Looks like the October update has improved some of the issues I've had with joining friends or viewing my friends list. Now when you snap you can access your friends list immediately to see what they are doing or join their games or parties. Very very glad to see that they've made this easier to access. Their system still seems to be clunky and overly complicated, but it also seems like it was designed around voice control with the kinect which I do not have.

I really miss the original blade UI that the 360 had when it first came out. Probably my favorite interface of all that was simple and quick.

I really miss the original blade UI that the 360 had when it first came out. Probably my favorite interface of all that was simple and quick.

It was definitely simple and I loved the look of it, but I think we all just remember it being quick :) It was pretty slow compared to the later 360 ones. I remember them saying that's a big part of the reason they ended up replacing it, originally they were just going to speed it up, but they thought "Why not overhaul it?"