The New Xbox Experience (NXE) is quite the reimagining of the overall user interface system we have been accustomed to for the past three years. I was lucky enough to have been selected to be one of the preview program participants and have spent some quality time with the new dashboard so I figured that I would share some of my thoughts. There are some similarities to be found, but oh so many differences and changes for the better – so let’s get into it.

What to like about the NXE:

• The fresh new look
• A responsive and intuitive interface
• The new, all inclusive guide (accessed via the Xbox guide button)
• The new Parties integration (up to 8 players)
• Game installs to the 360 Hard Drive
• The new marketplace (finding content is much easier now)
• Netflix streaming w/ HD content coming at launch

These are the features that I feel add the most to the overall 360 experience. You may have noticed that I did not highlight the Avatars feature. The reason being is that I don’t feel this is a feature that currently adds a whole lot to the overall interface utilization. I know there will be more to come with regards to Avatars, but for me it is currently not that big of a deal. This said you will need to choose, create, and/or customize an Avatar when you first get into the NXE. The process is easy and intuitive though the variety of choices is a bit limited. However, I am sure this will change significantly after the official launch with new clothing and the like being made available.

Now onto one of my favorite NXE features, the new and improved guide featuring similar functionality to the original blade style interface. This is quite literally your one stop shop for quick access to just about everything including your friends, your media, the Live Marketplace, system settings, etc. The best thing about it is that it’s available no matter where you are, in game, watching a video, listening to music, or even utilizing the Media Center Extender functionality of the 360. Overall I found that getting from one area to the next was far more efficient and I feel that this feature will be the most utilized by far.

Another feature worth noting is the new Live Marketplace which offers far more detail than before. When you select an item to view you are now presented with such things as enhanced descriptions, screen shots (for game content), and quick links to related content. Additionally, you can now search for content alphabetically which does make it easier to find content specific to games, as well as movies and other items of interest. In all this makes for a greatly improved experience that will only get better with the ability to also find and purchase Marketplace content via Xbox.com, of which your 360 will then download the next time it connects to Live.

What I think should be added:

• Visual customization (e.g., a transparency adjustment for increased theme visibility)
• Theme creation and customization (use different images for the Channel backgrounds)
• Support for more friends to be able to partake in a Party (of course we all want more)

Of course there is probably a list of a million other things that everyone would like to see and supposedly we will see far more frequent improvements and features added in the future as a result of the NXE update. This is a good thing!

There are a host of new features that are too many to even begin to sum up here, but overall I am very impressed with the NXE and what it brings to the 360. It is a reinvention of the system in many ways and I think the benefits and improvement are quite significant. With the official launch coming in just a few days, we all have a lot to look forward to, as I truly feel that Microsoft is becoming ever more attuned to the wants and needs of the core gamer demographic as well as media enthusiast.

|Xbox.com|

Chris

Image Source: Flickr - Major Nelson

Well not really a city of gold per say, yet a period treatment applied to the image resulting in something classic, something more distinctive. Light, shadow, scratches, and film grain all added to bring about this perspective. The setting here is that of beautiful downtown Indianapolis, Indiana looking south from Monument Circle. (more…)

This is 11th Street, do you recognize it? Well more precisely it is a sign for 11th Street residing in downtown Indianapolis, IN. This work is based off an image I took this past July while in Indy for the NASCAR race. I liked the perspective of the shot as well as the all the little details contained within and decided to create the following work from it. (more…)

A good friend of mine has recently launched a new website, Bella Casa Portraits dot com, and I wanted to help spread the word. The site is run by Tracy VonGruben, a very talented artist and all around wonderful person. Given that I have had the pleasure of viewing some of her work first hand I am excited to be able to share this with everyone as a way to help promote her talents.

Bella Casa specializes in Residential Portraits which is essentially the creating of a unique piece of artwork that features ones home as the focus. Given most people have great affection for their homes, this allows for an inspired way by which to capture a memorable artistic vision of what is typically ones most cherished possession.

All of Tracy’s works are done by hand using quality materials and the results are amazing. Have a look at the Bella Casa Gallery and see some wonderful examples of her work for yourself, as I don’t believe you will be disappointed with what you find there.

So are you interested in a house portrait, perhaps for yourself, or a loved one? Then please visit Bella Casa and allow them the opportunity to earn your business. As I have mentioned, Tracy is a good friend of mine, and I appreciate you taking the time to patronize her new endeavor.

|Bella Casa Portraits|

Chris

The new Terminator movie is definitely looking good and this teaser trailer offers some pretty decent hints as to what we can expect when the war between man and machine begins May 22, 2009. The trailer is now airing in front of The Dark Knight, although I can say that I did not see it before the IMAX showing I attended, so it may be limited to just the regular screens.

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I am most definitely looking forward to a new Terminator movie and what the future holds for this franchise. For a bit more information have a look at the movies official site as well as its Wikipedia entry (links below). So what do you think of the new Terminator movie thus far, excited, or not so much?

|Terminator Salvation| |Wikipedia Entry|

Chris

Well I am now officially a Playstation 3 owner, as of the release of the MGS4 Bundle Pack. This was a long time coming and with the downfall of HD DVD, I knew the days were limited until I broke down and bought a PS3. With the inclusion of the MGS4 game and the new Dual Shock controller, the time was right.

Primarily, I think the system will serve as a Blu-ray player, but I am optimistic about the coming line-up of exclusive titles coming to the PS3. Either way in spending the last few days with the system I have found it to be a well thought out piece of hardware and a very capable gaming platform, as I have been most impressed with MGS4. Now granted I still have a few gripes with regards to the online play, and not having a unified online gaming experience, but it seems like some well needed changes are coming to address this.

Overall I am looking forward to spending more time with the system and getting to experience all of the functionality it has to offer as a gaming and multimedia device. It will take some time to get acquainted with the PS3, but I will most likely be sharing more of my thoughts in greater detail at a later date. In the mean time, I have some high-def gaming and movie watching to do…

Chris

I know it has been a while since I have posted a movie review, but given the release of the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, I figure I was due for another. It is hard to describe the feeling of anticipation I had for this film, although I am sure I was not alone in this. Just the very idea that another Indy movie had now come to fruition, seemed too good to be true. Having grown up with these films and loving each and every one, I was more than ready to sit down, and strap in for yet another adventure.

So where to start and more importantly how do I sum this experience up? Well quite simply, I had a blast watching this movie. The memories of my childhood were reawakened and I was yet again taken in by the majesty that is an Indiana Jones adventure. Indy 4 remains true to the franchise in most every way possible, style, presentation, editing, music, effects, action, and most importantly the fun factor. If you are intimately familiar with the other films you will catch my meaning in saying this.

Spielberg, Lucas, and Ford yet again team up to bring Indy back and to tell another tale of adventure with a more, shall we say seasoned, Dr. Henry Jones Jr. As one would expect, Ford gives a spot on performance, and seeing the return of Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), seems to bring the series full circle in some ways, but yet open to future possibilities in others. Furthermore, the addition of Shia LaBeouf brings a sense of youthful flamboyance and pays great compliment to Fords gracefully aged character.

Seeing another Indy film actually made me bust out the originals and watch them yet again in succession. I simply felt compelled to watch the movies I remembered so fondly from my childhood. For this reason alone I heartily recommend Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It is a worthy successor to the previous films and a fun addition to the series overall.

In the end this is a must see film for any fan, and is fun for all ages. So go on, stop reading this, as you have a new adventure to take part in. This movie is best experienced, not described, so what are you waiting for? Just go…

|Indiana Jones???????? ????? ????????|

Chris

This can be a very interesting question as there are many possible answers to it. For some it may be away to share in discovery or education, for others it may be a social outlet or online diary that is shared with the world. The point is that we all blog for our own unique reasons as well as goals.

The reason I bring this up is that I read an interesting article today on CNN?????????????????? that had to do with blogging being related to the practice of group therapy. And it got me thinking about what is truly so attractive about sharing information, albeit personal, creative, or otherwise, with the general public? Furthermore, are there benefits that are attained, perhaps even subconsciously, that are truly therapeutic or self-enlightening?

These are very interesting questions that are worth reflecting upon for those of us that blog and are willing to share thoughts, ideas, learning’s, creative perspective, and the like with others. Now some do blog to make a living, but whether this is true for you or not, a passion for it must still result from the attainment of some personal benefit from the overall process, right? I could be way off base here, but I think it is an interesting topic of discussion at the very least.

For me it is quite simply something that allows me to speak to whatever really comes to mind. It allows for me to be expressive, perhaps more than I would be through traditional conversation or other forms of social interaction. And at the very least if what one has to say is out there, its chances of being found and utilized in some way are all the greater.

So is it therapeutic for me personally? Perhaps in some ways yes, but it is something I enjoy when I have the time to do it, and I think that is really what is most important. And that which makes one happy is definitely offering positive reinforcement in some form or another, I would think.

So how about you, why do you blog? The article linked to above offers some great points of interest in this regard and is definitely worth a read.

Chris

Hello fellow Flickr friends! I just wanted to take a brief moment to share with you a Flickr group that I was recently made aware of and of which I believe is worth your time. “1 Million” is a group that is all about taking the simplest efforts on the part of a wonderful online community, that of joining a Flickr group and posting an image, to perhaps in turn make the lives of those less fortunate a bit more favorable.

Now what is this group’s goal? Well that can best be summed up by this statement from the group’s official site.

“1 million” is a group on photo-sharing site flickr with the aim of raising loads of money for charity.

It is one of many groups on flickr that have specific aims. Most of these groups are for members to share images of a certain nature or subject, e.g. “Robbie Williams”, or “global warming”.

The simple aim of “1 million” is to get a group membership of 1 million members each posting their best photograph. These photographs will then be published in a series of books for sale, with profits going to a nominated charity. There may also be exhibitions and other limited edition products available - depending on the consensus within the group.

Seems like something worthwhile, right? Now I don’t know if the group will achieve its goal, but I am hoping it does. If successful, I think it will serve as an amazing example of what can be accomplished on the part of an online community, and people just wanting to do something to make the world a better place.

I am sure you all have a special photo that showcases your talented eye, so do share it and help in making this a success we can all be proud in having participated in. Oh, and of course this is a great place to view some stunning photos as well, some of the very best.

|1 Million Group| |1 Million Website| |1 Million Blog|

Chris

This stylistic representation of an old time shoe shop was created using a single perspective photograph that I had taken a while back. The result makes use of various filters as well as some quality time with the burn, smudge, and liquify tools in photoshop. (more…)