The new Xbox One accessory does everything the Kinect voice commands are already used for.
We all know that there are a lot of different ways for gamers to watch movies or TV on the Xbox One. There are all of those fancy Kinect voice commands and gestures, and if you’re still stuck in 2012, well then there’s still that thing called a game controller. Well now Microsoft has added one more way to get your seamless television experience off the ground: a new Xbox One Media Remote accessory.
Admittedly, the new remote is pretty slick in design, with a clean black and white look that matches the actual console and game controllers perfectly. In addition to your expected stop, play, and fast forward buttons, the Xbox One Media Remote also includes dedicated Back and GuideOne buttons for “one-touch, quick access to your favorite TV shows and movies through the Xbox program guide.”
According to Microsoft’s official description, the Xbox One Media Remote “is designed to help you listen, watch and switch among experiences instantly.” Hmm, that’s funny. I thought that was the whole point of the new Kinect voice commands. Microsoft has been very adamant in stating on several occasions that Kinect is not just a peripheral of the Xbox One, although this new media remote might seem to indicate otherwise.
For what it’s worth, I think the Kinect voice commands on my own Xbox One are pretty neat. Well, except that when I try to show it off to my friends, it never seems to listen to me and makes me look stupid.
The Xbox One Media Remote is expected to launch worldwide in early March for $25. Will you be getting one to go along with your Xbox One console? Or do you think the need for a dedicated media remote just isn’t there, and that it sort of contradicts the Kinect-integrated message that Microsoft has been trying to send since the console’s initial conception? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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