The New Xbox

Its gonna fail.

This seems to be based on the tweet shown here:

but that might just mean it isn’t on their sheet of responses, not that there won’t be one.

Yeah, I figure it was just some Xbox spokesman trying like hell to deflect some other question. It sort of worked - I was so busy laughing over that claim, that I don’t even remember anything else about that interview.

Maybe it was even intended as a joke, but I haven’t really seen much in the way of humor from the Xbox guys. Not like the “how to share a PS4 game” video Sony made.

This is incorrect. Or at least, it wasn’t what MS announced a few days before E3. In that announcement, they said the Kinect could be turned off, but if it was on, it was listening. And it had to be on to operate the Xbox One.

And the physical power button is in the controller, just like it is now for the Xbox 360.

My Xbox 360 has a power button on the front, as well. I have had to use it when games have locked up before. Not having one is yet another vote in favor of the moving to the PS4.

Uh, the Xbox 360 and PS3 already do this…

I have an XB360, as do my friends. I was planning on buying an xbone. My internet conection is ok and seldom goes down. I don’t buy used games or borrow but I sometimes lend. I have a kinect and have enjoyed it in the past. Given what I’ve heard I am now leaning towards a PS4. The kinect is not worth an extra $100 in my eyes and I’m concerned with server availability and slow uptake because users being pissed off. I’m not always an early adopter and I’ll be faily busy not sleeping for 3 months after early October so I’ll give it till somepoint next year to see how things are before pulling the trigger.

Fascinating. I’ve never been good about setting up the home network. As long as everyone can get internet connectivity I’ve been happy. Now I just have to decide if I care enough to figure out how to make the 360s talk to my PC (where the movies are), and to make the PC let them in. Maybe when my PC dies next year WIN8 willmake the process a little easier. Who knows.

I haven’t had a 360 in quite some time, but it uses Windows Media Center quite easily, and took about 10 minutes to set up. I believe you can use media servers like Plex, PlayOn or TVersity as well, if you prefer to use those (since they can connect to other mobile devices, have other channels to access, etc.).

Heck, TV’s are doing this now all by themselves.

It was also based on an article on one of the geming blogs, but I couldn’t remember which one. While searching, though, I found that there’s a new tweet from Xbox Support that says that there will be an off-button. Nothing, however, to contradict that the camera and microphone are always watching/listening for the turn-on command, even when fully “off”.

Great Sun Jester, I found that the best way to get the 360 and PS3 to run off my media library was to use a UPNP server like the Seagate Central - they work really well with that. Unfortunately their codec libraries are generously described as ‘a bit iffy’, and they both throw up their hands rather than playing a lot of videos in fairly common formats.

It can be turned all the way off. From the Xbox One Kinect FAQ (bolding mine):

“You are in control of when Kinect sensing is On, Off or Paused: If you don’t want the Kinect sensor on while playing games or enjoying your entertainment, you can pause Kinect. To turn off your Xbox One, just say “Xbox Off.” When the system is off, it’s only listening for the single voice command – “Xbox On,” and you can even turn that feature off too. Some apps and games may require Kinect functionality to operate, so you’ll need to turn it back on for these experiences.”

http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/privacy

Now the xbone really screwed up the PR this time around, but at least they remember who their core audience is.

Microsoft just did a complete about-face on the DRM and always connected requirements.

This was the most exciting, drama-filled E3 EVER.

I want to thank Sony, but mostly Microsoft for all the free entertainment they provided gamers everywhere.

Lame. Now one of the really interesting functions, the 10-person list of folks you can share games to over the cloud, is gone.

Damn I wish I had bought Gamestop stock. Up 6.4% after hours!

This is how I feel.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1017221_10151744730080817_1233037212_n.jpg

Ah, I figured they would. There, all done.

Holy crap! That is a HUGE reversal. Wow. Guess the severe negative reaction actually made a difference.