back to article Work from home when the next big Windows 10 installation arrives

Microsoft has named the day for the next wave of Windows 10 upgrades: on November 12th, Redmond's latest creation will land on Xbox. Owners of the PC-disguised-as-a-console are promised “The fastest, most social Xbox experience ever” thanks to “a completely re-imagined Xbox One experience that integrates the speed and …

  1. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Meh

    I assume the first thing to do will be to find where the privacy options are buried. Isn't Cortana always listening?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Big Brother

    So November 12th is the day...

    Microsoft turns your Xbox into a spybox ?

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      Or a deadbox.

      Toss of the coin these days.

      1. Anonymous Blowhard

        "Or a deadbox."

        You mean an Ex-Xbox?

  3. GarethB

    Even happier I chose a PS4

    That makes me even happier I chose to upgrade my old Xbox360 by getting a PS4.

    1. Timmy B

      Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

      Why? Because Sony have such a wonderful record on security, etc?? (I have both One and Four so clearly I don't care myself)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

        "That makes me even happier I chose to upgrade my old Xbox360 by getting a PS4."

        And what do actually believe that that will change, instead of MS spying on you it will be Sony...

        1. Dave 126 Silver badge

          Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

          >And what do actually believe that that will change, instead of MS spying on you it will be Sony...

          Ah yes, Sony with their advertising network.... wait, hold on!

          Okay, both MS and Sony are in the hardware, software and services games, but I suspect MS have a greater motive to retain your data. Sony haven't been great at securing the data they do have. MS have seen their personal data policies as a way of differentiating themselves from [Google's versions of] Android, though it's not something I've looked into for a while.

        2. Michael Habel

          Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

          I can't comment on the PS4. seeing as I don't have one. But, having had a few (now dead) Failbox360's. I can say that S0NY, haven't sold the XMB (PS3), as an open Billboard for anyone to plant their WAREZ all over the place, and not just the static kind either! *

          So though I'd first S0NY even less with my CC Info's. I kinda doubt their able to make much out of my preference of GT5/6, and JRPGs.

          *S0NY are however guilty of adding Sing star spam onto my PS3, and removing things like Folding at Home. This also fails to impress me. But, at least its not an all singing, and dancing Ad.

          1. Khaptain Silver badge

            Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

            @Michael Habel

            It's all about stats and habits.

            * They know your age, location and language.

            * They know what you play.

            * How long you play.

            * They know from where you play. Wifi, Cabled , therefore probably also know your ISP.

            * They know how many games you possess and what genres you prefer.

            * They can see the evolution of what you are buying, playing, winning losing.

            * They can see what music, films, media you like to watch, buy, download.

            * etc etc etc

            Sony can learn a lot about you even through a simple games console. And that's only the stats that I can imagine, they might have much more sophisticated algorithms... "Shaky wrist" detection for example..

            1. Michael Habel

              Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

              @Khaptain

              If it means that I get to play more of the kinds of Games, that I want to play (i.e. JRPGs), then I don't really mind. In fact this is perhaps the biggest reason besides the RRoD, why I hate the XBOX brand as much as I do. The world such as it is DOES NOT revolve 'round Halo 5, or Gears of War 17 Fragfest. Which I kinda fail to get since those players would rather be in the PC Mustardrace.

              1. Dave 126 Silver badge

                Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

                > [lack of JRPGs] is perhaps the biggest reason besides the RRoD, why I hate the XBOX brand as much as I do.

                Uh, okay,I think 'hate' is a bit strong for something that merely doesn't offer your taste in games. If the RRoD issue could have been foreseen, it wouldn't have occurred. The XBOX360 disc-scratch issue was annoying, though.

                I actually do prefer the game selection for the PS3 over the Xbox360 - there were more interesting games, such as 'Flower'.

                >The world such as it is DOES NOT revolve 'round Halo 5, or Gears of War 17 Fragfest. Which I kinda fail to get since those players would rather be in the PC Mustardrace.

                People like to play splitscreen with friends in the same room, which Halo and Gears of War allow. It's fun, and reminds us of playing splitscreen GoldenEye on the N64.

                1. Anonymous Coward
                  Anonymous Coward

                  Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

                  If the RRoD issue could have been foreseen, it wouldn't have occurred

                  Ohh, that makes it ok?

                  "Sorry Dave 126, if losing your nob could have been foreseen, it wouldn't have occurred"

                  1. Dave 126 Silver badge

                    Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

                    I didn't say it was okay, but since the cause was a race to market combined with legislation forcing the use of poorly understood lead-free solder, I don't attribute it to malevolence on MS's part.

                    The disc scratch issue was not good, and I was unimpressed by MS's response, especially since it came at a timethey were insisting users had no legitimate reason to back-up their media.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

        Storing your credit card details and other things in PSN is optional?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

          Yes, it is.

    2. MiguelC Silver badge

      Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

      That's like changing your diet from hamburgers and coke to pizza and pepsi in order to lose weight...

    3. Gannettt

      Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

      It's at times like this when I wish El Reg would have a 'collapse all replies' function in their comments. XBOX vs PS4 willy-waving? my lunch-hour isn't long enough!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Even happier I chose a PS4

        What, you read this trash in your own time?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So much core shared across so many devices, if you can break into one Ford Cortina then you can break into them all.

    I feel a great disturbance in the Force.

  5. chivo243 Silver badge
    Coat

    Developers now have a new device to target?

    How about hackers/scammers/spammers now have a new device to target?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Developers now have a new device to target?

      Beat me to it...

  6. DanX

    Will it run powerpoint?

    I use my Xbox mainly for watching Youtube. To do this I have to update it a lot more often than I'd expect, and unless I do all the updates I can not go on line with it at all.

    I already have to use my Windows account to log on to the thing mind... so that not really a change.

  7. Zog_but_not_the_first
    Terminator

    What's more...

    Weirdly enough I had a dream nightmare last night that on starting my computer I found that MS had replaced my bios with a version that allowed only Windows 10 - and kept reinstalling it if I tried to delete it.

    Of course, that's quite impo... oh!

    Too much cheese too late, I know.

  8. Dave Horn

    Please...

    Please, PLEASE, give the "Microsoft-is-spying-on-you-for-evil-purposes" spiel a rest.

    Seriously, banging on about this is simply publicly announcing your ignorance: partly because it's bloody obvious that they'll collect some personal data; partly because it's been happening for ages; and mostly because I didn't hear anyone bleating about it when Google and Apple started hoovering up personal info many moons ago.

    I use Android on my phone 'cos I like it (and so far there only seem to be a few black helicopters following me around). The personal data issue doesn't bother me in the slightest, provided Google look after it. I take the same view with MS and Windows 10. And frankly, you know what? At the moment I actually trust Microsoft more simply because they're admitted that they're collecting personal data to make the service better*, not to flog me targeted ads.

    * at the moment... ;-)

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Please...

      Perhaps a Reg article comparing the personal data polices of Google, Apple, Microsoft et al would be handy?

      Certainly their motives are slightly different... Apple make money on marking-up hardware and content such as apps and music, Google make it from advertising.

      1. Arctic fox
        Thumb Up

        @Dave 126 Re:"Perhaps a Reg article comparing the personal data polices of......

        .......Google, Apple, Microsoft et al would be handy?"

        Yes indeed it would. Something a little more informative than the current line which appears to be that Win10 is the source of all evil. (I speak as one who never uses express setting and terminates those intrusions with extreme prejudice before setup is complete - I don't like them either). The fact of the matter is that there are more villains out there than just MS regardless of what the anti-Redmond hatebois might opine. Companies who were already doing this shit on the same scale well before Win 10 even began the "technical preview" exercise. About time that we cut out the tribalist crap and addressed the issue with regard to all "sinners". As in, how the hell do we stop these fuckers doing this?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Dave Horn - Re: Please...

      We obviously all have differing views on the issue - that's not unexpected.

      The question is whether or not it is worth continuing to bang on about privacy issues wrt Windows 10. My view is that uptake of Windows 10 has flattened and Microsoft are not yet in a position to be confident that their overall plan to move everyone off Windows 7/8.1 to 10 will succeed.

      Therefore there is a chance (however remote) that they will change tack - and those who care about it will still bang on about it.

      I guess this time next year the situation will be clear : if the world has gone over to 10 with all that it entails, then further complaining is pointless. If not, then it's still up for grabs.

    3. chivo243 Silver badge
      Black Helicopters

      Re: Please...

      @Dave Horn

      you better start looking over your shoulder a bit more often. You're only paranoid until they get you...

    4. Ken Hagan Gold badge

      Re: Please...

      "At the moment I actually trust Microsoft more simply because they're admitted that they're collecting personal data to make the service better"

      I'm open to that argument. It's just that my experience of Microsoft's service over the past few decades is that the service has got steadily worse since they started to trust their "user labs" and (more recently) telemetry over the traditional approach of having principles (like discoverability and consistency) and just letting the programmers implement those as they saw fit.

      It's almost as if, by concentrating on actual measurables, they've biased their design in favour of people who don't actually know what the computer does or how it is trying to do it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Please...

        they've biased their design in favour of people who don't actually know what the computer does

        Oh yes, without a doubt! This happens with every release, that's why there's a constant churn of technical people ditching Windows - who are by far outnumbered by the idiots getting on to it. And the more idiots that use it, the more idiots there are to affect the telemetrics, and the dumber the system becomes.

        Sorry, but that's not for me. Hasn't been for a while, to be honest. Bye!

        1. a_yank_lurker

          Re: Please...

          As the technically inclined move away we slowly drag people away from Windows even if it is to Apple. MS should be very concerned about what the technically adept do and think. I personally only use W7 at work but use Linux everywhere else.

    5. elaar

      Re: Please...

      " and mostly because I didn't hear anyone bleating about it when Google and Apple started".

      Please don't make me paste you links to hundreds of articles where people bleated about it.

      It's very different when it comes to your normal PC desktop though, people thought they were safe there.

      If I tell MS that I don't want it to search Bing when searching local files/folders on Windows 10 (by checking the appropriate option), and lo and behold when I type something into the search box it still starts a TLS session to bing.com, then this is something myself and others should be concerned about.

      Your argument of "Others do it, it's expected, stop being ignorant" is infact pretty ignorant.

      1. Arctic fox
        Windows

        @elaar You know that is really strange.

        "If I tell MS that I don't want it to search Bing when searching local files/folders on Windows 10 (by checking the appropriate option), and lo and behold when I type something into the search box it still starts a TLS session to bing.com, then this is something myself and others should be concerned about."

        I have so far set up two Surface Pro 3s and a home office heavy lifter with this os and you know what, when I've finished with the buggers all that the "spyglass" icon on the task bar does when I use it is search the pc itself. I fear that you do not know as much about that os as you think you do. Top tip, use that search icon with "Cortana & Search", click on that and it ought to be obvious to you what to do. If it is not then there is little anyone can do to help you. You do of course turn off Cortana don't you? You don't try and keep that crap on and still not use Bing - hmm?

    6. Chika
      Alert

      Re: Please...

      Seriously, banging on about this is simply publicly announcing your ignorance: partly because it's bloody obvious that they'll collect some personal data; partly because it's been happening for ages; and mostly because I didn't hear anyone bleating about it when Google and Apple started hoovering up personal info many moons ago.

      You do hear people going on about Google and Apple data mining. It's one reason why Microsoft are trying it on because while once they heavily criticised Google about this, they now realise that there is a big market out there and they want in on it.

      I'm sorry if you are upset by people objecting to the pitfalls of Windows 10 but, just as with Windows 8 before it, the only way we can get American corporates to listen these days is to make sure that everyone knows what they are getting into so that they can make informed decisions about whatever it is. That may be like banging them over the head with a sledgehammer, but they won't listen to polite suggestions anymore.

      If you really trust Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, eBay, (or even Talk Talk!) or whoever else likes to slurp your data these days then good luck to you. I hope you enjoy your eventual doxxing.

  9. Mark Fell-Crook
    Alert

    What console?

    So, My PS3 is full of dust under the TV. This StarWars Battlefront thing is coming, as is christmas.

    Should I be replacing the PS3 with an Xbone or PS4?

    1. dogged

      Re: What console?

      Depends on what you want to do with it.

      Pure gaming (only)? PS4. Gaming + Media? XBone.

    2. Dave 126 Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: What console?

      Similarly, my XBOX360 hasn't been plugged in for a few years... Star Wars Battlefront looks fun, but maybe I'll wait a couple more years for some sort of unholy space combat / FPS / RTS / GTA-in-space mashup game before happily wasting my days away.

      These days, I only play video games with real people in the same room, it just seems more fun. My drinking follows a similar pattern.

    3. RustyNailed
      Go

      Re: What console?

      Just to throw something else into the mix - I just got a nVidia Shield Android TV, and have been impressed with how streaming from my nVidia GTX970 equipped PC works. For reference, my PC is basically 4 years old, bar the 970 which arrived earlier this year, and has a gigabit cable connection to the Shield.

      I've played a bit of Grid2 and some Fifa 16 and found it certainly meets my needs, and gives me flexibility to play on my PC in my cave, (and you can use the Shield controller on a PC in wired mode) or on the main TV with the kids. I was concerned about the latency between controller and game, but both my (adult) test subjects said it didn't seem to be an issue, and I can't say I've noticed it being an issue myself.

      Of course, it won't help if you want console only games, but I thought I'd throw the suggestion out there....

      R

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What console?

      "Should I be replacing the PS3 with an Xbone or PS4?"

      I wouldn't bother. The graphical improvements while noticable really arn't enough to make it worth the expense of buying a new machine and new games. IMO obviously. YMMV. I'm waiting for the PS5 when the graphics - hopefully - will be a quantum leap away from the PS3 rather just a few baby steps.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What console?

        It's not about graphical power, but being able to play new games.

        Of course if you're not that bothered about the latest games there's plenty of PS3 games around going cheap.

      2. Chika

        Re: What console?

        Agreed to a point. The fact that both Microsoft and Sony took the relatively easy way out with the design and used PC based configurations (not particularly great ones either) means that they are already staring obsolescence in the gob and whether they can or might improve on that with the next generation is open to doubts, especially given some of the shinanigans that took place on this generations' release.

        I think that the real test will be Nintendo's NX as I think that will be a good indicator of where the industry wants to go next, even if it fails, and especially as I expect that it'll be released long before any possible next gen PS or XBox.

    5. ColonelClaw

      Re: What console?

      I would say PS4 purely because it's shown itself to play games slightly better. Which is kind of the point.

    6. MJI Silver badge

      Re: What console?

      Going from PS3 I would say PS4.

      Seems a pretty solid piece of kit, gets plenty of use, and there are now plenty of games

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I like the Xbox One, dare I say it. I know you're not supposed to, but I think it's been alright - for the most part.

    The stuff that grinds is the constant emphasis on 'social' - I don't *want* to share everything. I am a miserable old tart that enjoys playing campaigns alone. I struggle to even be able to play multiplayer games on the basis that I am rubbish, and just enjoy the classic boom boom-cutscene-boom boom-end scene order of things. The last bloody thing I want to do is announce my appalling 'skills' on a podium because a) I AM RUBBISH and b) I don't care

    It would be nice to have some sort of master off-switch so that one is not prompted by a myriad of integrated sharing options. With Win 10, can't ever see that happening.

    1. Kevin Johnston

      Oh I am so with you there. My son allows me to join him and his mates because they can follow me around and shoot the people that come out to shoot me. Just a shame that I reach the high ranks through time rather than skill which led to me be higher status than him on a few games, oh how we laughed.

    2. Steve Gill

      Hmm, my xbox never asks me if I want to 'share' things, maybe because I don't have Live Gold

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        On the XBone you need to sign up to do some pretty basic things. The PS4 only makes you sign up to play online.

  11. Pig Dog Bay
    Childcatcher

    360?

    Anyone know if Win10 is coming to the 360? It will give me a good chance to try it out.

    1. dogged

      Re: 360?

      Almost certainly not and definitely not in November this year.

    2. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: 360?

      I very much doubt it. The Xbox360 is based around a PowerPC architecture IBM Xenon CPU, a cousin of the Cell chips in the Playstation 3. Porting Windows would be a pain, with little reward.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenon_(processor)

      However, both the XboxONE and the PS4 are more or less just x86 PCs, making software porting much, much easier.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: 360?

        In 2001, Sony, Toshiba and IBM committed themselves to spending $400 million over five years to design the Cell, not counting the millions of dollars it would take to build two production facilities for making the chip itself...

        ...But a funny thing happened along the way: A new "partner" entered the picture. In late 2002, Microsoft approached IBM about making the chip for Microsoft's rival game console, the (as yet unnamed) Xbox 360. In 2003, IBM's Adam Bennett showed Microsoft specs for the still-in-development Cell core. Microsoft was interested and contracted with IBM for their own chip, to be built around the core that IBM was still building with Sony.

        http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123069467545545011

  12. Stryker007

    hahahahaha

    Ever since the original xbox I've always said why on earth would I want one of those? a PC jammed into a console box... and now finally MS confirm it lol

    Then again I gave up on sony when the PS4 became a PC jammed in a console box.... these days its SteamOS all the way :-)

    1. Hellcat

      Re: hahahahaha

      Steam OS being Linux being a PC stuffed in a... oh

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: hahahahaha

        >Then again I gave up on sony when the PS4 became a PC jammed in a console box.... these days its SteamOS all the way :-)

        Fair does. Personally, I judge a console by the games that are available for it, and not by its internal architecture. In the words of Oddball "I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work."

        For many genres of game, Steam is very good. However, the Playstations, like other consoles, have always had some exclusive titles. Not that my reflexes are good enough for WipEout any more....

        Oddball: Hi, man.

        Big Joe: What are you doing?

        Oddball: I'm drinking wine and eating cheese, and catching some rays, you know.

        Big Joe: What's happening?

        Oddball: Well, the tank's broke and they're trying to fix it.

        Big Joe: Well, then, why the hell aren't you up there helping them?

        Oddball: [chuckles] I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes 'em work.

        Big Joe: Christ!

        Oddball: Definitely an antisocial type. Woof, woof, woof! That's my other dog imitation.

        1. Greg J Preece

          Re: hahahahaha

          God, I love Kelly's Heroes. For that matter, I also love Three Kings, the totally-not-a-remake.

  13. Avatar of They
    Mushroom

    Morons.

    1 day before the weekend starts all MS games consoles will be EITHER dead or updating. I pity the kids... Actually I pity the parents of the kids.

    Should have been a Monday release.

    Hopefully it won't reach the 360, but I will be on a Steam OS by then anyway. (Fingers crossed)

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Morons.

      SteamOS on XBOX360? Hahaha!

  14. Jonathan 27

    Can I finally join it to my Domain?

  15. bowdie

    Dear Xbox One update,

    God help you if you get between me and Fallout 4.

    That is all.

  16. adnim
    Happy

    Nothing to see here, move along

    Xboxen(hardware revision number)=Xboxen(hardware revision number)

    It's not like there are thousands or indeed millions of every so slightly different computers to update. Any of which, may have components from manufacturers that don't entirely follow industry standards.

    No, this is a console with rigid control over the BOM and thus the hardware inside each revision of the device. So, it should be a completely sucessful and flawless update.

    roflmfao

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      "it should be a completely sucessful and flawless update"

      Yup, just like SatNad told us that Windows 10 was a successful launch.

      Personally, I think it's going to be an enormous cock-up. Hundreds of thousands of XBones all downloading and installing and updating at more or less the same time, what could possibly go wrong ?

      Hint : ask any company how a major launch went on Day 1. There are more examples than I care to list.

      1. Chika
        Trollface

        Re: "it should be a completely sucessful and flawless update"

        Hundreds of thousands of XBones all downloading and installing and updating at more or less the same time, what could possibly go wrong ?

        Thinking about it...

        1. Excess strain on the update servers for the initial outpouring

        2. Excess strain and usage cappage on users that haven't switched off the option to share their downloaded system

        3. Possible problems where the downloaded system does not load correctly, especially if Microsoft haven't properly tested the download (I would expect that they have but given the situation so far, I wouldn't put it past them to overlook some of the testing, leading to the possibility that some XBones might do house brick impressions)

        4. Excess strain on the network infrastructure leading to possible brown-outs as Microsoft yet again ignores that not all places have really fast broadband (you know, the ones that complained about the problems with "always on connections" when the XBone was first announced; the ones that were initially told that they would need to use XBox 360s instead)

        5. Incompatibilities with games already "owned" by users.

        6. Possible data loss (yeah, every time there's an update of any kind, they always say that all data will be kept and reused but somebody, somewhere, always finds to the contrary)

        7. Possible hacking threats - yeah, this is stretching it a bit but you never know!

        Nah. They have no problems.

    2. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Nothing to see here, move along

      Guys, adnim was joking.

      admin, make that clearer next time!

      1. adnim

        Re: Nothing to see here, move along

        I thought I was dealing with IT professionals, I thought it was obvious sarcasm.

        I really thought the roflmfao at the end would give the game away.

        Have an up vote and I will try to remember to be less subtle in the future.

    3. a_yank_lurker

      Re: Nothing to see here, move along

      Remember who is doing the update; MS will find away to screw up.

  17. John 120

    Don't forget November 11th...

    30GB's of Fallout 4 is going to be pushed to PC's running Steam everywhere, going to be a fun couple of days!

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    It's evil.

    Evil. Pure evil.

  19. Greg J Preece

    "Tens" is pushing it

    Perhaps more importantly, there are tens of millions of Xboxen out there.

    Pluralising that "tens" may be premature. Last time Microsoft bothered to give us numbers, it had ten million sold at the end of last year, which is what the Wii U had sold at the middle of this year. Of course, for some reason Microsoft is being tight-lipped about its numbers this generation. Can't think why...

  20. Mikel

    Called it

    On launch day I was called seven kinds of idiot for saying the XBOne was an end around HP and Dell, an own brand PC for home and office. But now it's the in thing to say.

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