The SmartGlass is more than half full for Microsoft Xbox

Ahead of the E3 Expo's first full day, Microsoft unveiled "Xbox SmartGlass", which is an app not a piece of glass. The agnostic application runs on Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows 8 -- and its synergy with the latter matters most to Microsoft.

In a platform that I can only say out-Wii's the Wii, SmartGlass will bring a large dynamic to games and to media playback. Some of the features look similar to Apple's Airplay by allowing users to send video and audio to the TV with a flick of a finger. But there's more -- particularly the content synchronization and integration SmartGlass brings among devices.

The demo started out with the question, "If you are watching Game of Thrones, how can you get more into it?" With SmartGlass, a flip of a finger sends Game of Thrones from a tablet to your Xbox for lossless passover. Where video once played on the tablet there is a map of the land in Game of Thrones where the scene viewers watch takes place.

SmartGlass also transforms the tablet people already own into the equivalent of the Wii gamepad. It allows the user to control play in Madden 2013, for example, or to see inventory in an action adventure game and to switch weapons. In a Halo 4 demo, Xbox SmartGlass allows the gamer to expand his or her knowledge of the Halo Universe; in app Halo Waypoint expand the universe with information of ships, weapons, armor, people and creatures.

Microsoft will finally bring web browsing to its game console, using SmartGlass app enabled devices to control Internet Explorer for Xbox. SmartGlass is coming this fall, which is typical release cycle.

Some of the other major announcements: returns of classic Xbox video game franchises Halo 4 (November 6 release), Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and Fable The Journey -- it has been changed into a far more serious game from the showings at last E3.

Additionally, Xbox will now have kinect audio/input localization in over 20 languages, as well as auto search for movies by category. New movie and show programs will come on Xbox with apps from Nickelodeon, Paramount Movies, and Univision Videos. NHL and NBA will join the services line up for packages users can purchase -- and ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN-U will also join with 24/7 active feeds too. Lastly, Nike is now partnering with Microsoft to bring Nike+ to the Xbox 360 powered by kinect to help you train, build fitness, and integrate a workout program you can compete with you friends over.