As you’ve probably heard, Microsoft has launched the Windows 8.1 Preview, which includes some new updates for the Xbox entertainment apps on Windows. Today, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson provides a snapshot of what you can experience with Xbox on Windows 8.1 Preview.
With Xbox Games on Windows 8.1, you’ll find improvements to search, including the ability to search from within the Xbox Games app using the new Search bar. You’ll also find user interface updates, so you can browse your friends list or receive content notifications in easy-to-view Tiles, and use Snap to access other apps while gaming.
Meanwhile, the Xbox Video app on Windows 8.1 lets you browse and search the latest blockbuster movies and hit TV shows with a new and improved Windows search, enabling you to access everything from your local drive, to the Web with the power of Bing and easily find content from within the Xbox Video app. You can download your video while you use other apps on your Windows 8 device, or seamlessly snap other apps onto your screen while you watch, including in portrait mode.
As shared previously, the new Xbox Music experience on Windows 8.1 is entirely redesigned from the ground up and will bring music lovers closer to their favorite experiences while still offering free streaming music. Updates available now through the Windows 8.1 Preview include a faster, easier search, with Windows search powered by Bing; improved Collection management, so the music you’ve saved in the Xbox Music cloud and your local music will be at the forefront of the app; and streaming radio stations that are based on artists you like, plus you’ll have faster access to your favorite radio stations that you’ve already created.
Get more details from Major Nelson, and download the Windows 8.1 Preview today.
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Jennifer Chen
Microsoft News Center Staff