Leaked Windows 10 Build Reveals Xbox, Cortana Integration

[Steven Bogos]

Leaked Windows 10 Build Reveals Xbox, Cortana Integration

A leaked build of Windows 10 has revealed a few new features of the upcoming OS.

Earlier in the year, Microsoft revealed answer to Siri [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/137744-Microsoft-Windows-10-not-Windows-9] that is currently being used by Windows phones. Also revealed was a new Xbox app, that lets you pretty much control your console from your PC.

Reportedly, in the leaked technical preview, Cortana sits at the top of the search interface for Windows 10, responding to text and voice commands. It's all very similar to the Windows Phone version, as you'd expect, with access to the notebook, reminders, and interests.

As for the Xbox app, it essentially acts as a gateway between your PC and your console. It gives access to the entire Xbox ecosystem, including access to achievements, friends lists, activity feeds, and the Store. It's also very likely that the app will feature SmartGlass [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129810-Xbox-One-SmartGlass-Hits-Android-Windows-Phone-and-iOS] integration in the future.

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The new preview build also features various other improvements to task-switching and the control panel. We should note that it is still a very early look at the OS right now, and it is bound to change, perhaps even dramatically, before it releases.

Source: The Verge [http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/14/7389563/windows-10-xbox-app-cortana-features]

Permalink

 

[laggyteabag]

THEY ACTUALLY CALLED IT CORTANA?!

Oh Christ almighty.

OT: I get that they want all of their Microsoft products to link in some way to make this whole Microsoft ecosystem thing, but all this just seems like a lot of useless fluff to anybody without an Xbox. Besides, isn't all of this Xbox functionality basically just ripped straight from the Xbox.com website?

Also, if this is what Phil Spencer was planning on announcing, I will be mega pissed.

EDIT: The lack of the whole Metro thing is also a pleasing sight.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

For starters, the UI looks a bit reminiscent of Windows 8. If this is legit, then this is already off to a very bad start.

I also can't help but wonder what the goal of the Xbox integration is. If they're aiming to create another distribution platform ala GFWL, then I hope they've learned a lesson or 20 (not a typo) lest they end up becoming the bane of PC gamers again. There's also the obvious conflict of interest regarding the Xbox division and PC gaming, which makes the whole thing come across as a bit baffling and makes me wonder what exactly Phil Spencer is planning here. Is this going to be some marketing ploy for the One? Is the plan to expand the Xbox brand to beyond hardware or something? Will they use this Xbox app to try to turn PC gamers towards consoles, or have they accepted PC gamers as a separate entity and a potential cash cow of their own (the acquisition of Minecraft prevents this notion from being too laughable, as the primarily-PC userbase of that game feasibly could have opened their eyes to a demographic ripe for the picking)?

Lastly, Cortana. Lol, talk about pandering and fanservice. Not something I'm really against though, regardless of how humorous I find the entire concept to be (I sooo can see people fapping to it XD). Fuck, if they allowed characters from my own favorite franchises to voice this program, then I'd likely buy into it myself - assuming I touch Windows 10 at all, of course. Just imagine how incredible (however unlikely) it would be to hear someone like Senator Armstrong hamming this program right the fuck up. XD

 

[Alfador_VII]

THEY ACTUALLY CALLED IT CORTANA?!

Oh Christ almighty.

Yes, they called it Cortana, and they even used the same Voice Actress. From what I've read about it on Windows Phone, it works as well or better than Siri, and the Google Voice app.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Ohhh, I am sad. The title, to me, suggested that Windows 10 might include an xBox emulator.

 

[Slegiar Dryke]

you know, a friend almost had me convinced to give 10 a shot when it eventually comes out.....an os where microsoft stopped the gimmicks and went back to a mostly standard desktop, with the gimmicky stuff just in the start menu and out of the way.......and now they're doing this apparently.....*slowclaps* bravo microsoft......you know how to chase people away who don't give a flying F about your gimmicky and IP named search functions that probably will be a pain to use.....good...job....

 

[NickBrahz]

I don't know what i am looking at but it looks like crap, and if i wanted to control an Xbox i would turn the dam thing on not go to my PC to control it.

 

[VanQ]

Ohhh, I am sad. The title, to me, suggested that Windows 10 might include an xBox emulator.

That's what I thought. And I nearly considered upgrading. Looks like I'm still gonna hang around on Win7 for a while.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Eh..I'll discuss the tech hubbub with my more savvy sources.
My short take: All I'm seeing here is feature creep and fluff.

What I'm more concerned about is the possible integration of other more "corporate"-minded features, like hidden DRM or other mandated "gimmies" built into the system.

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

I don't imagine a majority or even "many" Windows users have an Xbox..
Developing the "app" for download to such users is very much ok to me but not forcing it onto everyone.
Actually, the same could have been said towards the whole tiled phone/mobile interface that is win8 as well.

So, I'm looking at the startbar (That is pretty much the only thing showing so..) and wow..did it get crowded or what?
I always do everything I can to remove unwanted fluff from both my startbar and browser bar..no one else? only me then? ok..

 

[Ark of the Covetor]

It's difficult to express in words how few fucks I give about all this pointless bloatware. I'm not interested in your "ecosystem" Microsoft, I'm not going to buy a Windows Phone and an XBone and a fucking toaster that announces when it's finished making toast in Steve Ballmer's voice or whatever the fuck your next crazy, over-engineered, under-performing pile of junk is just because I use Windows on my PC(literally only because I can't be arsed faffing about with gaming on Linux). All I care about is whether or not you put out an OS that's actually designed around the platform I fucking bought it for without any extraneous tabletised bullshit like multicoloured nursery school playtime fun tiles.

I genuinely cannot grasp how it's possible for them to so fundamentally misunderstand what their customers actually want from them.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Wow, that xbox application looks like... the same damn stuff you see if you log in to xbox.com. That does not look like it controls anything besides your xbox account. (Granted, it isn't near ready for release.) Where's the remote desktop like interface that the PSP had with the PS3. If xbox emulation/VMing is out of the picture,[footnote]Which would techically would be rather easy on anything with a decent discrete GFX card considering the xbone's anemic hardware. MS probably doesn't want to deal with glitches with slightly different hardware and wants to sell you shitty accessories and apps locked to just the 'bone.[/footnote] it still would be neat to plug in to your PC an x input compatible controller and play the xbox from wherever the PC is. (The problem for me is I'll probably get an xbox one the day the xbone two drops in price.)

I don't imagine a majority or even "many" Windows users have an Xbox..
Developing the "app" for download to such users is very much ok to me but not forcing it onto everyone.
Actually, the same could have been said towards the whole tiled phone/mobile interface that is win8 as well.

So, I'm looking at the startbar (That is pretty much the only thing showing so..) and wow..did it get crowded or what?
I always do everything I can to remove unwanted fluff from both my startbar and browser bar..no one else? only me then? ok..

As long as they don't make it to where stupid apps like the xbox app start up when you boot up and bombard you with ads (If I had Win 8, I strip the start screen bare like a starving wild wolf.), I don't care if they put it in Win 10. When they start forcing crap like that onto me is when I start dusting off live CDs and learning more about Linux (or just sticking with Win 7 and hoarding any copies I can find on eBay).

The startbar does bother me as much. It's probably just MS not letting whoever is doing these screengrabs touch the basic settings. I always hide my system icons and only have 3 normally open programs pinned to the bar. The stupid search bar does tick me off. I'll spend the extra click go into the start menu, if I need to search for something.

I'll be watching to make sure, but as long as they don't make clutter like that mandatory, (Yeah, I really need instant access the Window Store always on screen. Screw you, MS.) this will most likely be better than Win 8 with all the updates it will ever get. Though, as usual with any new install, we'll all be getting rid of dumbass icons and shortcuts that we would never use.

 

[crotchdot]

I don't imagine a majority or even "many" Windows users have an Xbox..
Developing the "app" for download to such users is very much ok to me but not forcing it onto everyone.

Yeah, I seriously cannot believe that they're about to release something that's making me think I'm happy sticking with Windows 8.

It's difficult to express in words how few fucks I give about all this pointless bloatware. I'm not interested in your "ecosystem" Microsoft, I'm not going to buy a Windows Phone and an XBone and a fucking toaster that announces when it's finished making toast in Steve Ballmer's voice or whatever the fuck your next crazy, over-engineered, under-performing pile of junk is just because I use Windows on my PC(literally only because I can't be arsed faffing about with gaming on Linux). All I care about is whether or not you put out an OS that's actually designed around the platform I fucking bought it for without any extraneous tabletised bullshit like multicoloured nursery school playtime fun tiles.

I genuinely cannot grasp how it's possible for them to so fundamentally misunderstand what their customers actually want from them.

That's eerie, you echo my thoughts so precisely I think you may be one of my split personalities that I'm unaware of.

 

[webkilla]

THEY ACTUALLY CALLED IT CORTANA?!

Oh Christ almighty.

Yes, they called it Cortana, and they even used the same Voice Actress. From what I've read about it on Windows Phone, it works as well or better than Siri, and the Google Voice app.

I don't care for its name - but if it works well I'm all for it

 

[Strazdas]

Xbox integration? If i wanted Xbox i would have bought one, who would i ever want to be reminded of its existence when im using PC is beyond me.

And Cortana, that thing that had the cringiests ads making fun of apples voice system? who uses these anyway? voice commands is very inefficient.

Basically all i see of windows 10 is bloatware, bloatware everywhere.

So, I'm looking at the startbar (That is pretty much the only thing showing so..) and wow..did it get crowded or what?
I always do everything I can to remove unwanted fluff from both my startbar and browser bar..no one else? only me then? ok..

apperently people nowadays want overcrouded convoluted mess for their operations. none of that "Well organized" shit.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

It's all very similar to the Windows Phone version

They still haven't learned their fucking lesson from Windows 8, have they?

 

[gact]

I just want cortana to do two things:
1. actually recognize voice commands
2. it (or her? i dont know)being able to use google or something thats not only bing

 

[ForumSafari]

And Cortana, that thing that had the cringiests ads making fun of apples voice system? who uses these anyway? voice commands is very inefficient.

I do, it's quicker than unlocking my phone if I just want to call someone, the voice recognition is good enough to set up reminders and alarms too, as well as operate the satnav. In terms of functionality it's my favourite of the three voice recognition programs, it's more functional in my opinion than Siri and beats whatever the fuck Google Now uses for voice recognition.

 

[Fulbert]

I have Steam ans PSN integration apps on my iPad. Those are little more than storefront and friends management utilities, and looking by the screenshots, I don't think the Xbox integration will be anything more than that either.

In other words, yay, well done. Some revolutionary features we've been looking forward to as gamers in Win10, Microsoft.

 

[Darmy647]

To me it all depends what spencer is going to have to say. The whole migration is seriously resting on what he deems super important enough to wait till january over. If it flops, I stick to windows 7. Your move spencer. Make me WANT 10.