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iTom17

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2013
967
1,130
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
You realize the Xbox One already does all of those things too, right? Plus you're able to connect live TV to the Xbox One as well which is something the Apple TV CAN'T do. That's the reason Microsoft making a smaller version of the Xbox One actually makes sense.
But that's where you can see the difference really well: content delivery on the Xbox One is not good at all. It's there and I could understand a lot users find it nice to have. But so far as I've experienced (from friends that have the Xbox One) it's not executed well. It's even worse on the PlayStation 4 I own myself.

I just think Apple has more experience with content delivery, except for the gaming part then. But that's simply because the hardware isn't there. So Apple doesn't only promote the Apple TV as a console, but as a mediabox in general. What Microsoft does, is promoting the Xbox One as a console with mediabox capabilities. There's such a huge difference. :p
 

Fancuku

macrumors 65816
Oct 8, 2015
1,023
2,659
PA, USA
But that's where you can see the difference really well: content delivery on the Xbox One is not good at all. It's there and I could understand a lot users find it nice to have. But so far as I've experienced (from friends that have the Xbox One) it's not executed well.
How is content delivery not good at all on the xb1? How is it better on the ATV?
You need to explain, not just make blank statements.
 

Richdmoore

macrumors 68000
Jul 24, 2007
1,956
355
Troutdale, OR
I own an Apple TV 4, and an Xbox one. I would love to get a Microsoft streaming box to remote play the Xbox on another tv.

So far using parallels to run a Windows 10 Vm and them game streaming is working better than I thought it should, but dedicated hardware would be a better option for me.

These rumors of a small streaming console also occurred during the Xbox 360 era, but nothing was ever released.
 

iTom17

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2013
967
1,130
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
How is content delivery not good at all on the xb1? How is it better on the ATV?
You need to explain, not just make blank statements.
I mean to say, that content on the Xbox One is just not being promoted as it is on Apple TV. If you'd read the rest of my comment you'd understand what I said: it's there, and people might actually be using it. But when you buy an Apple TV, you do that for all that content. With Xbox One not so much. In fact, I can't think of a person that buys one just for Netflix or anything like that.

Look, I'm not going to discuss this any further since it's a little hard to explain what I really mean. The point I want to make, is that Microsoft can't beat Apple in the way it delivers many different kinds of content (instead of just one).
 

Exhale

macrumors 6502a
Sep 20, 2011
512
145
I can't think of a person that buys one just for Netflix or anything like that.
Because 300-500 USD has always been on the high side for 'just Netflix', particularly when 50-100 USD boxes and previous-gen consoles have had the same capability for half a decade? Its like purchasing a Mac Pro just for Facebook.

And on that subject, I'd hardly call the ATV good at promoting games or music. Movies? Yes. Everything else, no.
 

Pman17

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2011
335
256
Galveston, TX
Doesn't make sense to me. I am expecting them to come out with a slim Xbox this year and ditching the disk drive, but I don't see them dropping the computing power. Their motto has mostly been strictly gaming with the new management. But they have been lacking in App releases. Maybe cutting prices will make it easier to get into more homes and expose more people to Xbox.

What would be ideal is to ditch the CD drive and hard drive. Upgrade the processor and graphics card for better power consumption and have internal memory like 16 gigs or something since we could just hook up an external HD to play games off of. Keep the HDMI In to better compete with Apple and other small devices on streaming.
 

levitynyc

macrumors 65816
Aug 19, 2006
1,123
3,704
Brick and mortar isn't going away. The day console games go all digital is the day I'm completely out of gaming.

I buy and sell my games used all the time. It saves me tons of money.
 

Matthew.H

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2015
770
953
Norwich, UK
If this actually gets off the ground it may do reasonably well. Some people in this thread are complaining about it being download only but is that really a bad thing these days? I can remember when Sony launched the PSPGo, which was a download only version of the PSP. It didn't do that well as far as I can remember but tech has advanced a lot since then. There are plenty of bonuses to a console without an optical drive, weight, size and power consumption being a few.
 

kuwxman

macrumors 6502a
Jul 25, 2009
850
957
Kansas City
I mean to say, that content on the Xbox One is just not being promoted as it is on Apple TV. If you'd read the rest of my comment you'd understand what I said: it's there, and people might actually be using it. But when you buy an Apple TV, you do that for all that content. With Xbox One not so much. In fact, I can't think of a person that buys one just for Netflix or anything like that.

Look, I'm not going to discuss this any further since it's a little hard to explain what I really mean. The point I want to make, is that Microsoft can't beat Apple in the way it delivers many different kinds of content (instead of just one).
I think the problem here is you don't have any experience with the Xbox One so you're just talking out of your rear end. My Xbox One has HBO Go, Showtime, Netflix, Hulu, WatchESPN, Youtube, etc apps the same way other streaming devices do. I would hope someone doesn't just buy an Xbox One to stream Netflix...it is after all still first and foremost a gaming console. However, it is a gaming console that also doubles as a streaming device.

It is that last reason why a smaller Xbox One which centers on the streaming aspect makes so much sense. People would certainly pay ~$100-$200 for this smaller device.
 
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kuwxman

macrumors 6502a
Jul 25, 2009
850
957
Kansas City
Doesn't make sense to me. I am expecting them to come out with a slim Xbox this year and ditching the disk drive, but I don't see them dropping the computing power. Their motto has mostly been strictly gaming with the new management. But they have been lacking in App releases. Maybe cutting prices will make it easier to get into more homes and expose more people to Xbox.
Pretty sure Microsoft has said a slim Xbox One is still two years away. Don't expect to see a refreshed slim Xbox One in 2016.
 

snowmoon

macrumors 6502a
Oct 6, 2005
900
119
Albany, NY
It's been 2 years now, so the price of the CPU, GPU, Memory, and Hard Drive should all have been cut in half. Ditch the optical drive and camera and I feel like you could manage to make a device with similar specs to the full size Xbox One for ~$200.

Like I said, got one for the holidays. The biggest problem in any attempt to slim this down will be the heat. These devices run very hot and do not even officially support being installed vertically. Taking out the optical drive isn't going to make a big difference there. I expect it to be warm but I was shocked to find it was cookin' just running something simple like minecraft. I had to change up where I placed it to make sure it was more out of the way with better ventilation.
 

Gudi

Suspended
May 3, 2013
4,590
3,264
Berlin, Berlin
Except perhaps majority market share in Desktop operating systems for over 20 years...
Still nothing. Someone always has to be the market share leader in any market. And because of the nature of the IBM-compatible PC market and it's need for software compatibility, this OS leadership role needed to be an overwhelming majority. The praise goes to the people who reverse engineered the BIOS.

haltandcatchfire.jpg

Behind 'Halt and Catch Fire': Compaq's Rise to PC Domination
„It’s a little known fact that the version of DOS that was eventually used on most 100% IBM compatible computers was a version that Compaq licensed back to Microsoft after reverse engineering that as well. So, it can be argued that Compaq played a forgotten but key role in Microsoft’s eventual rise to world domination.“
 

4mat

macrumors member
Jun 23, 2008
91
11
From a development perspective, this sounds good. With Microsoft putting Windows everywhere, devs would have more reasons to make games and apps for all of Microsoft's platforms. Games made for this mini Xbox could easily be made to work on the Xbox One, as well as Windows desktops, laptops, tables, and phones. Hopefully this would be enough to keep pushing Apple and Google to make their experiences better for everyone. Competition is always better for us end-users.
 
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alexgowers

macrumors 65816
Jun 3, 2012
1,338
892
I feel like apple can go more the other way once tech moves forward. The apple TV form factor and price could run full console style games in 2-3 years much like a small steam box.

The current gen of consoles already look long in the tooth with GPU, programming etc moving forward at blazing rates now.

MS need to get on the bandwagon and release a new xbox one which can run full games and acts like an apple tv for content delivery, they literally could make a killing, especially if they get app developers on board and sell it right.

However knowing MS it'll be a fudge, have subscription services that are impossible to cancel, not have all the standards and will be missing essential apps. It'll also transform into a tablet because MS thinks everyone wants everything to be a tablet, when quite clearly tablets sell pretty slowly across the board. Oh MS you knobs.
 

npmacuser5

macrumors 68000
Apr 10, 2015
1,758
1,966
I don't think it will work out. Apple TV is an actual set top box, which delivers a lot different kinds of content: movies, tv shows, music, games and apps. This small Xbox they're talking about would be no more than a gaming set top box, maybe with access to a few mediocre apps. It's bound to become a flop. :p

I'm not saying the Apple TV is waaaay better. But Apple just does the content delivery best thanks to the App Store.
You do understand the current Xbox has most of the apps Apple TV has, like Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Pandora, to name just a few. If Microsoft moves forward with this unit those apps will surely be there. Game only doubt it.
 
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gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
From a Developer and Customer standpoint - it would be too confusing if it was in between a 360 and One and only play certain games.

Either make a box that is a solid-state-only XBox 360 for $99 and go with that (already lots of software available and would pounce on AppleTV with the general public), or go with a 1TB disc-less XBox One for $199 (to compete more with the nVidia Shield and people who buy download-only would pounce on that).

Have the box come with both a 360 controller and media remote at those price points.

Anything else would be a fail (look at the Playstation TV - love mine but there's hardly any software and the only PSP game I want that is compatible I had to buy over again as a download...)
 

Richdmoore

macrumors 68000
Jul 24, 2007
1,956
355
Troutdale, OR
From a Developer and Customer standpoint - it would be too confusing if it was in between a 360 and One and only play certain games.

Either make a box that is a solid-state-only XBox 360 for $99 and go with that (already lots of software available and would pounce on AppleTV with the general public), or go with a 1TB disc-less XBox One for $199 (to compete more with the nVidia Shield and people who buy download-only would pounce on that).

Have the box come with both a 360 controller and media remote at those price points.

Anything else would be a fail (look at the Playstation TV - love mine but there's hardly any software and the only PSP game I want that is compatible I had to buy over again as a download...)

Based on the facts that some of the Xbox 360 streaming video apps have shut down on the Xbox 360 (NBC news/twitter/Facebook) I find it hard to believe they would revive it as a disc-less 360.

I agree that if marketed as an Xbox one, it should play all digital Xbox one games. I don't know how they could get the $99 price point or comparable size with the required heat dissipation for the full Xbox one yet....

My guess if this is actually released (it could go either way) it will be a hybrid, with a new name to reduce consumer confusion.
 

FredLove

macrumors newbie
Jan 3, 2016
4
16
Miami
Playstation has had this option for a while now called the Playstation TV. It is also being built in to all of their newer TV sets. It can stream tons of PS3 games through the internet for a monthly fee and works great. Ended up with the feature in a new tv I purchased. It can also stream from PS4 for multiplayer on same network in your house.

So it comes in your new Sony tv automatically or you can purchase the stand alone box for $99. Def needs some work in the browsing and menu options but it works good and also has the movie streaming etc.

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/playstationtv/
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
Based on the facts that some of the Xbox 360 streaming video apps have shut down on the Xbox 360 (NBC news/twitter/Facebook) I find it hard to believe they would revive it as a disc-less 360.

I agree that if marketed as an Xbox one, it should play all digital Xbox one games. I don't know how they could get the $99 price point or comparable size with the required heat dissipation for the full Xbox one yet....

My guess if this is actually released (it could go either way) it will be a hybrid, with a new name to reduce consumer confusion.

Actually reading more of the news about it, MS is positioning it to be more a "Windows 10 App Box" which means it will run any game/app from the Microsoft Windows App Store (so you can just take a look by going to the App Store on Windows 10).

Great if it will come in at $150 with an XBox One Controller but it will be confusing if they call it an "XBox One" since you won't be able to play any current gen console titles on it.

Hopefully they'll call it something else like "XBox TV" (yeah, that's not very original... ;) ).

What it will have going for it is the Windows 10 Software already available.

I bought a Kangaroo PC at the MS Store for $99, and it is incredible for the size/power/price...

http://www.kangaroo.cc
 
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