Honestly I think it is more beneficial for the gamer to have it bundled as there may be the off chance that some developer might do something truly amazing with it to enhance a gaming experience. Having it bundled encourages it. I don't think the gimmicky controls really do that much to add to the over all experience mostly, but voice recognition is probably the most useful. (controller still probably easier though)

If it wasn't MS then I wouldn't be worried about them selling my information, and I don't actually mind ads curtailed to my preferences as every once in a while i'll see something that I wouldn't have otherwise.

I would prefer Google not searching my fucking mail!

No offense, but how does working for a cable provider give you the insight on what ms is offering as a service to its hosted content providers?

No offence taken...because of what I do.  I am involved with monetization of TV shows through online IP advertising. This includes things like streaming websites, apps and on demand IP streaming.  What I do on day to day basis, people I talk to and conferences I go to give me insight in to future trends in advertising. If Microsoft was planning to offer user targeting based on Kinect data in the near future, this is something that would have been mentioned somewhere in the industry.  

Microsoft came in and presented some stuff to us about Windows 8 and Xbox apps and advertising earlier this year. Actually if you look back you can find my quotes on this forum dating 6 months ago of me saying Xbox 720 will offer a cable integrated streaming experience... Currently all Microsoft wants is companies making apps for Windows 8, Windows phone 8 and Xbox One/360. They are offering advertising incentives if you do make an app. They want content and apps on their platforms, not to become a content provider themselves.

This could also apply to Nintendo and Sony. Also, MS does not own the Gears IP.

disolitude has already educated us all on why the tin foil hattery going on in the thread is complete nonsense. I think they are including Kinect and making it mandatory because it is integral to the features of the console.

well and what I don't understand is since when the number of people in an household and their age and gender is a state secret??
if you are a legal resident and have an SSN all that info is already more or less public..... if you use those store cards to have discounts when you shop your consumer habits are already known and more than likely shared and traded....

and bottom line, again if you gonna have the same amount of advertising played back to you.... don't you prefer to have them relevant to you and your family rather than random ????
it's not like they are collecting (if they do) info to put a hit on you are destroy you.... it is in their best interest to keep you happy, healthy and coming back for more.... if anything it will render commercials more acceptable....

finally why everything the corporate world does has to be evil.... always remember that advertising is the fuel of the economy... without it a company is worthless.... it helps promoting therefore selling your products which creates wealth and allows to maintain jobs, create more and produce more and better.... or maybe you prefer a communist world where you have only one and only one choice for everything.....????

@J_Allard: I've just came across this article, so I guess it's not complete nonsense.

@endimion: 
I think a discussion about the impact of advertising on society would be on a completely other level, and shouldn't belong in a forum which is mostly about topics like XBox or Halo, so we should have that kind of discussion somewhere else.

          Yeah! The Kinect 2.0 is such an awesome device because it spies on me! NSA is genius..........not.

Anything you write, talk or do while online is monitored and recorded just in case. It's called PRISM. Someone else in 1948 called it Big Brother...