The Xbox is finally becoming a Windows PC. Do you care?

If an inexpensive $300 Xbox game console could double as a Windows computer, would you use it that way? This summer, Xbox One owners will finally be given that option. Microsoft will turn the separate Windows 10 and Xbox One app stores into a single shared marketplace, the company confirmed at a developer conference Wednesday.
http://www.cnet.com/news/the-xbox-is...27854080064311

What that means: Users should be able to buy a piece of Windows software just once, and use it on an Xbox One game console in addition to desktop and laptop PCs. Xbox One owners will gain access to productivity apps and expanded social networking, not just games. The $300 Xbox One could become a cheap way to turn a TV into a Windows PC.

For me, I give this move a big I just recently bought one, so any improvements are welcomed. It already has the Edge Browser. And a somewhat limited Store. More Apps, especially if they are ones I already run on my PC, the better.

With the XBOX Glass App I can access my XBOX from my PC. It's like remote desktop. I can play my XBOX games on my PC through it. I haven't actually tried to do that yet. I haven't found a need to. Once the weather gets nice and I take my laptop out on my deck I can see trying it out. Or watching TV on my laptop streamed from my XBOX via One Guide. My cable box feeds through my XBOX to my TV.

One thing I really want to see is the option for local storage of my media files on the XBOX internal hard drive. I have to use a USB thumb drive etc to do it now. Or stream it from some other device over my network. I'd rather just play it right from the XBOX.

Anyway, the more PC like they make it the better, IMHO.

davidhk said:

Do I care ? No, I don't because I don't own an Xbox.

In Canada, Xbox costs more that $300 except once awhile sales promo. More like $400 and up.
For that price tag, I can get a very decent computer.

I am not sure about the "security" aspect using Xbox as a computer. You play a lot of online games with other gamers. Yes ?

I wanted to play the all the HALO games so I ponied up and bought an XBOX. I paid about 550 Canadian with taxes etc, for my 1TB XBOX One. It does more than just game though, which is a bonus. I haven't done any online gaming yet.

Right now I have no access to the hard drive. There is no file manager etc. Microsoft controls what gets saved to the hard drive. I can reset it and wipe everything on it and put it back to the Out Of the Box Experience, if I wish. Online gaming is done through Microsoft controlled servers. I would think its pretty secure.

markweatherill said:

It looks like this is just 'Universal' apps. The Xbox isn't becoming a Windows PC just yet!

It's should still be better than what Apps are there now. Which is not many. The Microsoft Solitaire Collection is MIA in the XBOX store for instance.

Anyway, if you already own one, IMHO, this is good news. Will it make somebody consider buying one, probably not? I was disappointed with my XBOX when I first got. I posted a long rant in another thread on it. I just ordered an IR Blaster which should improve things and integrate it better with my TV and Cable box. being able to buy Games and Apps through the store I like. There are also some free Apps. There needs to be Apps though. Like a weather app for instance. And a good quality Media Player like what's included in Windows 10 for the PC. The XBOX Media Player App, is crap, IMHO. It's as basic as you can get.

Winuser said:

I don't have a Xbox so I guess I could say I don't care. If I did own one this would be a welcome upgrade. Do they have Xbox games you can play as a single player or they all online with other players?

It's the same as PC gaming. It depends on the game your playing. I can play HALO as single player just like I do on my PC. It is primarily a single player game with a multi player option added to it. I prefer the single player side of it. It's a first person shooter. A lot of games have an online multi player option. Your not really playing the game per say anymore though. It's different levels and layouts with a different objective. HALO 1 Combat Evolved and HALO 2 were released to PC and XBOX, HALO 3, 4 and 5 are XBOX only. I wanted to play them so I bought one. I'll slowly add other games as time goes on.