Xbox One's Kinect Can Actually Be Turned Off

[Madgamer13]

This whole big brother microsoft watching you is definately a concern, but not one that I share. I am too used to PC gaming and much prefer to stay with what I know, instead of entering the frightening area of console gaming. The family member who lives with me is also someone who doesn't need such complex systems, so I've no need to worry about a piece of tech watching me.

Judicial systems and watchdogs do need to pay attention however, even if Microsoft doesn't intend to use this type of tech for bad, it is all too possible for such things to be used against those it watches.

 

[Dragoon]

So the detailed instructions will be pretty much this right? Microsoft are just digging themselves deeper and deeper.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Wow. I didn't even think this was news. How do you think it comes in the box? If I were even remotely considering buying one, I'd be more worried that it is watching and listening all the time when the Xbox is on, which is to be honest, what I thought was the extent of the concern in the first place. I hadn't even considered that the Kinect would be operational all the time even when the Xbox is not in use, so I suppose I'm understandably underwhelmed by this information.

Virtually every damning feature of the Xbone has been hastily met by Microsoft with a "Oh no, it's not like that, nothing of the sort. It's only like that if you actually want to use the Xbox or any of its features".

 

[anian]

The only thing worse than camera and microphone that can't be turned off, that must be connected to the internet, can detect your heart rate, number of people and record in the dark...well if they gave it legs so it can follow you around, a strong laser pointer beam and maybe a creepy sound it makes when it moves.

Also I think we are all forgetting the big leap M$ is making here. They're going from a console that had extra insurance if it stopped working for random overheating or other reasons and just showed the ring of death, to a console that has a special feature of turning off when unplugged.

 

[Deathlyphil]

Also I think we are all forgetting the big leap M$ is making here. They're going from a console that had extra insurance if it stopped working for random overheating or other reasons and just showed the ring of death, to a console that has a special feature of turning off when unplugged.

To be fair, an always online, always watching, always listening device that DIDN'T turn off when uplugged would be far scarier.

 

[Vetta E-dom]

You know what's really sad? This information is a week old. A FULL. WEEK. OLD. And yet no game journalism sites have picked it up. You know why? Sensationalism. It's absolutely terrible. And it isn't even an obscure source.

Here's the article for those of you who will obviously want a source.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57585620-75/microsoft-talks-xbox-one-naming-privacy-and-more-q-a/

Glad to see someone else was able to realize this, Its also strange that this information was presented at the press conference yet its just now getting posted.

 

[The Lugz]

'facepalm'

you know what i do with my webcam and my microphone when they aren't in use?

unplug them.

you know why? because 100% of the time the data they record is being fed into the machine
even if it's being ignored by the official process of the operating system it's still there in a file waiting to be abused by attackers
the issue is a little different for a console, because not everyone knows how to abuse the system yet ( damn flash player grr. ) ahem.
so yes for the moment there really is no issue but eventually people will crack it as they do everything

all microsoft need to do is add a toggle switch to the back of the kinekt that cuts all power to it's monitoring devices
simple. hell it's a 50p mod i could do myself with a drill a dip-switch and a couple minutes with a soldering iron

just stick those on the kinket, everyone is happy.

Microsoft's vision of data protection:
headline psa, it runs on electricity people! turn it off!
'sigh'

when are the cylons attacking? microsoft is prepared! just turn it all off.

Anyone else notice that it didn't answer the real question. "Is Kinect always going to be on while I play a video game, or can it be individual turned off?"

they stated he xbone 'Will not function without the kinekt attached' so i'd say that's the answer to that question

Source:
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/05/21/xbox-one-will-not-function-without-kinect-attached

that still does not say it can or cannot be switched off in any other manner though
i still like my toggle switch idea.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

They're either morons taking too long to mention this, or they are trying to respond to the backlash by fixing the situation and saying it was like this all along. Either way, still not buying the machine.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

Microsoft, you're not making any damn sense. Frankly you just can't make up your fucking mind about this thing, and if I buy it I'm concerned that when I try to play a game it'll explode.

Oh no, it doesn't explode whenever you try to play a game. It will only explode if you try to play a game that is installed on the console. You can refuse to install any games onto the Xbox One, we'll release more details about that later.

 

[Spygon]

I am going to wait for E3 before i make a decision on if i am going to buy the Xbox one as they are really not telling us anything.

 

[The Lugz]

I am going to wait for E3 before i make a decision on if i am going to buy the Xbox one as they are really not telling us anything.

probably a wise idea, in fact just wait until it's reviewed before you spend anything on it ie 'big stick poki'n method'

personally i'm waiting for the ps4 to see how they compare overall, to see if i even want a console at all this generation

 

[Spygon]

I am going to wait for E3 before i make a decision on if i am going to buy the Xbox one as they are really not telling us anything.

probably a wise idea, in fact just wait until it's reviewed before you spend anything on it ie 'big stick poki'n method'

personally i'm waiting for the ps4 to see how they compare overall, to see if i even want a console at all this generation

Totally agree to be honest neither company have told us anything about their consoles really it is just the xbox one had all these terrible rumours floating around it.Both pretty much have said "yes they exist and this is the spec sheet" that doesn't tell us jack shit these days.We don't even know what the PS4 looks like very bizarre launches from both sides

 

[ellers07]

Kind of missed the point there, didn't he? I think we knew would could turn the entire thing off, but we were just kind of hoping it wouldn't be staring at us while we watched a movie because that's creepy and unsettling. I wouldn't want someone in a theater doing that and I certainly don't want my electronics doing that.

So... I don't feel better. Still passing on the XBone.

 

[Colt47]

I'd still be more comfortable with a blanket over the damn thing if I have to be in the same room with it.

And lets not forget this [http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/139706-microsofts-new-kinect-patent-goes-big-brother-will-spy-on-you-for-the-mpaa] little tidbit.

I think this news just invalidated a penny arcade comic and a yahtzee poem.

Unfortunately, it still doesn't invalidate Yahtzee's poem or the penny arcade comic because while they state it can be turned off, that is definitely not the default state and given the patent, there is nothing to stop the device from turning back on or being required to be on during certain operations. Also, the only concern Microsoft has with the USA audience is to make it sound like it respects someones privacy. Unlike Europe, which has broad and far reaching legislation involving matters of privacy protection, the US laws usually only apply to the Federal Government.

So in essence, the post that "it can be turned off" is meaningless... joy.

 

[Lightknight]

Kind of missed the point there, didn't he? I think we knew would could turn the entire thing off, but we were just kind of hoping it wouldn't be staring at us while we watched a movie because that's creepy and unsettling. I wouldn't want someone in a theater doing that and I certainly don't want my electronics doing that.

So... I don't feel better. Still passing on the XBone.

Exactly. What this means is that you have to hard-turn off the system. There'd be no sleep mode. You know that thing on the ps4 that allows you to turn off the system and then come back and just turn it back on directly where you left off as if it were just paused? That's not available. Any kind of updates that run while you're asleep instead of when you've got a group of friends over waiting to play? Not possible. Though the Xbone has not been tauted as having either of those features anyways. But this is basically the equivalent of saying that you can always unplug it from the wall.

What they're not saying is that there's a software option that you can navigate to in order to turn it off. That's what we want to hear. Of course we knew that depriving the hardware of power meant the componenets couldn't function. We also have no way of knowing whether or not the privacy settings will actually be straight forward. We've all seen what Facebook and other entities have done to thwart our ability to manage them while still being able to legitimately claim that the option to edit them is available.

I guess we're just left with asking whether or not it's a coincidence that they've released a porn streaming service at the same time they've begun forcing their hardware to watch and record us.

 

[ellers07]

You know what's really sad? This information is a week old. A FULL. WEEK. OLD. And yet no game journalism sites have picked it up. You know why? Sensationalism. It's absolutely terrible. And it isn't even an obscure source.

Here's the article for those of you who will obviously want a source.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57585620-75/microsoft-talks-xbox-one-naming-privacy-and-more-q-a/

Glad to see someone else was able to realize this, Its also strange that this information was presented at the press conference yet its just now getting posted.

Under different circumstances I'd agree with you guys, but this can barely be classified as new information. The fact that you can turn off the Kinnect by depriving the entire system of power isn't quite what people had in mind. I don't think this particular case of delayed information is because of sensationalist journalism, it's just an entirely useless announcement that doesn't really require reporting.

It's like telling someone they can turn off the radio in their car by turning off the entire car.

 

[Kittyhawk]

Always the best way. If Kinect 2 needs power, just don't plug the thing in. Only hook it up when needed.

Everyone wins. Disaster averted.

 

[RJ 17]

For everyone asking "Why didn't you mention this sooner, Microsoft?" I've got the answer: they're going by those old wise words of "It's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're a moron rather than to open your mouth and prove them right."

The XBone reveal was atrocious...absolutely horrible...and will go down in histories as one of the greatest crimes committed against mankind. There ARE no explanations for how shitty this thing is going to be.
"Microsoft, why are you forcing the Kinect - an absolutely failed product - down everyone's throat by making it mandatory?"
"Errrr...well....you...you can actually turn it off while you're watching TV, but it's still mandatory if you want to play games. We'll talk more on the subject later..."
"Microsoft, why are you insisting that the Cloud is going to be anything but a massive DRM requiring people to have a good and stable internet connection if they intend to play their games? Why do you keep saying that the Cloud is going to do most of the processing when everyone knows that such claims are absolute BS thanks to the SimCity controversy?"
"Errr...well...by buying a game your actually purchasing a service from us, that's why we have the Cloud set up, to better serve you. We'll talk more about that later..."
"Microsoft, why are you hell-bent on destroying the used and rental game markets by effectively saying "no used or rented games on this console"?"
"Well...we'll talk about that later..."

The answer to every question raised so far is "It's a POS console and we REALLY screwed the pooch on this one by reaching for the stars but only managing to grab our own ass." It's up to Microsoft to prove that statement is a misconception, and their absolute refusal to come out and clearly face these questions with straight-forward answers, at least to me, suggests that the only answers they can give are ones that we really don't want to hear.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

That press release, to me, sounds like that the Kinect cannot be disable through the system's settings. It has to be on, always. If you don't want it to use it, you have to turn the console off. I am curious if the Kinect can determine if you have placed some sort of covering over the sensors and won't let you use the system until they have been uncovered.

 

[Mr. Q]

Oh, thank God! For a moment I thought HAL 9000 was going to be peeping on me 24/7... assuming I ever had the money or interest to buy an Xbone. BTW, nice job on telling us this over a week after the reveal, Microsoft. Way to be on the ball with your information. -_-