Microsoft Corp. has announced an upgrade for its Xbox 360 console and Xbox Live that will feature a new dashboard interface and allows users to use voice commands to "pause" or "play" and even find movies.

The new software upgrade will bring a new way of interacting with your Xbox 360. Kinect has expanded the Xbox' capabilities and with this upgrade the sensors will have a use beyond games. Xbox owners who have so far resisted getting the $149 Kinect sensor will have to rethink that decision with the new dashboard.

The new software will now allow users to search for content with voice commands. This is more than the basic voice controls that players who have Kinect are used to. Users can now specify the name of movies or actors and actresses to search for content in the Xbox. If you want to search Bing for content you can ask "Xbox Bing search: Harry Potter" and you'll have thousands of results for the boy wizard.

The new interface is also a way for Microsoft to tie in the new Metro design that will be featured in next year's Windows 8 operating system with the company's other entertainment hubs. The Metro design with its bright, square tiles can also be seen in the Windows Phone and the late Zune music player. The end result is a unified experience on all Microsoft platforms.

Aside from the new interface, Microsoft has also partnered with numerous TV and entertainment providers for more Xbox apps. About 40 providers in addition to Netflix, Hulu and Zune will have apps available for installation. Australian Xbox owners will now get ABC iView, SBS on Demand, YouTube, Daily Motion and Crackle content along with existing TV content with FOXTEL. Microsoft has also partnered with Australia's largest online content publisher, ninemsn, so that Xbox users will get access to content from Nine News, Today, Wide World of Sports and Celebrity FIX TV on their Xbox LIVE.

"Xbox is different - not only with a new look but great new content and voice control as of tomorrow. We are unique in the market and plan to stay that way," said David McLean, Director, Consumer Channels Group, Microsoft Australia.

"When Australians download the Xbox LIVE update, their Xbox 360 will feel completely new - it will feel like the Xbox was redesigned for a new era in entertainment."

The updates will roll out on Tuesday, Dec. 6.