As of November 17, 2009 a software update for the Xbox 360 will allow users to add tweets to their Twitter page and update their Facebook status via the console. The update will be made available via Xbox Live, which is not yet officially available in South Africa.

 

This move is part of Microsoft’s strategy to make its Xbox 360 console the main entertainment and multimedia hub for the family home, as Xbox 360 owners can already download movies and TV series through their console and play games against one another online. According to the British newspaper, the Telegraph, the Facebook app will also allow you to add and remove friends and browse news feeds, photos and messages. The Twitter tool will enable people to post updates and watch live Twitter streams from the people they follow.

 

In other Xbox 360 news, Microsoft’s new motion-tracking game technology, Project Natal, is set for release in November 2010 and will cost about $83 (approx. R614), according to British industry website MCVUK. The camera peripheral combines infra-red with video technology to accurately track 3D movement, meaning you don’t even need the traditional hand-held controllers.