Connect Your iPod to Your Xbox 360

By Jimmy Daniels
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Sounds like a match made in heaven, right? Fire up your favorite Xbox 360 game, connect your iPod, which the Xbox will detect automatically thru its USB port, and replace the sound track with your own music, streamed straight from your iPod. This is the world as Microsoft see’s it, but somehow, I don’t think Apple will be singing the same tune come November 22 when the Xbox 360 starts shipping.

There’s a reason for that: Microsoft built its iPod connection without the support of the folks at Apple. “We do not have an official relationship with Apple for the iPod connectivity,” said Scott Henson, product unit manager in Microsoft’s advanced technology group. He maintains that “Xbox 360 leverages standard protocols such as USB mass storage to enable iPod support.” Henshaw said Microsoft tried to “engage” Apple in a partnership that would have officially made the iPod interoperable with Xbox, but Apple rejected the overture.

iPods have a database that cross-references the location of music files and their names so users can select them through the device’s menu. Microsoft would have had to include simple software in order to engage that database. Source: News.com

We Say: Sounds like a great feature to me, hopefully Apple won’t block it, but since Microsoft is talking to the iPod’s database without permission, I think there will be an iTunes update in the future with Microsoft’s name on it. Click here for more information.

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