The Xbox One is a-comin’.
This latest-gen gaming console is scheduled to officially hit the store shelves sometime this fall. And now that the media dust has settled, some of you have probably heard at least something about it. If you’re a gamer, hey, you’ve probably been searching out little clues and hints about the system for months now. But whether you’ve been obsessed, intrigued, interested, or completely blasé about the topic, there’s one thing for certain: This little black box is aiming to change everything when it comes to media consumption. And there’s a whole lot of people hoping it does just that.
In case you’re still wondering what the fuss is about, let me fill you in. The new XOne appears to be what all the game console makers, TV manufactures and techy sorts have been trying to come up with for a while: an honest-to-goodness, easy-to-use hub device for all your game, TV, music, DVR, Blu-ray and internet-streaming media consumption. In fact, before the late Steve Jobs—the former CEO of Apple—passed away, he talked about his dream of creating a TV with a media interface sorta like this one. The only difference is … this gadget carries a Microsoft label.
How does it work? Well, first of all, it gets rid of all the many remotes that you likely have stacking up on your couch or entertainment unit. By expanding the Xbox 360’s movement- and voice-sensing Kinect technology to hyper-sensitive levels, and then connecting it to all the current TV, Wi-Fi and stereo equipment inputs in your entertainment system, it gives you control of everything with a simple verbal command or wave of your hand.
You want to watch the news? Just call out, “Watch ABC”( or CNN, or Fox or any other favorite) and poof! You’re on that channel. A simple, “Xbox, game” instantly flips things to the videogame vibe. And while you’re playing, watching the football game or enjoying a NetFlix movie, you can also command Xbox to open a second PIP screen through which you can, say, check your fantasy team numbers, see Twitter or Facebook posts or maybe give Mom a quick Skype call. And it’s all, it would seem, intuitive and instantaneous.
Of course, there are issues.
That impression of flawless functionality is, after all, based on Microsoft’s launch event demo. Will it actually work like that in your living room? Well, that’s yet to be seen. The gamer in me is also a little irked that the One reportedly won’t be backward-compatible with Xbox 360 games. The new system’s unique processing architecture means gamers will have to keep their old system around or rebuy that Xbox library in the new format. (Arrgh!)
Even more concerning than that, though, is the fact that this new super-sensitive Kinect system—which is a live camera/microphone link that’s constantly measuring everything from your facial expressions to your heartbeat—could potentially raise privacy questions. Will that always-on online connection be used in ways we don’t expect? Is there a way hackers can secretly break into your living room electronics just like they can worm their way into your computer?
Then there’s the Plugged In guy in me who wonders how all this instant, voice-command, wave-your-hand stuff will incorporate sensible parental controls and/or differentiate between someone who’s 18 or 8.
I don’t know. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if this is indeed The One.
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