Xbox One external storage, real name support rolls out today

Beginning today, support for external hard drives and the option to display Xbox Live friends' real names is available for the Xbox One with the latest system update roll out, Microsoft announced today.

The June system update allows a hard drive (256 GB or larger) to connect to the Xbox One via USB 3.0, letting users to store games, add-ons and apps beyond the console's internal 500 GB hard drive. Full games and downloadable content can be copied on the external drive and used to play on another console. Players are required to sign into their Xbox Live account or have the game's disc in the system's drive to use the content.

The update introduces real name support to the Xbox Live friends list, where Xbox One owners can view and share their real names "with all your friends, a subset of your choosing, friends of friends or none at all." Real name support was slated to roll out with the console at launch; however, Microsoft announced the feature's delay a month before Xbox One was released.

The Xbox One update also allows users to select an account for automatic sign-in for the system and improved SmartGlass integration. The Xbox One and Xbox 360 system updates start rolling out this week and unlocks all 180 apps across both platforms to all users. Hulu is also currently offering a free three-month trial of Hulu Plus for all Xbox Live Gold members in the U.S.

Microsoft's Games with Gold program, a monthly promotion that gifts two free games to Xbox Live Gold subscribers, is currently offering Xbox One owners Max: The Curse of Brotherhood and Halo: Spartan Assault. The Curse of Brotherhood. Xbox Live's Deals with Gold is featuring discounts on titles such as Far Cry Blood Dragon and Call of Duty: Ghosts.