Microsoft's SmartGlass is a
product that will probably become a staple of platforms, especially game
consoles, as we move forward. The idea is partially for your mobile
device to be something of a remote control for your system, but it goes
well beyond that. And, to make things better, Microsoft isn't keeping it
proprietary, and has just released the Xbox SmartGlass app for Android
devices.
On
the basic level, the SmartGlass app will let you control media playback
on your Xbox via your Android device. It will also let you navigate the
Xbox dashboard, search for content, browse the Internet, track
achievements, and message Xbox friends. That alone would be pretty solid
functionality, but in the future, there are plans which will allow
SmartGlass to bring more interactive functionality to your mobile device
like second-screen gameplay, and getting more info about the actors in
the scene of whatever movie you are watching. In this respect, it sounds
something like the Wii U tablet controller, except that any Windows 8,
Windows Phone 8, or Android device will be able to be used.
Well,
not every Android device. The app requires Android 4.0 or higher, so
you'll need to be at least on Ice Cream Sandwich to get the goods, and
it isn't currently available for Android tablets. It seems likely that
will change over time though.
So, if you're an
Xbox 360 user, you'll definitely want to give this a shot. The Xbox
SmartGlass app is available for free in the
Google Play Store.
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