Summary: News: Microsoft: Xbox One Won't Require Kinect to Work It turns out that the Xbox One will run perfectly fine even if Kinect isn't, well, connected to it, according to chief Xbox One platform architect Marc Whitten. Speaking with IGN last week, Whitten revealed that "like online, the console will still function if Kinect isn't plugged in, although you won't be able to use any feature or experience that explicitly uses the sensor." That doesn't mean gamers will be able to avoid buying the accessory, however. Microsoft's upgraded Kinect will still ship with the Xbox One. It just won't render the whole system a brick if it breaks or is powered off, or if some folks who've expressed privacy concerns over Redmond's potential for capturing and tracking the movements of Xbox One users simply want to shut it down permanently. How "off" can the sensor be without affecting non-Kinect-related Xbox One functionality? In case there are still some skeptics out there, here's what Whitten told IGN: "You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture, or more won't work. We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you'll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue." Whitten also confirmed that the Xbox One will ship with a mono audio headset, as seen in a recent in-house unboxing video, which he said features improved audio quality that "is night and day compared to chat on the Xbox 360." The Xbox One platform architect also told IGN that gamers' Xbox 360 avatars will transfer over to the new console, elaborated on how Live Arcade will work on the Xbox One dashboard, talked resolutions and frame rates for Game DVR video captures, and more. Update: While the Xbox One won't require the Kinect to function, Microsoft said it has no plans to sell the Xbox One without the Kinect. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2423002,00.asp Elon Musk reveals plans for high-speed Hyperloop In a blog post today, Elon Musk revealed plans for an alpha version of his much-anticipated Hyperloop, an innovative transportation system that would move passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than 30 minutes. According to the plans (PDF), the Hyperloop would transport passengers in aluminum pods traveling up to 800mph, mostly following the route of California's I-5. The estimated cost would be $6 billion for the passenger-only model, or $7.5 billion for a larger model capable of transporting cars. On a following conference call, Musk said he expected a prototype unit might take only three or four years to complete given the right project leader, including a couple years to acclimate themselves to the project. "If it was my top priority, I could probably get it done in one or two years." The biggest puzzle was how Musk's low-power loop would maintain such high speeds without tremendous power losses to friction. According to a Businessweek article, published with the post, the solution is keeping the interior of the Hyperloop at low pressures, which lowers friction without risking the dangers of a full vacuum. "I think a lot of people tended to gravitate to one idea or the other as opposed to thinking about lower pressure," Musk told Businessweek. "I have never seen that idea anywhere." The system would also reduce friction by mounting compressor fans on the front and rear of each pod, actively transferring air from the front of the pod to the back. In addition to following existing highways, the Hyperloop would minimize its physical footprint by elevating the tubes on columns 50 to 100 yards apart. Much of the route could be constructed on the median of California's I-5,
