Microsoft has invited Xbox Live members to register now for early beta access to this year’s update to the service.
In a post on his personal blog, Microsoft’s Larry Hyrb, better known by his gamertag Major Nelson, says Xbox 360 can get involved with the public beta, that’ll give the user interface a new lick of paint and introduce some new features.
The highlight of this year’s update will be the ability to make purchases using real money, as well as Microsoft points.
The latter, of course, will be retired with the launch of the Xbox One console later this year, making it easier to buy content from the various stores within the Xbox interface.
Other improvements are expected to improve the system’s boot-up time and it is thought that there overall interface will get another Windows 8-like facelift, while gift cards could also be supported. Other than that, not much else is known at this stage.
Interested parties are encouraged to sign up through the dashboard of their 360 (the process has changed this year), with Hyrb warning available sports will fill up quickly.
Previous reports have suggested the new update will be rolled out officially in August.
Via JoyStiq
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
