I�m Antuan Goodwin, welcoming you to CNET�s Tap that App, the show were we round up the hottest apps in the mobile and launch them right into your computer screen for your enjoyment.
Kinda like that asteroid from that one movie, only totally different.
Anyway, if you're a hardcore devotee to Microsoft's Xbox 360 and its Xbox Live online gaming platform, you probably think that rocking a Windows Phone 7 device is the best way to keep in touch with your gamer buddies (after all Xbox Live integration is baked right in.) But what if you're also an Acolyte of Android?
Should you have to decide between Xbox Live and Google's mobile platform?
As it turns out, with the help of a simple app, you can have access to both on the go.
Spark 360 costs a buck-fifty in the Android Market and gives you access to many, if not most, of the social aspects of the Xbox Live service.
You can view your avatar and gamer picture, show off your Gamerscore and rep score, and monitor your available MS Points.
There's also a list of your most recently played games with full achievement listings.
From the My Messages screen, you can view, reply to, and compose messages to your Xbox Live friends so you won't miss the next Insane Horde mode run in Gears of War 3 because you're away from your console.
You can also view which of your friends are online with the My Friends tab while also checking out what games they're playing and comparing Gamerscores.
In your face, Brian Tong!
There are also a few cool hidden tools such as an MS Points to real money converter that shows you just how much that 1200 point game or 800 point DLC pack is going to cost you in real world bucks and an Xbox Live status tool that you can use to check that everything is up and running on Microsoft's end in the event of issues with connecting.
Home screen gamercard widgets of varying size round out this pretty complete Xbox Live toolkit, making Spark 360 worth the $1.50 entry price.
And if you're also a Playstation Network fan, the developer also offers a plugin called Spark Trophies that allows you to roll your PSN account into the mix.
That's it for this week's episode of Tap that App.
If you've got an app that you'd like to see tapped, send it to tapthatapp@cnet.com.
I've been Antuan Goodwin and if you'll excuse me, I've got n00bs to pwn.
