Microsoft kicked off the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles on Monday, June 4, unveiling exciting new software, a technology called "SmartGlass." The Microsoft software promises to link several of its key products: its Xbox game console, tablets running the new Windows 8 OS, as well as Windows Phone devices.
According to Microsoft, SmartGlass will allows a tablet or a smartphone to stream media to a big screen, controlled by none other than the Xbox console. The company said the software will be free and work with Windows Phone devices, Windows 8, and other portable devices.
"We all go into our living room and have a touch surface like a phone or a tablet, but it has no idea what's occurring on the TV," said Microsoft's gaming business chief Don Mattrick. The Smartglass apps, however, will allow the Xbox console to "communicate with whatever glass surface you have," he added.
"Internet Explorer coupled with the power of Xbox will, for the first time, deliver a fast, fluid, intuitive Web experience in the living room," said Marc Whitten, Xbox Live corporate vice president.
Microsoft spent roughly one year developing SmartGlass, Mattrick said, and the new technology will work with several devices customers already own, including Apple's iPad and iPhone, devices that run on Google's Android OS, and, of course, Microsoft's own devices."All they do is download the app and it knits their content together," said Mattrick.
Microsoft's SmartGass software is seen by many as a response to Apple's AirPlay technology, which can stream video, music and images from an iPad or iPhone to an Apple TV.
In addition to the SmartGlass technology, Microsoft also outlined plans to maximize the functionality of its Kinect motion-sensing technology, which allows players to interact with games without having to use a handheld controller. Meanwhile, games planned for this year include Electronic Arts' (EA) "Madden 13" American football game, and soccer game "FIFA 13." Both games will allow players to control the game by voicing commands at the screen.
Microsoft is also releasing a new installment for its winning "Halo" series later this year, and bolstering its streaming video partnerships with companies including Walt Disney's ESPN sports video network. Moreover, the company is incorporating its Xbox branding into the Windows 8 OS for computers and tablets, as part of an effort to boost sales of its Xbox 360 console.
