And apparently, Microsoft patented living room monitoring using the kinect.
" A patent application suggests that Microsoft's console might also want to use in other ways - for example, to calculate using the Kinect camera prices for movie downloads then, how many people sit in front of the TV set .Microsoft has not yet commented on the patent application. "
What was that cult classic movie with the dark sunglasses and the aliens with the OBEY/etc signs? For some reason that movie comes to mind...
people are stupid sheep, nothing we can do about that...
it's a console so i don't really care, but you could open the kinect and solder a switch into the mic cable to turn that on or off and cover the camera with a piece of paper.
Yes, and while you're opening it up, it'll say "Dave, what are you doing, Dave?"
It would be hilarious if you could somehow hack it to bypass its sensors, and feed it a loop of information of just one guy, doing nothing but quietly sitting on a couch 24/7. Troll level > 9000.
But I guess if you do that, microsoft wil be able to tell. If for instance you're playing local multiplayer. Then they'd send jack booted thugs in your livingroom and charge you with lying to the poor company and breaching it's TOS. Then they'd sentence you to 50 million lifetimes in prison.
The Hyperion Corporation would like to remind you that we can see whether or not you are watching commercials. Failure to consume our commercials will result in mild disintegration of your loved ones.