Services, services, and more services! The Xbox 360's evolution from hardcore video game console into arguably America's most popular set-top box continues with today's rollout of the latest Xbox 360 Dashboard update. In fact, calling the new software a simple update is a massive understatement that doesn't quite convey the major changes.

Last year, the Xbox 360 Dashboard saw a considerable update, which let users navigate certain portions of the interface simply by making gestures (or, alternately, voice commands) via Kinect. The new design builds upon that premise by utilizing visual elements found in Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7's attractive, panel-driven Metro UI, thereby streamlining the interface and making it even more Kinect-friendly across the board.

The Xbox 360 Dashboard's visual redesign is the most obvious change, but it's far from being the only one. Microsoft has wrangled plenty of new video-content-streaming partnerships, and added new social networking features, unified voice search, and cloud storage. It really fleshes out the Xbox 360's offerings and gives it a unique experience that isn't found on rival consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. The update also includes a new "social" section, which essentially replaces the "My Xbox" area.

If you're ready to dive into the five best features of the new Xbox 360 Dashboard update, check out the slideshow below.