320°

Microsoft’s recent handover to CIA a worry for Xbox and Xbox One Owners

Gadget Mill: You may have heard about or came across the news regarding whistle blower Edward Snowden, who recently leaked the fact that the US government has been spying and collecting data on pretty much everyone and still continue to do so. It was also claimed by Edward Snowden that the intelligence community is entirely focused on getting intelligence wherever possible and by any means necessary. This in fact is pretty much evident by the recent news stating how Microsoft literally handed the U.S, NSA, FBI and CIA access to encrypted user videos, audio and text communications. Which sounds like Microsoft have been giving access to services such as MSN, Windows Live Messenger, Skype and Telecommunications.

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gadgetmill.co.uk
DaThreats3956d ago Show
B1663r3956d ago

Yes, but the x1 has more ram for games!

Insomnia_843956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

What?

LMAO!

1. Not true
2. Off topic?

The Xbros having their little moment with a rumor and assuming 5gbs of ddr3 for games is better than 5.5gb...no, wait, let me lower that and still not better than PS4... 4.5gbs of GDDR5 for GAMES according to the RUMOR. As a reference, 1GB of DDR3 (XB1) = 512MBs of GDDR5 (PS4) for games. So do the math and PS4 still comes on top if the RUMOR was true.

Sad pathetic blindfolded Xbox fanboys.Just look at that comment from corvusmd down there. What is Microsoft doing to this people's brains?

b00mFargl33956d ago

I believe he was just starting a fire. Not being serious. Flamebait to start a fanboy fight.

Bluepowerzz3956d ago

WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU SO MANY XBOTS ATTACKED ME WHEN I SAID SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE YOU SHOIULD HAVE HAD MY BACK

YNWA963956d ago

Very good comment imsomnia. PS4 is better spec'd, so was PS3. Sony do make some fine blu ray players. Thank goodness they have some fine 1st party studios or I would never play any games on it. Blind folded to me is someone who will not play great games because its on another system. Who cares who makes it. Does Sony suck you dry? Just play the games! I get the best of both worlds... I am not stupid, nor pathetic.

tuglu_pati3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

I'll leave this right here for the those of you paranoiac ones

http://lajme24.org/?p=2411

deadlydragon1213956d ago

So the US government isn't spying on us and Edward Snowden is fake? Get over yourself.

blackmanone3956d ago

Tuglu, you understand that other companies use underhanded techniques to steal out information, an instead of vote with your wallet on underhanded tactics, you've thrown your hands into the air and said, "well if you can't be them, join them."

You have every right to do that. I'm not going to help them by introducing a camera in my living room.

tuglu_pati3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

@deadlydragon121

Why so angry?

Im not saying they arent spying us. I just saying if they want to spy they'll do it, even if you don't own a X1. So I guess you should be the one getting over yourself.

@blackmanone

You don't have to, you already have one on your phone and probably on your computer also.

GrandTheftZamboni3956d ago

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they are not watching.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 3956d ago
fsydow13956d ago

Idiot,your brain needs more ram,lol.

PlayStation_43955d ago

You do realise that NO game within the first few years will require over 5.5 GB of RAM?
Sony doesn't need to give the extra RAM to devs, it would be pointless, so they are reserving 1.5GB of RAM for later use. If they find no use for it, it will go to the devs.

Also bare in mind that the PS4's OS footprint will continue to drop throughout its lifecycle.

PS3's OS footprint in 2007: 120 MB
PS3's OS footprint in 2012: 50 MB

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3955d ago
OC_MurphysLaw3956d ago

Not a worry for me at all. I am not a terrorist..therefore...I am not worried. :)

zerocrossing3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

So you don't mind your personal information being exploited for corporate gain?

I'm sorry but I really think people should be more concerned about this :/

@BLKxSEPTEMBER

Of course I know my personal information is being collected elsewhere, it doesn't mean I have to like it. The difference with MS is that you'll be openly inviting these companies to collect information on you from directly within your home.

You want a spybox in your home while companies exploit you personal information, fine be my guest.

BLKxSEPTEMBER3956d ago

Why should we be concerned when it has been going on since cell phones and the internet existed? Don't try to act as if the gov was not already spying on us. If your not doing anything wrong then you won't even notice like you haven't so far

CrossingEden3956d ago

so wait, the government has been collecting info on people for years, (any smart person would've realized this eventually cause there's obviously a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes at the government, CIA, NSA, FBI etc., the world would probably be a lot worse off without the government) and now that one company MAY possibly do it, when btw sony has already done it before and probably still does
http://www.geek.com/games/p... but no no, let's ignore all that and constantly complain about microsoft so that we can fit in on the internet

user55757083956d ago

yea but it doesnt mean that we need yet another way for the government to spy on us

GameCents3956d ago

CIA is hardly doing it for corporate gain now is it?
Better my info with the authorities than in the hands of some hacker.

I honestly have zero problems with the government spying on me personally. I don't do much of interest.

BLKxSEPTEMBER3956d ago

Well guess what? That desktop,laptop,,tablet,or phone your using to reply to me on is most likely used to spy on you right now but your still using it ain't ya? So basically your willing to be spied in your home aswell. If you think the gov hasn't been doing this for years u need to wake up. I don't like it but if it keeps Americans safe from harm and not effect a innocent person they I'm all for it. I have nothing to hide

gcolley3954d ago

@BLKxSEPTEMBER - you don't get it. The bad guys are the ones with your info. To say you have nothing to hide and nothing to worry about is just plain stupid. They are the one's you need to be concerned about, not the other way around. This is not for anti-terrorism, there is no terrorism in the US, this is to watch and control you and every other innocent person in the country.

MS and Kinect takes it a step further by you happily placing a surveillance device in the center of your living room and then defending it. Get smarter! (while it is still an option).

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3954d ago
GribbleGrunger3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

Of course, the only way that MS would know you are not a terrorist is if they gathered information on you. So what you are saying is 'I don't mind being spied on, I'm innocent.' Just think about that for a moment.

GameCents3956d ago

Thinking. . .still thinking. . .thinking still. . .
Nope, got no qualms with Uncle Sam or in my case, Uncles Zuma (south africa) keeping tabs on me. Why would I care?

gamesR4fun3956d ago

they define what a terrorist is and while you may not be one today tomorrow maybe anyone who like fps will be deemed a threat.
don't think so look at what they did to afganistan and Iran over 9/11 even tho they had nothing to do with it...
still they will keep getting away with it as long as people like you are in the majority.

RadioActiveTwinky3956d ago

This is just sad. To think people think like this.

This is the equivalent of a Gun nut giving up his gun rights, why because they believe in their government knows whats best for them.

With this kind of attitude this is no longer THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Its just another country giving in because they dont know how lucky we are/were to be here.

RadioActiveTwinky3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

@Dlacy13g
If that was the case, then where were they during the Boston bombing. Especially if they have been "spying" on us for years. This is no form of safety this just a form to exploit us all.

Machiavellian3956d ago

The question would actually be, if the government spied more could they have prevented the Boston bombing. In other words, if the government monitored all cell phones, chats, social media could they have picked up on this event and prevented it. I am sure the government is thinking this exact thing and probably thinking about expanding their reach.

HiddenMission3956d ago

@dlacy13g and @BLKxSEPTEMBER

You two don't have kids do you. 1st off cell phones aren't pointed at your room...say your bedroom or even better your kids bedroom. So they can't just turn on the camera and watch what is going on. They might be able to remote on the mic but not really going to get much and the camera on a cell would be pointed either up at the ceiling or down on a surface.

With the Kinect it's a whole different story. If you don't put black tape over the lens and unplug it every time your not using it then it would be pointed at your bed or your kids bed. This means if some sick hacker or sick federal agent go the videos they could potentially watch your kids getting undressed.

So yeah you should care...!

GribbleGrunger3956d ago

I'm not one for extremes but that does make the point well.

OC_MurphysLaw3956d ago

first of all I do have a son. Secondly, xbox is in the living room..not the bedroom so not at all worried about someone watching any member of my family undress.

@RadioActiveTwinky "This is just sad. To think people think like this.

This is the equivalent of a Gun nut giving up his gun rights, why because they believe in their government knows whats best for them. "

Umm...dude its not even equivalent to that. I do want to see some legal parameter put on Govt. investigation but I don't on a broad stroke have an issue with it. We live in a very dangerous and evolving world where some seriously bad people are looking to do mass harm. I don't ever want a repeat of 9/11 if it can be avoided. That one day killed more people than all the Tornados in the US combined since 1980.

HiddenMission3956d ago

@Dlacy13g

So your fine with it because of location but many and I do mean many uninformed consumers will buy it for their kids and put it in there room.

It just blows me away that you are okay with this. Just because with live in bad times does not mean you give up your freedom and rights just because someone might be bad.

Remember it's innocent until proven guilty and by letting the federal government and MS illegally spy says that you don't care about your rights.

I'm Jewish and I know what your kind of thinking will lead to...this isn't a rant it's called look at facts and history and only a blind person would not be able to see what will come of this.

BLKxSEPTEMBER3956d ago

Are you serious? "Cell phones aren't pointed at my bedroom" I don't know what kind off cheap ads cell u have but my phone has a rear and front facing cam so yes its pointed everywhere! Im 100% sure that if the gov is spying on us I didn't start with kinect. You people are delusional if you think Kinect is the only way the gov will/ has been spying on us. Like I said it doesn't bother me because first I never seen proof that the gov is keeping tabs on me and second if they are then they must be disappointed...

HiddenMission3956d ago

@BLKxSEPTEMBER

You must be simple...when you put your phone down the cameras are either pointed up at ceiling or down at surface. Of course when you move they will be able to see more but when was the lasr time you changed clothes with your phone in your hand...duh you simple kid.

Snowden is proof that they have been keeping tabs on people...its called google use it. Yeah because the gov is going to come up to you specifically and say yeah we have been illigally monitoring you...really just really

All your logic is broken and beyond flawed...hell look at the lawsuites filled against MS, Skype and the fed for Project Prism...its ignorant cats like you that gov preys on...

Machiavellian3956d ago

Yeah, but your cell phone keeps everything about you. Who you talk to, who your family is, chat and phone calls, social media pages favorite links and web sites you like to go. Restaurants, it has a calendar that can show where you are and where you are going. It has a GPS that find you anywhere in the world.

If you are worried about someone hacking your router then use better encryption. If some random hacker out there is specifically targeting you they would need to be in your current neighbor hood intercepting your wifi, hack through its encryption (which is no small task for any average person) then turn your Kinect and X1 on and intercept the video.

I think its more likely that someone would just sneak into your home and rob you then something like that happening.

HiddenMission3955d ago

@Machiavellian

Wow just wow. You need to do your research because MS admitted that they can remote turn on your Kinect camera and mic record you and will provide the feed to the gov. MS has been exposed by the gov and Snowden as making it easy for the gov to remote all your digital activity using there products. Its been confirmed by law suites and documents that MS has already handed over over 30 thousand different peoples video feeds to the gov. These are facts and google can be done to verify.

Ignorance is bliss and you must be very happy right. Also a hacker doesnt need to hack your router they just need to hack MS and unless you have been living under a rock goverment agencies, banks and even top software companies have been hacked so you would have to be naive to think MS cant be hacked. That would giv hackers direct access to watchinv you in your home. These are all facts and not a stretch of the mind...nuff said

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3955d ago
blackmanone3956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

This mentality is what brings on a police state. You get what you deserve. Too bad people like this are going to drag us all down with them.

greenlantern28143955d ago

While I am no fan of Kinect just because I don't go in for the motion gaming gimmicks. The Kinect is actually spying on you, but only to learn how you use your Xbox1, to better market to you to know " hey Bill is in the room, he was playing forza last"
But if the FBI, NSA, CIA( which isn't suppose to operate in side the state's) or any other government agency wants your personal information you have much bigger problems to worry about.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 3954d ago
corvusmd3956d ago

See, XB1 also fights crime, where as Sony and their network is a breeding ground for Chinese hackers who steal all your information

dcj05243956d ago

Lol. I suppose china is responsible for every hack considering everything can be hacked.

corvusmd3956d ago

Great point, EVERYTHING can be hacked...

deadlydragon1213956d ago

I hope that was sarcasm.. Fighting crime? Really? They are hacking themselves and stealing your information yet claim it is to fight crime. Now if China do that too that would apparently be their reasons too. The person on the same side will see it as truth, and the person on the opposing side will see it as a lie. That is just how it is.

nick3093956d ago (Edited 3956d ago )

XboxBatman (its dark and fighting crime by what he said )XD

Blumpkin3956d ago

Wow, so now XB1 fan's are ignorant with console choice AND racist. Nice.

HiddenMission3956d ago

Don't know about racist but it's sure seems to me that XB1 fans are not ignorant but very naive to believe in what MS is doing even though documents and law suites have proven that they are doing illegal activity and so is the federal government. This is why they want Snowden back because he is airing out the dirty laundry on these cats...

Nuff said

blackmanone3956d ago

You're surprised? This is the COD generation. At least maybe this time they'll all adopt the same console.

supraking9513956d ago

LOL MS dropping the ball again, pretty soon everything will be revealed and MS is gonna have to answer for all there sins. A 180 wont work here people :P

CrossingEden3956d ago

http://www.geek.com/games/p...
microsoft is not the only one "spying" on their fans -_-

3956d ago
ShwankyShpanky3956d ago

Looks like someone needs a dictionary.

Show all comments (80)
140°

10 Biggest Xbox Mistakes of All Time (So Far)

The Xbox brand has done a lot of good over the years, but their various blunders are pretty wild to look back on in their magnitude.

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culturedvultures.com
piroh1d 10h ago (Edited 1d 10h ago )

Ironically number 9 can save them at this point (releasing games on multiple platforms)

ChasterMies4h ago

By “save them” you mean make more profit for Microsoft. Xbox will still be a dying hardware platform.

OtterX16h ago

You could add the naming scheme for the consoles, it just confuses customers. I know they wanted to avoid traditional numbering bc it would always be lower than their competitor, but this whole 360 then One then Series thing is confusing af. Imagine a Soccer Mom trying to figure this stuff out. I still mistakenly call the Series X the One from time to time on accident.

RNTody16h ago

Don't forget about the Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox Series X! Good luck to Soccer moms around the world.

S2Killinit3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

They did that on purpose to confuse and direct attention away from the generational numbering.

MS doesn’t like reminding people that they joined the industry after others had already been involved in gaming.

For instance, they called the xbox “360” to combat PlayStation “3” because they wanted to seem like “more” than “3”, so instead of xbox 2, they opted for xbox 360. Also this had the additional benefit of selling consoles to uninformed parents who might purchase a “360” instead of a “3” by mistake, or because they thought 360 was more than 3. Kind of a disingenuous move.

They have been continuing with their confusing naming patterns for pretty much the same reasons. Frankly, it fits with who and what they are as a brand.

Cacabunga16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

Phil Spencer is the worst that has happened to Xbox.
They built a respectable brand up to Xbox one. Then this guy took over and things became a joke

Reaper22_11h ago

He still has his job. Something you can't say about Jim Ryan.

Cacabunga11h ago

Both bad execs. One is on job and one thankfully retired.

bunt-custardly6h ago

Phil Spencer was also on the team back when 360 was around, alongside Shane Kim, Peter Moore etc. I think the damage that did the most harm was the Don Mattrick "Always Online" console (ahead of its time basically). They handed Sony and Nintendo a free-pass when that was revealed. It went downhill from there. Then the corporate machine went into full swing to try and recover. They have to a degree as a games company for the masses, and less so for the core gamer. Outside USA, the Xbox brand does not sell as well as Japanese based consoles (citation needed).

Cacabunga5h ago

Want a decision maker. The always online and TV plans was a disaster yes, but they caught up by announcing 1st party games that gamers actually kept the hype going.. until this moron took over and introduced the PC day one release.. e all know where that ended..

S2Killinit3h ago

I dont think they were ever a respectable brand, not since the beginning, when their goal was never to be involved and share in the gaming space. I think the OG xbox was an exception because MS as a brand was still getting its foot in and so the people behind that were people of the gaming industry.

MaximusPrime_14h ago

Really good video.

I remember the days with RRoD was big news on here, N4G.

Microsoft had it turbulence number of years.

Looking at the success of Sea of Thieves despite being 6 years old, time to release Halo, Forza horizon 4 & 5 on PS5. It'll help their revenue

shinoff218311h ago(Edited 11h ago)

2 of the 4 games they did already sold really well. So it's definitely going down. Idk about halo or forza but I feel those studios they've bought in the last 5 years, their coming

ChasterMies7h ago

I found this video painful to watch. Can someone list them out?

Top 10 for me from are:
1. 2013 reveal presentation
2. Bundling Kinect 2 with Xbox One
3. RRoD or why rushing to market with hardware is always a bad idea.
4. Buying studios only to close them.
5. Ads on the Home Screen
6. Letting Halo die.
7. Letting Geard of War die.
8. Every console name
9. Charging for Xbox Live on Xbox 360 when Sony let PS3 players play online for free.
10. Cancelling release of OG Xbox games after the Xbox 360 launched.

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150°

Microsoft to Add Copilot AI to Video Games

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to incorporate Copilot directly into video games, with Minecraft being the first showcased example.

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xpgained.co.uk
Fishy Fingers5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

F*** AI

"Hey Copilot, what's a good meme to prove I dislike AI".... https://giphy.com/clips/sou...

Einhander19725d ago

Two trillion dollar company that just can't wait to put as many people possible out of work as fast as possible.

It feels like every single thing they do is making gaming worse and destroying the industry.

5d ago
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darthv724d ago

....you know it takes people to program the AI.... right? It isnt like it is sentient. We haven't reach skynet level of situation or anywhere close to the matrix just yet.

That's next Thursday.

Einhander19723d ago (Edited 3d ago )

It takes a people to program the AI then that AI is used for who knows how many games eliminating countless jobs which only grows as AI is used for more and more game creation functions.

What you're saying is so ridiculously short sighted and truly larking any kind of understanding and foresight.

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CaptainFaisal4d ago

Why all the hate? Im actually excited about this! Always wanted this kind of immersion, and an AI companion with me all the time helping me out knowing the status of my skills/inventory/progress and giving me tips on the best approach or how to craft something specific is game changing for the industry.

Hate all you want about AI, but this is just the start and I can see the potential already. You wont be complaining in the next 5-10 years about this, but rather complain if a game hasn’t implemented it.

MrDead4d ago

Yes we can't wait for the work of others to be used without the need to pay them so that MS can profit even more from the people they fire.

I_am_Batman4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

There is no chance I'd ever use something like this, especially if it's not part of the core game design, but a layer on top of it. It's way too much handholding. Many games already feel like busy work, because they don't let the player figure things out on their own. Having a real-time interactive guide defeats the purpose of playing the game in the first place in my opinion.

If this were to become the standard like you predict, we'll see more and more video games get away with bad design, because people will just be used to ask for help from the AI companion anyway.

Number1TailzFan4d ago

Well Nintendo don't need this with some of their games these days, with invincible characters, items, easy bosses etc.. they do the hand holding built in

helicoptergirl4d ago

Takes "hand holding" in games to a whole new level.

BlackDoomAx3d ago

Because human nature xD Almost every new technology had these kind of comments.

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70°

Activision team is opening a new game studio in Poland 'Elsewhere Entertainment' to build new AAA IP

Microsoft's Activision subsidiary announced today that it is opening a new game development studio to take advantage of the huge talent pool growing in Poland. It'll be the second Activision studio based in the region, joining Infinity Ward Krakow, although this studio is, in fact, not working on Call of Duty.

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windowscentral.com
Psychonaut858d ago

They’re not working on Call of Duty? Give it time.