Skip to main content

Xbox SmartGlass refines the second screen experience, even as the next gen looms

rosathomas
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If Microsoft has its way, every Xbox user will have a tablet or smartphone working in concert with its gaming console.

For those that missed Microsoft’s many attempts to publicize it, Xbox SmartGlass allows smartphones, tablets, or Microsoft Windows 8 PCs to be used as secondary screens for a variety of console-hosted applications. Get the rundown of characters and actors for your favorite TV series, see different camera angles when watching major sports events, be able to check out secondary data when immersed in a game; it’s all things Microsoft has been promising since it debuted SmartGlass back at E3 last year.

But SmartGlass has evolved since its initial release on Windows 8 last August. The app is now available on iOS and Android, though Microsoft’s Rosa Thomas (seen above), principal program manager for SmartGlass, not surprisingly insists that the best SmartGlass experience would continue to be on Microsoft-based hardware. SmartGlass can take advantage of Smart Tiles on Windows Phone or Windows 8, displaying realtime updates of the different connected apps you may have on your Xbox console.

SmartGlass communicates with the console both through the cloud and via a local WiFi connection. Best performance is available when connected on your home WiFi network, but some communication through the cloud still happens. On the developer side, their service looks like a web site to SmartGlass. On the client device, SmartGlass can use the Webkit browser tools – needed for iOS and Android – or an embedded version of Internet Explorer. In other words, SmartGlass is a purpose-built, web-based application.

SmartGlass improves on dedicated apps or browsers because of its ability to automatically discover connectable software on the console after you take the initial step of connecting your handheld device to the Xbox. You don’t have to search for a specific app. The developer can skin SmartGlass to look similar to the app that’s connected.

On the gaming side, SmartGlass already supports Forza Horizon, the most recent iteration of the Forza series of virtual racing games. Route maps can be displayed realtime on the tablet, while certain actions and users can set filters to simplify the map’s appearance.

Phillip Profit of Microsoft’s Advanced Technology Group, demonstrated Ninja Gaiden III: Razor’s Edge running on an Xbox 360 in conjunction with SmartGlass. SmartGlass can show ongoing progress in the game, including near-instantaneous updates to achievements as gamers make progress towards completion. Any particular achievement being worked on will filter to the top of the list, making progress viewing easier.

Track your achievement progress with SmartGlass while playing Ninja Gaiden III.
Track your achievement progress with SmartGlass while playing Ninja Gaiden III. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even cooler is the ability to contextually bring up YouTube videos of how other users may have completed particularly difficult sections of the game. The player doesn’t have to search for a particular section; SmartGlass knows what level is being played and any upcoming bosses on the level, and brings up videos pertinent to traversing the level being played.

Thomas noted during the Q&A session that a few features were deliberately left out. SmartGlass has no access to the Kinect camera, for example – not because of technical limitations, but for privacy reasons. SmartGlass is also currently only made for Xbox play – no support for Windows games is currently in the works.

SmartGlass is a step along the path to seamlessly integrating gaming and multimedia experiences across a variety of devices. It’s Microsoft’s version of having the console experience wherever you go, on whatever mobile device you prefer. Microsoft is thinking along the same lines as Nintendo and its Wii U GamePad, but the potential of SmartGlass is limited only by the ambition of developers, while the GamePad is limited by the hardware. When Microsoft eventually releases its next generation console, you can be sure that SmartGlass will take its place right beside the new system.  

Loyd Case
Former Digital Trends Contributor
After graduating from Western Washington University with a major in Chemistry and Minors in both math and physics, Loyd went…
How to unjam a printer and stop it from happening again
Clearing a jam on the HP Smart Tank 5101 isn't easy.

There are few things as frustrating as a paper jam. Unfortunately, it's all too common for paper jams to happen when you rush to print labels for express shipments or need hard copies for a meeting. That's true on even the best printers.

A printer jam not only stops your progress, but also demands immediate attention because you won't be able to print until it's cleared. It could be a serious mistake to ignore the issue and try printing again since that could damage the printer.

Read more
This Lenovo ThinkPad is usually priced at $2,688 — today it’s $589
The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 3 laptop on a white background.

If you're looking at laptop deals for an offer that will get you a high-performance device for an affordable price, you should check out the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 3, which will be yours for $589. Lenovo says it's a $2,099 discount, but we're not sure about the laptop's original price of $2,688. Nevertheless, it's a powerful laptop for that cost, which should catch the attention of a lot of shoppers. If you're interested, you still have time to take advantage of this bargain, but you should hurry because we're not sure when it will end or when stocks will run out.

Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 3
Lenovo inherited the ThinkPad line from IBM, according to our explainer on the different Lenovo brands, which explains the iconic look, sturdy design, and focus on productivity of the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 3. The laptop will quickly prove that it's a reliable work-from-anywhere partner with its AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 5675U processor and integrated AMD Radeon Graphics, which are combined with 16GB of RAM that's on the level of top-tier machines, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need.

Read more
One of Alienware’s best pre-built gaming PCs has a $400 discount
Alienware Aurora R15 placed at an angle on a table.

Not all gaming PC deals are worth buying, but here's an offer that gamers looking for a new machine shouldn't ignore -- Dell's $400 discount on the Alienware Aurora R15, which brings its price down from $1,600 to $1,200. It's still not what you'd call affordable, but it's a steal price for one of the brand's best pre-built gaming PCs. You're going to have to hurry though, because there's a chance that the bargain will already be gone if you check again tomorrow. Proceed with the transaction right now if you don't want to miss out.

Why you should buy the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PC
The Alienware Aurora R16 has taken the spot of the best Alienware gaming PC in our roundup of the best gaming PCs, but its predecessor, the Alienware Aurora R15, is still a pretty awesome gaming PC by today's standards. Its futuristic design isn't just a gimmick, as the gaming desktop can play the best PC games of today and the upcoming PC games of tomorrow with its 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. The Alienware Aurora R15's internal components are easy to upgrade due to the Alienware Aurora R15's Legend 2.0 design, but you won't have to swap components any time soon.

Read more