I reviewed the iOS Xbox SmartGlass app for MacNewsWorld, “Xbox SmartGlass: Not Quite the One, But Worth a Date or Two,” with three out of five stars. The super short version?
The Xbox SmartGlass app is:
- great for the virtual keyboard for searching
- a passable, though not fantastic, navigation tool
- a promising new option that could extend the content viewing and game playing experience
- best for buyers who subscribe and pay for Microsoft ecosystem content
Comparing the Xbox 360 to Apple TV
The Xbox 360 and Apple TV are two different species of animals but beg some comparisons in that they both deliver entertainment to the living room HDTV.
As for the Apple world, I’d like to be able to use my Apple TV to display the screen from my iPhone 5 while I play Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. Of course, I’m not sure how that would look in reality — I’m sure there’s some pixel problems to be sorted out when a fast and graphically dense game would need to show up on your HDTV’s screen moving from your iPhone 5 to the Apple TV and then into a 720p or 1080p HDTV running at a variety of specifications. In this situation, the Apple TV would likely need to serve up the game apps with the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad being a controller. And that might mean that current generations of Apple TVs aren’t really up to the challenge.
There’s opportunity for Apple to beef up the living room experience, and while Apple is moving at a snail’s pace, Microsoft is pushing the Xbox 360 in new directions every week or so.
