- Gaming
1984 was not supposed to be an instruction manual
The more I learn about Microsoft's new Xbox the more upset I become. An internet connected device sitting in my house pointed at my family armed with cameras and microphones which can't be shut off? And when you shut it off, it's actually in a power saving mode where the microphone is still on (so that you can issue audible command to turn it "on" again). Even if we all love and trust Microsoft not to secretly record our kids dancing or playing games and store those images on their servers for market analysis or something, the device is connected to the internet! I think most of us have gotten the memo that devices like this can be hacked. If you've seen the website with direct live feeds into home security cameras you'll know what I mean. I don't care how good the games are, how amazing the device is for streaming videos, or any of that - the fact that they would expect anyone who has read George Orwell's 1984 not to worry about how this technology could be abused suggests that they don't think very highly of their customers, or don't really give a rats butt.
