Microsoft announced at the annual E3 video game show in Los Angeles that it plans to allow users of Kinect motion-sensing device to control live television feeds, search YouTube and play action games with voice commands.

Users in the US will be able to access live TV programs via Xbox starting next year. At present Microsoft offers live TV services in Britain, France and Australia.

Besides, Xbox users will also be allowed to access Hulu Plus and Netflix as well as search the Internet and watch YouTube videos on the system, all controllable through the Kinect, Microsoft said.

Microsoft also unveiled forthcoming action games with new Kinect-enabled features, such as assembling guns and weapons in Ubisoft's "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier", or using voice controls for the upcoming shooter game "Mass Effect 3" next year.