Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Kinect Now Offers Hands-free Netflix Support
One of the most interesting aspects of Kinect that Microsoft showed in the months leading up to the device's launch was the way it could allow users to interact with the Xbox 360's interface. In particular, demos showed Zune Marketplace users navigating through content by waving their hands in the air and controlling playback with voice commands. At the time, Microsoft added that it had plans to integrate similar functionality into the console's Netflix app as well. Well, that time is now.
Microsoft has released an approximately 42 MB update that adds Kinect support to Netflix on the Xbox 360. You'll still have to use your controller to gain complete access to your queue (voice commands only launch a series of recommended selections), but you have complete Kinect control once you're in a streaming video. After launching a movie, you can use voice commands to control playback, or use your hands to skip to specific areas on a timeline.
“By integrating Kinect into the Netflix experience on Xbox LIVE, we’re continuing to transform the way people enjoy their favorite entertainment in the living room,” said Pete Thompson, general manager of Xbox Live. “Since its launch, Netflix has always been one of the most popular services on Xbox LIVE, so we are excited to deliver a brand new way to control this experience in a way that can’t be found anywhere else.”
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
