Microsoft announces Kinect voice control, Bing, YouTube and live TV watching

Microsoft announced during its E3 press event that not only will voice control be coming to Kinect soon, but the ability to search using Bing, and the ability to watch live television programming and YouTube on the console as well.

Voice control entertainment is coming, and you will be watch movies, share with friends and listed to music using Kinect and your voice. It's all coming via a new Xbox Live interface.

Microsoft plans on increasing its partners by a fator of 10 this year, one of the newest partners, YouTube was announced.

Bing was also shown running on the console, with the ability to search using Kinect voice control. You ask Xbox to "find" it, and it does apparently. The examples used were when playing a LEGO title or and X-Men title. You want more information, and you ask Bing to search for it, and all sorts of stuff pops up on your dashboard.

"It's more amazing when you are the controller," said XBL's Marc Whitten. "Effortless and approachable is our vision."

Live TV is also coming this fall, and the firm is partnering with "providers in the US and around the world," so that folks can watch live TV on their console - local channels included.

The new interface launches in the fall. Check out shots of it below.