Microsoft wants the Xbox 360 to be the only box underneath your TV

If you have an Xbox 360 in the house--and based on Black Friday, chances are you do--Microsoft wants that light shining a green glow for a long as possible. The imminent update to the Xbox 360 Dashboard (coming Dec. 6) will add more social and more entertainment options than you can shake a stick at, and no, we're not just talking faster ways to get to the shooting or stabbing.

We're talking more reasons to keep the system on even when the Call of Duty fan in the house needs a break. Sometime in December, the Xbox 360 will get a YouTube app that allows users to view all the cat videos they can take in one sitting. The console will also, soon after the update, gain access to content available on Comcast's Xfinity On Demand and 26 live cable channels through Verizon FiOS TV, though we imagine they're for subscribers only. (Prove us wrong, folks?)

"We think you're going to use one device for movies, music and games in the future," GM of Xbox Live entertainment and advertising Ross Honey told VentureBeat. "We want to make the content accessible and enhance the actual experience. We think you will will want to watch it on Xbox as it is more social and more personal."

According to Microsoft, Xbox 360 users are watching two hours worth of video content daily on the console, and the company wants that figure to increase. In addition to an updated Hulu Plus, the Xbox 360 will allows users to watch ESPN and Epix on their consoles starting tomorrow. Later on in December, users will score access to Crackle, Dailymotion, iHeartRadio, MSNBC.com, UFC , TMZ and more. And that's on top of social features like Beacons. Better put that family Xbox somewhere with lots--and we mean lots--of air flow.

Will you end up using your family's Xbox 360 more when these entertainment features hit? Could you ever unplug from cable providers and rely on something like the Xbox for all entertainment? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.