Far be it from us to question Microsoft’s unexpected decision to cross-pollinate its Xbox gaming brand with iOS, but if you’ve ever wanted instant access to your Xbox Live account from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, the aptly-named My Xbox Live does exactly that.

As you might expect, the app itself is a pretty straightforward affair. After logging in to your Live account, the interface becomes a portable version of the Xbox 360 console Dashboard, offering news and personal updates, such as messages. And interestingly enough, My Xbox Live also has far fewer ads than you’ll find in the latest Xbox 360 interface.

It’s the personal interactions that make this app worthwhile for avid Xbox Live players. Want to see which of your friends are online, and what they’re playing? You can do that. You can also change your avatar’s look -- they appear as animatedly cartoonish as they do on the console -- and customize various other details about your profile. Essentially, My Xbox Live lets you do everything you can do on your Xbox 360; well, except actually play and download games.

Beacons are a new social feature that helps My Xbox Live stay relevant as more than just a passive on-the-go app, and they let you rifle through your at-home game collection and send flares out for games you want to play. So, if you’re itching to tear into some Gears of War 3 co-op with a pal, you can send out a beacon to your Live friends, and you’ll be notified when someone else wants to squad up. It's a little superfluous, sure, but it works.

The bottom line. My Xbox Live is a handy, if somewhat unneeded app; but its slick aesthetic and ease of use will please hardcore Live users. Besides, in the era of social media, why wouldn’t you want one more way to stay connected?