Microsoft surprised me today when it released it’s own Xbox Live app for something other than a Windows phone. Now if you own an iPhone or iPad you can get some of your Xbox 360 experience on the go. I, still high on the new Xbox (ad polluted) Dashboard update, had to download this as soon as possible. First and foremost you should note that this application is free, so you might as well give it a shot if you have an iOS device along with a Xbox 360. Secondly you should note that this app is gorgeously designed if you like simplicity.

Find out my full thoughts on the jump!

The interface for this app is pretty damn slick. The new app imports your avatar, achievements, friends, messages and wardrobe. On all screens you have access to your message box, which you can send and receive messages to anyone on your friends list at any time. Personally, I love this, as I do not have a chat pad for my 360 and hate using the controller to form messages, so now I will use my phone at all time.

From the home screen you have access to Xbox’s spotlight videos which play quickly without issue. You can swipe to the right and get to your account page where your Xbox avatar pops in to greet you. They have the full animations that you would see on your Xbox, which is pretty rad to see my baby Chocobo dancing on my iPhone around my avatar. From here you can access your full friends list with all the same options you would have on your console, you can even see all of their avatars and animations.

With the new Xbox dashboard update came a new option called “Beacons” which has been added to the iOS app. These are basically settings which you can add to say that you are interested in playing a specific title with friends online to help promote online gaming. From the avatar screen you can even fully customize your wardrobe on the fly and it updates automatically, which is pretty neat.

If you swipe right one more time you come to the games page, which shows all the games you have played as well as your achievements. You can compare games and achievements through your phone against your friends list here as well

All in all, this app does most everything you would expect, about the only thing this needs is a marketplace, or potentially themes like the console. If you have an iOS device as well as an Xbox 360 go get this app, it is free, gorgeous, and works. Go, go get it now!

So instead of figuring out how to get avatars working, I just took the work of others, copied and pasted it.

What you need to do is create an account at Gravatar. It’s important that the email you use there needs to match the one you use here; or if you prefer, you can add more email addresses to your new Gravatar account. Now, the idea behind Gravatar (now owned by Wordpress) is that you use one main place (Gravatar) to store or link avatars for global use, as long as wherever you are posting supports Gravatars.

Basically you will have the same avatar wherever you go. And you can easily add more, change them, whatever.

So, by signing up there, you should automatically see your avatar added to our comments, if a bit small. Working on that right now.

There is a small amount of trust involved here though O.K.? I can set the ratings of the avatars, but I trust the members of the site pretty much, so feel free to use whatever you wish. Just keep it fairly classy. If it’s not safe for work, it’s probably not safe here. People breaking that rule are going to be warned, ridiculed and then ban hammered, and since I have yet to ban anyone that wasn’t trying to market ‘hotsexxxygurls’ to our readership I’d rather never have to.

So here’s the rundown:

1) Go to Gravatar

2) Create account with or by adding the email you use here (you can change it in your options if you wish)

3) Upload your own or link whatever.

4) Post freely, all excited that we are using a feature from 2005 =)

In the weeks to come I’ll be making and uploading custome Substance TV avatars so you can use it as I know these are in HIGH demand.

this is a total ninja theft from Pineconeattack