XBOne Kinect no longer needs to be connected for ubox to run

[Jkrohn1]

It seems MS have done another u turn and you can o longer need the Kinect connected for you Xbox one to run. All we need them to do now is remove the Kinect from the bundle and they might have a nice cheap machine lol

Story From CVG

Microsoft appears to have made yet another revision to its Xbox One user policy - the included Kinect sensor is no longer required to be connected for the console to function.

That's according to chief Xbox One platform architect Marc Whitten, who told gamers in a Q&A session via IGN that the console can still be used even when the Kinect is disconnected.


"Like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in," he confirmed. "Although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor," he went on to clarify.

This seemingly backtracks on previous plans to make the Kinect sensor a mandatory requirement for the new Xbox to operate.

Elsewhere in the Q&A Whitten confirmed that Xbox One users will not be able to party chat with Xbox 360 users, but text messages are cross-gen compatible. Xbox One users will, at launch, also be able to arrange their Xbox Live friends lists into 'favorites', with more categorised features to come in future.

Whitten also spoke in more detail on the options provided to deactivate a connected Kinect sensor.

"You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information," he said.

"Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture or more won't work. We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you'll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue."

Microsoft confirmed the ability to turn Kinect 'completely off' in May in response to widespread fears over privacy. Microsoft later assured soon-to-be Xbox One owners that the firm has 'prioritized your privacy' with the device.

 

[Slaine]

Next will be the standalone offering without kinect so they can justify reducing the price. Honestly they're considering backwards capability too, despite their previous insults.

They're desperate. Preorders are awful, and according to the gossip theyre about 4 Playstations to 1 Xbox. Theyve lost it now. Shouldve listened to what their customers want, and not what they want. Muppets

 

[Jenxy_]

I don't know about all this Xbox 180 malarkey. A part of me thinks they announced a product, said what it was all about. It's core consumers said that they didn't like it and they held their hands up and made changes that they hope will make it more desirable to the market.

Then another part of me thinks they should have stood their ground if they thought that the Kinect, DRM, always online was essential to their next gen console, then they should have held their ground.

Even if they suffered with pre orders if they really had faith that these things really made the Xbone the more superior console, then long term sales would have reflected that.

After all the 360 was initially considered to be the success and the PS3 a bit of a flop and look how that has changed over the years.

As for not requiring the Kinect, not sure whether this could mean a bad thing for gamers in the long term, as if its not required does this mean that less developers will make games with it in mind, after all if its not required for the Xbone now then they don't really need to.

 

[Slaine]

Thing is I'd have probably got one if Microsoft didnt embark on this journey of self destruction. How can you trust them now? Who'd buy one knowing they could initiate some god awful policy a few years down the road? You can only hope they learn from this.

Preorders are supremely important. Look whats happened to the Wii U. Poor initial sales means no confidence in the machine by consumers, developers and publishers alike. If Microsoft dont pull out all the stops now they could have a massive commercial flop on their hands.

 

[ColSonders]

I made the same call yesterday regarding a console being sold without the webcam to allow them to match the price of the PS4.

Not sure they'd do it though as even without the webcam then they'd still have to price it accordingly with the RRP of the webcam, so it would still be more expensive than a PS4, albeit by a much smaller margin, but the higher price is for what? The HDMI input that they are intentionally marketing to make it sound like the Xbox180 will be a replacement for your set top box?

I'm glad that a lot of Americans are stupid and will buy this product anyway, given the complete failure of Nintendo to make something that can compete we need the Xbox180 to be a success purely to keep Sony on it's toes.

I do wonder though, how many people are mislead with the marketing crap. I wonder if there are thousands of Call of Duty players that somehow think that they'd be missing out on extras if they got a PS4 as Microsoft has exclusivity with CoD. Or how many are expecting to be able to get rid of their cable box and replace it with the Xbox180 as per the information Microsoft are giving out and the media are unintelligently repeating.

 

[Acegadgets]

My son is still intent on getting an xbox, seems to think its slightly better than thw ps4. For the record hes not american, not a great fan of COD and is a mature university student.

 

[ColSonders]

My son is still intent on getting an xbox, seems to think its slightly better than thw ps4. For the record hes not american, not a great fan of COD and is a mature university student.

As mentioned last time, he must be very ininformed if that's his opinion.

As far as I can tell the only reason to get an Xbox180 is because it's what your friends are getting.

Other than that there isn't a single feature better on that system than the PS4 and the PS4 spec is higher.

I'd be curious as to what your sons reasoning is given the information we know.

 

[Slaine]

I have to agree with Col here. There really is nothing the One has that the PS4 doesnt trump. The general consensus by Digital Foundry and the like is that the PS4 will prove to be the more powerful. Theres more exclusives on the PS4 in terms of volumes, and whilst Live and PS+ cost the same, I dont really need to spell out which one is the better.

Check your sons grades. I suspect he be may sitting around smoking weed and partying all the time instead of studying

 

[yinkin]

So what is left to U-turn now, will we see a price alteration before launch? I am betting (although not putting money on it) that if the xbox one cant pick up more momentum before launch then we will see an announcement of a pre launch price alteration.

 

[Dogstar]

Microsoft confirmed yestersay there will not be a Kinect less Xbone. (Source: Eurogamer.) They are currently keeping their price. I think Microsoft will keep the £429 price (they shouldn't) but reduce it after 4-6 weeks of launch if the numbers aren't good. This is what they did with the original xbox.

We have to remember we're a skewed audience. Lots of people won't have read everything we have. They liked 360 and will just upgrade.

I confess to not really understanding why some people are so pro-Microsoft considering what they attempted. Sony have changed enormously since pre P3. Mind you I was reading a lot of American forums!

 

[Jkrohn1]

You noticed on the unboxing video Larry says it comes with latest hdmi cables capable of 4k.

Do either of the consoles run at 4k apparently the xbone does but the ps4 doesn't :-\

 

[ColSonders]

Both are capable of 4k output.

That is in place for if films start to get released in 4k.

Neither system is remotely capable of 4k graphics in games.

 

[Jkrohn1]

To be honest no one can afford a 4k TV anyway lol. If it's anything like 3D it's probably there and might be a FW update to implement it at a later date.