Topic: XboxOne ~News/Rumor/Speculation~ Biggest Console Released This Gen!!

[Chozo Ghost]

The Wii was a spectacular success for Nintendo. Hardcore gamers like Ian hate it, but no one can deny it has printed huge amounts of money for the company. After the disaster that was the Gamecube this was just the thing Nintendo needed. Another Gamecube level failure or two and the company would have been forced to go 3rd party like Sega. Whether you like the Wii or not, it did save Nintendo from that fate. Now no one is talking about Nintendo ending up like Sega anymore, but I remember back in the Gamecube era you heard that kind of talk often.

[Ceric]

I play games with my son for a day and looks what comes of it.

Now to poll my opinion on the topic at hand.

Releasing 2 XBox Skus that aren't the same at the same time would be terrible.
Its one thing to not include a harddrive.  Its another to be a totally different system.  It ruins your name recognition in  a way.

Do I think that Microsoft will be making a set top Media box.  Sure but, I think if anything it will contain the Zune branding or something new.  The game portion of it will be XBox Live just like on Phone 7.

Example would br the system being called Zune Media Extender to be boring or ZuneTV to mimic Apple.

When you have such radically different systems you are in effect making another Console to compete against your console and fracture you base.  Be like if a political party running 2 candidates for President.

[ThePerm]

what if they decided to release a tablet for 360 instead of making a whole new console....theres your ARM processor right there

[nickmitch]

Microsoft has been trying to cross promote their brands a lot lately. It started with the name "Windows Phone 7" then moved on with Xbox Live on the phones. All the Zune stuff has really just been meager attempts at keeping that brand alive. I think the company is just trying to throw all of its **** at the wall and see what sticks to establish a better company image for when they finally take over your house.

[ThePerm]

yeah, Zune is considered a ghetto iProduct by most, but Xbox has good branding. According to the execs as MS, they say theres no need to release a new system, but then really if they just release add-ons like Sony is then its not a bad idea. We all know that we're facing the uncanny valley gap and even if Wii U is significantly more powerful than ps3 and 360 we wont see a gigantic difference. If a lower looking game on Wii U looks as good as mass effect 2....then **** is awesome. The power increase will have gameplay possibilities, but not as much graphical possibilities.

[Chozo Ghost]

yeah, Zune is considered a ghetto iProduct by most, but Xbox has good branding.

Only because Apple hasn't went and released the iBox (yet).

[Lithium]

too bad the zune failed. I have a ZuneHD and actually think the interface is much better. I have an iphone now but i still end up using the zune

[Ceric]

too bad the zune failed. I have a ZuneHD and actually think the interface is much better. I have an iphone now but i still end up using the zune

Should try a Windows Phone sometime.

Apple isn't going to get into the Console arena.  Ever. 

Let me rephrase.  If they do.  They've jumped the Shark.

[nickmitch]

I could see them bringing apps to Apple TV, but there's not gonna anything substantial at least until they figure out how to make an iTV.

[Chozo Ghost]

too bad the zune failed.

I disagree. Microsoft holding a monopoly in the OS and web browser arena is bad enough, and it would be even worse if they managed to become a monopoly in other areas. Viva competition!

[NWR_insanolord]

Except Microsoft hasn't had a monopoly in either of those markets in a while, especially web browsers. And wanting competition is exactly why you should want the Zune to be successful. I may be an Apple fanboy, but I still want somebody out there keeping Apple on their toes, forcing them to continue to improve.

[Chozo Ghost]

Except Microsoft hasn't had a monopoly in either of those markets in a while, especially web browsers. And wanting competition is exactly why you should want the Zune to be successful. I may be an Apple fanboy, but I still want somebody out there keeping Apple on their toes, forcing them to continue to improve.

But isn't there, though? There are MP3 players made by Creative and a bunch of other companies. I don't mind Zune existing and selling well. The problem is when it sells TOO well and then Microsoft locks everything into their proprietary blue screen of death bullshit.

[ThePerm]

I think Microsoft has evolved over the years to not be as annoying of a company. They've been shrinking as well, and as things are changing they are going to have to change into a totally different company to survive. Apple had to do it, Microsoft will have to do it. Its interesting watching the survival of the fittest among software/hardware companies, they have to dig out their own niche. The problem is conglomeration makes being niche dwellers hard.

Ideally
Apple will focus on Portable computing
Microsoft will surpass apple and various linux peoples for good pc operating systems and set top boxes
Nintendo will control the living room and bedroom, and now with Wii U bathroom entertainment
Sony will control movies(not spiderman) and music and get the **** out of the console industry

[nickmitch]

I don't think Windows need to "surpass" anybody for PC operating systems. They hold the majority. I do think that they'll need to step it up in other devices like set top boxes though. You didn't mention Google's Android, but I think that's been coming up over linux as a base OS for stuff.

[Chozo Ghost]

But Android itself is based off the Linux kernel. So if Android dominates then in a way Linux dominates too, because Linux is the core of it.

[SixthAngel]

Microsoft is going to get pushed into a niche market and become nearly irrelevent on the OS front thanks to Android.
Android is the fastest growing OS on mobile phones currently and satisfies that demand well.  It already has all the basic products users want (even has a version of photshop), just not the high-end stuff.  As smart phones inevitably kill the PC (why would you have a pc at home when you can plug a phone into a monitor that can do all the same things?) Windows will get pushed out as well.  Android will move upmarket pushing MS into smaller and smaller markets.  The low end user is already ripe for the taking because they see no reason to move from XP to a new Windows OS.  MS is trying to fight back with Windows mobile but has flubbed it up bad in the past so the new version which is okay seems like its too late.  Before you say anything I'm not talking about Apple because their current hardware business model prevents them from such a takeover.

It is basically the whole "disruptive innovation" stuff that people were talking about with the Wii and DS.

[TJ Spyke]

Yeah, I don't see smart phone ever replacing computers. At most they would compliment them, but the market for people to switch over only to smart phones is pretty slim and niche. It's like how 2 years ago you had people claiming netbooks would take over, and now those are pretty much dying. Smartphones can not and will not ever be able to duplicate the experience of a PC/desktop.

[nickmitch]

Netbooks got replaced by tablets. The thing about netbooks was that they were great if all you needed to do was surf the web and maybe type up some quick docs. They sucked for real work (which I learned first hand). Tablets are better because they don't try to trick you in to thinking they're real computers.

[SixthAngel]

Yeah, I don't see smart phone ever replacing computers. At most they would compliment them, but the market for people to switch over only to smart phones is pretty slim and niche. It's like how 2 years ago you had people claiming netbooks would take over, and now those are pretty much dying. Smartphones can not and will not ever be able to duplicate the experience of a PC/desktop.

Why?
My phone is nearly powerful enough to replace my PC now.  It could already replace my parents' laptop without affecting what they do.  All it needs is to plug into a monitor/keyboard and give the os two modes of interaction, one standard pc style one mobile style.

Netbooks were a poor replacement for laptops.  I'll give you what wiki says in the first paragraph. "nothing more than smaller, cheaper notebooks," noting, "the specs are so similar that the average shopper would likely be confused as to why one is better than the other," and "the only conclusion is that there really is no distinction between the devices."
Besides, any market netbooks had was immediately taken by iphone, android and similiar devices.

[ThePerm]

yeah, ideally in the future pcs will be these tiny things you plug keyboard/mice/ and monitors into, but Im not a fan of mobile computing really. Never liked laptops much either, always liked having a beefy interface. There is so much stuff you can do on a pc, that you can't do on a mobile device or even a few things on the mac for that matter. That could change in the future. In fact aside from being a closed architecture Wii U will have some nice balance. I use my PC alot for internet and stuff, and that should largely be replaced by other devices in the future, but I would hate to be forced to do work on a mobile device. I would never feel comfortable posting on forums or working on webpages on mobile devices.

[Ceric]

Its obvious Microsoft believes mobile devices is where OSes will be migrating to in the next few generations.  Windows 8 is being designed to start bringing your PC and Mobile OS together.  I can easily see by the time we get to Windows 9 that mobile devices will be poised to be able to do what are machines can today.

Technology Marches on.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Kinect 2 so accurate it can lip read
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-11-25-kinect-2-so-accurate-it-can-lip-read

Microsoft plans to release a next-generation Kinect device so accurate it can lip read, sources have told Eurogamer.

Kinect 2 will come bundled with future Xbox consoles, we understand.

The intention is that Kinect 2 will offer improved motion sensing and voice recognition.

One development source told Eurogamer that Kinect 2 will be so powerful it will enable games to lip read, detect when players are angry, and determine in which direction they are facing.
Kinect 2 can track the pitch and volume of player voices and facial characteristics to measure different emotional states.

The current Kinect is hamstrung by having to pass data to the Xbox 360 through ageing USB technology - an issue discussed by Eurogamer last year.

When Kinect launched in November 2010 the depth sensor was set at a 30 frames per second limit and a 320x240 resolution limit. The issue relates to the USB controller interface, which is capable of around 35MB/s, but it only uses around 15/16MB/s. This artificial limit is in place because multiple USB devices can be used at once on an Xbox 360.

Kinect 2, however, can feed the next Xbox more information, and thus a higher resolution CCD [charge-coupled device].

"It can be cabled straight through on any number of technologies that just take phenomenally high res data straight to the main processor and straight to the main RAM and ask, what do you want to do with it?" our source said.

Lip reading...? I guess that means that accurate finger tracking is a lock.

Just imagine eyetracking for cursor movement. That could be interesting.

But the rest of the story goes on to summarize all the previous rumors we've heard in the last month or so.

Microsoft reportedly plans to launch two very different versions of the next Xbox.

According to a Digital Foundry report on GamesIndustry.biz, the first is a "pared down machine" to be released as cheaply as possible. It is likened to a set-top box, and will act as a Kinect-themed gaming portal.

The second is a "more fully-featured machine" with optical drive, hard disk and backwards compatibility. This would be aimed at hardcore gamers and released at a higher price-point.

Next-generation talk has ramped up in recent weeks, with Edge reporting that the next Xbox will launch late next year.

Digital Foundry believes this is unlikely, however, suggesting a 2013 launch. The console is rumoured to be set for a reveal at E3 2012.

Edge also claimed advanced development kits were already at major publishers and their teams - a suggestion corroborated by Eurogamer sources. We have been unable to verify the rumour that AMD is providing the GPU, however.

A report by MSNerd called the next Xbox the Xbox Loop - or the Xbox TV, which may relate to the rumoured cheaper Kinect 2 SKU.

Eurogamer understands Loop was the codename of Microsoft's early motion-sensing technology that predated Nintendo's July 2008 Wii Motion Plus announcement. It was a device that wrapped around a player's arm, and was said to be more accurate than both the Wii and the PlayStation Move controller.

Microsoft told Eurogamer it "does not comment on rumour or speculation".

So if we are expecting a Bigger Badder Kinect 2 ontop of a Bigger Badder Xbox720, then I guess we can also expect a $499 price tag to go with it.

[Ian Sane]

Eyetracking for cursor movement?  That would be totally messed up.  Your eyes actually dart all over the place.  We think they move very conventionally but I've seen experiments where they track eye movement and it is way too erratic to be useful for cursor control.

Kinect is just a dumb gimmick anyway though.  No real thought was ever put into it.  It's just "well we'll beat the Wii by having NO controller!"  So maybe it could have eyetracking that works like complete balls but that won't matter because Kinect works like complete balls anyway.  The target demo will just be thrilled by the "holy **** it goes where my eyes go" thrill factor.

[Ceric]

Its sort of an interesting take on Kinect 2. Lip Reading would help Speech Recognition with some of the trickier words.

All exciting stuff.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Its sort of an interesting take on Kinect 2. Lip Reading would help Speech Recognition with some of the trickier words.

All exciting stuff.

It would also let the game know which of the multiplayers was saying what by tracking who's lips said what.