They do contain the blades, but this time they pop up in the middle of the screen as a horizintal box while the options for the categories are more streamlined by rearranging some of the options to make them more logical.

I like it a lot, but the text doesn't scale aswell to my 1900 * 1200 resolution like the last dashboard did

@Jordahn

Nice..So instead of it showing up on the left side of the screen. It show s up in the middle.
Thanks dude, I'm just asking questions for no reason really. I'm like 15 minutes almost done class and I completed all my assignments. So I will be home around 1:30PM eastern time!! I can't wait!

That's cool.  Have fun and let us know.

Well, my perspectives go as follows:

Got up at 9:15 a.m. Turned on my 360. Update prompted. Took only 10 seconds to do the first loading part. 360 restarted, then downloaded and installed the update in about 1:30 seconds (not sure why it was so fast! I have 20mbps internet, so maybe that is why? I was expecting 5-10minutes like others have stated).

Watched the intro vid which was cool except the poop looking thing was weird.

Immediately created my virtual likeness, although I want a Colts jersey and some more hats to choose from!

Downloaded a premium theme :D

Messed around searching and browsing. Downloaded Netflix.

Then had to go to work :(

Once I get home, I am immediately subscribing to Netflix so I can start the streaming! I wonder how many new Netflix subscribers there will be because of this. I mean, $9 a month for unlimited streaming in SD AND HD! That beats the pants of off everything including Red Box!

Oh, and I plan on getting a 120GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 from Buy.com.  They have it on sale at $135 with free shipping, plus if you use their credit card (first purchase with it), you get $30 off.  Plus, after I transfer my data, I'll sell the old hard drive and cable, so all-together the cost of the 120GB hard drive for me will only be about:

$135
-   30
-   25 (hard drive sell)
-   20 (transfer cable sell)
-------
$60 WOOT!

Well I've yet to complete the game on Insane. I'm up to RAAM but I stopped playing for a while got rusty. I tried it again with my cousin about a month ago but we were both rusty and kept getting owned. After playing Gears 2 so much I think I could jump back in now and do a bit better. Plus my cousin likes to play run & gun so I spend most of my time reviving him.

nice to finally get this update. everything looks so new! one problem with me though; does anyone experience a very long pause when you finish viewing a friends' profile? i seem to be getting it, when i select a friend, and then go back to my friends list, it hangs for like 30 second before i can do anything.

Yea, I should have said that was smack dab in the middle haha.  At first I was like wtf do you mean blades, then I figured it out =P.   

But yea, let us know what you think because from an overall concensus, people like it!

I got home from work this morning, download the NXE , then Netflix. My wife is probably more excited than me to be able to instantly stream Netflix shows that she que up without a hitch. (I used to use Play-On trial version on PS3 but it constantly crash).

I have to say I was preparing for the worst but kudo to MS for pulling this off with very nominal snag. (Live seems to be a bit slow but that's understandable with millions of console all downloading the NXE.

took 2 minutes to upload - good.
Made my avatar - easy.
Intro - very impressive
navigation - looked complicating, but it's really user-friendly
Netflix - signing up right after this post. no more blockbusters.
Playing games from HDD - awesome!

Good job Microsoft!