Microsoft's new system is actually very awesome, it was just a bad marketing job and users that do not understand the features. PC gaming is 10x better and ahead of console gaming and MS took a step in this direction while sony is staying in 2005. Let me explain...
MS is implementing a cloud (sony is too but they are very different). What this will mean is that you will install your game on your machine and then you will never need the disk again. You go to a friends house, log in and you can play. No need for your disk. You can lend your game to up to 10 friends too (although the time will be limited). How awesome is that? Its like PC gaming. Disks are an outdated technology. My laptop doesnt even have a disk drive. I was so happy to see MS moving in this direction and cannot believe Sony is making them mandatory and people are happy about this old technology? Its like demanding a home cordless phone over a mobile and claming the home one is better lol.
About the 24 hour online check in. It is most definitely needed. Since you do not need the disk after installing on the cloud why wouldnt every single person just sell it? They need to prevent that. It makes total sense. Plus, the majority of gamers play online. I havent played a non online game since maybe 2007. I cant even log into WoW without being online. With this I just need to 'check in' every 24 hrs, then I can play offline for 24hrs if i wanted.
Kinect - it will NOT be monitoring you. That is just a bad rumor. You can set it to do what you want. Do you really think MS would spend millions (and i mean many many millions) to record people? Do you know how expensive server space and how big video files are? I dont think people actually believe this...
Oops... I tried to quote you while my girlfriend was talking to me and hit the thumbs up button accidentally.
Anyways, I will respond a bit to what you said in your post purely based on my own personal preference as a gamer.
I tend not to play pc/mac games and stick to the consoles as it tends to have the type of games I prefer, the only pc game that I even blinked at was WOW. I want consoles and console games, not pc games or I would jut buy a pc...
Yeah pc games are more advanced or have better res, but I don't really care about that. I like fun games, and graphics are only one component of a good game. Then there's testing and quality, and no one does this better than Nintendo (IMO).
Cloud... Whatever. I don't really care much for that either to be honest but it would be nice as well as... And not instead of actually owning a hard copy of a game that I am free to do with as I please- like I can now!
I can lend that to my friend as long as I damn well want, I paid for it. It's not like I made a copy and we can both play it, its still the same game that I paid for and own.
To make the game itself redundant after installing is just stupid. What a waste. Yeah I get that companies need to protect themselves but it should not be at the expense of gamers and by robbing them of their liberties.
As far as disks being outdated tech, that's not true at all. Well, it maybe in the pc world? Movies still use DVDs/BluRay, and yeah you can rent on Netflix or whatever but again... Hard copy. Mine. Can do with as I please (legal).
Wii U & PS4 both know that there's nothing wrong or outdated with this tech apparently also?
And, mobiles replacing cordless phones because theyre better? C'mon.. Who's to say that? It's up to each individual to decide that for themselves... I mean, they do serve different purposes. Mobiles are designed to be mobile/portable, cordless is good around the house.
I don't need one fancy machine to do everything in my life, I like it just the way it is.
Honestly, you sound like a pc head and that's the polar opposite to me. I get that we both want different things from the systems going forward, but that's why there's different machines available.
Microsoft are getting confused that xbox gamers want a gaming console and not a computer. Next they'll be making pc's more like consoles....
Lastly, that kinekt problem is that the device can detect how many people are present in the room, by isolating movement from separate persons visible. I never said recording people, I said charge you for public broadcasting if too many people are present whilst watching a movie.