The Xbox 360 summer Dashboard Update is available today for all connected Xbox 360 consoles free of charge, bringing an array of new features and enhancements to the system.

Among the key new enhancements are the previously announced Xbox Originals game download service, Family Timer parental control feature, and expanded social networking experiences. Xbox 360 owners can also look forward to enhanced navigation, profile and video features and Xbox Live Arcade Hits.

Gamers without an Xbox Live account can easily sign up for the free network by connecting their console to a broadband internet connection. New features and enhancements include:

    * More download options:
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    * Xbox Originals – With this new service, consumers can download-to-own full original Xbox games. The digital shelves will always be stocked with classic titles, such as Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, Halo, Fable, Fuzion Frenzy, Psychonauts, and more as the catalogue grows over time, at 1200 Microsoft Points per game.
    * Xbox Live Arcade Hits – On Xbox Live Arcade, the Arcade Hits programme kicks off where some of the best selling Xbox Live Arcade games will become available at permanently reduced prices. The first games to become Arcade Hits are be Bankshot Billiards 2 and Lumines Live, available for 800 Microsoft Points each, and Marble Blast Ultra, Small Arms and Zuma Deluxe, for 400 Microsoft Points each.

* New ways to keep up to date and connected:

    * Inside Xbox – A new direct feed brings current news straight from Xbox.com into the Xbox Live Dashboard providing members an easy, predictable entry point where they can discover what's new in game releases, events, and Xbox Live Marketplace offers. (11th December)
    * Enhanced online profile – Members interested in sharing a few more details about themselves will have the option to go beyond their motto and further personalise their profiles with an expanded biography. The extended bio's can be made visible to friends only or the entire community.
    * Expanded Friends List access – A quick and easy way for gamers to expand their personal community on Xbox Live, members will be able to see the Friends Lists of other Xbox Live members, boosting their social networking experience on the service.

* Enhanced overall experience and control:

    * Enhanced Parental Controls – Family Timer, a strong and flexible new addition to the Xbox 360 Family Settings, enables parents to set the amount of time their Xbox 360s can be used on a per-day or per-week basis by their children or other members of the household.
    * New video features – The convenience of full-screen movie previews and enhanced video codec support further expand the options when it comes to the Xbox 360 entertainment experience.
    * Easy-to-use navigation features – With several noteworthy changes in the Xbox Live Dashboard, from the new Game Store button to the Video Store button to enhanced visuals and descriptions in the video library, Xbox Live members can find what they want, when they want it.

[/list]For a full list of all the new features and improvements, visit xbox.com/live.