seems to be a fairly large part of JB Hi-Fi's business.
Yea I love online downloads, they kill the high quality bluray standard with their highly compressed video and audio. Could be even better if Liberal manage to scrap the NBN and I'm stuck on 2.5mb ADSL2 forever! [/sarcasm]
This posts was embarrassing to read.
What about proper DLNA Support?
So basically they are transforming the Game console into a Media Console. Which makes sense as thats what my PS3 has become, i hardly play games on it anymore, mostly because i play on the pc but worked out even better as its a great media centre especially with the Music Unlimited app.
When?
I'm sorry but my Xbox will never be more than a gaming console. An Xbox cannot hold light to a dedicated media server with 4TB of video, photos and music. The quick and painless way of surfing the web, downloading new vids and listening to music on a computer plugged into the TV seems like the simplest / fastest way to do it. And I stress the following sentence - IN MY OPIONION ANYWAY.
yes YHO... heard of streaming? I don't want 4 TB of video data sitting on my xbox.. its my my media server for any device in the house, commuter, tablet, phone, and xbox... my xbox gets used 80% for everything BUT gaming... everyones milage varies
my xbox is 95 % for games 5% for dvds
agreed. i am in a similar position to you however we are both in different positions to the VAST majority of people that MS are aiming this at.
i think this is an awesome development and have been waiting for this for ages.
i initially wanted something like this to be able to browse my rock band song list while others were playing, now it looks like i shall get that and a lot more.
I share the contents of my 7tb server via Serviio to both my Xbox and PS3. What's the problem with that?
I find it funny that this post is sponsored by the PS vita
+1
I have become very moist upon finishing reading .... awesome
I'd love to know if you'll be able to mirror an iOS, Android or Windows display onto the xbox (aka airplay mirroring).
Probably not.
Remember, at least with the iOS and android versions, it will be an app. This means it would only display what is shown in the app. So once you exit it is would suspend/kill the program.
Thinking more, with android doing multitasking, this may he an iPhone specific problem.
ITS in the paper... yes you can!
The content provider can do whatever they want on the tablet. If they want to push the tv content onto tablet they can.
So basically Wii U for Xbox?
BUT THE WII U Sucks.. and you have to use their stupid tablet thingy for the wii u... and lets face it , the wii u is dead on arrival...
Everyone said that about the Wii before that was released too. Look how many squillions that sold.
Youre the first to claim the Wii U is already dead. Most others arent game enough.
That was before Xbox Live became the behemoth it is now. Nintendo just can't compete when it comes to providing value through a cohesive and feature rich ecosystem. I'm sorry to say but it's only a matter of time before Nintendo needs to do something to survive, and that includes going 3rd party.
Mind you, same story everywhere else. Sony, Blackberry, Nokia has conceded it cannot win this battle so have hitched themselves on MS bandwagon. Only maybe Facebook have the expertise and resources to create their own ecosystem. Everyeone else just need to tag along.
Apple will most likely reject microsoft's app....
I think content that support this is the key. Just look at Bd-Live. There is basically nothing that uses it.
This is the most retarded thing I've ever seen. I laughed really hard at this year's E3 presentations - that is, during the bits I could actually sit through. I had to skip a lot of it because it reminded me of Sony's "REAL TIME WEAPON CHANGE" debacle from a few years ago.
This is embarrassing. Another Rube Goldberg invention for your TV.