The New Xbox Controller
The new Xbox controller was also revealed with, as the company says, more than 40 “technical and design innovations.” The vibration feature has also gone through a change, with its own set of triggers for controller vibrations during gameplay. It has an improved directional pad and analog sticks, and this controller’s overall structure and form is similar to the Xbox 360 one, with an “integrated battery compartment.”Instead of the home buttons, the controller has buttons meant for user interface purposes. It’s been developed in such a way that it is conveniently compatible with the Kinect, to enable and enhance player syncing. But other than these changes, when it comes to the controller’s looks, it hasn’t changed much. Perhaps a touch of familiarity will be good.
Xbox Live and User Interface
The new Xbox One’s User Interface comes off as professional, but convenient. The layout isn’t all that different from the one in Windows 8, but it has a new theme, with a black background. There’s a TV content guide, and you can switch to live TV from the dashboard itself. Skype and Internet Explorer are the two applications that have been confirmed.
The new Xbox One dashboard will also have a ‘Snap Mode’ (the Add Snap option), which enables you to have more than one window open on the screen, and you can switch between various windows with the voice control option or gestures (through the Kinect sensor).
The Xbox Live services are still an important part of the console, and it’s just better on the Xbox One. “Game DVR” is a new feature on Xbox Live, which enables users to record, edit and even share awesome gameplay videos. The Xbox Live has a new and refreshing ‘Achievements’ System.
Individuals can also play downloadable games by installing them in segments. And yes, your achievements and (premium) Gold subscription from your previous Xbox will be transferred to your new and improved one. There’s also a “Smart Match” options, which actually gives you the approximate time of how much you have to wait till you can enter a multiplayer game. Even better, it gives you the option to open another window and watch TV while that’s happening. So no more staring at the loading screen for those long, long minutes.