Just as it did earlier this year, Microsoft has opened the preview program to let the most hardcore of Xbox 360 owners poke around the updated dashboard -- presumably with access to all the 1080p instant-on streaming, Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm add-ons we've been expecting -- ahead of its official release in order to shake out any remaining bugs. While worldwide console owners should scrape together console IDs, make & model of your TV, router and more in hopes of receiving an invite next week, a little more concrete news is in order for the UK, with the console launch of Sky TV nailed down for October 27. You'll have to wait until then to find out exact pricing and channel line up availability, 'til then it's a matter of finding out who on your friends list is most suited for the inevitable football viewing party.

[Via Joystiq & NeoGAF]

Read - Xbox Live update Preview Program
Read - Xbox.com - Set a date for Sky Player!

Live Sky TV viewing via Xbox 360 didn't make it into the most recent dashboard update, readers report page 17 of the network's most recent SkyMag indicates it will arrive around mid-October. Additional details flesh out what's available, while all Xbox Live Gold members (in the appropriate areas) will get access to the Sky Player similar to the PC implementation, you will need a Sky subscription with the appropriate channels to view sports and movie content. Look out for more updates at the skyplayer.com/xbox360 site, while those of us beyond the network's reach wonder whether we can expect other features like Twitter (you're following us, right?) Facebook and 1080p instant-on movie streaming to arrive at roughly the same time.

[Thanks, David]

It is actually very sad that this is even news. What we mean is that normally we'd expect that two products from the same manufacture would work together, but not when it comes to Microsoft. Either way, Media Center fans with Extenders like the Xbox 360 and the deceased Linksys DMA2100 will be happy to know that HD content from the Zune Marketplace looks great in Media Center. You can see from the screen shot that although it works, it is less than ideal. What we're saying is, would it be so hard to add a little metadata or even an episode number? The other thing is that the content doesn't show up automatically, we had to actually add the location of the content to the video library, which means the TV show we downloaded don't show up with the rest of our recorded TV shows. The good news though is it that playback works as expected, meaning that fast forward, rewind and resume are all there -- but there is that annoying "buffering" message when you skip forward or back. Who knows, maybe sometime between now and the official launch of Windows 7 further interoperability will be added -- doubtful.

Now that everything Zune HD is official and available for pre-order, Microsoft has seen fit to loose official specs, putting to rest -- at least until we can do a full hands on -- questions about what to expect from the OLED touchscreen packing device. From dimensions (52.7 mm x 102.1 mm x 8.9 mm, 2.6 oz) to battery life (24 hours for music with wireless off, up to 4 hours of video) and charge time (3 hours, 2 hours to 90%.) While the official site (incorrectly) currently lists max video res at barely-better-than-DVD 720 x 480, we contacted Microsoft and received the official specs on video support, and if for some reason you needed to hear it again: the Tegra chip is a beast. Ready for HDTV playback when it's plugged into the AV dock, the Zune software supports up to 1280 x 720, 30 frames per second at a max 14 Mbps bitrate for WMV HD and h.264 sources. Confirmed still a bummer? No wireless video streaming from the Zune Video Marketplace, though the specs do indicate that purchases and rentals will work across all three screens, PC, Zune and Xbox 360. Check the corrected specs after the break, now all that's left is getting some alone time with one.

Update: Microsoft has hit us with the corrected & updated spec list with a slight change to battery and charge specs: 33 hours of life playing music with no wireless, up to 8.5 hours of video. 3 hours to charge from PC, 2 hours via AC adapter. Hopefully that's long enough to cover your one man rave in the woods far away from A/C outlets. Check the PDF for yourself, but beware, as Microsoft has informed us one typo remains, as the Zune HD can hold up to 22 / 48 hours (16GB / 32GB) of video optimized for the device, no matter what the official sheet says.

Real simple question. Internet video delivery has been promising to kill disc for about as long as this site has been around, and Microsoft's E3 announcement of 1080p instant streaming with surround sound and even social watching features is merely the latest shot across the bow. So tell us, when it launches this fall will that be enough for you to consider internet video as an alternative to Blu-ray when deciding how to watch a new movie?

Microsoft is busy announcing a slew of upgrades to Xbox Live, and the biggest news so far is relaunch of the video service, now Zune-branded with 1080p instant-on streaming content in 18 countries. XBL is also now integrated with Facebook -- your Facebook account can be linked to your Gamertag, and games will support Facebook Connect for sharing content online. That's pretty huge -- but if that wasn't enough, you're also getting Twitter and Last.fm in the deal. Want more? Netflix users will now be able to browse the entire catalog instead of simply loading their queue, and Microsoft has also gotten its Party Watch system in order, so you'll be able to heckle videos with your online friends. Last but not least, there's now live TV streaming for UK and Ireland gamers, who'll get Premier League soccer live from Sky. All in all, a solid set of updates for XBL -- but we'll wait and see how that "1080p" video looks before we pronounce Blu-ray dead. PR blurb after the break.