Microsoft Launches 'Smart Glass', Bridges Games and Tablets

This has been rumored for weeks, but now Microsoft has finally confirmed it: Smart Glass is real.

Smart Glass will be a platform that connects computers and tablets to XBox 360 games. You could push a control panel to your tablet, for example, or maybe the books from Skyrim (and boy, did Skyrim need that!)

Essentially, Smart Glass allows you to use other devices as a remote control for your games. But that doesn't do it justice: with the ability to pull data from the console and render it on screen, you have a completely different way to interact with your games. Basically it lets you use the XBox 360 exactly how you would use Nintendo's Wii U, which will surely make Nintendo's announcements a little underwhelming.

As an example of how the tech works, Microsoft hacked together a demo that featured a map of Westeros (how about that Game of Thrones finale?) that you could pinch in on and pan around. A pin indicated where you were playing in the game at any given moment.

Madden was used as another example. You could draw out paths for your team to follow in the game.

Microsoft plans on making Smart Glass work on as many platforms as possible, from Windows 8 phones, tablets and computers to iOS devices and Android. But the company is keeping some things back for their first party hardware.

The Verge Photo by : Microsoft