If you scoured your Xbox 360 for every new update you could find, you may have found a new setting under the console settings. The "Xbox Companion" setting allows you to, you guessed it, enable a Windows Phone 7 linked to your Gamer Tag to remotely control your Xbox with the aptly named Xbox Companion app that launched yesterday. The app is a free download, by the way.
I checked out the app for myself yesterday on my HTC Trophy, which was connected to the internet via my phone's service provider while my Xbox was connected to a separate network. Setup is instant and a notification appears on your TV to let you know that an Xbox Companion is connected. Despite both my devices being on separate networks, the remote access had little to no noticeable lag.
It basically acts as a controller with a display, where you can see all of the content on your Xbox through your phone and access it much easier. You can also control every aspect of your Xbox like a controller, except for the actual game playing part obviously. There seems to be potential for that though. The app seems like it's in a very early stage and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what Microsoft will eventually do with the technology.
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Contest:
10:00 PM on 12.08.2011 | 
I would own a Windows Phone if Verizon offered one made in the last two years.
Nah, your console has to be on for it to work. :/ But you could always add it to your queue through xbox.com and have it so your console will download while it's off.
They do! :) It's the one I mentioned in the post. Came out in the summer.
Though I wouldn't be surprised if there were more of those phones than PSP's. Plus it's always seemed like one of those 'that's kinda neat' gimmicks that rarely, if ever, actually gets used.
The Trophy is new to Verizon this year, but in smartphone terms, is quite old as it was first released in October 2010. There's rumors of new Nokia Windows phones coming in January for Verizon (with 4G, something Windows phones currently lack and is the reason Verizon doesn't offer any,) but if that doesn't materialize I can drop $30 on a Trophy. I assume you enjoy yours?
I can control my ps3 with my Directv remote through my Panasonic's Viera Link. I'll be impressed when I see game support.
Why would anyone want to use their phone as a controller for a game? That is just stupid.
Start COD ELite using the WP7 and then try to actually open the application and you can't due to the lack of a Start button :-/
Nice idea but more work needed I think
Start COD ELite using the WP7 and then try to actually open the application and you can't due to the lack of a Start button :-/
Nice idea but more work needed I think
When they officially announce the "ingame" apps for WP7 - ie. maps, stats, menus on your phone while you play the corresponding game on 360 - updated in realtime (based on testimony of someone who's seen it running with Reach multiplayer/waypoint phone app)- and more games than just Halo Reach utilise such wizardry - I will go and buy a Windows 7 Phone that week.
And probably won't need a Wii U, if the same features/functions as Wii U versions of games are available through a combination of that games' WP7 app/360 play.
Of course pricing would be expected for 3rd party apps, or download redemption codes for the apps could be boxed with new retail copies, or any possible number of things.
But I want to know when this will happen! And how. THIS will be when things start to get interesting.
Maaaan I used to use Remote play so much when I had the PlayTV TV adapter for my PS3, watching recorded (or live) shows on my PSP streamed from my PS3 was awesomesauce..... before i got cable.
You could remotely play PS3 games on your PSP? Or do you mean PSP games?
I'm pretty sure you can play WP7 games on your WP7.
And I'm pretty sure the massive amount of buttons one needs to do things such as queue up downloads, delete files and browse the marketplace - appear onscreen.
Nice troll though.