Minority Report Style Dashboard for 360

Many of you, like me, were disappointed that Microsoft didn’t release a dashboard update this Spring. No real reason was given for the lack of an update, other than “we are concentrating on getting the DRM tool for our users.” That’s good that they were finally sorting out that problem, but that shouldn’t stop them from updating the bland looking Dashboard and Marketplace, should it? With Sony’s XMB and PSN store looking rather sexy and with new features being added, many people are staring to wonder: what has Microsoft been up to?

It seems Kotaku has been wondering that same question and have gotten some very interesting answers from unnamed people. The first story that popped up on their website reported that the reason the Spring Update never hit was the fact that Microsoft has something much bigger and better in place for the Dashboard. Taken from the site:

“We’re now hearing from a number of sources that the Live Dashboard is going to be getting a second interface option, one that will use the yet-to-be announced motion controller to navigate. This new user interface, we’ve been told, will recreate the increasingly cluttered dashboard "blade" system in a 3D environment that will be something more akin to the Minority Report than a filing cabinet. The motion controls will allow users to sort of slide through the different levels of this floating menu system.”

The news doesn’t stop here, either. The next day, Kotaku published a follow-up to that rumor with even more information. Taken from their report:

“We’ve since heard from sources a little closer to the matter that the GUI (graphical user interface) parts are around ’95% correct.’ They tell us that design agency Schematic are working on the project.”

What is Schematic, you ask? They have been doing GUIs recently for mega-publisher EA Sports. Also, and add this to the “one hell of a coincidence” category, Chief Creative Officer at Schematic Dale Herigstad was one of the guys who actually helped with creating the motion-controlled interfaces that were featured in Minority Report. I, for one, certainly don’t mind if this is the reason why Microsoft skipped the Spring Update, as this would put Live into a league of its own. Microsoft’s E3 press conference is going to be interesting indeed.

TGR Verdict: Likely