[snorg]

telegraph.co.uk..........
One of Microsoft’s latest patent applications is a humdinger. It proposes to turn the (Xbox) Kinect camera into a snitch for movie studios, reporting back just how many friends you’ve got in your living room and what they’re watching. Think that sounds alarmist? Here’s what it actually says: “The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken.” It’s that blatant – a system to spy on private viewing habits.

If put into practice, Microsoft’s plan could mean that the film you’re watching suddenly stops playing if it detects that you’ve got more people squashed on to the sofa than the licence allows. You’d then be prompted to buy a more expensive licence to keep watching. It’s as if Big Brother had built 1984’s Telescreen not to monitor the population but to ensure no one was pirating the Two Minutes Hate.

read more


Its called fascism.
Scientific tyranny.

[smax013]

And just think how many Xbox Kinect sales Microsoft would have if they actually did implement this feature. I am thinking a number that would move in the direction of zero.

Companies at times might be evil & greedy at times...but they are rarely stupid. Microsoft using one of their devices that people VOLUNTARILY buy to spy on those customers would be something I would classify as stupid. There is a strong chance that it would kill Kinect (and maybe Xbox) sales.

[LiveBrianD]

I have to agree with smax here. I sure won't be buying anything with something like this in it. Heck, even if I liked a Ubisoft game, I would pirate it instead simply on the concept of avoiding their stupid DRM.

[smax013]

LiveBrianD, on 10 November 2012 - 07:19 PM, said:

I have to agree with smax here. I sure won't be buying anything with something like this in it. Heck, even if I liked a Ubisoft game, I would pirate it instead simply on the concept of avoiding their stupid DRM.

Heck, even if I really liked console gaming and had an Xbox, I currently have little interest in a Kinect. It is largely due to my paranoid side worrying about who might be watching me with that camera while I am in my family room.

[waldojim]

smax013, on 10 November 2012 - 07:14 PM, said:

And just think how many Xbox Kinect sales Microsoft would have if they actually did implement this feature. I am thinking a number that would move in the direction of zero.

Companies at times might be evil & greedy at times...but they are rarely stupid. Microsoft using one of their devices that people VOLUNTARILY buy to spy on those customers would be something I would classify as stupid. There is a strong chance that it would kill Kinect (and maybe Xbox) sales.

The problem isn't with the current Xbox Kinect. It will be with the next generation. They can quite easily tell the software "No connect, no movie".

[smax013]

waldojim, on 10 November 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

The problem isn't with the current Xbox Kinect. It will be with the next generation. They can quite easily tell the software "No connect, no movie".

Then just as easily, people won't buy Xbox at all...and just get a DVD or Bluray player to watch movies.

In the end, I am not sure I see this going very far.

[LiveBrianD]

smax013, on 10 November 2012 - 07:24 PM, said:

LiveBrianD, on 10 November 2012 - 07:19 PM, said:

I have to agree with smax here. I sure won't be buying anything with something like this in it. Heck, even if I liked a Ubisoft game, I would pirate it instead simply on the concept of avoiding their stupid DRM.

Heck, even if I really liked console gaming and had an Xbox, I currently have little interest in a Kinect. It is largely due to my paranoid side worrying about who might be watching me with that camera while I am in my family room.

True. But then again, do you have webcams on any of your machines that don't have tape on them? (shoot, I should probably do that to the laptop because I never use the camera on it)

[smax013]

LiveBrianD, on 10 November 2012 - 08:09 PM, said:

True. But then again, do you have webcams on any of your machines that don't have tape on them? (shoot, I should probably do that to the laptop because I never use the camera on it)

Webcam on a computer is different...at least for me. None of my computers sit in a position that watches large portions of a room like a family room. Since they both are laptops, if someone want to "spy" on me with it, they will just get a picture of my ugly mug while using the computer. If they want to stare at my ugly mug, then so be it.

[waldojim]

Top it off, at least my laptop is very kind, and gives me a bright green "on" light...

[LiveBrianD]

Good point - my x120e does that as well. In fact, I think most webcams do.

[smax013]

waldojim, on 10 November 2012 - 09:36 PM, said:

Top it off, at least my laptop is very kind, and gives me a bright green "on" light...

So do both of mine, although the paranoid side of me can't help but wonder how hard it would to hack the system such that the camera turns on without the light.

Although I would worry more about my phone's and tablet's camera since neither has a light.

[waldojim]

smax013, on 10 November 2012 - 09:39 PM, said:

waldojim, on 10 November 2012 - 09:36 PM, said:

Top it off, at least my laptop is very kind, and gives me a bright green "on" light...

So do both of mine, although the paranoid side of me can't help but wonder how hard it would to hack the system such that the camera turns on without the light.

Although I would worry more about my phone's and tablet's camera since neither has a light.

I never really considered that about my phones.

I am not worried about the laptop lights though. They would have to be ready to hack thousands of different cameras that way.

This post has been edited by waldojim: 11 November 2012 - 12:18 AM

[mjd420nova]

Is this why M$ blocks modified CBOX360 consoles?? Maybe someone hacked a unit so it can block these activations or even reverse it... There have long been rumors about web cams and their software being able to run in the background, sending video and audio to a server. Does your computer really turn off when you do it from the start button and not actually turning a switch???

[smax013]

waldojim, on 11 November 2012 - 12:18 AM, said:

I never really considered that about my phones.

You have not yet fully embraced your inner tin foil hat maniac!

Of course, by some people's standards, I am an amateur tin foil hat maniac.

[waldojim]

smax013, on 11 November 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

waldojim, on 11 November 2012 - 12:18 AM, said:

I never really considered that about my phones.

You have not yet fully embraced your inner tin foil hat maniac!

Of course, by some people's standards, I am an amateur tin foil hat maniac.

One day, I will be broken. Then I will unless the full tin foil wrath within me!

Until then....

[snorg]

Well, I dont like game consoles so I wont have one.
I game with my PC, what I hate is all the new games come out for console only, and if a game does have a PC version its a console game thats been modified for PC, this often makes game play suck.

[waldojim]

Snorg: http://www.robertssp...itizen-project/
No worries there!

[snorg]

That costs money.
I like Sins of a Solar Empire its free.

[aaparsan]

snorg, on 10 November 2012 - 04:23 PM, said:

telegraph.co.uk..........
One of Microsoft’s latest patent applications is a humdinger. It proposes to turn the (Xbox) Kinect camera into a snitch for movie studios, reporting back just how many friends you’ve got in your living room and what they’re watching. Think that sounds alarmist? Here’s what it actually says: “The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken.” It’s that blatant – a system to spy on private viewing habits.

If put into practice, Microsoft’s plan could mean that the film you’re watching suddenly stops playing if it detects that you’ve got more people squashed on to the sofa than the licence allows. You’d then be prompted to buy a more expensive licence to keep watching. It’s as if Big Brother had built 1984’s Telescreen not to monitor the population but to ensure no one was pirating the Two Minutes Hate.

read more


Its called fascism.
Scientific tyranny.

Microsoft should know people buy it because of cost and freedom to tinker around and overall freedom.