Microsoft launches new video services on Xbox Live

News Broadband Global 5 DEC 2011
Microsoft launches new video services on Xbox Live
Microsoft announced new services to bring TV and films to its Xbox 360 gaming console. In a free upgrade rolling out this week to the around 57 million Xbox users, the company is adding the new Bing on Xbox search function, which uses the Kinect device to support voice-activated search on the Xbox content services. The upgrade allows users to use their voices to search for games, movies, TV shows and music available on the Xbox Live services. Voice search will initially be available in English in the US, Canada and the UK for Microsoft's own content services Zune video and Xbox Live Marketplace and with select content partners. This week Microsoft will also launch the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone users to learn more about and control content from entertainment services on Xbox Live. 


Microsoft also announced a number of new content partners available on the Xbox. From December, these will include EPIX, ESPN, Hulu Plus and Today (MSNBC) in the US, Hulu in Japan, Lovefilm in the UK, Netflix in Canada and the US, Premium Play by MediaSet in Italy, Sky Go in Germany and Austria and Telefonica's Movistar Imagenio in Spain. Viewers also will get access to 4oD, Demand 5, Blinkbox and Screenrush in the UK, ABC iView, SBS on demand and ninemsn in Australia, AlloCine in France and Sony's Crackle in Australia, Canada, UK and US. Dailymotion will be available in 32 countries globally, in Spain viewers will also get access to Sensacine, TVE, DIGI+ from Canal+ and GolTV from Mediapro, and in Germany, new content includes ZDF's Mediathek and Flimstarts. MSN will launch in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and the UK, and MUZU.TV will be available in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Coming to Canada are Real Sports, Disney XD and Rogers On Demand Online, while TMZ from Warner Bros will be available in both Canada and the US. Vevo will be available in Canada, Ireland, the UK and US, Vudu will start in the US and YouTube will be available in 24 countries globally. 


Later in early 2012, Xbox viewers will get Antena 3 in Spain, the BBC in the UK, CinemaNow from Best Buy, Xfinity on Demand from Comcast and HBO Go in the US and MLB TV in a number of countries around the world. Telenovelas and sports from Televisa will also start in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain and the UK. 

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