Twitter becomes one with live TV in the November 2014 update for Xbox One

By Will Fulton October 22, 2014

november xbox one system update brings personalization twitter plus free game deal

Major Nelson has shared a preview of the November 2014 system update for Xbox One, which will add more customization to your console and profile, along with a variety of improvements to live TV integration and SmartGlass.

Users will finally be able to customize their background, which has been the number one requested feature for quite a while. You can choose between custom colors or achievement art that you have unlocked, with the promise of more options to come. Gamer profiles are also getting a personal touch with the ability to share your location and bio, along with a curated selection of “showcase items,” which includes things like game clips and achievements that you want to show off. If you’re not content to share your game mastery with just people who check out your profile, you can now seamlessly tweet game clips to your followers from the console.

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Twitter has also been worked into the live TV experience, with trending shows listed when you switch over to TV. Programs currently trending on Xbox are also shared. Once you are watching something, MiniGuide helps you keep up with the live Twitter discourse and get involved with the relevant hashtags. MiniGuide will also include an adapting list of your favorite and recent channels. To more easily get to these new features, you can now activate the MiniGuide with the voice command “Xbox Select – MiniGuide” while watching TV.

User interface updates to the store should make it easier to navigate and find the content you want on both the console and SmartGlass companion app. SmartGlass will now track your friends’ recent game activity and share the latest free Games With Gold offerings and discounts being offered, so you can snatch them up while away from the console.

Check out a full preview of the upcoming update over at Major Nelson’s blog. Members of the Xbox One preview program are already live with the update, with the final version set to surface in November.

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Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

Gaming

Your Xbox is becoming carbon aware with new update

Official Xbox art promoting energy saving, carbon awareness, and collective action.

While many fans are waiting for Xbox to reveal the release dates of Redfall and Starfield, or to even hold another game showcase of its own, Microsoft's first significant Xbox-related announcement of the year is about something else entirely. Xbox Insiders will have access to multiple new options to make their Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S more carbon-aware starting today.
To start, the "Shutdown (energy-saving)" power option will be updated to reduce its power consumption even further while still supporting overnight updates; in fact, your Xbox console will now optimize those updates by doing them "when the console can use the most renewable energy in your local energy grid." According to Microsoft, for every two consoles that are in this mode for 20 hours a day for a whole year, the carbon equivalent of a tree that has been growing for over a decade will be saved.

That isn't the only energy-conscious addition in this update, though. A new "Active Hours" setting is coming, which will allow those who choose the "Sleep" power option to boot quickly and support remote waking during set active hours, rather than it always being available. Surprisingly, even Xbox One owners will see a carbon-aware update with the addition of the "Shutdown (energy saving)" power option today, although Microsoft is still in the user feedback stage for that platform.
These carbon-aware updates are available to Xbox Insiders with an Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S starting today, although Microsoft says these additions will come to all current-gen console owners "soon."

Deals

Best Xbox One deals and bundles for December 2022

Xbox One S bundle deals

The Xbox One is here to stay, even with the arrival of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. With its expansive library of games that will keep both casual and hardcore players busy for a long time, the Xbox One remains a meaningful purchase, despite Microsoft's rollout of its new generation of consoles. While it struggled against Sony's PlayStation 4 due to a rocky launch in 2013 because of a limited selection of titles and a higher price tag, the Xbox One gracefully recovered. Helping it bounce back were console exclusives from the Halo, Forza, and Gears of War series. If you're planning to buy the Xbox One to enjoy video game deals on these exclusive titles, as well as popular cross-platform games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Red Dead Redemption 2, we've gathered the best Xbox One deals available online to help you in your search.

Another important characteristic of the Xbox One is its fantastic multimedia capabilities, with the Xbox One S being one of the most affordable 4K media players available on the market. The Xbox One S and the more powerful Xbox One X both boast a 4K Blu-ray player, a feature that isn't found in the PlayStation 4 Pro. For gamers who also want the option to watch their favorite movies and TV shows in crisp 4K from their console, the Xbox One is the machine for you.

Deals

Live now: Save $50 on the Microsoft Xbox Series S Digital Edition deal

An Xbox Series S stands upright next to an Xbox wireless controller.

This content was produced in partnership with GameStop.
It's been notoriously difficult to find some great deals on game consoles this year, and that's if you could find them in stock. Rejoice, because Black Friday and Cyber Week are officially underway, and it's the best time to get deals on just about everything. If you've been waiting for a solid deal on Microsoft's Xbox Series S, listen up. Right now -- yes right this instant -- GameStop is offering $50 off the purchase of a Microsoft Xbox Series S Digital Edition console. That means it's all yours for $250. Brand new. Go ahead and shop that deal below if you're interested, or keep reading for some more details on the console and the offer.

The Xbox Series S Digital Edition is completely digital and does not support physical discs. Going all digital isn't as big of a deal these days, especially if you have Xbox Game Pass for immediate access to some of the best and newest titles available. Even if you don't have Game Pass, it's super easy to get your digital game collection going. Not to mention, GameStop is also hosting some incredible deals this week on controllers, games, and other accessories. Be sure to take a look after you lock down your Series S order.