Microsoft has unveiled a new way of integrating existing smart devices with a new software to rival the next-generation console, Wii U, called Xbox Smartglass.
This technology, unveiled at their press conference at E3 2012, will allow the Xbox, Windows 8 tablets and Windows phones to communicate to each other to make the media its users watch, listen to and play more “immersive” and “interactive” but has also said that Smartglass might also be compatible with Apple’s products, the iPhone and iPad, and Google’s Android based systems.
It does this by allowing Windows 8 tablets to act as a controller, with the ability to send movies, TV shows and music to Xbox to be viewed on the television. The tablet provides users with more information on what they are watching, listening to or playing. This was demonstrated when an episode of Game of Thrones was being played on the television, the tablet showed us a map of Westeros, the land where the TV series is based, and where the on-screen characters were at that moment on the map.
When playing games, the tablet could act as a controller, much like the controller of Nintendo’s upcoming console, Wii U, to control the action. There were demonstrations of this for Madden NFL game, using Smartglass to change tactics and control players on the tablet.
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