14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Phone Mango, the next release of Microsoft's mobile operating system, is set to arrive on the market with various changes when compared to the existing flavor of the platform, including some that will provide users with a better experience when accessing the Games Hub on their devices.
Some of the changes that Mango will bring in the Games Hub were unveiled before, and we already had the chance to take a look at a series of Xbox LIVE improvements coming to Windows Phone users, but it seems that there are more of them.
The Games Hub in Windows Phone Mango includes various features that were previously packed in the Xbox LIVE Extras app, such as 3D avatars or a new Collection view, and more.
In Windows Phone, games downloaded from the Marketplace are shown in the Collection view of the Games Hub, with large icons being displayed for each game, which might not offer the ease of use that Microsoft was looking for with its mobile OS.
However, Mango is set to change this to better, with games being organized in an alphabetical list view as applications, and with the inclusion of a new Recent category, a great addition for those who have over 20 games downloaded and installed.
One of the main changes in the Games Hub in Mango is the inclusion of new 3D avatars, which are also much more playful than the 2D avatars available in the current version of Windows Phone.
“Avatars on the phone are also now more playful: They wave at you, yawn, and perform a host of other actions. Shake your phone and your avatar dances - or even faints,” Microsoft's Shirlene Lim notes in a recent blog post.
“Bug your poor alter ego too much and it might lash out at you (I won’t spoil the surprise by saying what it does) or pull the Collection screen into view to hide behind (my personal favorite).”
As soon as the collection of games on the handset tops 20 items, the Recent category in Games Hub will show at the top at least three of the titles last played, so that users can find them faster than before.
Other enhancements will also be included into the mix, such as Improved Xbox LIVE messaging, the ability to connect with Xbox LIVE friends, Integrated achievements and new comparison views, Improved Spotlight content, the possibility to edit the profile, and more.
Coupled with the release of new, highly appealing mobile games for the platform, Mango is shaping up as a great option for users who also like gaming while on the go.