
Xbox One Revealed - jordn
http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/xbox-reveal-xbox-one-revealed
======
jmduke
A lot of my friends have made jokes about why its being called the One, when
its a third generation console. I think its pretty illustrative:

Microsoft wants you to have one thing in your living room. Sony and Nintendo
are doubling down on gaming. Microsoft wants the whole pie -- which is why you
hear them use the word 'entertainment' more than 'gaming', which is why we
waited twenty five minutes to see a game demo.

If my anecdotal evidence is worth anything, they're going to succeed. Living
in a house with three other college students, we spent just as much time on
the dedicated YouTube and Netflix apps as we did on FIFA and Skyrim.

(A goofier interpretation is they're hoping people eventually call it 'the
One' just like people call its predecessor 'the 360.')

~~~
TylerE
Microsoft's track record on convergence devices isn't exactly stellar. Zune,
Windows 8, even the newer Xbox Dashboard releases.

When MS has traditionally shipped decent software is when they've tried to do
one thing well, ala Visual Studio.

~~~
sriramk
Not sure I agree. Xbox is a huge driver of Netflix/Hulu traffic. There's a lot
of TV/movie watching which happens inside.

~~~
TylerE
Sure, people use it, but the vast majority of Xbox _gamers_ hate the
advertising-laden clustermug the dashboard has become. Guess who buys $600
consoles at launch?

~~~
sriramk
I'm pretty sure there's no data to back up that assertion. MSFT takes the
dashboard UX very seriously and it is very data driven. If you see content
there, it is because people want to see it and use it.

I'm also not sure the Xbox One is a console as much as it is a mix of Apple
TV/gaming console/bluray player.

------
dpiers
The most interesting thing I noticed is the change from the RGB + IR depth
camera setup found in Kinect 1 to a single 1080p 30fps RGB camera using time-
of-flight for depth imaging.

Microsoft made some really cool advancements in body tracking and recognition
with the original Kinect, and it seems they are still pushing the boundaries
of 3D imaging with cheap hardware.

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danso
> _"Microsoft also has new Kinect to share, and it includes a 1080p wide-angle
> camera that's designed to read your heartbeat while you exercise."_

Wha? Through infrared? Or surface palpitations of your blood vessels?

(Via Verge's coverage: [http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350918/xbox-one-
microsoft...](http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350918/xbox-one-microsoft-
unveils-its-next-generation-console))

~~~
acrooks
"You are having a heart attack. Call 911."

~~~
Falling3
If only it called for me... maybe I can look forward to that in the next
generation of consoles.

------
weisser
As long as it has Songsmith I'm in for at least one.

Songsmith video: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kxqMpGAL3I>

And this is not a troll comment (downvotes already happening)...we need more
software that lets people play and have fun outside of a "game" environment.

~~~
k-mcgrady
The commercial for Songsmith was one of the worst things I'd ever seen:
<http://youtu.be/3oGFogwcx-E>

I really wish your comment hadn't reminded me of it :)

------
ancarda
No word on backwards compatibility or used games yet?

Edit: No backwards compatibility[1].

Edit: Microsoft seems unsure about used games[1]: "We are designing Xbox One
to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to
share later."

Enable?

[1]: <http://news.xbox.com/2013/05/qa>

~~~
corresation
Seeing your question, my immediate thought was "that's an odd question, of
course it has backwards compatibility". Turns out that it actually doesn't.

[http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350662/new-xbox-has-no-
ba...](http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350662/new-xbox-has-no-backwards-
compatibilty)

That's incredible.

~~~
smokinjoe
Not according to the article you linked:

> Technologically speaking, it's not wholly a surprise that backwards
> compatibility is off the table. Today, the company confirmed months of
> rumors that the new Xbox would use an x86 CPU. Games designed for the Xbox
> 360's Xenon processor simply won't run natively on the new hardware, since
> the Xenon used a PowerPC architecture instead.

~~~
e1ven
The Original Xbox and Xbox 360 used different processors as well.

IIRC, Microsoft allowed/encouraged publishers to re-compile, and release a
patch via XBL which let people play the original games on the new system.

~~~
testbro
I think Xbox compatibility was achieved using an emulator; Wikipedia seems to
suggest this is the case [1].

It seems like this would be an ideal opportunity for the QuickTransit [2]
stuff Apple used in Rosetta to see some more use, assuming IBM would be
willing to license it (and MS sees it as a worthwhile endeavour).

[1] :
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_compatible_w...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_games_compatible_with_Xbox_360#How_compatibility_is_achieved)
[2] : <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuickTransit>

------
aschearer
In my opinion the console seems designed to be sold by Comcast and other cable
operators. Both the way it looks and the language in the presentation suggest
that the Xbox is "entertainment first". I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft
announces a partnership with cable companies where customers can purchase an
Xbox One in lieu of a traditional DVR.

~~~
ajross
And that's about right. The problem with all the failed "convergent"
entertainment platforms out there (seriously, the market is littered with
their carcasses at this point) isn't technical, it's delivery.

Some consumers want games, and they're willing to buy a console to get them.
Some consumers want laptops, or tablets, etc... And these markets self-select
for those willing and able to do the installation.

But _everyone_ wants TV. And they want it to just work, and be hand-delivered
to their home and installed by a professional who then hands them a remote and
walks out. Until "convergent" platforms get to this level of integration (e.g.
being installed by Comcast per above), they aren't going to out-compete the
cable providers.

And the corrolary is that until the convergent platforms get to this level of
integration, they'll always be, at best, the quirky, weird cousins of "real"
TV. They'll never quite work right, and will always be chasing features or
jumping over annoying compatibility hurdles.

That's a lesson that tech people don't seem to get, because we're happy to
hook up an extra box to our TV, or buy a netflix subscription, or download a
torrent. But that's not what the market wants. The _market wants to pay
$100/month to Comcast to not worry about that stuff_.

~~~
DannoHung
BS. The market wants to pay someone for just the content they want.

Comcast wants the market to pay $100 a month and deliver hot garbage.

~~~
ajross
The market has lots of choices right now. Yet the market is paying $100 for
that hot garbage.

Clearly you don't like the situation (neither do I), but hurling profanities
at anonymous strangers on the internet won't change that fact. Neither will
yet another failed media box.

~~~
DannoHung
Yes, the market is paying $100 for that hot garbage while cable subscriptions
fall off for the first time in history. That is what is happening. It's not
just customers finally having options for content service starting to cut the
cord.

------
brador
Sold my xbox last year, installed windows 7 on bootcamp, got steam, got 50
games at <$5 each and a $20 xbox controller. No more console restrictions for
me ever again. Recommended.

~~~
nivla
>No more console restrictions for me ever again.

But that doesn't solve the issue with exclusiveness of games.

~~~
jjoonathan
Given that the new processor is x86 I suspect that issue will solve itself.

I kid, of course. Nobody pirates games these days and I'm sure their latest
DRM scheme will turn out to be the one that stops what few pirates are left in
their tracks. _ahem_

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ebbv
I can't wait to pay $399 to watch TV on my TV.

~~~
wmf
But now various side panes will keep popping up to distract and/or annoy you
while you're watching TV.

~~~
VikingCoder
xxxAssMaster69 just completed another level of Roid Rage '13. Would you like
to join him?

------
sigzero
I don't want "All-in-One". I want a GAMING console. Ugh.

~~~
bryne
You're getting a gaming console, with the addition of a host of other features
that ensure the console platform can reach market stability through sales and
continue to provide content - including the games you want to play - over the
multi-year span that a major investment in hardware requires of a company.

On the other hand - what's preventing you from GAMING on your PC?

~~~
ancarda
>On the other hand - what's preventing you from GAMING on your PC?

Exclusives.

~~~
bryne
I'd posit that the very existence of exclusives is one of the things that
defines this as a gaming console through and through, if no longer first and
foremost.

------
tocomment
Do you still have to pay for xbox live to watch netflix which you're already
paying for?

~~~
melvinmt
Yes.

~~~
tocomment
Then I'll pass. I can't get over that psychological barrier of paying to use
something I'm already paying for :-(

------
FallDead
"The xbox will be the next water cooler" That lady has no idea how correct she
is. It seems that they focused on entertainment also they got more suits to
present a product, using every buzz word in the dictionary. I really enjoyed
how they were distancing them selves from Microsoft the whole time, I only
recalled they said Microsoft at most 5 times. "Team xbox" "Here at xbox"

~~~
nivla
>I really enjoyed how they were distancing them selves from Microsoft the
whole time

I don't think there was any need to be alienated from the brand Microsoft (No
recent Microsoft PR blunders I could recall). Its just that Xbox has become a
brand of its own. The addition of Microsoft is now unnecessary. You can also
notice this very easily among techies, there are a lot who hate Microsoft but
love their Xbox.

------
thezach
This is a bit off topic but....

I want one console on my TV, a console that lets me listen to the music source
of my choice whether its Pandora, Spotify, Google Play, or all the other stuff

I want a console that plays nice with my cable tv provider... hell I would
love to replace Charter's HD Box with a console and get DVR, TV listings, and
On Demand

I want a console that I can play games... including all the major options.

I don't want to be annoyed with advertisments or notifications I dont need.

Most of all I want the console to be able to seperate my needs from my
girlfriends. I could care less about Grey's Anatomy and she could care less
about Star Trek.

I want to be able to watch Amazon Video on demand, Netflix, and Hulu from my
one console, and search all these options plus my cable TV lisitings from one
console.

I would also like it to block any content from Robert Scoble.

None of these things will ever happen though because companies are getting
more and more in the habbit of setting up walls between services instead of
focusing on user friendlines. I dont want 4 boxes hooked to my 3 HDMI ports. I
want one box.

------
micromarty
The 3 OS thing is very interesting. I can't wait for all the jokes saying how
one Microsoft OS barley works yet alone 3 at the same time.

~~~
thezilch
I can wait; this hasn't really been a thing for over a decade. It is usually
3rd-party driver related, and none of the OSes are immune.

------
CodeCube
Some funny/snarky tweets: [http://storify.com/pattheflip/people-on-twitter-
make-fun-of-...](http://storify.com/pattheflip/people-on-twitter-make-fun-of-
the-new-xbox)

My favorite: "Don Mattrick: 'We are proud to announce a Kickstarter for the
next Xbox today... there are a LOT of great rewards for backers.'"

------
undoware
Ha! The site isn't loading. So much for Azure. Gee, I hope this thing doesn't,
like, you know, require a 24/7 net connection.
<http://i.imgur.com/9ycXs5y.png>

------
kelvie
Honestly, if this can run Steam's Big Picture (in Windows, I guess), I'm sold.

Watching Dota 2 using the in-game client on a TV would be great.

------
Fuzzwah
I suspect that the guys at Valve working on the steambox were pretty happy
with what they saw during the reveal event.

While steam in the lounge room will be able to deliver content other than
games, I'm sure that the main focus of the initial push will be on the games.
Seeing MS "diversify" their focus is surely good in Valve's view.

------
quizzas
I think it's a product with HUGE potential as it would replace my separate
Gaming-Console/AppleTV/Browser devices; also looking forward to gesture
interactivity done right (ugh, Samsung's Smart TVs are terrible)..

------
devicenull
Specifically, a picture of it (with no other information)

~~~
danieldk
There's some more on Gizmodo:

[http://gizmodo.com/the-new-xbox-everything-you-need-to-
know-...](http://gizmodo.com/the-new-xbox-everything-you-need-to-know-about-
microso-509033619)

------
AUmrysh
Won't this make discussion of the first Xbox horribly confusing and make the
new product and original product show up together in search terms?

~~~
manojlds
The old Xbox is over a decade old. BTW, were you around when Apple gave the
name for its new iPad?

~~~
nsxwolf
They named it "the new iPad", changing its designation to just the
platform/form factor. From now on, all new iPads will be "iPad". Microsoft
could have done the same thing by just naming it the "Xbox".

But yeah it doesn't really matter. The original XBox is the "Batman Begins" of
the XBox trilogy. The most rabid fans don't even know it exists.

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jlgreco
I'm not seeing the details, but at least it looks better than the old one I
suppose.

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rayj
"This page cannot be found"...

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leishulang
thanks but no thanks. my teevee comes with android play.

