Step aside AirPlay here comes SmartGlass

In a step to open up the Xbox 360’s interactivity with mobile devices, Microsoft showed off what they believe will be a great competitor to Apple’s AirPlay called SmartGlass at E3 yesterday. The new cross-platform functionality will come to Apple's iOS, as well as Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone and Windows 8, later this year.

Microsoft showed off how content being played on the Xbox 360 could be complemented by additional content on a tablet like an iPad. In one demonstration, a user watching "Game of Thrones" on the HBO Go application had the show streaming to their HDTV, while an interactive map of the fictional world was displayed on a tablet and was updated in real-time, synced with the program.

Also expect browser integration on the Xbox 360 that you can control with your smartphone or tablet device. Other than being able to share the results I don’t know why you just wouldn’t do it on you personal mobile device. Game play was another function they showed off using Madden’s NFL. In this case they demonstrated the ability to use a tablet to select plays and draw up new ones that could them be displayed through the Xbox 360.

I haven’t purchased an AppleTV yet and I have been holding off doing so. Microsoft’s Xbox SmartGlass should be able to be used for this function as well. They will probably need to develop an application to do this but I don’t think that there will be a native AirPlay integration in the Xbox but that would be nice. Microsoft stated that they will bring the same ability on Android device as well as Windows Phone and Windows 8.

For those of us that already have an Xbox 360 in their media setup this is something to be anticipated. SmartGlass is Microsoft’s new interface platform that will hopefully allow programmers to open up your stationary media center with the Xbox at the center to all of your mobile devices.