xbox Stripped-down Xbox due in late 2013

[HawkMan]

I know that customer exists, but it wouldn't stop me telling them buying a 360 is much better value for them.

No it's not, it's better value for you. For them it a device they won't use 90% of. Andhich is overly complex and much harder for them to understand how to use.

Just because a SUV costs nearly the same as a mini doesn't mean everyone will agree the SUV I more value to them.

[c3ntury]

It should probably just be given a different name than Xbox, since there'll be zero compatibility between itself and the other devices, otherwise it might result in some customers being confused.

Other than that, I'm all for it.

I'd be surprised, since the Xbox brand has a brilliant reputation.

[greenwizard88]

Please please please just give it DLNA support so it's just as good as an Apple TV with Airplay. Seriously, I'm not too fond of Apple, but it's almost impossible to get a playlist from my laptop/desktop to play on a set of external speakers without using iTunes/Airplay*.

*Sure I could use a really long cable, but that's so 20th century :p

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

No it's not, it's better value for you. For them it a device they won't use 90% of. Andhich is overly complex and much harder for them to understand how to use.

Just because a SUV costs nearly the same as a mini doesn't mean everyone will agree the SUV I more value to them.

That's a bit of a stretch. If someone gets a taste for XBLA games, the next logical step is actual 360 games. What about the Kinect games? If you don't want to play games AT ALL, you are far better off buying one of the other many dedicated TV devices out there now that are cheap, rather than waiting a year (late 2013... cmooon). If someone went to buy it and said to me I can watch all my media, and then there's arcade games or something (assuming they're not a major gamer), Id still instantly recommend a 360 over this for price and being future proof of interests.

To call the 360 menu overly complicated goes against most of what this forum said about the change to metro, not sure where you stand though. Media remotes and/or Kinect work with a 360 obviously, they make it even easier.

The biggest issue here is pricing, the 360 is going to be given away in a years time, buying something that's probably going to be more expensive but does less never adds up to me. Guess that's why any time I ever buy an Apple product I end up hating myself and selling it :p

[HawkMan]

Why would they be better off ?

the xbox comes with access to Zune rental movies and tv, wiht quick and easy access, as well as netflix and all these other mostly US goodies.

This isn't going to be sold as a gaming machine. it's a replacement for exactly those other machines and will be price competitive with them, while still offering the same ease of use and services as an Apple TV only more since it also has the other subscription services and not just iTunes(Zune).

being able to go into the games channel and play some arcade games, that's just icing. it's a media box.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Why would they be better off ?

the xbox comes with access to Zune rental movies and tv, wiht quick and easy access, as well as netflix and all these other mostly US goodies.

This isn't going to be sold as a gaming machine. it's a replacement for exactly those other machines and will be price competitive with them, while still offering the same ease of use and services as an Apple TV only more since it also has the other subscription services and not just iTunes(Zune).

being able to go into the games channel and play some arcade games, that's just icing. it's a media box.

So it may seem, but if they go ahead and market it as something in the Xbox family (first post reads like that), you can't really not associate Xbox with gaming.

[BajiRav]

Please please please just give it DLNA support so it's just as good as an Apple TV with Airplay. Seriously, I'm not too fond of Apple, but it's almost impossible to get a playlist from my laptop/desktop to play on a set of external speakers without using iTunes/Airplay*.

*Sure I could use a really long cable, but that's so 20th century :p

I have been patiently hoping that Microsoft will implement proper DLNA in Xbox dashboard (currently only MCE has it) but looking at their current direction*, I don't see it happening soon. I hope the Windows 8 guys make them see the need for it but I don't see much happening on DLNA front. I think I will have better luck buying a TV with built-in DLNA support. :s

*i.e. gimped up local media players in metrodash. This is just my conspiracy theory :p but Microsoft is discouraging using local media players(Hello quickplay?) because they want you to use Zune marketplace for video/music. I'd gladly do that if Zune played my home videos/photos. :/

[+Warwagon MVC]

I just hope it's hackable

[HawkMan]

I have been patiently hoping that Microsoft will implement proper DLNA in Xbox dashboard (currently only MCE has it) but looking at their current direction*, I don't see it happening soon. I hope the Windows 8 guys make them see the need for it but I don't see much happening on DLNA front. I think I will have better luck buying a TV with built-in DLNA support. :s

*i.e. gimped up local media players in metrodash. This is just my conspiracy theory :p but Microsoft is discouraging using local media players(Hello quickplay?) because they want you to use Zune marketplace for video/music. I'd gladly do that if Zune played my home videos/photos. :/

Huh, the video and music players IS dlna player. I think by proper dlna you mean dlna with better codec support which has nothing to do with dlna. Or other extended dlna functions.

[Salutary7]

Honestly, there are plenty of people out there (and I know a few) who just want to have Kinect for their kids and some simple arcade style games to mess around with. And if they can get movies or shows as well, then that's everything they need. When you show them AAA titles like Gears of War, Modern Warfare, or Mass Effect, they basically have zero interest, so it's not crazy at all to think they would buy this stripped down Xbox.

[Guest xiphi]

Huh, the video and music players IS dlna player. I think by proper dlna you mean dlna with better codec support which has nothing to do with dlna. Or other extended dlna functions.

Uh, the Media Center in Xbox 360 is the only thing that's DLNA. Windows Media Player will not play to a 360 unless you have it running Media Center.

[HawkMan]

I'm not sure you know what dlna is.

The music player and video player on the 360 are both dlna players,a nd both will stream media fom a dlna/upnp capable source.

They do however not support "pushed" media through dlna which seems to be what pure talking about, like samsungs allshare that uses dlna where stuff like phones can "send" media to the tv instead of the tv grabbing the media. Both use dlna and both methods are full and proper dlna. Pushing media is just a different extension to dlna.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

If this could play all XBLA titles then I could maybe see it being a good idea, even then I have to stretch in order to see that, but I just do not see it being capable of playing all titles when it comes down to it.

So then what type of titles is it going to offer? Angry Birds? Fruit Ninja?

Is there a big enough market for those games on a TV with mobile devices being capable of the same thing.

And Kinect integration?

Wouldn't one also need to purchase a Kinect to get that? Which adds another $100 on top of the price (I am going on the fact the price of Kinect will indeed drop). So by the time someone purchases this device and a Kinect, they might as well spend the extra $50 for a 360 (again, going on the fact there could be a price drop by the time this is released) and get more bang for the buck, and not get what is essentially a crippled version of an already existing product.

I just do not see this being a viable money making device. It has a niche market, and that is it. If they are looking at it to compete with Apple TV, the reason Apple TV is primarily successful is because of the iPad and it's tight integration into the Apple universe. MS does not necessarily have the best track record when it comes to sharing media being user friendly, setting up Media Center is not the easiest task for a regular user which again, would be the target audience for this device.

So until/if they ever break into the tablet/mobile market, this standalone device does not have a very large audience.

Of course this is all IMO, but just does not seem to be a very good idea, and as such, I have a hard time believing the validity of this rumor overall.

[mad_onion]

Uh, the Media Center in Xbox 360 is the only thing that's DLNA. Windows Media Player will not play to a 360 unless you have it running Media Center.

I'm not sure you know what dlna is.

The music player and video player on the 360 are both dlna players,a nd both will stream media fom a dlna/upnp capable source.

They do however not support "pushed" media through dlna which seems to be what pure talking about, like samsungs allshare that uses dlna where stuff like phones can "send" media to the tv instead of the tv grabbing the media. Both use dlna and both methods are full and proper dlna. Pushing media is just a different extension to dlna.

A device can push to the 360 but only when media center is open. I do it all the time.

[HawkMan]

It comes with kinect integrated DL. And I expect it to be able to pay at last any of the 2D type xbla games, I clouding castle crashes, alpha protocol, braid, that new. Ool rpg. Don't remember the name of.

Also aple tv isn't successful, and it wold use media center, it wold use Zune, primariy for renting media, but probably also for dlna streaming, as well as Netflix and Hulu and other such services.

It's a media box with simple arcade games capability. It am not even come with a game controller.

[HawkMan]

A device can push to the 360 but only when media center is open. I do it all the time.

But I'm talking about the regular video player that doesn't hack the whole box into what's essentially booting into a different remote OS.

[BajiRav]

I'm not sure you know what dlna is.

The music player and video player on the 360 are both dlna players,a nd both will stream media fom a dlna/upnp capable source.

They do however not support "pushed" media through dlna which seems to be what pure talking about, like samsungs allshare that uses dlna where stuff like phones can "send" media to the tv instead of the tv grabbing the media. Both use dlna and both methods are full and proper dlna. Pushing media is just a different extension to dlna.

You are right, I meant to say that they are not DLNA targets such that I can just push whatever media from phone, PCs to Xbox.