by Bret

BBC iPlayer comes to Xbox!

I think many will agree that this is news that we’ve been waiting on for some time now!

Finally the xbox has iplayer! I hear my Wii weeping (wiiping?) over the loss of its last shred of usefulness.

Behold the info:
“The BBC and Microsoft today announced the launch of the BBC’s popular video-on-demand service, BBC iPlayer, on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE free platform. BBC iPlayer is now available on every major gaming platform in the UK.

 

The launch means the BBC is the only UK content provider to make its programmes available for free to all Xbox 360 users in the UK. Users will be able to catch up on all the BBC programmes they know and love in a familiar, easy to use BBC iPlayer experience.

 

Xbox 360 users with Kinect will benefit from enhanced functionality. For the first time it is possible for BBC iPlayer users to discover and play programmes using hand gestures and voice recognition.

 

The launch on Xbox LIVE today, together with the launch on Sky later this year, will bring the service to millions of new users via the TV and builds on a substantial history of industry partnerships.  BBC iPlayer is now on over 450 platforms and devices including Virgin Media, BT Vision, FreeSat, Freeview, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and hundreds of mobile phones, tablets, and internet-connected TVs.

 

Daniel Danker, BBC General Manager, Programmes & On-Demand, said: “Xbox is hugely successful in the UK.  Given the BBC’s goal to reach its entire audience, I’m particularly excited that the BBC will be bringing iPlayer to all Xbox users at no extra cost as part of Xbox LIVE’s free membership.”

 

“As we continue our work to make BBC iPlayer as simple as possible, we’re also excited to experiment with natural user interfaces made possible with Kinect, including voice and gesture control.  We believe it’s early days for these experiences, but see a great future working with partners such as Microsoft on innovations like these.”

 

Stephen McGill, Director of Xbox and Entertainment for Microsoft, said: “We are delighted that BBC iPlayer is now available on Xbox LIVE. Xbox 360 was the best-selling console in the UK and globally last year, while Xbox LIVE is one of the UK’s leading comprehensive VOD entertainment services on TVs. The addition of BBC iPlayer takes the service to the next level. We offer a formidable line-up of the best TV and entertainment – both live and on-demand – from providers such as Sky, Channel 4, Channel 5, Netflix, LOVEFiLM, Blinkbox, MSN, YouTube and many others.

 

“The way people interact with entertainment content is changing. Xbox LIVE is the only service in the world where you can search, discover and control TV, movies, video and music using voice and gesture via the power and magic of Kinect.”

 

The BBC has seen 433 million requests on TV* devices in 2011.  This means one in four iPlayer requests are on the TV*.  At this rate, the BBC projects that by 2015, over 50% of requests will be via TV* devices.

 

For more information on BBC iPlayer on Xbox LIVE, Head of BBC iPlayer Dave Price, has blogged about the service on BBC Internet blog from March 20th: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/”

 
[sociable]

Skyrim 1.5 update- bug fixes and brand new kill cams!

Behold, Skyrim update goodness- now featuring more than just repairs!

 

Bethesa today released the PC version of the 1.5 update via steam. What does it do? Watch above and read here!

This is a beta update (why?), so maybe it’ll fall off once you get going, but it looks promising. I expect console users will get it after the PC users have provided free testing.

The new cams look nice. I wish I’d had cams for bow and arrow when I played through the game! Mayhaps it is time to pick it up again and search out those few lingering unfinished quests.

There are several bug fixes in addition to the new prettyness so this is a meaty, substantial update. Hopefully this is groundwork for the first of the DLC…

Enjoy cinematic hollywood cams that spice up your murders faster than you can say “breaking the atmosphere”.

 
[sociable]

Marchlands

Knock, knock.

“Come in, dearie, there’s a coney stew on the fire for a hungry traveller,” croaks the old bint.

The door creaks; a waft of stew and smoke, of damn timbers and urine greets your questing nostrils.

Inside the cabin, the old woman stirs the stew pot, her ropey arms turning slow circles beneath a tattered old shawl.

You enter and sit. She turns, peers at you shrewdly.

“Take your boots of, you great big tart,” she orders.

You cannot; they are nailed to your feet. You struggle with them, hopping around, only to fall into the firepit and be scalded to death by coney stew.

The last thing you see is a boiling hot carrot lancing into your face.

 

In other words, it’s March. I’m on holiday for a week, but busy with various things:

1. Nan’s Birthday. Looking forward to seeing Nan. Shame she’s in a home instead of her own home, but needs must. She’s also hard as nails.

2. Seven year anniversary of me and Becki togetherorisity. Holy steam cotton! Where to go, what to do? Peak District, mayhaps?

3. Try to remember when my car insurance is up and not fail to sort that out.

4. As much writing as I can handle. Chiefly, organising my shorts (ho ho) into a compilation. Editing, editing, editing, and possibly writing one new one.
So I’m going to be busy. Still, it’s well sunny. Good times. Annoyingly I have a cold and sore throat and some kind of jaw pain, but they are passing.

I also weighed myself today and hadn’t lost any for the first time since January the 1st. A quirk of daily weight fluctuation, or a marker of the point where I have to work much harder to lose weight?

I suppose I’ll find out next week.

Peace be with you all.

Bearded, wordsmith the.