Given what a disastrously embarrassing showing Microsoft had during this past summer’s E3 (though they were hardly the only party), it’s easy to forget some of the highlights. Including the unveiling of SmartGlass.
For those who don't remember, it's a companion app for smart phones and tablets that hooks into Xbox 360 games, which offers added functionality, depending on the title. Everything from additional information as to what's happening in game, to a secondary control mechanism.
MS made it quite clear that they're seriously about SmartGlass; Microsoft Studio at the unveil stated that they will support the platform with every release, once it goes live. And that happens later this weekend.
This upcoming Friday, October 26, is when SmartGlass will make its first public appearance, alongside the official Windows 8 launch, in the form of new Windows tablets. Then a few days later, it will accompany the release of Windows 8 Phones on Monday, October 29.
SmartGlass is part of the latest Xbox dashboard update, which is still in the process of being rolled out to all Xbox 360 owners. According to Joystiq, over 3 million users have updated thus far.
The first games to support SmartGlass are Dance Central 3 and Forza Horizon, as well as Halo 4 presumably (according to the E3 demo). The following is a video that Microsoft that has produced that explains the new app in greater detail: