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Windows 8 apps sync and run on the Xbox One says Dell

by Mark Tyson on 21 October 2013, 10:34

Tags: Xbox, Windows 8

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If the Microsoft Xbox One could run all the Windows 8 Store apps already available, would that make it much more attractive a proposition? It looks like this cross compatibility of Microsoft’s upcoming next-generation console and Windows 8 PCs has just been confirmed by Dell on its official online shop.

We’ve had a hint of two that this feature would be arriving before and it’s not really very surprising that the Xbox One will work this way – it’s basically an AMD powered PC with the Modern UI sitting above three operating systems, one of which must be Windows compatible. “We have multiple operating systems that are able to co-exist to allow game developers ... to get exclusive access to a bunch of resources,” said a senior Microsoft exec to Polygon in May. He went on to explain “The Xbox One runs on three distinct operating systems. One powers the games, another, the kernel of Windows 8, powers the apps and a third, always-on operating system, connects the two.”

Dell’s snippet about the cross-platform compatibility, seen first on its online store this weekend (as above), reads as follows;

“Xbox One Features

Windows 8

Consider the game officially changed. With all your favourite Windows 8 apps able to be run on and synced to your Xbox One, now your phone, desktop, tablet and TV can all give you a unified web and entertainment experience.”

Also in preparation for its domination of your computer, tablet, phone and living room Microsoft recently updated the “app-roaming limit” of Windows devices from five to 81. The change was implemented on 9th October, meaning that a single Microsoft account can now sync apps on more than five devices, up to a maximum of 81 devices. That should be enough?



HEXUS Forums :: 13 Comments

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But can it play games?
And in the other direction: since I have a WP8 phone, I still can't understand why we can't have Smart Glass for Windows games too. Is there even a plan to bring that to us too? Crazy that I can only install SG on my W8 PC in order for my PC to play as companion to an XBox (that I don't have).
Eh, if it means I don't have to use IE to browse the net, that right there is an improvement.
I'm just not sure people want a unified device right now. It's all very noble and I would suggest possibly in the future it might be more socially accepted, but I just can't see this being right for 2013. The mind set is still of the Xbox One being a gaming console primarily and people will not be buying it for any reason other than this.

As a young 30 something PC-gamer I can feel myself falling behind the technology curve. Technology is moving so fast into so many areas of our lives and the complexity is dizzying even for someone like me. I'm sure many tech enthusiasts feel exactly the same - I'm never felt the need for a twitter account, I've barely used Instagram, Pinterest, Delicious, Digg It etc. Facebook - one form of social networking is good enough for me. Similarly I don't need Netflix to be accessible from my smart watch (which is almost inevitable right?), access to Gmail on my console…etc etc.

I guess the point I'm making is complexity (read: additional functionality) isn't always the best course of action, especially in the current climate of various confusion of completing devices, services, form factors, preparatory OS and software and so on.

I might be wrong, maybe the time is right for a unified device, be the public will still be buying the Xbox One as a console, not a media / internet access point.
The thing is, I already HAVE a ‘unified device’: it's called a PC. The XBOne is only unified for Microsoft's services; if I want to use any others, then I'm back to the PC. And at that point, why bother doing things through the XBOne at all other than gaming? When compared to a full PC, it's got a somewhat anaemic CPU and embedded GPU, limited IO (bet that the W8 build it's running won't accept arbitrary peripherals), limited program availability, no upgradability, etc. The XBOne just can't compete.