XBOne follow up

     I find myself using my XBOne more and more everyday. The snap function has become an integral part of my multimedia consumption on a daily basis. Weather it be watching two programs at the same time or playing Forza while watching a game, this console has truly started the multitasking era of the console wars. In addition the Xbox fitness app for free with xbox gold is a nice touch and another feature that I have been using a lot more than my gym membership unfortunately. The only thing I wish is that my living room was larger.
     The snap feature is great but as far as the TV app is concerned, the next software update that the XBOne issues should include an update which allows for either the snap size to be adjusted or to have the TV window larger, whether we select the size or there are 3 or 4 sizes to choose from. the current size is great for screens larger than 65 inches but anything under 50, the TV snap is too small and the feature will be under utilized on smaller displays.
   I see the future of this console being very bright irregardless of the number of units sold and all the comparisons to the PS4. Very similar to when the XB360 was released, Microsoft recognized how users used it and built their software, services and user interface around what everyone wanted. I see it being no different with the XBOne. Starting with a half baked user interface, app store and service offering is a smart way to find out how users are adapting and what they want to see/do before wasting valuable time on developing software that users might hate or never utilize. This is my opinion of course and weather it was by design or they just wanted to get the XBOne on the streets as soon as possible  we will never know unless Microsoft says which is very unlikely.
     

My journey with Xbox

Let me get this out of the way first, I was always a fan of Xbox, mostly because of the multimedia capabilities. Xbox was always geared towards the living room and integrating the entire family as opposed to gaming and everything else is secondary. That being said, when I got the Xbox 360 (XB360) it was from the spoils of waiting in line to buy a PS3, selling it and then using my profits to buy an XB360 along with the HD-DVD drive that was available at the time.

This was a year after the XB360 was originally released and as a result the platform had matured in regards to content and software. So, today faced with the opportunity to own an Xbox One (XBOne) at launch was a very exciting prospect for me. I was never a huge gamer but like most other teenagers or young adults I spent quality time playing several games on consoles and PC. As I have grown older, so have my tastes and attention to details become pronounced. After the new consoles launch dates and capabilities were announced I had decided to wait a few months at minimum before even considering purchasing one, if I ever did.

I started to hear more details and performed my own research about the capabilities of the XBOne. The Kinect was an obvious first plus for me as I had actually figured out in the past that someone was going to ditch the physical controller soon after Nintendo came out with the Wii and I was not surprised when Microsoft announced the Kinect for XB360. One of my mottos is that I rarely buy any technology that is first generation, so technically, I am living up to my motto by getting the XBOne with Kinect 2.0.

          The second plus, which is what I think made me finally say that I had to have one at launch was the HDMI pass through technology that’s included. I was very surprised by this feature and the more I thought about it, the more I loved it. Being able to not only watch TV through XBOne but have picture in picture, able to fully control your entire Home theater/gaming setup via the XBOne built in IR blaster and let’s not forget the ability to actually control everything without a controller via Kinect.
           My experiences so far has prompted me to honor the XBOne with my first post of 2014. Happy New Year to everyone by the way. I will be posting several articles, follow ups and how to’s in the near future. I will say this, from my experiences, the XBOne will be a welcome addition to any family and not just the gamer at home.