A few weeks ago I got an Xbox One. I got it because I was particularly curious about its ability to be the “one” entertainment box for my living room (hence the name).
(Note: I am not going to touch gaming at all in this review– just general usage.)
For several years now, I’ve used (and loved) my Apple TV for entertainment. It’s got the channels I need (Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, HBO, etc.), its Airplay functionality is stellar, and its really easy to use. Would the Xbox One be able to unseat its status as the living room favorite?
The Xbox One is good, but there are a few major headaches that keep it from being awesome. Here’s what it needs:
1. Background Tasks
If I’m playing a game that doesn’t require a whole lot of conversation (let’s say Need For Speed Rivals), I definitely want to listen to music. And there’s a pretty good chance I don’t like the game’s soundtrack and would rather listen to my own. On Xbox One, I can snap the music app to the right side of the screen to do this, but the game then shrinks significantly (and it keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio). Why can’t the music app play in the background? Why do I need to see the app to hear what it’s playing?
2. Voice Refinement
A lot of extra functionality can be achieved through voice commands, but unfortunately they are just not reliable enough to use. I find myself hesitating to use the voice commands because I know there’s a good chance I’ll have to say “Xbox, go to Netflix” several times before it understands me.
3. Easier Switch and Snap and Faster Refocus
Because the voice commands aren’t entirely reliable, I often use the controller to do things like snap windows, switch apps, etc. But to snap an app into the right side of the screen, I have to back out of the app I’m in, and choose “snap an app”. If I have two apps open and I want to switch them, it’s a really long and tedious process. There really should be a faster way to do all of this.
4. Simpler Dashboard
Why do I need to constantly see the “featured” section on the dashboard? Something I like about the Apple TV is that the apps are front and center and there isn’t a lot of junk. The Xbox One dashboard, is filled with controls like “snap an app”, my user profile, featured, shortcuts to the store, and “insert a disc”.
5. “Play To” Improvements
I originally detailed some complaints back in this post. The ability to play content from a Windows device to the Xbox is neat, but it’s slow and clunky. Again, if I want to play music to the Xbox, it really takes its time opening the music app (which should not be necessary) and loading the content (which takes far longer than it should). Apple’s Airplay definitely wins here.
In summary…
I love the ideas put into the Xbox One, but I definitely have some disappointments off the bat. Hopefully Microsoft is working on upping the usability in the coming updates.