It’s not glass. Heck, it’s not even a physical “thing”. What it is though, could be of benefit to gamers, movie lovers, and television aficionados alike. And it will do this by incorporating your iPad or iPhone, Android, or Windows 8 tablet or Windows Phone and the content viewed within and your television set. There is one catch though. You will need an Xbox 360.
If you already own an Xbox 360 or are planning to get one, then SmartGlass should interest you. Details are still forming surrounding the new announcement at E3 2012, but we do know this, SmartGlass will be a free app for your mobile device. It brings together the screen of your tablet device or phone and TV to add immersion and entertainment value in new and exciting ways.
In one demonstration, an episode of Game of Thrones was shown as a tablet running SmartGlass brought up a map with the geographical location and details of the current scene. Another example shows us watching a movie on a mobile device, pausing the movie, and then continuing the same movie from where it was paused. These are interesting features that will get varying amounts of mileage from one consumer to the next.
The gaming arena is where SmartGlass has the biggest potential to engage and entertain. Imagine using your phone or tablet to throw pitches in a baseball game. A friend or family member stands in front of a Kinect sensor and swings an imaginary bat at those pitches. Multiple technologies working in concert to provide new and exciting forms of entertainment. Madden 13 showcased this digital harmony by allowing a player to select their offensive play, even calling an audible and redrawing the wide receiver’s route, all on a touch screen.
Depending on how firmly game developers embrace the technology, SmartGlass could propel the Xbox brand towards being the king of the living room or it may end up being shattered and swept under the rug.