re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

They wanted to get rid of all the analog outputs, switching solely to digital, as well as eliminating some obsolete pins, like the Firewire pins they didn't support anymore. This saved them from having to include digital-to-analog processors in their iOS devices (except for audio, which is still needed for headphones).

Also, instead of having fixed pinouts like the 30-pin connector did, the Lightning connector can dynamically assign pins for whatever use the attached accessory needs. This helps future proof it for new data standards and uses, and avoids the situation of the 30-pin where they had old, obsolete pins that they couldn't re-use for backwards compatibility reasons (e.g. making sure an older dock using the 12v Firewire pin for charging didn't fry a newer iPhone).

http://pinouts.ru/PortableDevices/ipod_pinout.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_(connector)
http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/...reversible_use

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Wow, that's a good answer. Thanks, Jay!

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Hmmm, a new Crackdown may actually be in the works:

http://kotaku.com/crackdown-hint-at-...l-sa-585690773

Crackdown was amazing when it first came out, however Crackdown 2 was a huge pile of shit. Maybe they can reboot the franchise or something this time?

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

What is there to explain? It is like trying to explain why the Wii has motion controllers. The kinect is simply a part of the system. You aren't paying more for the system because of it any more than you are paying more for the system because the controllers have rumbles in the triggers or any other design decision they have made.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Considering you can supposedly turn off everything about the Kinect, I don't understand how it goes from peripheral to as necessary as a power cord for the thing to work. You can boot up an Xbox 360 without a controller connected and navigate it with the remote. I'm assuming the Xbox One will pop a message up that says "please connect Kinect to continue". Why is it so important?

Gosh, I hope my Kinect doesn't break because I'll have to buy a new one to play non-Kinect games.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Do we even know 100% that you can't just unplug it? I mean, MS has said that the Kinect is required with the system, but what happens if we just remove it? As far as I know, they have not said anything other than that you can disable all features of it. Someone needs to ask them if we can unplug it completely or what the system does if we do so.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Wrong. Terrible analogy. Not only does a Wii not require use of motion controllers, it has available a Nintendo-made Classic controller to use in games that has no motion controls. The Kinect is REQUIRED to use the One, even in games where there is no apparent use for the Kinect whatsoever. It's a stupid, invasive, unnecessary requirement that screws things up for a lot of people's systems (mine included). There is no reason on earth that they should make the system inoperable without the Kinect plugged in -- sure they can warn you that you'd be missing out on the ability to Skype Grandma and change your TV channel with a voice command, but you should still be able to play Watch Dogs or Peggle 2 without a Kinect attached, right?

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

That is 100% legitimate. The only response I have seen to the question of what you do when it breaks was a “clever” non-answer.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Since Watch Dogs is a game about hackers, if they were smart they'd use the Kinect for some Eternal Darkness-style effect.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

It's not a terrible analogy. Nearly every retail Wii game released requires a wiimote. You may think that the making the Kinect a part of the system is a bad decision, but that doesn't change anything. It is simply a design decision.

You may as well ask questions like why does the Xbox controller have 4 face buttons? I love fighting and wrestling games and 6 face buttons would be much easier to use. Why does it have 4 shoulder buttons? 2 shoulder buttons is less confusing. Why don’t they have 16 GB of RAM?

We all agree that Kinect was completely useless to most of us. Microsoft is hell bent on pushing the Kinect. The only way it might be useful to us in the future is if it is standard.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Sure, they can make that an option. They had some Kinect features available for Mass Effect 3 and Forza 4. There's still no reason to make it required.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Nobody disagrees with that, I'm just saying if it's required for the system, may as well use it. Doesn't make the requirement any less stupid - if you're required to wave your hand before the system is functional then Microsoft is just being stupid.

It's Microsoft's version of the Wii-mote, but instead of selling it to anyone they're just forcing it instead.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Just curious : Is the IR blaster (used to change channels on your cable box) in the One or on the Kinect?

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

The Xbox One, it should connect a separate dongle.

http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/streams...ktop_large.jpg

It plugs into the port that says IR Out.

And should look like

http://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d..._1_610x458.JPG

I'm basing this completely on the Xbox One's cousin, of which that IR blaster belongs to:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget....1286403043.jpg

(It's IR, so it needs line of sight to the cable box. The Xbox One can't do that and the Kinect most likely couldn't for most setups.)

To note, the entire reason I fully support Microsoft's decision to go the route they did with the HDMI-in and Apps is because of how much I enjoyed the Google TV -- when it worked (it was young when I had it). However, I still don't like essentially being forced to buy a Kinect 2.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

The Wii comes with a motion-enabled Wiimote. It does not come with a classic controller. That is an optional add-on. Similarly, the WiiU comes with a gamepad but not a pro controller. Those controllers are integral to the experience of the console. The 360 comes with a Kinect AND a traditional controller, and you can use either. I have yet to see, aside from saying "Xbox On", how the Kinect is integral to the experience of using the One and playing its games.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Well, you are paying more for the Wii because it has motion controllers, and are paying more for the Xbox because of rumble controllers, etc. It's just that for most of those the costs are minimal, or as pointed out with the Wii, used in almost every game.

For the Kinect, even on launch titles the use seems optional. Also, the cost of the accessory is more observable considering that the 360 Kinect is optional. It's like if the Xbox One came with an additional controller, but was $50 more. You can be sure people would do the math.

As evidenced by the headset debate, people sometimes do prefer if certain accessories are included with the system, even if they're ultimately paying for them in one way or another by buying the system. The Kinect, however, hasn't really proven itself as necessary to many people, especially considering the $100 price difference between the Xbone and the PS4 that many people contribute to including the Kinect.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/...inect-attached
http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/privacy
I swear there was a twitter post or some other quote from a MS rep, but basically all gaming sites have confirmed that the Kinect needs to be connected for the Xbone to even boot fully. You can "pause" it and/or have it turn off when the Xbone powers down, but you can't unplug it.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Which is going to go over great with a little kid grabs it and breaks it.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

I guess bolt it down?

Actually, it'd be funny if one got broke in such a way where it was still reporting as connected to the Xbone, but was otherwise functionally useless. I bet there'd be people willing to trade for that broken one in exchange for their fully-functional one so that they could play games without worrying about potential monitoring, accidental voice commands/hand gestures, etc.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

That'd be interesting to see. Cut the kinect cable so that it's just a dongle to see if it works.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

The advantage of turning your Kinect off via the voice commands is that it stores you recording locally, and then uploads it later to the NSA via a trickle feed. So you're not using a ton of bandwidth.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if someone out there manages to create a dongle that "fakes" being the Kinect, and sells it for $20.
That is, of course, assuming that the system absolutely will not let you do anything without a "Kinect" plugged in. ;)

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

IF Kinect is necessary and IF it breaks... do you need to buy an all new X1? If it's required, it's technically not an accessory any more than a steering wheel is an accessory on a car.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

I'm sure you can send it in for an expensive replacement.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

MS has said it has to be connected, but have they said you have to actually place it in the intended location?

Is there anything to stop you from just hooking the thing up, and then just wrapping the remaining cord around it and sticking say behind the TV, or in the entertainment center?

I get why people are upset you have to pay for one. But if people are worried about being spied on, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard to point the camera in a different direction, or even cover the lenses.

re: Xbox One: We said WHAT at E3??
 

It's the principle of the matter!! NSA! PRISM!
OBAMA!!

;)