The new dashboard update does all kind of little things to the Xbox 360's frontend that makes things easier to use, for the most part. The primary part of the update is integration with the instant messaging network, MSN. Now your Messenger contacts will appear right alongside your Xbox 360 friends, and you can hold text-based conversations with them. Of course, that's pretty tough without a keyboard. A USB keyboard works fine, but Microsoft also has a tiny keyboard that'll fit right into the bottom of your controller. That's not out yet, but it's pretty cool. Other additions include more details achievement pop-ups, the name of the game in your drive appears where "play game" used to appear, and there's a dedicated tab for Marketplace. Also, if you play a lot of video on your 360, you'll be pleased to know that more formats are supported, though the codec support still feels awfully limited.
Next week, Microsoft will be releasing some free and premium content for Crackdown, including new modes, new vehicles, and a sandbox option that essentially gives you a cheat menu that'll let you do all kinds of really weird stuff. It sounds really, really cool. And, of course, on May 16, Microsoft will make the Halo 3 beta available for Crackdown owners, or anyone else that has gained entry into the multiplayer-focused beta. We'll have coverage of the beta, including brand-new footage of the game, on the site as of Friday night, so keep your eyes open for that.