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The REAL reason the Xbox One is Kinect Mandatory


DarkReign2021
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Saw this little story today. Thought it might be worth posting for everybody else to see. I imagine a few people will have some choice words regarding this story. Hearing it come from the mouths of Microsoft, it definitely makes me stop fast and rethink my stance on the Xbox again...

 

The Xbox One and its dashboard user interface were built with advertising in mind, key members of Microsoft’s UK Xbox Live Advertising team have told website StickTwiddlers on a recent visit to the company’s headquarters.

 

A two-hour discussion with the senior digital art director/user experience designer and technical account manager for Xbox Live advertising revealed that all advertising created for the platform must work with both a standard Xbox controller and the console’s mandatory Kinect camera system.

“With the new Xbox One, the technology and Kinect has improved a lot,” said the technical account manager for Xbox Live Advertising, “so that actually, the voice recognition, the way you speak to your Xbox, and the transition between gaming and watching TV is a lot smoother, and hopefully we can transpire that into advertising that we do.

“Xbox is moving more outside of the bedroom. We’re seeing much, much more people use it in living rooms where there is family, friends, there is lots going on, so there is a context of perceiving the content,” the senior digital art director/use experience designer said. “It’s not like when you’re at work, when you sit in front of a screen and your experience is very personal. But with Xbox, it’s lots of people in front of one big screen. They are playing or watching together, and advertising is being consumed in a totally different way.”

Microsoft hopes that the inclusion of Kinect with every Xbox One system will allow the company to better serve contextually relevant ads, and that integrating advertising material within content will make it less jarring.

“On Xbox, the ad is part of the actual experience, it’s not something that is outside. The only difference is that the advertisement we have is quite small and not disruptive, so people are not aware of clicking on the banners because they know this is a part of the whole experience on the dash,” the senior digital art director revealed. “So the users know that this is something that when they click on it, they won’t be hit by something crazy or something dangerous like on the web. Everything that lands there, we create."

Microsoft's advertising team believes the upcoming Xbox One will allow advertising to evolve in line with the platform's gaming content.

“It’s going to be an exciting transition, though, because the 360 console wasn't built with advertising in mind, it was more of an afterthought, so we've had to adapt to the technology and how we work to fit them in to the console,” said the Xbox Live advertising technical account manager.

Users concerned that the Xbox One and its Kinect camera may be collecting personal, identifying, or biometric information from the system should not be concerned, the team said.

“This sort of works at two levels. There’s the game producers, who have a different API, so a different set of code and system that they use, and they've got a lot more control of the whole thing,” the developer commented, “whereas from the advertising point of view, we have a slightly more limited set, which is designed to protect the user. The company is very keen on protecting the user from any sort of abuse, so we can’t do certain things.”

Originally likened to a “monitoring device” by Germany's federal data protection commissioner, Microsoft has attempted to allay consumer fears that its new home console will spy on its users. The company recently released official information on how the Kinect camera can be paused, which personal data the system will collect, and how it will be shared with third parties.

 

http://www.gamespot.com/news/xbox-one-created-with-advertising-in-mind-6411083

 

So basically, they're confessing that they're using the Xbox's Kinect-mandatory function to study your surroundings and sell that information to advertising companies. There's still fortunately the option to shut the entire thing off (and in my case, it's getting shoved in a deep, dark cabinet as well) but it's nice to know that having it on is now 100% confirmed not safe.

 

Seriously Microsoft? You guys were doing so well. You did the 180 on the DRM and your recent press releases were starting to draw people back in. Than you go and discuss this. You made two huge mistakes.

 

1. You remarked that the Xbox is built around Ads. The thing that so many people hated about Xbox 360 and you went and told them that the next console is built around them? Seriously, people already pay $60 a year for Xbox Live Gold as is. I can see it being an added annoyance for people that are only Silver, but Gold users shouldn't have to deal with seeing ANY ads. I pay $60 a year. I want my dashboard to be clean.

2. You just went and reminded people about the Kinect being mandatory. Not only that, you pretty much just confirmed that Kinect will be used to survey it's surroundings and that information will be sold to advertisers to create more user-specific posts. This is EXACTLY what people have against the mandatory Kinect feature to begin with and you went and acted like it's a good thing.

 

 

As far as I'm concerned, Ads can go fuck themselves. I've had the 360 since Launch. Ads have been a major presence since they first updated to that shitty NXE Dashboard (Blade Layout had more character, more personality, and was a vastly superior design) and I, to this day, haven't clicked a single one of those worthless Ads regardless of what they're for. Fuck ordering Pizza, fuck Joining the Navy, Fuck the NBA and NFL, Fuck UFC, fuck that garbage Lil Wayne has the nerve to call music, and fuck every other worthless ad the dashboard has ever had the nerve to waste my time with.

Edited by DarkReign2021
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Premium service, with advertisements.

http://thebillfold.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Scrooge.jpg

 

Do they also know that there are far too many people, including me, which easily struggle with using the Kinect for navigating menus? It's a stupid system games like Sonic Free Riders and Forza 4 had to point out for us, that navigating menus is much easier with a pad.

Edited by CHIRUNO99
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Read this like a few days ago. I agree with you, ads should not be in the premium service because as far as I know premium services are usually there to eliminate ads (there will be a guy who comes in stating Hulu+ has ads and how much he doesn't mind paying a subscription but still have ads).

 

Secondly, I'm not too fussed about the whole mandatory thing anymore but stupid of them to ignite the flame once more.

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Premium service, with advertisements.

http://thebillfold.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Scrooge.jpg

 

Do they also know that there are far too many people, including me, which easily struggle with using the Kinect for navigating menus?

 

Fortunately in regards to using the Kinect for anything, particularly navigating menus, there is the option of Motion controls, voice controls, and the traditional controller as well. It's mostly an issue with the Kinect when it's being used to sell information about it's user population. Before today, I personally had no problem with the Kinect being included or mandatory because I personally believe the Kinect has a lot of potential in gaming, but when it comes to something like this, it makes me a lot more reluctant to get it out.

 

I have nothing to hide and, if anything, I'll probably make more of a show to fuck with them. Xbox One launch night and I'm bring my girlfriend home and chaining her to a wall and whipping her in front of it. See what the advertisers can come up with for that shit.

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I don't really have a problem with any of this. I'll be using my Xbox One for games and Netflix, and I won't be using the Kinect. If they have an ad for something I want on the dashboard, I'll see it and get it, so that's not exactly a bad thing. I'm too old and have too much to worry about then how many ads are on the dashboard.

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Fortunately in regards to using the Kinect for anything, particularly navigating menus, there is the option of Motion controls, voice controls, and the traditional controller as well. It's mostly an issue with the Kinect when it's being used to sell information about it's user population. Before today, I personally had no problem with the Kinect being included or mandatory because I personally believe the Kinect has a lot of potential in gaming, but when it comes to something like this, it makes me a lot more reluctant to get it out.

 

I have nothing to hide and, if anything, I'll probably make more of a show to fuck with them. Xbox One launch night and I'm bring my girlfriend home and chaining her to a wall and whipping her in front of it. See what the advertisers can come up with for that shit.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/archive/2003/10/44_031015_cops5seconds.gif.CROP.original-original.gif

 

That will be your fate :p

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http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/archive/2003/10/44_031015_cops5seconds.gif.CROP.original-original.gif

 

That will be your fate :p

 

Than I can sue Microsoft in a lawsuit over unlawfully spying on my home without cause and live happily ever after in the Caribbean sipping Bahama Mama's on the beach and nailing the local beauties :D I'm sold again. I'm getting the Xbox One.

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Than I can sue Microsoft in a lawsuit over unlawfully spying on my home without cause and live happily ever after in the Caribbean sipping Bahama Mama's on the beach and nailing the local beauties :D I'm sold again. I'm getting the Xbox One.

I would love to see how they would sneak their way out of something like that. It's bound to happen. But enjoy your time in the Bahamas :p

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I would love to see how they would sneak their way out of something like that. It's bound to happen. But enjoy your time in the Bahamas :p

 

As the first one to endorse my relocation, I'll nail the first Caribbean girl in your honor... Actually that might be a little weird. I'll have a Mai tai with extra rum in your honor instead :p

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I don't need an explanation or justification on why the Kinect is mandatory. I'm fine with it. It's really not that big of a deal, nor is the price that much of a setback.

 

People who continue to bitch about the Kinect are just... :mad:

 

Please keep in mind that it is MOI who posted this :p Lets all remember the other day when I was getting excited over the idea of RTS Kinect controls. lol

 

I just DON'T like the idea of my information being sold to other companies. I've never had a problem with ad placements in games like GTA where you drive by a billboard and see a sign for the new Android phone or something. That's fine, but I hate when these things are forced on me in the quantity that the dashboard does it, especially after I already pay so much a year to use it. As superior as the XBL experience is, PSN HAS indeed been free and almost completely ad-free the entire time. Even now, charging $5 a month, I can still see it being relatively ad-free. Now the Kinect is coming in and giving me advertisments based on what it sees around my living room (which means there are people reviewing this information since there's no way the Kinect is going to be able to tell what specific items are in the room.)

 

At the very least I want to see the Main page be Ad-free. I want to be seeing things on my dashboard that pertain to me. When the console first boots up, I automatically want to see my gamerscore, my most recent games or games that I have pinned, which friends I have online, messages and friend requests I've received. As far as advertisements go, I want to see games it recommends based on my play history and the newest games added to the Marketplace. I shouldn't have to bootup my 360 every day and see ads for the latest UFC fight or the newest Kanye West Album. I don't give a shit about any of that. In my home it's a gaming machine and infrequently used to watch Netflix and Hulu. That is all it is and ever will be.

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As the first one to endorse my relocation, I'll nail the first Caribbean girl in your honor... Actually that might be a little weird. I'll have a Mai tai with extra rum in your honor instead :p

 

The latter is indeed better :p

 

if you have gold then you shouldnt have ads, fuck it!

 

Definitely true.

 

http://sticktwiddlers.com/2013/06/28/xbox-one-dashboard-created-with-advertising-in-mind/

 

That's the original. Seems like a load of shit if you ask me. It's hardly proof yet everyone is just looking for a reason to vindicate themselves. It's stupid.

 

What proof do you need when they're saying it? :confused:

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What proof do you need when they're saying it? :confused:

 

Who said what exactly? There are holes and it doesn't make any sense, surely you can see that.

 

This is only one guy that was invited to Microsoft in the UK and apparently told by some guy that the Kinect is only mandatory for advertising...

 

The "rep" also apparently slagged the use of Kinect in previous games full well knowing the newer one is significantly more advanced?

 

So, you're telling me, he knows how it works one way but not the other? Yeah, I'll wait and see for myself.

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http://sticktwiddlers.com/2013/06/28/xbox-one-dashboard-created-with-advertising-in-mind/

 

That's the original. Seems like a load of shit if you ask me. It's hardly proof yet everyone is just looking for a reason to vindicate themselves. It's stupid.

 

“Xbox is moving more outside of the bedroom. We’re seeing much, much more people use it in living rooms where there is family, friends, there is lots going on, so there is a context of perceiving the content,” says the Senior Digital Art Director/UX Designer. “It’s not like when you’re at work when you sit in front of a screen and your experience is very personal. But with Xbox, it’s lots of people in front of once big screen. They are playing or watching together and advertising is being consumed in a totally different way.”

 

I think Microsoft is going to be extremely disappointed when they discover the majority of the Xbox userbase is a bunch of fat, sweaty naked guys that sit in a recliner for hours on end eating cheetos, drinking mountain dew, and playing videogames with strangers they met on the internet. Because, you know, Online Gaming is the future. It's not no longer about getting together with family and friends. Why do that when you can have an entire console and full TV-screen to yourself? (And I challenge anybody to actually find a real family that gets together to play videogames in the living room these days. These days parents work from sunup to sundown and the kids have their noses stuck against their bloody iPhones all day long. People are too damn busy for "family time."

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Please keep in mind that it is MOI who posted this :p Lets all remember the other day when I was getting excited over the idea of RTS Kinect controls. lol

 

I just DON'T like the idea of my information being sold to other companies. I've never had a problem with ad placements in games like GTA where you drive by a billboard and see a sign for the new Android phone or something. That's fine, but I hate when these things are forced on me in the quantity that the dashboard does it, especially after I already pay so much a year to use it. As superior as the XBL experience is, PSN HAS indeed been free and almost completely ad-free the entire time. Even now, charging $5 a month, I can still see it being relatively ad-free. Now the Kinect is coming in and giving me advertisments based on what it sees around my living room (which means there are people reviewing this information since there's no way the Kinect is going to be able to tell what specific items are in the room.)

 

At the very least I want to see the Main page be Ad-free. I want to be seeing things on my dashboard that pertain to me. When the console first boots up, I automatically want to see my gamerscore, my most recent games or games that I have pinned, which friends I have online, messages and friend requests I've received. As far as advertisements go, I want to see games it recommends based on my play history and the newest games added to the Marketplace. I shouldn't have to bootup my 360 every day and see ads for the latest UFC fight or the newest Kanye West Album. I don't give a shit about any of that. In my home it's a gaming machine and infrequently used to watch Netflix and Hulu. That is all it is and ever will be.

 

Okay well when someone presents this kind of argument, I can agree :p Bolded for truth and overall, good post.

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Okay well when someone presents this kind of argument, I can agree :p Bolded for truth and overall, good post.

 

I can't tell if you're just a highly agreeable person or I just happen to be really good at pulling all the right strings. Maybe I've just been doing this for way too long and I should retire from gaming. lol

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Please keep in mind that it is MOI who posted this :p Lets all remember the other day when I was getting excited over the idea of RTS Kinect controls. lol

 

I just DON'T like the idea of my information being sold to other companies. I've never had a problem with ad placements in games like GTA where you drive by a billboard and see a sign for the new Android phone or something. That's fine, but I hate when these things are forced on me in the quantity that the dashboard does it, especially after I already pay so much a year to use it. As superior as the XBL experience is, PSN HAS indeed been free and almost completely ad-free the entire time. Even now, charging $5 a month, I can still see it being relatively ad-free. Now the Kinect is coming in and giving me advertisments based on what it sees around my living room (which means there are people reviewing this information since there's no way the Kinect is going to be able to tell what specific items are in the room.)

 

At the very least I want to see the Main page be Ad-free. I want to be seeing things on my dashboard that pertain to me. When the console first boots up, I automatically want to see my gamerscore, my most recent games or games that I have pinned, which friends I have online, messages and friend requests I've received. As far as advertisements go, I want to see games it recommends based on my play history and the newest games added to the Marketplace. I shouldn't have to bootup my 360 every day and see ads for the latest UFC fight or the newest Kanye West Album. I don't give a shit about any of that. In my home it's a gaming machine and infrequently used to watch Netflix and Hulu. That is all it is and ever will be.

 

Your information is being sold off whether you know it or not. Welcome to the age of the internet.

 

As for ads on the main page of the dashboard, I remember MS saying during either their reveal or E3 that there would be no ads on the main page of the dashboard.

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I pay for premium cable and still have to watch ads. The difference here is, if I don't want to see and ad I just don't click on it.

 

I'll do everything in my power to disable the Kinect. I don't want it, have never wanted it, and have no intention of ever using it.

 

Here's my concern with the Kinect.

 

What happens when the sensor breaks/fails/doesn't work? If it's "required" then does that make the console a doorstop?

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Your information is being sold off whether you know it or not. Welcome to the age of the internet.

 

As for ads on the main page of the dashboard, I remember MS saying during either their reveal or E3 that there would be no ads on the main page of the dashboard.

 

Actually, most of the information relating to No Ads On Main Page seem to relate to a reportedly leaked document that was posted. On Pastebin. Which, from my personal count, brings the Number Of Helpful X1 Pastebin Leaks to at least 3. xP The last two being the whole Steam Sales concept, and the one describing how Family Share was a timed demo.

 

http://gizmodo.com/the-good-news-about-xbox-one-that-microsoft-brushed-rig-513494087

 

Not that I'm discounting that it might have been said by an MS official at some other point, but I read several articles reporting there wouldn't be ads, back when news first surfaced, and they all referenced the same anonymous Pastebin posting. Harder to double-check, because news searches on Xbox One No Ads all turn up, well, variations of OP's article link, so if anyone has any corroborating evidence from a source other than that Pastebin posting, much appreciated.

Edited by Zanten
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Your information is being sold off whether you know it or not. Welcome to the age of the internet.

 

As for ads on the main page of the dashboard, I remember MS saying during either their reveal or E3 that there would be no ads on the main page of the dashboard.

 

Which is why I wouldn't want them to have a mandatory Kinect and ads on the dashboard :confused:

 

As for your second point, source? I know we're big on sources here so....

 

 

 

I pay for premium cable and still have to watch ads. The difference here is, if I don't want to see and ad I just don't click on it.

 

I'll do everything in my power to disable the Kinect. I don't want it, have never wanted it, and have no intention of ever using it.

 

Here's my concern with the Kinect.

 

What happens when the sensor breaks/fails/doesn't work? If it's "required" then does that make the console a doorstop?

 

Forget cable that is completely different.

 

As for when the sensor breaks down? Couldn't ever happen, don't speak like that! But in the 0.001% chance that it does, it most likely will become a useless piece of junk, unless you wait for MS to send you a new one or you buy another Kinect.

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Which is why I wouldn't want them to have a mandatory Kinect and ads on the dashboard :confused:

 

As for your second point, source? I know we're big on sources here so...

 

Your information isn't being sold just from Kinect for dashboard ads.

 

As I said, I thought I heard them say it during the Xbox One reveal or the MS E3 conference. I don't remember which and I don't feel like watching them again to find it. Maybe I misunderstood what they said. Either way, if you want to check for yourself, go ahead.

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