As much as Microsoft have transformed the Xbox 360 from a dedicated gaming console to a living-room-bound, all-round entertainment hub, a standout feature that has been missing from one of the tech giant’s prized possessions is the implementation of a web browser– taken from the PC, and adapted for the Dashboard. However, sources of The Verge are claiming that an instance of Internet Explorer 9 – that has been modified to take advantage of Kinect-related hardware – is “currently being tested” for use on the 360, meaning that Xbox users may finally be able to browse the Internet from the Dashboard!
According to ‘those familiar with the matter’, IE9 for the Xbox 360 is being developed with Kinect hardware in mind, end-users can expect to be able to take advantage of voice-controlled search engine queries (which, of course, will be powered by Bing) and hand-gesture navigation — so please, leave your mouse and keyboard at the door, ladies and gentlemen.
Although no release date has been confirmed for IE9’s Xbox debut, we can hope that E3 plays host to a live demonstration. Fingers crossed.