A Tactical Overview of the Xbox Dashboard

If you are one of the individuals who have recently purchased your own Xbox 360 and are finding it a chore to navigate around in order to perform a chosen function then don't despair, all you need is a tactical overview of the Xbox Dashboard. The Xbox Dashboard is the nerve center of the Xbox.360 gaming unit, and once you have familiarized your self with its functions you will be more at ease navigating through the system.

If you will notice the Xbox dashboard has been divided out into for distinct and integral parts. You will have a better understanding of your Xbox 360 system if you take the time to familiarize yourself with each of these four distinct segments. To that end, we will break down each segment into bite-size pieces.

Xbox Live
Xbox live is one of the more popular segments of the Xbox Dashboard. Within this section you can see, view and modify your gaming profile. Within this profile you can set up the Xbox 360 to your own personal specifications. You can also access this feature within other sections of the dashboard.

This section also allows you to send messages to friends as well as receive messages from friends who also own an Xbox 360 and are connected to the Internet via broadband. Xbox Live also allows you to have a friends list where you can add and delete friends at any time. You can also use Xbox Live to invite other players to join in a game with you. Within this section you will also be able to access the online feature known as Xbox Live Marketplace. Here you can actually purchase add-ons to your favorite games to enhance your gaming experience on the Xbox 360.

Games
The aforementioned Xbox live marketplace can be accessed from this section of the dashboard as well. You may also watch gaming videos through the Xbox Marketplace. Within this section you will also find listed all of the games which you have played, as well as allow you to see what games are available for download from the Xbox Arcade.

Media

Within the media section you will find the control area of the gaming system. You can go here if you would like to enjoy listening to some of your favorite music or if you would like to view photos.

System
As you have probably guessed this section of your Xbox 360 Dashboard is where you will go to modify your system settings and different controls which will in turn change your gaming experience.

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Microsoft Opens Xbox Dev Community to Gaming Masses (E-Commerce Times)

Microsoft announced several changes to its Games for Windows Live and Xbox Live services Tuesday. Chief Technology Officer Chris Satchell outlined the changes at the company's Gamefest 2008 Conference held in Seattle. The software maker has removed its fees for Games for Windows Live, so now multiplayer game play functionality is available at no extra cost at all membership levels.

Community games hit Xbox 360 this fall (GameSpot)

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