Xbox One: The Review • Hacker News Board

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#51

Post by beardfu » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:13 PM UTC

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

The system will function without Kinect plugged in, Microsoft reversed the always on requirement:

http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-one/get-the-facts

>Xbox One does not require a Kinect to be plugged in for the system to function.

You can supposedly control the use of your data according to the fact page also.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#52

Post by robmcm » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:16 PM UTC

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

Killzone is a PS4 exclusive, so the Xbox One won't play it either...

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#53

Post by jrajav » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:20 PM UTC

beardfu wrote: post #51

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

The system will function without Kinect plugged in, Microsoft reversed the always on requirement: http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-one/get-the-facts > Xbox One does not require a Kinect to be plugged in for the system to function. You can supposedly control the use of your data according to the fact page also.

> You can supposedly control the use of your data according to the fact page also.

I'd trust this to apply to Microsoft's contractual use of the data, but not to the NSA's expansive powers under current laws.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#54

Post by jimzvz » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:21 PM UTC

gabemart wrote: post #39

mrspeaker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. A couple of people here have pointed out that it's broken for them, or they don't like wasted pixels or something (somebody think of the pixels!) - but technical problems aside: this, and the PS4 review change my views of what an online article should be. It obviously doesn't apply to all content, but for a review of next-gen game consoles it really adds a sense of... tactile-ness? I dunno. But they are fanta…

I feel out of touch for saying this, but I found the page visually exhausting. I don't know exactly why - it's partially because the contrast of the text is too low on the white background and partially because I find extremely long pages disorientating, but that doesn't account for all of it. I'm all for beautiful, elegant presentation, but when it comes to reading a long article I don't want lots of movement and tw…

I agree. It also causes my fans to spin up which isn't very relaxing.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#55

Post by mbennett » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:23 PM UTC

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

IIRC, the biometrics profile is stored locally on the device, just like the iPhone 5S, and is never synced to the cloud. If you sign in on two consoles, you have to go through the biometrics setup process twice.

Edit: Why the downvotes?

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#56

Post by steveklabnik » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:26 PM UTC

mbennett wrote: post #55

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

IIRC, the biometrics profile is stored locally on the device, just like the iPhone 5S, and is never synced to the cloud. If you sign in on two consoles, you have to go through the biometrics setup process twice. Edit: Why the downvotes?

Except that it's closed source so who can really tell? And even if it is now, who says a 'security update' won't change that in the future?

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#57

Post by forgottenpass » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:27 PM UTC

dodyg wrote: post #37

|Unlike the PS4, there is absolutely no available functionality for the system until that update is performed. Seriously?

Yup, the system software was so late and so rushed that they couldn't get the software they wanted for launch ready in the timeframe needed for manufacturing.

Not a huge surprise to people paying attention to consoles. More and more games have been shipping in various states of brokenness for years. The last generation introduced online game updates, which has become an excuse to cut corners and fix it later. Just ship a day one patch and fuck you to anyone without a constant, fast internet connection to their console, they're statistically insignificant now.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#58

Post by ilaksh » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:28 PM UTC

This is obviously an advertisement rather than an actual review. I think I know what's relevant though. Its a powerful gaming PC with a new significantly improved although still imperfect Kinect. Anyway its funny that so many people can't tell the difference between a commercial and a review.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#59

Post by ilaksh » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:29 PM UTC

iMark wrote: post #15

Again, focusing on the presentation rather than the content, I'm extremely impressed with the integration of advertising on the page, using position:fixed to lock it in place while the content scrolls over it. If we go with the assumption that advertising is a necessary evil, this isn't a bad direction in which to take it.

What are you talking about? 100% of that page is an advertisement.

Re: Xbox One: The Review

#60

Post by tostitos1979 » Wed, Nov 20, 2013, 1:29 PM UTC

beardfu wrote: post #51

JonSkeptic wrote: post #45

If you've ever complained about surveillance then I don't see how you could even consider buying this. >Kinect is also used for lots of little things throughout the Xbox One's user experience. Profiles support fast facial recognition for sign-in. Once a profile has a face associated with it, the console will sign that person in whenever they sit in front of the console — it even says hello. Controllers sync automatic…

The system will function without Kinect plugged in, Microsoft reversed the always on requirement: http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-one/get-the-facts > Xbox One does not require a Kinect to be plugged in for the system to function. You can supposedly control the use of your data according to the fact page also.

Thanks, I missed that they changed this requirement. As an owner of all 3 of the previous generation of consoles, the always-on camera + voice was an absolute deal breaker for me.

I'm still going to hold off for a few reasons. The first is the requirement for XBox Live Gold. It makes no sense to me why I have to pay $$$ to Microsoft in order to watch Netflix. My PS3 does quite fine without a subscription. I was a fan of the Halo franchise but after the "incidents" with Bungie (Halo shoot'em ups) and Ensemble (lesser known for Halo Wars, more known for Age of Empires), I feel bad supporting the franchise with my $$$.

I'm also getting old and have less time to play games on my consoles. My iPad used to get a lot of game-related usage until the games started becoming "free" and continuously bugged me for in-game coin purchases.

Maybe I am just out of touch.