Fancy trying out the fall 2012 dashboard update?

Open Call, More Testers Welcome for 2012 Xbox LIVE Update Public Beta!

The amount of interest we received in July for the 2012 Xbox LIVE Update Public Beta was so staggering that today we’re announcing a second open call for Xbox LIVE subscribers to test out the beta program. I can tell you that we’re accepting far more beta-testers this time around, but space is still limited and once the spots are filled the beta will be closed, so sign up today!

If you’re selected, an update will be pushed to your Xbox 360 in the next few days. The update will contain new Xbox LIVE features, including:

Internet Explorer for Xbox
Recommendations and ratings
Pinning and favorites
Enhanced category search and discovery features
Voice search (in specified markets)

Note: A console in the program is expected to remain fully compatible with standard retail consoles not in the program.

If you would like to participate, please register for the 2012 Xbox LIVE Update Beta HERE. You will be required to agree to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for confidentiality reasons. Any participant who violates the NDA will be removed from this beta and all Xbox betas moving forward, and will not have access to Xbox LIVE until the end of this beta program period. Our NDA enforcement squad is really good at finding violators; so save us both the trouble and don’t test them. We also ask that you fill out a brief 5-minute survey at the end of the beta to let us know what you think.

Your interest and passion in helping the Xbox team has been awesome and we’re very excited to see the early feedback so that we can make Xbox even better. Thanks again for your participation and enjoy!


https://connect.microsoft.com/XboxLIVEUpdate

Can't be arsed

I signed up just to give IE a try and I can customise my dashboard so it's no longer a t**t to navigate

If you can customise the dashboard to look like an earlier version then count me in

does that mean getting rid of crappy adverts you have no interest in?

Full up

Unlikely Andy, I am sure MS focus groups determined we love ads - love them. And can't get enough of them so we need more!

Seriously, i hope there is though. I have navigating through the dashboard now to have ears blasted out because I passed over an ad.

i know this comes from a now-ps-fanboy but just look at the xmb on ps3 and psp, straightforward and if you want to buy something you goto the store where you see ads. it also makes a mockery when folks say live is better, well it may be but look, you pay and you get ads on top of that fee. psn is free and you get no ads in your face, doesnt make logical sense really.

It may be that way now Andy but Sony have just patented the concept of inserting TV advertising directly into games so its very possible that PSN could change as well......

off to nintendo for the wii-u then haha

tbh cant see that being soo bad. if they try and pause games to have ads then folks will simply stop buying their games (but having these games for free?), but if its product placement then it might add to the realism of certain games.

Looks like it's open again as I've had an email and signed up

I recieved mine last night

I'm relativley impressed so far, IE is good and MUCH easier to use than the PS3's browser, The new layout is good, Ads are smaller and no longer seem to be videos (That'll probably change though) It's much more "Windows 8" this time around.

My only real gripe so far is the "My pins" things just seems to be another "My Games" folder, I'm sure it must have some other function but I've not had much time with it yet

As much as I like my PS3 (blasphemy!!) the web browser is wank.