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They can’t turn on anything that would require an internet connection. We may never know what developers could have done with cloud processing, download only games, DRM sharing, etc. That stuff can no longer be put into games because they can’t ensure that everyone will be able to support it.

28 minutes ago on Back to reality: Microsoft's new Xbox One policies retreat from the future

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I’m probably one of the few that actually really was excited for the new changes. It had the potential to completely change game distribution and connectivity. Always online features, cloud processing, etc are completely worthless now. No developer is going to build for them when they don’t know who will and won’t have an always on connection. I’m pretty bummed about this.

It might make sense right now, but if they can’t transition to an always on internet connection over the next couple years it just sets back gaming until next lifecycle.

37 minutes ago on Back to reality: Microsoft's new Xbox One policies retreat from the future 1 recommend

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Then you need to read up on it a little more. They didn’t have direct access, but required companies to upload all the user’s info to a server they could access. It’s the same amount of data, just not directly connecting into the company’s servers. The method isn’t even the biggest point of contention though… it’s the fact that they could secretly request blanket info on innocent citizens with no reasonable cause.

1 day ago on Google asks for permission to publish FISA data, says 'misleading' reports hurt the company 2 replies 1 recommend

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Which is what they’re trying to set straight but don’t have the legal right to yet.

1 day ago on Google asks for permission to publish FISA data, says 'misleading' reports hurt the company 1 reply 32 recommends

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That wouldn’t/shouldn’t happen in the first place. With networked cars and health checks and having the battery sitting in their station, they should be able to easily tell if a battery needs replacement and not release it back into rotation.

1 day ago on Elon Musk to demonstrate Tesla battery swapping tech on June 20th

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Sure they will be. The superchargers and swaps will be free for Tesla owners, it’s all part of the vehicle’s cost. For non Tesla owners, of course it won’t be free, they’ll have to pay just like they do now.

1 day ago on Elon Musk to demonstrate Tesla battery swapping tech on June 20th

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I really think Xbox One has the potential to finally overturn it. As long as the HDMI pass through is smooth, and DVR functions work well, and…so many things really. But MS seems to be putting a lot more effort into becoming your media center than Tivo has.

2 days ago on TiVo prepping next-generation DVRs with new remote control, up to six tuners 1 reply 1 recommend

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There can be multiple models in a series. That should be obvious.

2 days ago on TiVo prepping next-generation DVRs with new remote control, up to six tuners

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It’s not about the servers dude, it’s about what rights/methods the local state law enforcement have available for use. No matter where the servers are, TX law enforcement no longer has the right to get emails and use as evidence without a warrant.

2 days ago on Texas first state to mandate warrants for email surveillance 1 reply 1 recommend

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Agreed; this is a likely reason for giving up that info, but why do so publicly? If he wanted protection, maybe he should go privately to them?

2 days ago on NSA vets praise Snowden as a whistleblower, but fear he may take things too far 1 reply

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Personally, I have to agree with the “traitor” part about outing US cyber attacks vs China. Granted we all knew that was happening… but still, don’t give away your offensive secrets. Leaking spying on your own citizens is one thing, telling the world you’re in a cyber war with China is another.

Although, maybe he said that so that China would help him out with some sort of political protection.

2 days ago on NSA vets praise Snowden as a whistleblower, but fear he may take things too far 1 reply 5 recommends

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We need a “national security reasons” added to the flag reasons.

2 days ago on President Bush's top intelligence officials nearly resigned over NSA surveillance concerns

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Hopefully someone will improve this with better AI. A conductor type game would be perfect. If it could try to interpret what you mean by conducting normally, pointing at specific objects with one hand while still conducting with the other, etc. I could see this being perfect if they got rid of telling you what to do completely and made more of an effort to read your movements like you speak of. Of course there has to be context and you’d have to adjust to the mechanics a little bit, but have it be more natural and trial and error and I think it’d be more fun than on screen arrows.

5 days ago on 'Fantasia' for Kinect has big ambitions, old constraints

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This new (to consoles) structure isn’t even out yet. Let’s give it a chance to settle in and see what happens. Steam didn’t give out great deals at first either, it was just a distribution platform at first. We have no idea how this is going to work out yet.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 3 replies 5 recommends

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You may see a scenario in which X1 games go down in price and Sony’s don’t. Because X1 developers know they are going to have enforcable DRM on every single game/system.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 2 replies

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Boom. Exactly this. I say give X1 two years to settle in and people to adjust and the benefits of Kinect in every box and required DRM/internet connection will be painfully obvious compared to PS4’s pretty much all ready antiquated structure.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 1 reply 1 recommend

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Even more important, keep an eye on those cloud computing features. Could lessen hardware requirements depending on how developers use them. And considering Xbox One requires internet connection, developers can plan on taking advantage of those features for everyone.

On a broader note, that’s what I like about what X1 has done, instead of offering these things as options, they’ve made them requirements. Now developers can advantage of kinect, cloud computing, etc knowing that every owner is going to have them.

PS4 offers lots of options without requiring any. Therefore developers are not going to develop for them and get into a messy requirements section on the back of the package.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 1 reply 1 recommend

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4 hour campaigns? I don’t think I’ve ever played a game with a 4 hour campaign.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 3 replies

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With more digital distribution and DRM they should see more profit on each title though.

5 days ago on Microsoft says games for the Xbox One will still cost $59.99 1 reply

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Do you know many people that have an offline console? Not play offline games, but truly have a console not hooked up to the internet? I don’t know a single person lol.

People are blowing this stuff out of proportion and ignoring the fact that Xbox One offers so many more features, opportunities, and tech that make for a hell of a base for structures to build on. Kinect, HDMI passthrough, SmartGlass may be gimmicks to some… but with them being universally deployed to all Xbox One users now, developers are going to have a lot more to play with and a lot more creative ways to integrate these things.

PS4 has accessories that most people aren’t going to buy so no developers will develop for.

5 days ago on Top Shelf 013: Heart, Mind, and Console 2 replies 1 recommend

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I liked your description of teppan better

the kind that cooks the food at your table and the chef puts on a show flipping shit around

5 days ago on 'Happy Birthday' lawsuit demands Warner Music pay back millions in royalties 1 recommend

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Not to mention all of this is done in secret courts we have no access to. Even if they turn that data into a case against a U.S. citizen, it may not even be public to us, they may be fabricating it behind closed doors. Extreme example, but when you collect data in secret, using secret policies, with no oversight (other than a court that apparently doesn’t say ‘no’ to any request), and then use that data in secret for your own motives, there is an extremely high risk of abuse.

5 days ago on Yahoo fought back against 'unconstitutional' government order before joining PRISM: NYT

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I’m sure there’s lots of things the CEO’s of these major companies aren’t supposed to talk about yet do over scotch and martini.

5 days ago on Yahoo fought back against 'unconstitutional' government order before joining PRISM: NYT

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Figured this text might help some people.

Fourth Amendment:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Secret court: you’d like a warrant to record information from everyone on the internet and using a cell phone?
NSA: yes
Secret court: what’s probable cause?
NSA: anyone could be a terrorist, we don’t know who
Secret court: granted

5 days ago on Standing with Snowden: the nerdy past and uncertain future of a whistleblowing icon 1 reply 8 recommends

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The only way anyone would ever know about PRISM is if someone broke the law. You would rather this go on in secret forever than someone stand up for our rights?

5 days ago on Standing with Snowden: the nerdy past and uncertain future of a whistleblowing icon 2 replies 11 recommends

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Problem is that their broader interpretation and usage methods/policies were all done in secret and everyone has been legally bound to keep it secret. Sneak through a policy for “terrorism”, then establish secret court to determine that the government has a right to record anything they damn well please, and that those providing the information are legally bound to deny it and keep it secret from America’s own citizens. If the way it was going to be implemented had been in the open when the law was proposed, you know this would not have flown. They can’t pass PIPA or whatever the hell it was, you think this would pass?

5 days ago on Standing with Snowden: the nerdy past and uncertain future of a whistleblowing icon