Last week, I told you about a rumored spring dashboard update list for the 360 that appeared on Joystiq. Well as it turns out the list was essentially, bullshit.

On his latest podcast,  Major Nelson spoke about the Dashboard update. Here’s what he had to say:

Sometime last week there was an amusing list that kind of made its rounds… Now this list was a list that was allegedly leaked from inside Microsoft and had all sorts of features for an upcoming update. I think the official PR answer was… ‘We do not comment on rumours and speculation, but we’ve never seen this list before.

E and I can tell you, from people working on the product team, because we don’t work on the PR team, we’ve never seen that list before… This is not the list you’re looking for. Move along.”

E, co-host with major nelson added:

You won’t be seeing this coming to a dashboard near you.

For more information, you can visit Major Nelson’s podcast by clicking on the link above, or you can visit Video Gaming 24/7.

I found this vidoe this morning on break.com. Apperently it’s been out for a while but I just found it and I’d thought I’d share with you guys.

Here it is:

http://view.break.com/390565 - Watch more free videos

It’s spring. You know what that means right? Well, if you don’t then here it is: Xbox 360 Dashboard update time!

Rumored to be part of the Dashboard update are the following*:

Xbox Live

1. Option to delay sign-in to Xbox LIVE upon booting console (to allow user to set Online Status).
2. Option to promote Child Account from Family Settings.
3. Disallow Child Accounts [over 18] to override Family Settings by launching Privacy Settings through a title.
4. Option in Family Settings for Child Accounts to enable child-oriented/non-mature advertisements.
5. Introduce a group chat (4) for Private Chat and conferences through Video Chat.
6. Support to indicate media being watched to gamercard status (video content from Marketplace only).
7. Extend height for Bio field in Personal Profile, easier navigation through text.
8. More fields present in Personal Profile - recent achievements, interests, games, movies, links, custom section.
9. Compact Personal Profile for new fields (navigating to field will open it up).
10. Mandatory option to delete duplicate titles from gamercard (excludes Games for Windows - LIVE). User disconnected from Xbox LIVE when booting any title until action complete.
11. Option to remove payment information from gamertag.
12. New payment methods for international users.
13. Download History on Account Management better organized - games, genre, type, download date, miscellaneous.
14. Long descriptions of items on Marketplace can be scrolled using right stick.
15. Better organization of free content on Marketplace.
16. Option to ‘ping’ when testing connection.
17. Allow re-connection to Xbox LIVE if Ethernet cable is re-inserted whilst powered on.
18. New strip colors available to developers, staff gamercards.
19. New corner icon available to ambassadors.
20. Re-introduce Messages button for Inside Xbox updates only.
21. Option to store up to 10 messages permanently on server (excludes invites, status messages).
22. Increase character limit for text messages between friends only.
23. Option to disable invites from non-friends or all players.
24. Option to disable invites from titles not on gamercard (excludes demos).
25. Option to have smaller items moved up in Active Downloads.
26. Automatically re-connect to Xbox LIVE if disconnected unexpectedly (set intervals).
27. Option to download gamer picture (if available) from a gamercard being viewed.
28. Display random tips to replace static text on Xbox LIVE and Games blades.
29. New button on Marketplace for optional dashboard features - uses Storage Device memory.
30. Option to donate Microsoft Points to anybody with a Windows Live ID.
31. Option to purchase Membership for charities (includes benefits).
32. Integrate file-sharing for selected titles on Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows - LIVE.
33. Disable notifications to friends of user repeatedly signing into service (set period).
34. Option to see ’snippet’ of text message in notification.
35. Windows Live Mail integration - includes support for Xbox LIVE Vision.
36. Web feeds integration - text, images, audio. Includes support for specific item codes on Marketplace.
37. Option to display gamer picture or standard picture as display picture in Windows Live Messenger.
38. Support for headset, Xbox LIVE Vision in Windows Live Messenger.
39. Support for limited ‘winks’ that display on dashboard interface. Option to disable ‘winks’ and ‘nudges’ added.
40. Notifications separate from Windows Live Messenger to Xbox 360 notifications.
41. Disable multiple languages from being used in any Xbox LIVE editable fields.

Games

1. Option to delete titles from gamercard with 0 gamerscore and 0 achievements (excludes some titles that will be re-added to launch another title).
2. Organize My Games at the Games Library section better (includes disc-based titles) - sort by genre, platform (Games for Windows - LIVE), percentage completion.
3. Support to display friends leaderboards for disc-based titles.
4. Show dates of an achievement unlocked when comparing.
5. Preload Games Library upon dashboard bootup for faster access.
6. Game updates now shown as items in Memory, increased amount of updates on Storage Device.
7. Option to delete game updates, removed ‘cheat code’ as no longer needed.
8. Support for more titles to display banner when accessing guide in-game.
9. Option to re-introduce awarded gamer pictures from titles that do not have their own re-introduce feature (requires saved game).
10. Disable gamer pictures from being awarded from trials.
11. Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading.
12. Synchronization to achievements offline/online that were deleted and then re-added from developers

Media

1. Option to hold LT and RT for rewinding/fast-forwarding video content.
2. Option to delete individual music tracks from storage device.
3. Option to rip music CD at different quality.
4. Copy non-protected files (pictures, music, videos) from USB storage devices, Cd’s and computers to proprietary storage devices.
5. Support for menu, top-menu features on video content downloaded from Marketplace.
6. Section added for audio delivered through feeds (podcasts). Option to stream, download to Storage Device.
7. Support added for video titles/description to gamercard status.

Dashboard

1. Option to navigate quickly out of several menus back to respective blade home (applies to Games, Media, System).
2. New blade trim styles added.
3. Introduce expanded Inside Xbox as a portal to news, weather, entertainment, help and community features.
4. New sounds for various functions (notifications, blades, navigation).
5. Calibration options for display/sound.
6. Calibration options for motion sensor devices.
7. New effects for Xbox LIVE Vision and dashboard background.
8. Disable changing of Theme when on Memory to prevent ‘hanging’.
9. Preload recent, limited items upon dashboard boot-up on Memory.
10. Faster loading of Themes section on guide.
11. Option to see what items will not work offline due to DRM license changing from Memory.
12. Option to automatically associate new DRM to items downloaded for free.
13. Indicate ‘charging’ status on guide when Play & Charge kit is connected.
14. Option to change text colors on guide to better contrast some backgrounds.
16. Language improvements.
18. Word censor updated for fields.
19. Privacy Settings/Family Settings updated for new features.
20. Voice, picture messages can be read at Xbox.com (Gold accounts only).

Well, a lot of these things seem pretty cool, but I guess M$ won’t be adding the Clan support anytime soon.

* I did not make this list, I found this on Joystiq.

 After many days of blood, sweat, and tears, I’ve finally reached level 20 in Halo 3. making a Captain…….. grade 2!

 Now, I am no longer a Lieutenant. which means I’ll be getting matched up with people with higher ranks who are probably better than me. But no sweat. I’m bound to get better…..right?

My new rank:

Image from halo.bungie.org.

I found this video on Grunts R Us. It’s HILARIOUS!

from gruntsrus.com

It seems as if people in the gaming universe are really desperate and want to stand out. Especially when it comes to the Recon armor in Halo 3. Last week I made a post about Lintedo64 getting his account hacked for the Recon armor, well it’s happened again. And apparently, it happened to someone else before Lintendo64…

The person who got hacked this time is Ash55. Ash55 is a forum moderator on Bungie.net forums, and apparently 4 days ago his account was hacked for the recon armor.

I said it once and I’ll say it again to whoever hacked these people’s accounts: GET A LIFE!!

Seriously, if Bungie didn’t give you the Recon armor they probably have a good reason for it.

.

.

.

.

‘Nuff said..

People that have been hacked so far:
Skyllus was first. He received recon for shooting himself in the head with the sniper rifle.

Lintendo64 was second. He received recon for making the map “Great Wall”

Ash55: Read above

it’s coming….

from www.gametrailers.com

IT’S OFFICIAL! At the 2008 Game Developers Conference, Epic Games’ lead designer Cliff Bleszinski made the announcement fans have been waiting for: Gears of War® 2 is coming this November. To get the latest, including the Gears of War 2 Announcement Trailer and details on how to reserve your copy today, visit xbox.com/gearsofwar.

Gears of War © 2006-2008, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved, Epic, Epic Games, Gears of War, and the Crimson Omen logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Please add Xbox@email.xbox.com to your address book to ensure delivery. If you do not wish to receive marketing e-mails from Xbox, please update your contact preferences on My Xbox. You can also opt out on your console by selecting Privacy Settings under Edit Gamer Profile on Xbox 360, or selecting the Info Sharing option in Account Management for the Original Xbox Live dashboard. We will promptly update your contact preferences; however, please be aware that it may take up to 10 days before your preferences are reflected in our system. You may still receive previously initiated promotional communications from Xbox during that time. Privacy Statement | Terms of Use Xbox Privacy One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 © 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The names and logos of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

As I was browsing through the interwebz, I found a forum thread on ForgeHub with the title “Lintendo64’s Reconz is teh Stolenz!“. Curiously I checked on it and I read this:

Reports have been flying in that Lintendo64’s Xbox Live account and Bungie account have been hacked. Today I spoke directly with Lintendo64 on the matter to confirm the reports, and they are indeed true. For those of you who do not remember Lintendo64, aka Bryan, was given recon armor by Bungie for his great wall map that they mentioned in one of their weekly updates.

Not only has the hacker stolen Bryan’s account, but he also had the nerve to purchase 1500 Microsoft points from the marketplace using Bryan’s credit card. Lintendo has canceled the credit card, and luckily his card holder has removed the charges. In addition to purchasing content the alleged hacker has changed all of Lintendo’s account information and the e-mail associated with it. Along with his account information being altered so was his Bungie.net profile and fileshare. All of the new files on his fileshare are movies by DARKreaperBEAST, which has led to speculation that this user is the one who hacked Lintendo’s account. Of course this is only speculation and has yet to be confirmed.

Bryan contacted Microsoft support on the matter, and they told him that they couldn’t do anything to fix the problem. He is currently talking with Frankie about the theft. Lintendo does appear to have support from Frankie, Bungie, and the online community. Do not let this story fade into the darkness. Our cry must be heard and these recon thefts must be put to an end! I personally support Lintendo’s fight for justice and will be providing updates for you here at Forge Hub regarding the matter. Lintendo will soon have a new account as I have given him one of my 1 month subscription cards from one of my many Red Ring encounters. Unfortunately one month isn’t very long in the grand scheme of things so if you have a 1 month subscription card or your condolences to help a fellow gamer out and send the code to Lintendo in a PM. Lintendo we feel your pain and back your crusade!

Support Lintendo on Bungie.net

What amazes me about that story isn’t that someone hacked another person’s account, but that they hacked just to get the Recon armor. To that person I say:
Get A LIFE!!!

If I can’t have recon, can I have cake?

Click on image for story.

Grunts R Us has released an achievement generator that, well, generates achievements. All you to do is type in the name of the text, and it will generate the achievement for you.

Like this:

You do have to register to use it, but if you don’t want to, there are alternatives:
http://achievements.schrankmonster.de/

http://geraconquista.portalxbox.com.br/index.php?idioma=ingles

http://www.victoryflash.net/?p=ach