Xbox 360 system software

• Update to default settings; visible only to certain users in the EU^[5]
• Netflix style changed
• Fixed some bugs on dashboard

• Displaying the incorrect playlist name when launching a playlist from Xbox SmartGlass to the console^[6]
• An error with Xbox Video closed-captioning^[6]
• An error with Xbox Music that some were experiencing^[6]

• Internet Explorer browser to Apps^[7]
• "My Pins" panel^[7]
• "Recent" panel^[7]
• Recommendation panels to Dashboard^[7]
• Ability to name console from settings^[7]
• Access to Xbox Video and Xbox Music apps^[7]
• Gamertag in corner of screen now shows user's email address
• "Security Proofs" under Account Security
• Smaller background stage size^[7]
• Combined TV and Video into TV & Movies^[7]
• Removed Companion Devices from Console Settings^[7]
• Removed Facebook & Twitter from Social Apps with introduction of Internet Explorer

Unpublished Changes:

• Authentication servers updated
• Added support for up to 32GB USB drives
• Removed "quick play" feature, replacing it with "recent".

Kinect Changes

• Adds voice commands to Brazil but Bing voice search isn't available yet.

• Bing voice search available in Australia and New Zealand^[8]

Unpublished Changes:

• CB is split into two pieces
• CB boot chain had been refurbished (CB 5772, 6752, 4577)

• Avatar Store added to social on the Dashboard
• Updates to the Avatar Store
• Adds "Manage Exercise Info" to player's Profile
• Adds the option to select or remove TV providers in Settings/TV
• Adds the option to turn off Ratings Collection Sound in Settings/Console Settings/Audio
• Disables support for unlicensed 3rd-party wireless controllers (e.g. Datel Wildfire Evo).^[10]
• Bing Pictures in Bing Search switch now in every country

Xbox Live Changes

• Improvements and preparation for future Xbox Live Enhancements^[11]

Unpublished Changes:

• CB bootloader has changed
• RC4 keystream calculation has changed (Salt added to process block)

• Fixes voice recognition issues for non-English users^[12]

Unpublished Changes:

• CB bootloader has changed

• Fixes color space issue and improves overall performance.^[13]
• Requires Credit Card to be added to use the 1 Month Gold free trial membership (Free trial will now be set initially for Auto-Renewal.)^[14]

Unpublished Changes:

• CB bootloader has changed

• Complete design change in the Metro Design Language, with an interface similar to the Windows Phone and Windows 8 operating system.
• Reorganized menus

System Software Changes

• Anti-Piracy 2.5/2.6 scheme updated (Checks different for each console)
• Cloud Storage for Games Saves and Xbox Live Profiles. (Requires Xbox Live Gold subscription)^[17]
• Facebook Sharing.^[17]
• Stereoscopic 3D for games & experiences that support it.^[18][19]
• Support for dual play.^[20]
• Updated Standard and Kinect Dashboard with Full Voice.^[21]
• Bing on Xbox Live (search).^[21]
• Beacons^[21]
• New toast notifications: (Gamertag) plays this

Xbox Live Changes

• Expanded Kinect Voice Support.^[21]
• Netflix UI changed
  • Netflix parties removed
• Live television on Xbox 360 with Bing Search support.^[21]

This is a general system maintenance update and there are no new features that will show up once the system has been updated.

• Support for real time update dae.bin table Anti-Piracy 2.5/2.6 over Xbox Live
• Update contained a compatibility patch for the new Xbox 360 Speed Wheel.

• Mandatory update that prepared for subsequent growth of the service.^[23]
• Anti-Piracy 2.5 scheme updated to 2.6
• Reflashes the DVD drive PLDS DG-16D4S new stock firmware 0272 and locks SPI.

(Released in 6 Waves)

• Reflashes the DVD drives to support XGD3 Media : PLDS DG-16D4S, PBDS VAD6038 and PLDS DG-16D2S, to a new stock firmware : 0272, 04421C, 02510C. Also patches Samsung MS25 & MS28.
• Anti-Piracy 2.5 scheme updated.
• Support for the new XGD3 disc format for games, adds 1GB of usable disk space and extra anti-piracy features to new games.
• Adds a new 1 hour Auto-Off setting in addition to the 6 hour Auto-Off setting previously available.

Xbox Live Changes

• Adds PayPal support as a payment option for all Xbox Live users, except : Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Taiwan.^[24]

Other

• Minor bugfix.

• Adds further anti-piracy 2.5 scheme to more popular games Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
• Fixes ‘Boot to Disc’ option.

• Kinect Dashboard from NXE
• Adds the ability to install game updates to the HDD. (select games only)
• Adds the new anti-piracy 2.5 scheme to newly released games Fable III, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Adds a visual refresh to incorporate elements of Microsoft's Metro design style.
• New boot screen animation with redesigned Xbox 360 orb and ribbons.
• Improved Avatars to 2.0 version with human-like proportions.
• Improved HDD load time.

Xbox Live Changes

• Adds ESPN as an app download via Xbox Live. Certain ISPs do not support the service. ESPN can be limited or blocked entirely.^[25]
• Updates Zune adding Zune Music and ZunePass functionality.
• Updates Game Marketplace with a Metro-style redesign and easier navigation.
• New codec for Xbox Live voice chat that improves communication quality.
• Better connection when using a wireless network adapter.
• Improved Netflix integration by enabling to search the entire Netflix catalog from within the console.^[26]
• Added Netflix support for Canada.
• Improved "toast" notifications. One example being "Friends using this app" now shows when a friend uses Facebook instead of it referred to as a "game" when it's started.

Kinect Changes

• Adds a motion menu specialized for Kinect under system settings.
• Adds Kinect Functionality for Zune, Last.fm, Sky Player.
• Adds Video Kinect as an app download via Xbox Live. This app lets players video chat with the Kinect sensor bar.

• Allows up to two USB flash drives or external hard drives to be used for storing profiles, game saves, demos and more up to 16 GB each, 32GB combined.
• Allows content transfer to another attached storage device. Content transfer does not copy installed games.^[27]
• Restores to banned consoles the ability to install games to hard drive, which decreases load times and eliminates noise due to disc spin.

• Disables support for 3rd-party memory cards (e.g. Datel Max Memory).^[28]
• Detects all consoles with any firmware version of Xtreme or iXtreme until 1.61.
• Disables hard drive installs for banned consoles, can no longer be used as a media center, and user information, such as profiles and game saves, appear corrupted when used on another console.

Xbox Live Changes

• Enables (previously inactive) WPA2 support for the official Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter.^[29]
• Enabled Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune Marketplace on November 17, 2009. Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm are only available to Xbox Live Gold Members.

• Mandatory update that prepared for subsequent growth of the Xbox 360 console and/or Xbox Live. Specifically, preparations for the additions of Facebook, Twitter, and Last.fm to the dashboard.^[30]

• Fixes the JTAG hack.
• Update that fixes issues with limited games and with dashboard.^[32]
• Adds Display Discovery to allow console to override factory settings for HDTV resolutions and refresh rates. Also discovers the best possible resolution and refresh rates that the HDTV is capable of displaying (Selected HDTVs).
• Adds HDMI Reference Levels
• Fixes a vulnerability used to run arbitrary code.^[33]
• Ability to eject tray using a gamepad even when a disc is already inserted. (X Button)
• Improves Xbox Guide performance.
• Reduces hard drive game installation sizes.^[34]
• Adds a Clear Cache option to the storage units.

Xbox Live Changes

• Adds the Avatar Marketplace.
• Adds Games on Demand to the Game Marketplace.
• Community Games rebranded to Indie Games.
• Adds the ability to rate content (Uses a 5-star rating system).
• Introduces Xbox Live Gold Member Veteran Status.
• Improves Netflix.
  • Users can now change the instant queue from the console.
  • Adds Netflix movie parties.
• Adds a "Prizes" area to Xbox Live Primetime.
• Xbox Live Primetime^[35] (Summer 2009).^[36]
  • Play game shows with friends over Xbox Live to win Microsoft Points and Themes (For example: 1 vs. 100).

• Update that fixes issues with limited games and blow your e-fuses(makes it non-jtagable).^[37]

• Mandatory update that fixed HDMI audio issues caused by the New Xbox Experience update.^[38]

System Software Changes

• Completely redesigned GUI with a navigation system similar to that of Windows Media Center.
  • New pop-up/in-game Live Guide, using a redesigned version of the blades interface.^[40]
  • New sound effects (menus only, notification sounds remain the same).
  • Ability to preview themes before setting them.
  • Ability to disable notifications (new messages, chat requests, etc.) or mute the notification sound.
• Support for 1440×900 and 1680×1050 16:10 resolutions (letterboxed) over VGA, HDMI and when using DVI.
• Ability to change to QWERTY keyboard in place of alphabetical keyboard.

Xbox Live Changes

• Xbox Live Party allowing for eight-person chat and image sharing.
• Fully customizable Avatars for use in upcoming games and on Xbox Live.^[41] (Some current games also received an update on November 19 to support the new Avatars).^[42]
• Access Xbox Live Marketplace on a PC via Xbox.com with the ability to queue downloads to the Xbox 360.^[43]
• Ability to watch Netflix movies on an Xbox 360. (User must be in the US, a Gold Xbox Live member, and a Netflix Unlimited subscriber)
• Increases the Active Downloads queue limit from 6 to 40.

Other

• Option to install games to hard drive in order to decrease load times and to make the hardware quieter. The disc must still be present for the game to load.
• Information from Xbox Live regarding the game in the disc tray.
• Quick Launch for launching games on the console.
• Ability to remove games with 0 gamerscore from the profiles played games list.
• Upon starting any Xbox 360 game, users will be notified if any of their friends and/or party are playing the same game.
• Auto Start – Option to set whether one wants the disc to run/or stay idle when the disc tray closes with a game or media disc inside, by default it's set to run.

NOTE: Update requires 128 MB of free memory

• Microsoft has stated that the NXE will be released to non Xbox Live members (e.g.: on DVD in OXM) at a later date.^[44] It is now also available with certain games on the disc itself.^{[citation needed]}

• Mandatory update that prepared for subsequent growth of the service.^[45]

• Mandatory update that prepared for subsequent growth of the Xbox 360 console and/or Xbox Live.^[46][47]

• Support for MPEG-4 Part 2 video playback and AC3 audio. (With Optional Media Update)
• Original Xbox games played now appear in the user's played games list.
• Parental Timer.
• Xbox Guide opens significantly faster.
• Game gameplay fades out when console is turned off.
• Redesigned user interface.
• Improved performance.^[1][48]

Xbox Live Changes

• Inside Xbox news feed.
• The marketplace has been redesigned and is now more organized.
• The user's downloaded videos are now organized by TV show and season.
• Social Networking features.

Other

• Players can now put their name, city of residence and a biography under their gamertag.
• Adds the ability to view users' friends' friends list (Friends of Friends).
• Xbox Live Arcade trial games are no longer written to Gamercard.

• Prepared the system for communication with the Xbox 360 Big Button Controller (bundled with Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action).

• Prepared the system for communication with the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Les Paul wireless guitar controller.^[49]

• Switchable aspect ratio during video playback (Auto to Letterbox, Zoom, Stretch, Native).
• The information bar that turns on via the On-Screen Display (OSD) now shows exactly how much time has lapsed in the playback of the video file.
• Windows Media protected content (WM-DRM), which can now be streamed from the PC to the console. If the WM-DRM license is missing or corrupted, then a specific error message is displayed to the user. Bookmarking is also stored for protected content.
• Option to boot straight into Media Center Extender mode (as well as changing the MC logo to the Vista version).
• Low-power background download function. The storage device, one core of the CPU, the fans, and any other components required for downloading remain powered, but rest of the system, such as the GPU and the disc drive, is shut off. System completely powers off once downloads are complete.
• Download blocks to prevent a download from starting if it will not fit onto a storage device, without deducting any points associated with the content item.

Xbox Live Changes

• A separate, fifth blade for the Marketplace.
• A more consistent interface for the Marketplace.
• Option to automatically download all free Xbox Live Arcade games.

Other

• Two new languages, Russian and Polish.
• Title of a game (when inserted into system) appears in the tray icon on the Dashboard menu. When highlighted, achievements and Gamerscore are displayed for that game based on the signed-in user.
• Support for MPEG-4 videos.
• Windows Live Messenger integration with the Dashboard.
• Support for "Reference Levels" to video.
• The ability to see the percentage of downloaded Video Marketplace content and where the ‘chapters’ exist for the said file.
• More specific “Achievement Unlocked” message, detailing the achievement unlocked and how many points it is worth.

• Fixed a Privilege escalation vulnerability in the Hypervisor that allowed non-signed code (such as Linux) to run on the Xbox 360, with direct hardware access.

• Improved performance on wired headsets when used with a wireless controller.

Other

• Video output issues on VGA connections fixed.

• Support for 1080p video output.
• Support for the external HD DVD drive attachment.
• Cosmetic changes to the Dashboard.

Xbox Live Changes

• Support for Zune.
• Option for automatic downloading of trial versions of newly released titles in Xbox Live Arcade.

Other

• Streaming of WMV files from a computer through the use of Windows Media Connect, connected USB device, CD or a DVD.
• Windows Media Player 11 as a supported streaming program.

• Improved character recognition for users with the localized Chinese language version of the dashboard on their Xbox 360(s).^[50]

• Option to resume DVD playback from where it was last stopped.
• Option to boot to either a disc or the dashboard when system is turned on.
• New slideshow options for Photo Viewing, which can save folder layouts between sessions.
• Concurrent downloads, allowing multiple downloads as background tasks.

Xbox Live Changes

• Xbox Live Marketplace was reorganized.

• Prepared console for subsequent system and title updates.^[51]

• Improvements to the Xbox Guide.
• Option to retain saved games when a profile is deleted.
• More detailed messaging for unreadable disc or region errors.^[52]

Xbox Live Changes

• Network configuration improvements for Xbox Live members in the Netherlands.

Other

• Increased accuracy of "last time played".

• Update available at product launch.

• Original shipped version (The backup of 2.0.1888.0 remains in the backup kernel storage).