It would be curious to know whether Microsoft made a conscious decision to make its Xbox One launch as unlike Sony's PlayStation 4 press conference as possible.
On the face of it, the new console looks pretty impressive. Response times and gesture control are very good indeed, the visuals are stunning, and Microsoft scored an instant win over rival Sony by actually having a working console to show off.
Today's press event for the Xbox One wasn't just a coming-out party for a new gaming console but a coming-out party for a bold new strategy to make sure that Microsoft software becomes the go-to software for web-enhanced television. Whether this plan bears fruit is hard to say but for the time being it's tough to imagine either Sony or Nintendo - or Apple or Google, for that matter - offering anything comparable.
Perhaps Microsoft has read which way the wind is blowing and realises that a gaming-only box just isn't going to cut it anymore. Maybe even gamers want more than games. Last I checked, we care about Game of Thrones too.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22620039
