Microsoft to Start Shipping Xbox One Without Kinect

[Qtis]

I'll probably buy one sometime in the next decade, but the PS4/WiiU combo will give me quite a bit before that. I bought my LE 360 with 2 controllers, a game, cables, etc. for 249€ IIRC. Still a way to go till we're there, but then again this is newer tech.

 

[Foxi4]

The PS4 and the Wii U have cameras too, but people gang up on the Kinect because it's the trend, plain and simple.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

No thanks. Its ugly design. PS4 is better.

Yeah, because who cares about games, right? Gaming is all about lookin' good.

 

[Qtis]

The PS4 and the Wii U have cameras too, but people gang up on the Kinect because it's the trend, plain and simple.

BUT MY PS4 CAMERA WON'T GIVE PICTURES OF MY D AND SEND TO THE NSA FOR D-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE USED ON CCTV! I READ ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET!

In all seriousness, I agree. I've yet to find a good reason to have a webcam on most electronics, since a minority use apps such as Skype on multiple devices (yes, I actually do use Skype on my laptop and tablet, but I digress). The WiiU webcam is mostly for shits and giggles in games like Nintendoland, but otherwise, never seen the point of it.

 

[GHANMI]

Uncomfortable with the Kinect (seeing as how people continue to believe its a spybox)

Because it is the intent?
You could check Microsoft's earlier meetings with shareholders and representatives of the advertising industry, where they lauded the thing as "providing new opportunities to study how customers react to ads". A camera. An always-online console.
It's hard to shake off a bad (a very, very bad) first impression.
Not everyone is comfortable with a spycam in his living camera being integral to the functioning of a console (which hardly uses it for gameplay purposes) that can catch details as small as ... genitalia through clothes. And the TOS states that M$ can send any data online without further consent from the end-user.

That's far more blatant than the NSA using cell-phones and computer's webcam/mics (and even those can be controlled to a degree).
Comparing it to the PS4/Wii U's camera is false equivalence at best.

On a general note, I find it so cute when people are being dismissive of privacy concerns, outright attacking people who show concern for it.
Earlier they were mocked as Orwell-obsessed lunatics. Then Sweden's NSA leak happened.

This may not be enough to give them a jump on Sony, HOWEVER they'll now be on equal footing price wise. This will make the competition A lot more interesting now.

They probably should've cut the price another $50 or so if they really want to compete with the PS4, but, well, we'll see how this turns out.

On this particular note.
Sony said they designed the PS4 to have flexible pricing and to be highly competitive.
Make of that what you will.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Because it is the intent?
You could check Microsoft's earlier meetings with shareholders and representatives of the advertising industry, where they lauded the thing as "providing new opportunities to study how customers react to ads". A camera. An always-online console.
It's hard to shake off a bad (a very, very bad) first impression.
Not everyone is comfortable with a spycam in his living camera being integral to the functioning of a console (which hardly uses it for gameplay purposes) that can catch details as small as ... genitalia through clothes. And the TOS states that M$ can send any data online without further consent from the end-user.

Good thing you can just, y'know, not plug the Kinect in. In case you weren't aware, the XBone doesn't require both the Kinect or any internet connection, if people are really that paranoid then they can just, y'know, not connect to the internet and not use the Kinect.

It's fine if people think "OH NO XYZ SPYING ON ME" or whatever, some people just like their privacy and that's cool and all, I've got no hate there, but to think the companies/agencies actually give a sloppy shit about whatever it is you're so keen to hide is just...absolutely silly and quite frankly narcissistic. They aren't going to take pictures of you fapping to donkey porn and think "GOSH WAIT UNTIL I TELL THE WHOLE WORLD TOM LIKES DONKEY PORN OMG THIS WILL BE SO GREAT". If anything, there aren't even any actual humans sitting around monitoring millions of people, it's just going to be some algorithm that sorts through keywords and key pictures in the background to "enhance" advertisements. Boo...hoo?

 

[FAST6191]

Not that I cared but there goes the Kinect V2's chances of doing much. Maybe instead we can write off "motion controls" until the tech catches up.

Wonder what the price differences will be and if it will be actually that much lower or "token sum so you might as well go with the kinect version".

 

[GHANMI]

It's fine if people think "OH NO XYZ SPYING ON ME" or whatever, some people just like their privacy and that's cool and all, I've got no hate there, but to think the companies/agencies actually give a sloppy shit about whatever it is you're so keen to hide is just...absolutely silly and quite frankly narcissistic. They aren't going to take pictures of you fapping to donkey porn and think "GOSH WAIT UNTIL I TELL THE WHOLE WORLD TOM LIKES DONKEY PORN OMG THIS WILL BE SO GREAT". If anything, there aren't even any actual humans sitting around monitoring millions of people, it's just going to be some algorithm that sorts through keywords and key pictures in the background to "enhance" advertisements. Boo...hoo?

There is.
The Ad companies Microsoft was talking with in said pre-E3 2013 meeting, who care since customer data=effective advertising=money
And the NSA, who care since they love gathering data as any other Intelligence agency.
They love building databases about people, just in case you were not in touch with recent news.
Everyone admitted it, Obama said "b-but it's only for those outside the US!" (not before being exposed later for being a liar with further leaks and testimonies)
And the implications for this are far beyond fan-art or porn preferences.
North Korean people are already living in bugged houses where privacy was pretty much killed. Are they happy? I'd say, they're rather in constant fear. That's where things are going.

The Kinect raison-d'être being associated with data gathering in a meeting presenting the new console.
Always-online. Mandatory Kinect. Shady TOS. "Privacy" isn't the future. If you don't like it get a X360.
What an amazing first impression.

I can see M$ trying really hard to shake off that first impression. They really should.

 

[Foxi4]

There is.
The Ad companies Microsoft was talking with in said pre-E3 2013 meeting, who care since customer data=effective advertising=money
And the NSA, who care since they love gathering data as any other Intelligence agency.
They love building databases about people, just in case you were not in touch with recent news.
Everyone admitted it, Obama said "b-but it's only for those outside the US!" (not before being exposed later for being a liar with further leaks and testimonies)
And the implications for this are far beyond fan-art or porn preferences.

The Kinect raison-d'être being associated with data gathering in a meeting presenting the new console.
Always-online. Mandatory Kinect. Shady TOS. "Privacy" isn't the future. If you don't like it get a X360.
What an amazing first impression.

Throw away your iPhone, iPad, and Android device, turn off Chrome, stop using Google, better yet, stop using electronics altogether because gathering location data and usage data is not an idea born yesterday. I'm personally very happy that Google shows me pizzerias that are closest to me when I google "pizza", not a famous pizzeria in Nebraska. If you feel that this completely automated process infringes upon your privacy, don't use the internet. I find it mindnumbing that an effort to show you the adverts that may be relevant to the viewer or suggest content that the viewer might enjoy is considered unacceptable. You have the option to opt out - disconnect your Kinect. Do that.

 

[Obveron]

I'm surprised by this decision as it will fragment the users as those with or without Kinect. But hey, I hated the Kinect concept, so I think it's a good decision.
Now they just need to blow away the Kinect resource reservations so that developers can get every bit of performance out of the system.

Also, this will make the bone $50 cheaper than PS4 in Canada, which could give it a competitive edge.

 

[GameWinner]

Doesn't this also make the Wii U seem even less of a bargain? Both PS4 and One are now $399 while the Wii U is $299.

 

[Gahars]

The PS4 and the Wii U have cameras too, but people gang up on the Kinect because it's the trend, plain and simple.

Well, to be fair, the Kinect is pretty shit when it comes to games. People probably would be kinder to the thing if it wasn't tacked on and jacking up the price of the console by $100 or so.

The PS4 and Wii U (?) cameras may be just as bad, or worse, but at least I don't have to get them to get the system.

 

[Lestworth]

mmmmmmmm, no.

I'm sorry but i still view this as M$ U-turning again. What is this now the Xbox 3600 at this point? " How is this a u-turn, your just talking out of your ass *hugs xbox* " ... Didn't they say that the Kinetic is an integral part of the system? Yeah ... so much for that.

I'm all for Xbox attempting to fix, or change stuff for the consumer, but when is to much to much? Always online, always connected kinetic or your couldn't turn it on was something everyone looked at and said "uh wtf". When you get that stagnant smell on you as a first impression it does not go away. Believe it or not but the majority of consumers use the first impression to purchase objects. We are just a small part of the sales here with extended knowledge, so to shit on people saying " NSA NSA NSA NSA NSA!!!!! " when that was the first impression of the system is a bit crude. Its a running joke for us, but some people still believe that stuff can happen (and it does). Should you be paranoid of them spying on you? Slightly, but lets be honest, electronics have integrated to the point where it has become an necessity to most people. Hell im typing on my laptop with a webcam, for all i know NSA is looking at my stomach and fugly face right now. Comparing the Kinetic with the PS4 cam is a bit misleading, up to this point the Kinetic was madatory (but didnt have to be on anymore), where as the ps4 cam was something you could get, but didnt have to.

Kudos to Xbox for doing this, and it should make the market more competitive, but it might be to little to late. Bringing Hulu and Netflix out from the paywall (WHY THE FUCK WAS IT BEHIND THE PAYWALL TO BEGIN WITH) was just a duh move, but they did say they plan to put other things behind it, so it makes me wonder what in the hell they could be putting behind it.

A+ for effort, better late then never ....... right?????

 

[migles]

oh, one more kinect thread lets see

nsa stuff, check

ps4 is better stuff, check

whats else on list? oh right, more nsa arguments, check.

nothing more to see here all done

 

[Lestworth]

oh, one more kinect thread lets see

nsa stuff, check

ps4 is better stuff, check

whats else on list? oh right, more nsa arguments, check.

nothing more to see here all done

A check list because someone needs to feel above the thread, Check.

 

[migles]

A check list because someone needs to feel above the thread, Check.

attention because my checklist
check.

 

[Ashtonx]

nsa will not be happy about that.

 

[chavosaur]

Its nice to be able to distinguish who reads George Orwell and who doesnt by their posts isnt it?

 

[FAST6191]

Its nice to be able to distinguish who reads George Orwell and who doesnt by their posts isnt it?

I usually find it falls into four categories

1) Those that have no clue
2) Those that saw the reference somewhere and completely missed the point, however quoting it is cool so they roll with it.
3) Those that read it, usually in school, and completely missed the point
4) Those that read it and got it. This is not the same as liking it but they still got what it was aiming for.

 

[AngryGeek416]

lol now its just a weaker console without the selling point of kinect at the same price.