Smartphones and Cell Phones

Matthew Miller

Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

By Matthew Miller | December 5, 2011, 7:30am PST

Summary: Microsoft continues to provide Xbox integration in Windows Phone and tomorrow a new free app will appear in the Marketplace.

There are lots of details about the Xbox LIVE upgrades coming soon, but I wanted to also let you know about the post from Major Nelson on the Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone devices that hits the Marketplace tomorrow.

Here is what you can expect to do with this new Xbox Companion app:

Using the Xbox Companion app you can learn more details about the movie, TV show, music or game that is playing on your console. You can also get friend activity (friends online, friends with beacons, friends who have recently played), achievements and related items. You’ll also be able to select a search result, and launch a movie, TV show, game or app on the connected console as well as play, pause, fw, rw the playing video or music on the connected Xbox,initiate media purchase and navigate your Xbox console with Windows Phone using the Xbox Companion.

I am looking forward to using my Windows Phone devices as a remote for the Xbox rather than having to find a charged up controller around the rec room. It is great to see Microsoft providing integration across devices and I imagine we will see even more of this in the future too.

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Phone, Microsoft Windows Phone, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Xbox, Game Players, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

Matthew Miller started using a Pilot 1000 in 1997 and has been writing news, reviews, and opinion pieces ever since.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

hysonmb Updated - 7th Dec

@Rick_Kl
There is nothing requiring the user to purchase a Windows Phone to get access to anything the 360 provides. The Companion App is a feature for those of us who chose to own a Windows Phone, a benefit of being in the ecosystem. How is this any different than Apple pushing "Airplay" between iOS devices? I didn't see anyone complaining about that. They call it "revolutionary" like DLNA didn't already exist...

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

bobiroc 5th Dec

Just one of the many reasons I am looking on dumping the iPhone on my next upgrade.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rick_Kl 5th Dec

@bobiroc that is just the smartest thing I have ever heard. Give Microsoft access to 100% if your life. That way they can harvest data on you from multiple points, as opposed to Google harvesting your data from a single point.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rodney5 5th Dec

@Rick_Kl

Well, plenty of people have gladly handed over their lives to Apple's ecosystem. Get their iphone to connect to their itunes to connect to their ical. And their iThis and their iThat. Give me a break! There is nothing wrong with what microsoft is doing. If you just want to hate microsoft for some juvenile reason then just go ahead. Just stop with your hypocrisy.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

anono Updated - 5th Dec

@Rodney5
Except Apple is not trying to be an online marketing company (which realistically is completely driven by user data) so they don't have any financial interest interest in owning your data. Plus what personal data do you have in iTunes anyways?

WP7 on the other hand is tied to only Bing (default and you can't change it) for data collection. It's also heavily integrated with Facebook (with whom MS is a strong partner and part owner) and Facebook is known to sell your data to MS.

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anono: Apple is calling you a liar

toddybottom 5th Dec

http://advertising.apple.com/

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rodney5 Updated - 5th Dec

anono

Did you completely forget about iAd? Why do people think that Apple is this angelic company? Of course apple wants to be a marketing company. Apple wants everything. They want to be the only place to go to for music and everything else. The integration of windows phone with xbox services is no worse than what apple or google wishes they could do.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rick_Kl Updated - 5th Dec

@Rodney5 One of Microsofts strongest desires is to tell the world We are Microsoft; all of your datas are belonging to us. Microsoft already has phone home spyware in Windows and the mobile version of Windows. Now factor in the perfect device for spying, a video camera, with a microphone (kinect), and you should be able to see what I am getting at.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

SlithyTove Updated - 6th Dec

@Rick_Kl

"We are Microsoft; all of your datas are belonging to us."

Not really. Microsoft wants your money and data is just a means to an end. Just like Apple. Google is the only one that really seems interested in data gathering in its own regard.

"Now factor in the perfect device for spying, a video camera, with a microphone (kinect), and you should be able to see what I am getting at."

The perfect device for spying? I would think that it would be something that doesn't just sit in the common area of your home. I think a microphone, video camera, and GPS that TRAVELED with you and phoned home as it does so would work far better. Like pretty much every smartphone in existence.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

bobiroc 6th Dec

@Rick_Kl

I think your tinfoil hat is a little tight

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

audidiablo 6th Dec

@bobiroc

Nah, he's just stupid.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

hysonmb 7th Dec

@bobiroc LOL

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rick_Kl 5th Dec

It is great to see Microsoft providing integration across devices and I imagine we will see even more of this in the future too.

It is nice that Microsoft wants you to spend even more for a controller, and you happily follow their instructions. People complain about Apple users, yet when a Microsoft user does something similar, it is seen as a good thing.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

dazzlingd 5th Dec

@Rick_Kl I agree.

I had to spend an additional $70 on a trackpad so I could use all the new features in the latest OS on my $1,500 desktop.

Curse you Microso... oh wait... wink

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

Rick_Kl 5th Dec

@dazzlingd lmfao happy

That was actually pretty good.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

anono 5th Dec

@dazzlingd
I don't like new features that might force me to go buy new equipment to use it so I prefer simply not to receive these new features in the first place.

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anono: way to prove dazzlingd's point

toddybottom 5th Dec

You did it perfectly.

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

dazzlingd 5th Dec

@anono
How's that Apple I working out for you?

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RE: Xbox Companion for Windows Phone coming December 6th

audidiablo 6th Dec

@Rick_Kl

That is rather amusing... I'd rather spend and own then get free and be owned by Google. Apple isn't far off but is in similar standing as Microsoft. Only difference is that Microsoft seems to be able to offer a whole lot more and it is beneficial just as with Apple if you have an MacPro or iMac with an iPhone and an iPod and an iPad to use with iTunes in the iCloud... I'm sure you see what I'm getting at right? wink

No need to be all bent out of shape that Microsoft is doing the same. The only thing is that Microsoft has Xbox where Apple has yet to release a successful gaming console. They could do the same with iTV just make it iEntertainmentsystem and you will iWin wink

only other problem is trying to get real games to play but at least you can have the tiny 32-bit PS1 stye games while everyone else is playing with 128-bit+ that just looks more and more real with an extensive story line and play online with friends and I'm not talking words with friends either wink

I'm so very happy with my choice of Windows PC's and my Windows Phone and my new Xbox 360 MW3 edition with Kinect and Zune HD for the travel and Zune Pass for infinite music for only $10 a month... Happiest I've been for a long time and it just keeps getting better.

Remember the one thing that matters most is if you're satisfied. A humble man that is happy isn't going to trash on everything that the competition has to offer. It is only the insecure that will gripe in their abundant free time on comment sections such as these. Just like those guys who buy big trucks and talk about their whooha and just how huge it is when in reality it is likely furthest from the truth.

Be happy, be free and if you're satisfied you wouldn't be concerned in the slightest of the competition. If they're so horrible why do you worry? Do you own anything that is from Microsoft? I don't think you do nor would you based on your comments. I use all products in the line of work that I do and I prefer Microsoft but I don't knock Apple even though it would be easy for me to. I personally dislike Google and warn them of the side effects but I don't push it. I think you have some growing up to do and I'm not talking physically but rather mentally. Please be kind. Grow up.