SmartGlass experience and use?

[thekonger]

I have an older 360 (first gen, replaced by MS FOC when I had the RROD) and I just pulled it out from another room so I could test SmartGlass. Being first gen it has no wireless so I had to string a Ethernet cable to it. I also grabbed a Xbox Live subscription and played with some online gaming and NetFlix. I have a laptop with WMC but that one also happens to be my primary system and file sharing was eating up my CPU (eventually I shut the service down). Regardless, I was able to access my media files and control my Xbox with SmartGlass, but there was a little lag.

If I really wanted to 'trick out' my system I would get a dedicated PC for WMC (BTW, everyone see the news about MS posting a free license for W8 and WMC?) and a new Xbox so I could do all of this wireless.

My question is, what are people using SmartGlass for? I like my Xbox, but without BluRay capability I don't know if I want to buy a new one just for this. Also, have people seen any speed issues? I live in the country and we use a AT&T 3G Microcell at home. I just set that up and the tech person online told me my DSL speed was a little low for it anyway, so maybe once I upgrade it won't be an issue.

Any feedback or SmartGlass use/experiences appreciated.

 

[thekonger]

Re: Should I now get a new 360?

I just reread this and realized the title may be misleading. Can a moderator change the title to 'SmartGlass experience and uses'. I looked and can't see how to change it although it might be right in front of me.

 

[Dave Blake]

Re: Should I now get a new 360?

Nope you can't change the title but I will do it for you.

 

[thekonger]

Re: Should I now get a new 360?

Thanks sir

 

[thekonger]

No one? Then how about this, do you understand what SG is (honest question, is it something that no one knows what to do with)?

When I heard about SG I thought it sounded cool, but I wasn't sure what it did. Still not entirely sure, as I thought it was a way to interact with multiple apps via your WP. I want to get the most out of SG and my daughter used it to watch Hulu Plus last night (and she really digged it), but we aren't very clear on what the focus of the app is. Is it mainly a Xbox remote control?

I'm considering getting a new Xbox to set up a multimedia system in my house, but I was thinking that because of SG.

Does SG add anything to the equation, or is it just a Xbox RC?

 

[PG2G]

I haven't really used it too much. I believe "Play To" only works for marketplace content for now, but it will be updated in the future.
More of the games and apps need to be updated to take advantage of it before we can really say how useful it is. I kind of look at it as a preview of things to come next year when the next Xbox comes out.

 

[Etyrnus]

I've used it as a remote, and if you access it while playing halo 4 it pulls up waypoint (if they fixed it) so you can check your stats. As long as you're connected through the same router WiFi or wired it will work fine.

 

[Dave Blake]

I use SmartGlass a bunch. I have the IE adder I sit in my Family room and can use the flat screen to surf. I use my L920 as the mouse and keyboard. It works well. It took me a while to figure out the controls Microsoft need to work on the interface to make it easier to use. I used SmartGlass during the US Presidential election returns it was cool. I was able to vote on all the instant polls. It is a very interesting technology I think as more developers and entertainment avenues start to use it, will be a really nice thing to have. I like the XBOX music integration and the XBOX gaming. Games is nice seeing all my user stats and achievements right on my phone without interfering with my game.

 

[thekonger]

Dave, where you one of the guys I saw previewing SG online during the election? That was very cool.

PG, Et and dave, so do you think I should get a new 360 now or wait a bit and see what happens; is SG more fluff now than substance? I am an impulsive buyer so I am a finger twitch away from getting a new 360 with Kinect.

My only reason for buying is to integrate my 920 more. A vague reason so I am wondering if I should wait to see how things flesh out.

 

[Bourbs]

I've used smartglass once, and that was just to see what it actually does. I loaded up halo 4 and smartglass immediately opened up the halo 4 stats page for smart glass which incidentally comes back saying "your browser is not supported" and since then I haven't bothered with it.

 

[Dave Blake]

Dave, where you one of the guys I saw previewing SG online during the election? That was very cool.

PG, Et and dave, so do you think I should get a new 360 now or wait a bit and see what happens; is SG more fluff now than substance? I am an impulsive buyer so I am a finger twitch away from getting a new 360 with Kinect.

My only reason for buying is to integrate my 920 more. A vague reason so I am wondering if I should wait to see how things flesh out.

No I didn't get asked to participate in that.

I think there is little down side to getting it now. You will get the experience of watching it grow and that's a plus. If you are getting the XBOX just for the SmartGlass experience you might be disappointed with what's available now. There are many other advantages to having the console plus you can hit me up on BF3 and we can kill it up...

 

[PG2G]

I'd wait for next Gen personally.

 

[ncxcstud]

Just so others won't be confused - your current XBOX works perfectly fine with Smartglass. I have an older XBOX as well and it works great. The only reason you'd buy a new one would be to connect it wirelessly to your home network right? If that is the case, why not search for a wireless adapter instead? It'd be a heckuva lot cheaper than buying a whole new console.

Right now, Smartglass doesn't do a whole lot, but I believe game developers have the tools to use it. It has a lot of potential. I would love to use it to select plays on Madden (instead of bringing up the screen on the TV) or even make substitutions in baseball games. Having it show the map of a game I'm playing would be awesome as well.

There is A LOT of potential with Smartglass and I think Microsoft is moving in the right direction with it.

 

[dgr_874]

I have the set up that you are looking into. I have a HTPC that feeds multiple XBOX's in my house for live tv through the WMC. I use smart glass with it on my 920. It's neat, but the functionality seems limited so far. I am sure that will change however as more and more developers get ahold of what it can do. Personally, I am waiting for about 6 months to a year to upgrade. By then things should be great!

 

[martinmc78]

It doesnt do what it was advertised to do yet. I posted this comment earlier today in the smartglass update topic. Ive been watching a lot of films on netflix and xbox movies and have been keen to see all the additional content that was shown off when it was launched. Ive yet to find a single film with any bonus features or additional information come up on smartglass on either my phone or surface RT. I even purchased Prometheus as it was one of the films shown on the demo and all i got was the film cover and no information is available at this time. Kinda sucks as you now know that the demos at launch are all fixed. Although thats kinda been the story for the whole WP8, W8 experience for me so far - show you something working and looking really cool then not provide it when you actually get the hardware and software to try it out yourself. Actually feel pretty cheated at the moment.
Its like Halo4 awesome game and Halo Waypoint Atlus would be so cool running on a surface with the new maps giving you info when ordanance drops are coming in and highlighting the locations so you can move in to steal them. But no not ready yet and no word on when. Bit like everything else.

 

[thekonger]

Thanks guys, great info. NCXC I was thinking of getting a wireless adapter but it just doesn't feel right to spend $50 on an accessory for an old system; I would rather get a new Xbox. Guess I'll wait for a few months and see how SG matures.

For now I can string a CAT5 cable to my Xbox as it sounds like NetFlix is about all I will use it for. Aside from getting out all of my old games and getting my butt kicked in online play.