Xbox Live and Windows have several changes in this week's Autumn Update:

* Games for Windows — Live Launches: Sign on to Live from a Windows Vista PC with your existing gamertag at no extra cost.
* IM with Windows Live Messenger: Users are able to instant message friends from console just like they you do on a PC or mobile phone.
* Faster Marketplace Downloads: Up to three times faster. The Autumn Update is adding speed to video downloads, plus users can now fast-forward, pause and rewind videos, trailers and movies as they're being downloaded on Xbox Live Marketplace. There is also more free content and promotions at Xbox Live Marketplace thanks to new sponsors.
* Dashboard Updates:
[list]
* New achievement pop-up with name and score value
* New Marketplace blade places content all in one place
* “Friends playing now” at Xbox Live Arcade
* Faster access to free trial versions of Arcade games
* Console can be set to turn off after downloads to save energy.

* Enhanced Family Settings: If you have kids or just want to be able to better control who can contact you, use the updated family settings to enable different defaults for video and voice/text chat.[/list]