back to article Turn your WinPhone into an Xbox remote

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Dashboard update this week will introduce a smart phone application that turns your Windows Phone handset into an Xbox system remote. The Xbox LIVE for Windows Phone application will let you browse and search through films, TV programs, games and other content available via Xbox 360. The app will let you …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Perhaps finally a use for a Windows 7 phone.

    as a very expensive remote control.... yay....

    1. Spearchucker Jones
      Go

      Barry Shitpeas

      Mr. Fandroid, bang on schedule, as usual.

  2. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

    Awesome!

    But what if you're not one of the three people who owns a Windows Phone handset?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Whooppee Do

    You can control an ancient gaming console with a brick.

    1. Kane
      Facepalm

      As opposed to one of those shiny new gaming consoles that has just been relea.....oh, wait a minute...

  4. Mark C Casey

    No iphone or android?

    I understand MS wanting to have that whole platform integration thing, but really? Just winphone?

    I'm sure the two people who use it are overjoyed. I'm quite surprised MS still have yet to get iplayer integration sorted out, oddly it says "2012 BBC".. not "2012 BBC iPlayer".

  5. koma
    Facepalm

    big news duh

    I have been using my Android to do much the same thing with XBMC and my dreambox for a couple of years already ....

    1. StrictlySocial
      Facepalm

      ...and how many mainstream consumers use XBMC and a dreambox?

      WinPho is for the mass market, like iOS. It is designed to work out of the box!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Sales suggest otherwise.

        1. The Original Steve

          Yes, I recall Google beating consumers away with a stick 13 months after they released Android....

    2. Sloppy Crapmonster

      Are you one of the lucky few for whom the official xbmc android remote doesn't have the sticky buttons? Or are you using some other remote?

      No, really, I have XBMC and an Android, I'd really like to know. Of course, I'd *really* like for my DirecTV HR24/500 to be able to Media Play from mediatomb, but I haven't quite figured it out yet.

  6. g dot assasin
    Stop

    Not iPlayer

    Apparently its just the BBC World Service stuff on that rubbish MSN video player thing, not the actual iPlayer....GRRRR

    4OD will be a good addition though

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Pffft

    I have a WinPho handset and it's freaking awesome. This only helps to cement the usefulness of the handset.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Yeh right.

      What's the weather like in Redmond/Reading...

      1. Shaun 1

        I don't know

        But it will be easy to find out on my Windows Phone

  8. Ian Ferguson

    Amazing

    ly pointless!

    I wonder if the xbox dashboard update will still allow me to play games. I don't want to watch video or socialise through it, that's what my TV and tablet are for.

  9. Ben Alderson

    iPlayer?

    I saw elsewhere (the BBC, funnily enough) that iPlayer is coming via an Xbox Live app.

    What it doesn't mention though is if you need a Gold account to access it. Anyone know? I'm not paying twice for Beeb content.

    1. Flugal

      I have read (can't remember where) that is the reason the BBC do NOT make iPlayer available through Xbox. They want it to reach as wide an audience as possible, but not if the customer has to pay a premium to access it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Thumb Down

        $$$$$

        Microsoft will only add iPlayer, if it means they can attract more people to pay for Xbox Live. BBC won't do iPlayer because BBC licence payers shouldn't pay twice...

      2. Magnus_Pym

        It's the LAW!

        AFAIK the BBC are not allowed to charge domestic users for content (apart from via the licence of course). Microsoft doesn't allow stuff on the XBox that users don't pay for. Cue stalemate of ideologies.

        1. Magnus_Pym

          Both Barrington and myself pointed out a perfectly reasonable explanation for this and got down voted without any comment or reasoning. Bitter somewhat?

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Iplayer

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16029825

    I-player due early 2012 according to the BBC

    And @ Alan Smithie ... An ancient gaming console? Nealy 1 million sales in the US last week alone would suggest otherwise.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      LOL

      I knew there was at least one idiot that believed Microsoft's unsubstantiated sales figure claims.

      Much like when they claimed they sold 8m Kinects at launch, idiots everywhere believed them, then audited numbers 10 months later show 8m Kinects ACTUALLY sold in the entire 2012...

      Microsoft's usual strategy of make numbers up, stuff the channel and hope it turns out to be true and nobody notices...

    2. Chad H.
      WTF?

      Err

      Since when did "Ancient" refer to popularity and not age?

  11. Chad H.

    Why the wait?

    I mean come on its on Major Nelson's blog. The guy has access to a Genie for goodness sake, should be no problem to get it out in a blink...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dream_of_Jeannie

  12. The Original Steve

    Very interesting

    Having a Windows 7 PC (which I'll probably upgrade to 8 when it comes out), a new Nokia Lumia 800 and an XBox 360 means I'll be rather enjoying 2012 by the looks of things.

    It's very much what Apple have done, however I won't pay the premium for Apple products (and I just dislike their ethics).

    Zune is great in terms of UI, performance and being a few thousands times better than iTunes, the 360 is a decent console still and my main PC is a media centre Windows 8 box under my TV (Windows Media Centre for telly).

    Nice little ecosystem!

    1. Magnus_Pym

      apple vs ms

      The difference is iTunes for Windows. Apple say "We would clearly like you to buy a mac to go with your iPhone but you don't have to. On the hand, MS say "Got and xBox? Well get a Windows phone or F**k off.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    hmm...

    I've been using my wp7 as a mythtv controller for a while now.

    Oh and @Barry Shitpeas: please find a more interesting rant, you are very, very boring. If you are this annoyed by a telephone, I hate to think what happens when you come across subjects that actually matter.

  14. JDX Gold badge

    MS are more concerned getting WP7 to grow, than making the 360 gain universal phone-as-remote functionality. There are a lot of XBox users, and if they can put a USP on the phone that could get the ball rolling with user take-up.

  15. squilookle

    Admittedly, not particularly newsworthy, but still a very good idea and most likely very useful to anyone that has both an XBox and a Windows Phone.

    I have an XBox, but I don't think will will be enough to tempt me to switch from Android...

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wow, I could take my Palm from several years ago and use it as a universal remote, and it didn't blue screen.

  17. Fuzz

    Make this work with Windows Media Centre too

    I don't have an Xbox but I'd like this functionality for Media Centre, especially if there was the ability to remotely schedule recordings.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    RE AC: Wednesday 7th December 2011 10:08 GMT

    "I knew there was at least one idiot that believed Microsoft's unsubstantiated sales figure claims"

    At what point did i say they went to end consumers? Even if the figures relate to consoles sold to retailers, in this day and age none are stupid enough to stock up with "an ancient console" which would imply no-one would buy them. I was merely pointing out that the commentard was some way off the mark IMO (or more likely a PS3 fanboy still living at his mum's house).

    Hope that cleared it up for you.

  19. JDX Gold badge

    @Taylor 1

    1)It's NOT a universal remote, it's a 360 control device.

    2)When did you get your 360 to blue-screen? When has WP7 been reported as blue-screening

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like