Imagine if auto manufacturers started charging "fees" to operate a used car that one buys from a private party or dealer and how the entire country would be in such an uproar over it. Used games (and DVDs and TVs and computers and everything else) are no different.

It's funny that the recording and movie industries loves using the car analogy, and yet the game industry doesn't understand it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0CkJgHKEY8

I wonder why we don't hear the RIAA or the MPAA whine about used CDs and DVDs/BDs.

And the list of reasons why I'm planning to jump to PS4 for the eighth generation just got a bit longer. >.<

Then again Sony believes in charging people to play games they already own, so...

If there is no fee, then my guess is that they have changed it since the presentation due to the massive negative backlash. Firstly, if something didn't have a negative feature that a lot of people were dreading that it had, there is no way you wouldn't mention it in the presentation. Secondly, it wasn't just one outlet getting the wrong end of the stick, it is my understanding that due to the fact it wasn't mentioned during the presentation people in the room asked afterwards and they were all told that there would be a fee. Also, I don't get how there couldn't be a fee or something, otherwise they have shot themselves in the foot with the full install onto the drive without requiring the disk.

I've got another one for you, you apparently can't turn the microphone off.

Didn't Orwell already write about this?

First the Blair government and now Microsoft. When will people learn 1984 was meant to be a warning, not a blueprint?

Is the microphone built into the console or is it just an accessory you can, you know, just not plug in?

If this is already widely known info here, forgive me as I'm not planning to upgrade anytime soon due to the fact that I want a game console, not an entire home media system, and am not really following new console development. Seriously, if Sony and Microsoft were to cut a lot of these stupid new features out, they could give people the backwards compatibility that most want and not have to charge the price of a small car for the damned thing. -_-

I actually went out of my way to not use my Xbox as a multimedia device. First, it's loud, and more importantly, I didn't want to use it for any longer than I had to because I don't want to wear it out as quickly. I got a Roku and a WD Live to handle streaming. Both of them do the job better, and quieter.

I know I'm in the minority though. Netflix streaming via console accounted for 20% of internet usage as early as 2011, I'm sure it's only increased since then.

As for Kinect, it's not really easier than just using a normal remote. Given the choice of waving my arms, shouting at my TV, or just pressing a button with my thumb, it's not a difficult choice.

Personally, I think the creepiest part of XBONE is the fact that not only is Kinect always on, it will be able to determine your heart rate. So it can not only see and hear you, but also tell if you're lying.

"Xbox, off."

"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

Edit: This too is a real thing.