OneGuide on SmartGlass and external storage support are coming to the Xbox One in the upcoming Dashboard update.
Microsoft said that it would be bringing the entire OneGuide experience and the Universal Remote Control to SmartGlass, the service which lets you control your Xbox with your phone and tablet.
Larry Hryb, director of programming for Xbox said: “You can view all of your TV listings on your SmartGlass device and set and view your favourite channels and app channels on your smart phone, tablet or PC.”
Back in April, Microsoft revealed that UK viewers would soon be able to access TV listings through their Xbox One and invited gamers to take part in a trial. This will be fully rolled out in June.
With the SmartGlass app or the Universal Remote Control, you’ll be able to switch channels, set new recordings and select and access recorded content from their DVR – essentially turning SmartGlass into a Sky+-type TV app.
Hryb added that the OneGuide update would also bring Kinect voice commands for controlling set-top boxes. Hopefully recording your favourite shows will be as easy as shouting ‘Xbox, record EastEnders’.
Following the update, the Xbox One will also be able to support external hard drives. Aimed primarily at gamers, this feature will let you plug in up to two USB 3.0 hard drives as once, expanding the storage capacity of your console.
The idea is that you’ll be able to take your content to a friend’s house and play on their Xbox One, without you having to re-download any games or DLC.
There’s no mention if you’ll be able to stream any media files from hard drives after the update. But if you want to play any content you’ve acquired elsewhere through your Xbox One, then you can already do this; you’ll need to install Xbox Video (for movies) and Xbox Music (for music) on your console and simply send content to your Xbox One with a DLNA-certified device.
Shortly after the Dashboard update becomes available in June, all Xbox Live members will be able to access popular gaming and entertainment apps without a Gold membership.
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