How Xbox One Will Reinvent the Living Room

Gamespot: Kinect, open my eyes.

[pwnsause_returns]

no.

[Dragonborn312]

Yes, in terms of what the article brings up. Did you read the article?

[xHeavYx]

I read the article, and it seems it was written by MS PR department. They even use the words "Kinect" and "non-invasive" together

[Lord_Sloth]

Pretty sure no matter what they do the living room will still be the same place it was before, just with a system I can turn off when my brother's playing it while I'm in the kitchen.

[XB1_PS4]

@xHeavYx

If there's an article that's too positive about Microsoft, it's PR?

Or is it just the manner that it's written?

I'm genuinely curious.

[Pogmathoin]

Xheavy, so why do you bother coming on these articles? What do you expect to get from your 'I despise MS' comments that you basically say every single time, under the guise of a 'well though out' comment as you claim... Do you wake up in the morning do you think of MS? When you kiss someone, what is in your mind. Please tell me, for someone who has no interest in X1, why are you trolling every single MS article? Please share with all of us.... Thanks....

[Lwhit6]

I say no because I don't game in my living room. I game in my bedroom where I can go on lengthy hard core sessions. I don't have a TV subscription, so the pass-through is useless to me. I hate messing with Kinect and I hate controlling anything with Kinect. I also hate being connected to everything all the time. I don't want to Skype with people through Kinect and I don't want to have other people be constantly updated of what I'm doing while I game (as showcased in Microsofts new video).

I want to game. Sit in my chair, escape from the world, and game. Not all this crap Microsoft says I should do.

[Game-ur]

Gabe Newell said that nothing is more accurate and responsive than direct physical input and I agree with him.

[Dragonborn312]

The article focuses more on how the Xbox One allows you to seamlessly switch between gaming and entertainment apps then using the Kinect motion detector to go through the menus.

[DeadRabbits]

Is M$ touting the xbone as camp interior designer now?

[MysticStrummer]

"what Xbox One owners will get isn't available anywhere else."

Not true. There are already smart TVs that do what this article talks about.

[Boody-Bandit]

I have a few smart TV's and my newest one (Samsung) has motion and voice commands. I used those features all of about a few times. The only time I use them now is if a friend drops over that hasn't seen it yet.

Like with gaming nothing beats having buttons to input the action more accurately.

[MorePowerOfGreen]

Isn't there some news from the console you are getting to read somewhere? I should take folks tracking and trolling XB1 news word, over media praising it with video backing up what they say, seeing with my own eyes?

[DigitalRaptor]

I'm a bit wary of voice commands, based on the recent reports, but looks like the OS is silky smooth and I've got to commend them for that.

However, I don't see how a lesser focus on gaming is anything positive going forward, for this industry. We're seeing fans going crazy over the non-gaming aspects and supporting a console that wasn't designed with gaming as a priority. The Xbone was designed as a media box first and a game player second - Kinect and media focus did that. There's no truly deep focus on gaming for the Bone - It's not the core of the console, it's an offshoot, it's just one aspect they are sharing with TV and apps equally, which is quite disturbing if you think about it. Make no mistake, there was a reason MS came on stage with an overwhelming focus on a certain number of key aspects: http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Never in my time as a gamer have I seen a fanbase deflect a company's lesser focus on gaming as of that somehow makes a stronger gaming platform. Never have I seen them deflect a company's intentional "broad entertainment" design over a console that was designed for gaming and gamers at its core, first and foremost. Sure, this thing looks innovative in areas of non-gaming, but if gamers are actually getting excited about this as a direction for gaming console, then there are simply no words.

I've always said Microsoft are breeding a different type of gamer by trying to own the living room, reaching a broader audience, and diluting the culture of a what makes a gaming console, and i think it still holds true even after these many months. I find it weird, how the thing Xbone is getting most praise for, is the aspect of the console that is not even related to gaming.

[kewlkat007]

Nice post and agree with your perception of what people may be praising (currently) about the Xbox One.

I think most that play games and have an interest in the Xbox One will get to see games in action from the media, stores, reviews and can make a purchase decision in due time, if they haven't done so already.

With all the leaks that are out these days and most of them(currently) have been about the UI integration and how the kinect functions, I mean it is a big part of Xbox One's future. To say that it is the most praise attraction of the Xbox One is a little misleading. The hardcore gamer by this point know what they are getting from the PS4 and Xbox One when it comes to games. The closer we come to launch, the more we are seeing what the Xbox One can do in real-time PR and leaks.

Everybody by now knows the Xbox name/brand has been pushed as a gaming console the last 10 years. Just because the Xbox One is being pushed to do more doesn't take anything away from that fact that it plays games. These days, why does it matter what you do first when you sit down in front of your tv? All in one entertainment box that offer Games,Movies, TV...etc

-A mobile telephone used to only make calls. Should manufacturers and technology companies never should of merge a telephone with mini-computer like capabilities with what we see/have as a smart phone these days?

-Should we have never put a HDD in a console or a Cablebox for DVR functions?

-Why should we have a separate box for everything?

Nothing wrong with merging the hardware as technology gets better. It is never a slam dunk as well but as long as you keep those interested in that box (whatever that may be) coming back for the same reasons they purchased it in the first place then it's worth the gamble.

Yes, I'm excited to say "Xbox On" when I come home and sit down on my couch. If I choose to game then I game if not, I'll just watch TV, or maybe skype..etc

[christocolus]

another amazing article on kinect..nice

[solidworm]

Might get one down the line to watch boring ass Tv programs and keep the ps4 for...GAMES.

[meatnormous]

I work for directv and there has been Zero news when it comes to compatibility. You would think that being so close to launch, providers would know something. Friend over at time warner has no knowledge if its compatible as well with their stb. I do know if a customer hooks up a third party device to a directv receiver and screws it up, the customer will have to pay to get it fixed protection plan or not. Just keep that in mind.

[mhunterjr]

There is a video on the Verge that shows how to set the Xbox to control your STB. It asks you for your zip code, then lists all of the providers in your area. This list was in ABC order, and there were so many options that some were offscreen and needed to be scrolled to.

Anyway, Comcast, DirectTV, and Dish Network were all supported, along with several more obscure providers. You can be pretty confident TimeWarner was further down the list.. After all, compatibility isn't complicated, it's just using an IR signal, like a universal remote.

Here's the link http://mobile.theverge.com/...

Also, there's no way an HDMI connection will screw up the receiver. Instead of going STB to TV, it's going STB to Xbox.

[meatnormous]

You wouldn't believe the service calls we roll on though. I literally do 1 service call a week to change the input on the tv to the right input. Thats 50.00 for use to something that takes seconds to do. If there is a way to screw something up, people will find a way.

[etownone]

After seeing the video MS posting using the benefits of Kinect and how the Xbox One works using the Hdmi cable output.

I'm officially on board again.

The 1080p isn't an issue rt now, cause it's obvious both MS and Sony can't push out 1080p/60 fps on all games just yet.
I have faith in time they will. (fingers crossed)

[fattyuk]

But sony can push first party exclusives.

[etownone]

Really?

Then why Knack and Killzone at 720p??? 30fps

[DigitalRaptor]

@ timotim

Have you any idea what Turn 10 have sacrificed to achieve the 1080p/60fps standard. Have you compared it to previous games feature-for-feature? And compared it to a last-gen game that has about 3 times the content and features for your money and runs at 1080p/60fps?

[meatnormous]

But what services is it compatible with? I think that it looks great but would like to know what services are compatible.

[etownone]

What do you mean services?

I saw Skype on the big screen at 1080p and how Kinect follows you as you walk around the room and I thought that was pretty cool. Considering you can accept Skype video calls while watching TV or playing a game.

[meatnormous]

I mean tv service providers, directv time warner charter comcast wow verizon fios att uverse . You would think people that work for these companies would know something on how xbox one works with their receivers. We haven't heard a thing from microsoft as a company on how it will work with our receivers. If a customer has rf remotes set up, ir will not work unless its an hr44

[DigitalRaptor]

Epic, epic, EPIC facepalm dude. Epic.

Get your facts straight. Killzone Shadow Fall and Knack are native 1080p, with variable 30-60fps in single player campaigns, and KZ is a locked 60fps in multiplayer.

[Activemessiah]

How Xbox One Will Reinvent the Living Room... by not being in it.

[osamede1]

speak for yourself. maybe not in yours but i look forward to seeing what they have to offer.

[Activemessiah]

Don't come crying when the shit hits the fan

[osamede1]

mmk well i have a ps4 and an xbox1 prepurchased so idk why i would be crying at all.

[Activemessiah]

You'll see.

[iNFAMOUZ1]

Control my fu***n body, do it fu***n now!!!!!!!!!!!

Lol...

[Belking]

this was already posted.

[fattyuk]

No ones asking to have their living room invented as there's nothing to reinvent that's wanted or needed,

[pete007]

hate all you want kid, future looks like that

[MysticStrummer]

The future? There are already smart TVs that do what this article talks about. XB1 is irrelevant already, both for gaming and multimedia.

[Aleithian]

The same thing was literally said 10 years ago leading up to the 360/PS3. It didn't pan out with the advent of that generation, and if it pans out during the current generation it will not be because of the X1 - it will be because of a market-driven development across devices (TVs, set-top boxes I would imagine). And to be perfectly honest, if X1 motivates a market shift toward integrated services of this sort, which I doubt, Song will very quickly move to do the same thing, either by updating the PS4, by improving their smart TVs, or by packing PS Plus TVs with PS4s. Either way, X1 isn't going to become the sole provider of this service, and if history is anything to go by, the future won't look like this for awhile, simply because there is no demand for it.

(As to why there is no or very little demand for integration, the reason is obvious. A large segment of the users aren't single young gamers (bro-tastic dudebros), but families. And integration isn't desired in a family, because increasingly consoles aren't a living room device for families, but are relegated to the bedroom so that parents can watch the TV together or with the kids. Having a console in the living room is a pain in the ass if you are a member of a family, and in the 18 years that I've been a console gamer I never once had a console in the living room.)

[kewlkat007]

I actually got my GF on board seeing that she does not have to fiddle with remotes when she wants to watch tv and I can leave my game and continue after a show...

Loving the" TV integration/switching..

When they add Yahoo Fantasy Football and ESPN, well that will be great too...I think, just NFL for now.

Does anybody know if fantasy basketball will be integrated?

There is a battle for the TV space in most homes here in the States and the Xbox One is not a bad integration. As long as it continues to get better. Content providers are still iffy, cable companies are still iffy with 3rd-party box but this is a good start.

[Aleithian]

My response to this is the same as it was originally, when X1 was revealed. X1 seems to provide a convenient integrated service for those who (a) want it and (b) have the opportunity to enjoy it.

(a) Many people don't want the service. I, for my part, don't watch TV, and don't care about an "integrated" living room. If I want to Skype with someone I’ll just switch my TV to my computer, which is hooked up to it (and besides, I don’t use Skype, because Google Chat is more efficient). I'm not denying that there are people out there who want an “integrated” living room, I'm just saying that not everyone does. And among those who do want an “integrated” living room, many already have a good chunk of what the X1 will provide, in the form of a hooked up PC, a set-top box, or a smart TV.

Further, those buying an X1 have no choice but to buy the integrative aspect, whether they want it or not. It’s not as though the integrative service is a “free” addition over and above gaming power – gaming power was sacrificed to make room for the integrative capacity. And when there is a more powerful gaming console on the market for a cheaper price and without the integrative aspect, X1 simply won’t offer value-for-money for all gamers.

The capacity to almost instantly switch from a football game to a Skype chat, then to an online multiplayer game is cool, but it’s not for everyone, and many who will buy the console (many kids I imagine) will simply not receive value-for-money from the console relative to the value-for-money gained by certain PS4 players.

(b) Use of the integrative aspect is entirely contingent on a gamer’s ability to support the service. For instance, it is utterly useless to a person without an internet connection, or without a sufficiently powerful internet connection (arguably in excess of 10-15 mbs/s, since the use of the service entails use of an internet connection for many services simultaneously, if I understand it’s potential correctly), or without a cable TV service (which is an increasingly large percentage of the American population).

And here’s the final point: X1 provides all these services, which some people will undeniably want, at the cost of sacrificing gaming power. This may not be a big deal now, but in 5-10 years this may seriously hamper the X1, unless cloud gaming pays off. I, for my part, bought a 360 as well as a PS3 precisely because the 360 is a better platform than the PS3 for certain games (e.g. Skyrim, Fallout 3 and New Vegas). In sum, I’m not saying that the X1 won’t live up to its pretensions as an integrative device – I’m just saying that its value as an integrative device is contingent on the gamer wanting/needing that, is dependent on the gamer being able to use that service, and comes at a price vis-à-vis gaming power.

[_LarZen_]

I have big hopes that the XBO will add and improve mine and my friends/family's entertainment routine and user patterns.

Most of us that are interested in XBO have probably seen the new 12 min video showing of the features in real time. And it's nothing revolutionizing about it.

But it could be a evolution on how we interact and socialize with entertainment and friends on a daily basis.

If the first thing you do when you enter your living-room is to say "Xbox On". And everything you do from there is via you XBO. Then the future and the "winner" of the coming next gen console race could be not about who has the most games or the best looking games.

But about how many is saying "Xbox On" when they come home and want to relax in the living-room.

[bornsinner]

quite nice how it's not just an upgrade of hardware but an upgrade in features, can't wait till 2 weeks!

[AD705]

If the xbox one features weren't behind a paywall and that you still didn't need a cable box to watch TV then maybe we're talking something good here. Problem is that it won't happen.

500 bucks for the console and then 60 bucks a year just to use features that you can use already on you computer, tablet, cell phone, blu ray player, and every other device currently in your home for free.

Not to mention I don't want to watch tv and have to put up with messages and invites which are distracting to my tv watching.

If I want to watch Tv I'll just point my remote at the tv and with the press of a few buttons I can get all the tv I want.

If I want to do facebook, twitter, internet, video streaming I have a PC for that.

If I wanna use hulu plus, netflix, amazon instant watch, listen to music and all that other jazz I have a blu ray player, ps3, 360, wiiu, and again my PC to do all these things and I highly doubt an xbone will replace it all just because you can do voice commands which are gonna be on the ps4 as well.

[KingDadXVI]

While you are correct that all those options are available to you I think you have missed the point.

Most people would prefer do those things from one location as opposed to going to their computer for say Skype.

In my case and the case of a lot of other people we have families. This means searching for remote controls which have a nasty habit of being left laying places that take several minutes of searching for. I generally end up searching for remotes several times each day. Being able to have my Xbox recognize me and just tell it what to do sounds a hell of a lot better than searching high and low for remotes and switching from HDMI input 1 to 2 to 3, etc.

It is seamless and it works. I am sold and a lot of others are too.

Total integration of media is coming and MS is making a smart play by being at the front on this one.

[AD705]

Since when was going to your pc to boot up skype or pressing a few buttons on a remote control such a hassle? It takes me a few seconds to use these things. Not to mention what you're missing is that you cannot use any X1 feature without paying monthly XBL fees just to use them when I can already do it free somewhere else. Voice commands are cool and all but it's not a great as people make it oout to be. I have Siri on my iphone and I never use it. Just think about it, the x1 is the only place in the world that charges you monthly just to use skype which is free everywhere else. I don't think people are going to want to pay to use things they can already use for free somewhere else.

As for loosing you're remote controls. Well that's on you because I always keep track of where I keep things.

Another thing to point out is how many countries are going to be getting these features outside of the USA? Most countries won't even get any of these features.

[kewlkat007]

@KingDadXVI - Dude your wasting your time..that's like trying to convince somebody on why a TV remote was convenient, when they first came out...

[KingDadXVI]

This is great IMO. I can't wait to play with some of these features but I am more interested in seeing some of the things that you know the crazy hackers out there are going to come up with now that they will have access to this level of tech in the home.

I buy consoles mainly to play games (both offline and online) but I do not see that this takes anything away from that experience. On the contrary I like that I can get an invite while I am watching a show and decide to join in if I want. Sometimes I may want to play only online but non of my friends are on. Instead of checking in constantly I can send them a message that I am available and just watching TV so they can send me an invite when the sign in.

This tech looks very promising and it isn't even out yet.