Microsoft is giving Xbox 360 users a new keyboard and a messaging service.

According to Joystiq, the Xbox 360 Spring Dashboard update will be out in the first week of May and will coincide with the merging of the six million Xbox Live users with the 260 million Windows Live Messenger users.

The update will allow Xbox 360 users to communicate with up to six of their PC, Mac, or mobile phone bound friends at once.

The keyboard accessory for the Xbox 360 controller, which will connect via the headphone jack, has not been named or priced yet and will no see the light of day until the summer. Vole seems to be hoping that people will use its USB or on-screen keyboard until the new one is released.

The Spring update also has H.264 and MPEG-4 Part 2 video support, WM-DRM streaming and a more informative tray icon display.

More here.