The XBOX One

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-08T07:54:32.000Z

Rachel Brown:

Ah, you can. And anyway, Steam is just one digital delivery platform on PC. A normal “everyday” PC does not have ads. So your example is Xbox 360 and P/S3. Leave the PC out of it.

I refuse! Seriously, I prefer gaming on the PC over my consoles for so many reasons but - for me at least - the ecosystem for gaming on the PC is Steam (with a smidgen of Origin). Since I regularly add non-Steam games to my Steam library, and I launch Steam to get to it and when I do I get promoted content, the question of whether I object to content promotion does matter for me on Steam. And again, I want that promotion!

But I’ll violate the rules of the Internet and recognize that there’s another view. I’m sure there are some out there who don’t ever use Steam for PC gaming, so they can say there’s zero content promotion in PC gaming.

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-08T09:42:31.000Z

Rock8man:

I’m still so on the fence, I’ve now pre-ordered both of them from Amazon. I’ll cancel one before the actual launch. Probably the Xbox One. But I’m not sure yet. After the DRM scheme and everything got reversed, my brothers and cousins who I play with all ordered the Xbox One after all. So that’s social pressure for me to go that way.

Yeah, that’s a real factor. The system your friends and family get matter. My brother asked me for a recommendation and at this stage, I simply said: wait.

sangkancil99 · 2013-07-08T20:36:16.000Z

Rachel Brown:

Don’t you like dogs?

I like them well done with sesame seed and a bit of soya sauce.

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-09T11:03:46.000Z

Digital Trends – 8 Jul 13

The Xbox One is a PC in console’s clothing. Here’s why it matters

The Xbox One isn't just a game console – it's PC hardware running a Windows kernel. This combo could revolutionize computing – if Microsoft lets it.

Digital Trends has an interesting take on the PS4 and Xbox One. In essence, they say, while both consoles are based on the x86 PC architecture only the Xbox One is truly a PC in the one way that matters: it includes a Windows kernel.

Digital Trends:

The PS4 will never have the capabilities of a PC. Why? Because it doesn’t ship with Windows, and, in the eyes of many consumers, that’s the computer operating system. However, the Xbox One does ship with Windows. While it’s doesn’t run Windows 8 exactly, it does use the same kernel and the same interface design language, which means it can in theory run the same applications without much effort by developers… the consequences could be huge…In other words, Microsoft is poised to send millions of PCs directly to consumers. They run x86 hardware, they run a Windows kernel, and it’s all but confirmed that they’ll be able to run Windows 8 apps (with a few tweaks, most likely).

The idea of using my Xbox One as a PC in my living room is not appealing… until I think of scenarios where it is. At a minimum, I would love to plop down on my couch when I first walk in and launch a tap-a-talk like app and browse Qt3 for example.

Telefrog · 2013-07-09T11:11:33.000Z

Jake Plane:

The idea of using my Xbox One as a PC in my living room is not appealing… until I think of scenarios where it is. At a minimum, I would love to plop down on my couch when I first walk in and launch a tap-a-talk like app and browse Qt3 for example.

I already have an Android smartphone. In fact, most of the cross-media stuff they’re pushing so hard with the Xbox One are things I’d rather do on my phone.

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-09T11:46:43.000Z

Basically, I feel the same way about this that I do about the touchpad on the PS4. Intuitively, I think: I don’t want or need a touchpad, thank you, for console gaming. But then I think - maybe I do. Basically, I can see the potential here.

aganazer · 2013-07-09T11:57:43.000Z

Its the potential of non-gaming features that I’m excited about. An off the wall idea I had would be an app that uses the Kinect sensor to take body dimensions for ordering clothing online.

I am hoping that it can replace my HTPC. The only thing that it might not do is Hulu for free (the app requires a sub and the Flash site is free), but with Miracast I should be able to stream from a Win 8 tablet or even a PC in the other room. Not sure if I could do anything similar with a PS4.

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-09T12:14:51.000Z

Yup. That’s what I want. You have some interesting ingredients here: every Xbox One comes with Kinect + windows kernel + x86 architecture. Curious to see what developers will do

mono · 2013-07-09T12:26:39.000Z

You’ll only ever be able to run Modern (Metro) apps. Even then, I’m sure only an approved subset would ever be allowed.

Of course, what would be awesome is if Steam offered a Metro app…

DeepT · 2013-07-09T13:06:06.000Z

Steam doesn’t have a choice. Microsoft reserves the right to sell any and all Metro apps via their own store.

Chris_Nahr · 2013-07-09T13:12:09.000Z

Jake Plane:

Yup. That’s what I want. You have some interesting ingredients here: every Xbox One comes with Kinect + windows kernel + x86 architecture. Curious to see what developers will do

Nothing, because Microsoft has the Xbone software distribution locked down. The fact that it runs a Windows kernel is really quite meaningless.

Brakara · 2013-07-09T13:20:46.000Z

But the app side of the Xbox One may not necessarily be as locked down as the gaming side (as hinted during the Build conference).

Chris_Nahr · 2013-07-09T13:26:30.000Z

Brakara:

But the app side of the Xbox One may not necessarily be as locked down as the gaming side (as hinted during the Build conference).

It’s exactly as locked down, in that you must distribute through the Microsoft store. I would be completely amazed and flabbergasted if that was not the case.

Brakara · 2013-07-09T13:29:54.000Z

There are degrees of locked down though. Android, Apple, Steam, Windows 8, XBLA, Xbox 360 apps, etc. And Microsoft haven’t said how “locked down” the Xbox One app store will be yet. I would be amazed and flabbergasted if it was as locked down as the Xbox One game store.

Chris_Nahr · 2013-07-09T13:31:25.000Z

What difference exactly do you anticipate?

Brakara · 2013-07-09T13:39:57.000Z

No need for a publisher. Less strict rules. Though still not as “open” as say the Windows 8 store. But to be honest I don’t know. But do you really think it will be the same as on the 360? Why then tell the Build Conference developers that to get a head start on making Xbox apps, they should start making Windows 8 apps?

One thing’s for sure though, if they curate apps as they’ve done on the 360 it will be a big fat fail (I mean, there’s what, 10 apps or so after 8 years - or at least here).

Telefrog · 2013-07-09T14:01:05.000Z

They’re totally going to curate. They’re not going to allow apps on the Xbox One that don’t fit their grand vision and they’re certainly not going to allow apps that allow users to get around their marketplace.

aganazer · 2013-07-09T14:15:43.000Z

Telefrog:

They’re totally going to curate. They’re not going to allow apps on the Xbox One that don’t fit their grand vision and they’re certainly not going to allow apps that allow users to get around their marketplace.

No, I don’t see that happening, but I don’t see why they would arbitrarily reject anything besides apps that circumvent their business model and illegal/unethical apps. That leaves quite a lot of developer freedom to do cool innovative stuff and I think that is exactly what MS wants.

Jake_Plane · 2013-07-09T14:18:42.000Z

Telefrog:

They’re totally going to curate. They’re not going to allow apps on the Xbox One that don’t fit their grand vision and they’re certainly not going to allow apps that allow users to get around their marketplace.

I agree with Telefrog. I just don’t see Microsoft throwing open the doors of Xbox One wide open. It will be a walled garden approach when it comes to letting developers get into the Xbox ecosystem. But I’m fine with that given the amount of absolute crap that could flood the system. Steam also doesn’t let anyone post their games on their site. I’m sure Apple limits Apple TV.

mono · 2013-07-09T14:34:27.000Z

DeepT:

Steam doesn’t have a choice. Microsoft reserves the right to sell any and all Metro apps via their own store.

It was a joke. Why wouldn’t Valve love to have a Modern Steam client on the Xbox that let you buy and play PC games on the console? MS would never allow it, and they certainly won’t have an open ecosystem on the app side.