The Xbox One (successor to 360) Will Always Be Listening To You Even When Off

i'd prefer an older but spanking new from the factory XBOX 360 that doesn't snoop or spy on me...
 
I still plan on buying one - but I will not integrate it into my entertainment system. I think the integration (making it your switch box) is the thing that will have people leaving it on all the time. I will not have it on all the time, I will not be using "voice commands" (which NEVER work anyway!), and I will tape over the camera. I just want a friggin' gaming system that is just a friggin' gaming system!

The PS3 was such a piece of crap (constant updates, so you can't even play a single-player offline game without a 45 minute update!) that the PS4 is not an answer for me. The Wii was cool for kids and parties, but not serious gaming. And I don't have the time/money/energy to keep up with PC gaming (and I like playing in my living room, on my couch, in front of a large tv - not hunched over a desk in the office staring at a monitor!).. ugh!

Time for a new competitor in the console market - one that - just makes - shocker - gaming consoles for gaming!
 
Aratus said:
i'd prefer an older but spanking new from the factory XBOX 360 that doesn't snoop or spy on me...
Click to expand...

http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=203207

Written by Alphonse:

Microsoft Kinect Spy System

"So you just got the Kinect/Xbox360 gaming system and you’re having fun, hanging out in your underwear, plopped down in your favorite lounge chair, and playing games with your buddies. Yeah, it’s great to have a microphone and camera in your game system so you can “Kinect” to your pals while you play, but did you read that Terms of Service Agreement that came with your Kinect thingy? No? Here, let me point out an important part of that service agreement.

If you accept the agreement, you “expressly authorize and consent to us accessing or disclosing information about you, including the content of your communications, in order to: (a) comply with the law or respond to lawful requests or legal process; (b) protect the rights or property of Microsoft, our partners, or our customers, including the enforcement of our agreements or policies governing your use of the Service; or (c) act on a good faith belief that such access or disclosure is necessary to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, customers, or the public.”

Did you catch that? Here, let me print the important part in really big letters.
“If you accept the agreement, you expressly authorize and consent to us accessing or disclosing information about you, including the content of your communications… on a good faith belief that such access or disclosure is necessary to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, customers, or the public.”

OK, is that clear enough for ya? When you use the Kinect system, you agree to allow Microsoft (and any branch of law enforcement or government they care to share information with) to use your Kinect system to spy on you. Maybe run that facial recognition software to check you out, listen to your conversations, and keep track of who you are communicating with.

I know this is probably old news to some, but I thought I would mention it because it pertains to almost all of these home game systems that are interactive. You have to remember, the camera and microphone contained in your game system has the ability to be hacked by anyone the game company gives that ability to, and that includes government snoops and law enforcement agents.

Hey, it’s MICROSOFT. What did you expect?

And the same concerns apply to all interactive game systems. Just something to think about if you’re having a “Naked Wii party” or doing something illegal while you’re gaming with your buddies. Or maybe you say something suspicious and it triggers the DHS software to start tracking your every word. Hey, this is not paranoia. It’s spelled out for you, right there in that Service Agreement. Read it! Here’s one more part of the agreement you should be aware of.

“You should not expect any level of privacy concerning your use of the live communication features (for example, voice chat, video and communications in live-hosted gameplay sessions) offered through the Service.”

Did you catch it that time? YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT ANY LEVEL OF PRIVACY concerning your voice chat and video features on your Kinect box."
 
"Every generation, as you've probably heard, has grown approximately 30 percent," Mehdi said. "So this generation is about 300 million units. Most industry experts think the next generation will get upwards of about 400 million units. That's if it's a game console, over the next decade."

"We think you can go broader than a game console, that's our aim, and you can go from 400 million to potentially upwards of a billion units," he added. "That's how we're thinking of the Xbox opportunity as we go forward."

http://www.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-next-gen-console-sales-could-hit-1-billion-6408879
 
h8duAbE.jpg
 
Anti Federalist said:
This mission does not include monitoring communications of Americans in the United States. An NSA spokesperson said, "Many unfounded allegations have been made about the planned activities of the Utah Data Center," and further said that "one of the biggest misconceptions about NSA is that we are unlawfully listening in on, or reading emails of, U.S. citizens. This is simply not the case."

And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
Click to expand...

With close of escrow to be notarized by Edward Snowden.
 
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Looks like they changed their minds.

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugge...ternet-used-game-policies-xbox-211818635.html

"Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback," he wrote. "I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One. You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world."

[Related: Microsoft boss defends Xbox One price]

And you'll be able to do exactly that. From the site:

An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games

After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.

Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today

There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
Click to expand...
 
Coincidence that Sony just put out a badly flawed firmware update that has left a lot of PS3s dead? Sony just owned MS with their PS4 unveil the other day. PS4 will cost $100 less and have much less restrictions and no spycamera. Then Sony puts out a firmware the next day that disabled a lot of PS3s. Interesting timing on all this.

http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/18/playstation-3-firmware-4-45-update-reportedly-bricking-consoles/

(The thread on PS3 official site with reports of killed systems is hundreds of pages long)
 
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Sony: Aw, did our firmware update fuck up your PS3 and it isnt under warranty? Too bad, now go buy a new one! Remember mundane, you get to pay for our fuck-ups!
 
DamianTV said:
Sony: Aw, did our firmware update fuck up your PS3 and it isnt under warranty? Too bad, now go buy a new one! Remember mundane, you get to pay for our fuck-ups!
Click to expand...

It would be more like: "Your PS3 is bricked, we can mail you a replacement, or give you half-credit for a PS4". They could treat it as a loss-leader to get their product out there quickly.
 
shane77m said:
Just updated mine last night. Hope it doesn't brick.
Click to expand...

Seems like they corrected the firmware in the early afternoon so it should be ok. It was only like one specific model-type too, it wasn't all of them.

And for the Xbox walking back their policies - I'm still not buying it. It's still more expensive, and it's still impossible to get it without the camera. If they make one with no camera and no voice-commands, then I'd consider it, but nope.
 
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