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[Kintaro]

Matt and Trey basically killed Smart Glass before the damn conference ended.

http://youtu.be/9tqIVmF3MPg

 

[M3d10n]

Serious question. Why do people think that something like Rayman WiiU would not be possible on Smartglass?

MS have already shown off a similar concept using Kinect Adventures and WP7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHJOeqir56I

The user on the phone can see the game as it appears on the TV and interact with it, helping or hindering the main player.

That's a dedicated app for Kinect Adventures and runs natively on the device. It's an independent program with it's own assets which merely receives the motion data from Kinect.

SmartGlass itself is an app. I don't know about Windows 8, but in iOS it's against the TOS to make an app that downloads executable code (even scripts) from external sources, so individual SG applications are likely made by downloading screen layouts and streaming data updates (elements' positions, text, images, etc).

In Rayman's case, it could be done by mocking up the levels using 2D assets and a clever screen layout. For actual 3D games the 360 would need to stream a video to SG. There's a difference between "possible" and "practical".

 

[Punchpudding]

I think it's a pretty cool idea. Yes, it probably was spurred on by the Wii U tablet, yes it's not likely to be used much outside of first party games, BUT it has a bit of potential.

It is also a response to surveys showing many people are using tablets and TVs at the same time: (http://www.forbes.com/sites/briancaulfield/2012/04/05/tv-time-is-tablet-time-survey-says/). 45% of Americans that owned tablets used their TVs and tablets at the same time on a daily basis. MS was bound to make a move in this area.

Besides the application for tv and sports (nice post, UberTag), I think there are some game related aspects that could benefit. I'm playing Diablo 3 right now and I'm finding the auction house to be almost as interesting as the game itself. If I find an item in the game, I want to be able to put it on the AH right away or just check prices for similar items; it's also nice to be notified when something sells. The AH isn't part of the core game but it's enjoyable and adds to the experience-- that's what SG should be about.

Couple of ideas

• Meta game elements like the D3 auction house or TF2 crafting (if games in the future become more social this could be a big plus)
• Collect and quick-play dialogue like Bioshock recordings or Diablo lore. A game with detective elements could benefit form being able to review evidence on a separate screen to solve a puzzle.
• Checking leader boards and other statistics
• Tutorial elements. If you already know how to play an FPS why clutter the screen with tutorial content?

 

[Tyrax]

I think it's a pretty cool idea. Yes, it probably was spurred on by the Wii U tablet, yes it's not likely to be used much outside of first party games, BUT it has a bit of potential.

It is also a response to surveys showing many people are using tablets and TVs at the same time: (http://www.forbes.com/sites/briancaulfield/2012/04/05/tv-time-is-tablet-time-survey-says/). 45% of Americans that owned tablets used their TVs and tablets at the same time on a daily basis. MS was bound to make a move in this area.

Besides the application for tv and sports (nice post, UberTag), I think there are some game related aspects that could benefit. I'm playing Diablo 3 right now and I'm finding the auction house to be almost as interesting as the game itself. If I find an item in the game, I want to be able to put it on the AH right away or just check prices for similar items; it's also nice to be notified when something sells. The AH isn't part of the core game but it's enjoyable and adds to the experience-- that's what SG should be about.

Couple of ideas

• Meta game elements like the D3 auction house or TF2 crafting (if games in the future become more social this could be a big plus)
• Collect and quick-play dialogue like Bioshock recordings or Diablo lore. A game with detective elements could benefit form being able to review evidence on a separate screen to solve a puzzle.
• Checking leader boards and other statistics
• Tutorial elements. If you already know how to play an FPS why clutter the screen with tutorial content?

Good ideas, We really do need a "smartglass/vita crossplay/wiiu pad" ideas thread

 

[Phat Michael]

I've never once played a game and wished I could get my smartphone out to read background data separately.

i would. For Witcher/Skyrim etc i wouuld love to have a map/inventory list/spells list etc on my tablet so i dont have to keep pausing and interrupting the game.

Smartglass has fantastic potential if you have the imagination and scope to see where it would be used.

 

[madmackem]

i would. For Witcher/Skyrim etc i wouuld love to have a map/inventory list/spells list etc on my tablet so i dont have to keep pausing and interrupting the game.

Smartglass has fantastic potential if you have the imagination and scope to see where it would be used.

We are so close to the end of this cycle, most games will already be someway into development now that using smart glass may not be worth there time. I have a feeling this is going to see less support than the damn vision camera.

 

[elcranky]

Here is a great gaming application for you. It makes Secret World playable on 360. It could redefine adventure games and make point and clicks viable. It basically makes any mouse driven game that doesn't require great precision portable to xbox.

 

[elektrixx]

I just want the dashboard to be on my iOS device. I would like the thing that comes up in-game when I press the guide button to be on another device for permanent viewing.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

Because it's not software, at a time where we want/need software.

 

[Punchpudding]

Good ideas, We really do need a "smartglass/vita crossplay/wiiu pad" ideas thread

Hey yea, that'd be fun. I think Wii U is a different device altogether since SG uses Wifi it's gonna be pretty limited in terms of inputs and controls. The Wii U tab could probably do anything SG and then but much more.

 

[onipex]

While that's true, I don't think it's necessary to show exactly what the TV is showing for a game like Rayman Legends.

Just prompt the user with the smartphone or tablet when it's time for them to help out and then let them control items as they appear on the phone or tablet's screen.

Like in rayman, the person with the Wii U tablet can help to raise up platforms in levels for the other people playing.

For smartglass, I can see the player with the tablet or smartphone having an in-game platform on their screen (and nothing else) that they can control by swiping their finger up and down. The person with the smartglass will already be looking at the TV so he/she will know when to use smartglass to raise the platform up. When they swipe their finger up, the platform will raise and come back down as it will in the game itself.

So yeah, I can see it working well.

Since Rayman Legends has multiple items you can interact with on screen at the same time the game would have to be changed to work with smart glass, because it would need to predict what you are trying to affect. With Wii U you affect what you are touching.

Smart glass would work better with ZombiU because you are interacting with items instead of trying to help out in a fast pace platformer.

 

[abracadaver]

Hate the idea. Will not use it unless there is an achievement for it (there probably will be)

MS will pay the developers to include half assed glass options into their games just like they did with kinect. When they notice that noone wants or uses it they will stop after a year or two.

 

[Einbroch]

Somebody finally recorded a full demo... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=u6OC9a-_OWQ

If most games use it the thing will be huge because it does look like its quite powerful but the key will be getting everybody to use it.

"I can't play and watch at the same time."

Says it all. Cool for some other stuff they showed like seeing who's online and who's got beacons up or whatever, but for in-game stuff it's just dumb.

 

[Lynn616]

Seems like Apples Airplay so it should be very cool. I use Airplay all the time and will do the same with Smartglass.

 

[surly]

For web browsing it would be cool, assuming you can pinch zoom and use the phone's keyboard to type in URLs and stuff.

Also it would work really nicely as a remote for music, so you could have the album art displayed, track list, player controls etc. I use an app like that to control MediaMonkey on my phone now and it's great.

But the video and gaming stuff, while impressive looking in demos, is just not something I'd use I don't think, outside of watching a video on my phone and then switching over to the TV. If I want to find out what other films an actor has been in, I just wait until the movie is over and then go to IMDb. I can't think of many gaming applications where I wouldn't find it annoying looking down at the small screen and then back up at the TV and I certainly wouldn't want to have to keep swapping backwards and forwards between holding the phone/tablet and controller. It would be cool for something like Scrabble maybe, if each person could have their rack of letters on their phone screen, but even then I doubt I'd ever use it.

 

[Tyrax]

If I want to find out what other films an actor has been in, I just wait until the movie is over and then go to IMDb.

I kind of like the idea of seeing an actor on screen and thinking "where have I seen this person before", then having the device only list the actors that are currently on screen.

 

[Windu]

Seems like Apples Airplay so it should be very cool. I use Airplay all the time and will do the same with Smartglass.

not really. DLNA would be a better comparison to Airplay. Windows 7 supports it and there are a lot of DLNA TVs and other devices out on the market. Have been for awhile now. (the xbox is finally getting it this fall, about time).

 

[Freshmaker]

Not sure I really get it(maybe I'm not "core" enough), I'd love for my iPad to be able to be used in conjunction with Xbox games and the dashboard.

There's tons of games that could make something like this very useful, would be cool if a second player could use the iPad for like aiming, fire control, navigation, I can think of endless uses for this idea in a single or multiples on the same couch. Apple TV already does something like this were you can play Zombie Gunship on your television but use the iPad screen as a radar, it's super cool.

So whats with all the negativity?

For me personally, I don't really see the point. It sounds about as interesting as hooking up a GBA to my Gamecube did, or controlling UMVC3 on my PS3 with my Vita. (Not interesting at all.)

But then I also don't see the point of having WiiU games on a TV screen if you have to play the games by keeping your eyes fixed on a tiny LCD screen. So I'm probably just an all around fuddy-duddy.

 

[jizzlobber]

it reminds my of the better xbmc apps for iOS, which are awesome... so bring it on

why are people down on it?
haters gotta hate!

 

[KenOD]

I'm not down on SmartGlass nor was I down on Kinect nor was I down on any other of these attempts a company does using a home console as a test bed.

It may not be for me in terms of gaming, but I'm sure as hell interested in what it brings forth to home and portable computers. Kinect still has quite a while to go, but I'm sure being on Xbox 360 helped a lot and it won't hurt SmartGlass any I believe.

Though now that I think about it, this SmartGlass would allow some of those Surface demo games to show up on Xbox 360 and I would be fine with that.

 

[nasos_333]

Not sure I really get it(maybe I'm not "core" enough), I'd love for my iPad to be able to be used in conjunction with Xbox games and the dashboard.

There's tons of games that could make something like this very useful, would be cool if a second player could use the iPad for like aiming, fire control, navigation, I can think of endless uses for this idea in a single or multiples on the same couch. Apple TV already does something like this were you can play Zombie Gunship on your television but use the iPad screen as a radar, it's super cool.

So whats with all the negativity?

Every new idea is met with negativity

The good part about smartglass is that unlike WiiU the tablet use is compltly optional

Hate the idea. Will not use it unless there is an achievement for it (there probably will be)

MS will pay the developers to include half assed glass options into their games just like they did with kinect. When they notice that noone wants or uses it they will stop after a year or two.

But people that have Kinect do use it in games like Mass Effect 3, Skyrim and Kinect only titles

Same as everyone will use his tablet, phone etc in a game that supports it, i mean why not if it is implemented well

 

[yurinka]

I think it sounds great for the non gaming stuff.

For gaming I think it's basically only to be implemented in 1st party, and maybe some few 3rd party games but that it won't reach the PS3-Vita level of connectivity basically due to phones and tablets controls and hardware fragmentation.

So in gaming I think it will be limited to unlockable extras (artwork, making of videos), maybe minigames to unlock stuff in the game, and extra texts to explain the story in a more detailed way.

To use it as a controller won't be like in LBP2 or MvsC3 where you can use a Vita to control the PS3 game as if it was another DS3 or to using it to see a portion of the game as a 2nd screen like in LBP2 or WiiU. Even if they do it in SmartGlass, it won't be comfortable to hold the 360 controller and at the same time to see 2 screens considering that the secondary one won't be attached in the controller.

Same goes with remote play, something you won't be able to do in WiiU (there looks like is limited to the same room), and that in PS3/Vita is limited to some games and is laggy : to play in your Vita at work or from your beroom a game streamed from your PS3 that is in your living room. Wouldn't make too much sense due to lag + controls.

And I also think that SmartGlass won't support the Vita feature of having crossplatform multiplayer with a home console version, or to play almost the same game in both versions with shared savedata for the single player or user created content as many Vita/PS3 do or will do. Because in case of SmartGlass there are too much HW fragmentation and you have the controls issue.

I think that reasons that limit its gaming side are the ones that makes the gamers won't be so hyped about it.

But people that have Kinect do use it in games like Mass Effect 3, Skyrim and Kinect only titles

Same as everyone will use his tablet, phone etc in a game that supports it, i mean why not if it is implemented well

Yes, but several games which supported voice commands or voice recognition before Kinect proved that you can have this feature using any mic.
So if they limit it to Kinect is just because MS asked/paid for it.

 

[MCD]

I'd love to have game guides, manuals or just general information integrated with every game using it.

 

[Oppo]

I'm down on SmartGlass for a simple reason: while a nifty idea, MS is fucking famous for announcing a lot of vaporware. So I'll wait to see an actual product before I give it any credence.

 

[number47]

My two cents:
Smart Glass in relation to xbox media. awesome.
Smart Glass in relation to xbox gaming: how can i hold the tablet and my controller at the same time?

 

[Navidson REC]

Also keep in mind those of you who play games with a partner watching you - they can be a part of the game with smartglass as well, they can read things or maybe do things to help, giving them a more active role beyond just backseat controlling. It can really help those kinds of sessions, but I understand a lot of us play alone a lot - but it'd be nice to have something more entertaining than watching, and meaningfully contribute in a cooperative way in a game that may not be 2-player.

You're absolutely right!

Playing Red Dead Redemption with a friend comes to mind. One would always be watching while the other played. Checking the map while playing was rather tedious.

Now imagine one guy playing the game while the other checks the map or manages your inventory! He could set markers for you to explore or maybe see what kind of challenges you could take care of in your current situation.

Seriously, there is quite some potential here.

 

[Raide]

My two cents:
Smart Glass in relation to xbox media. awesome.
Smart Glass in relation to xbox gaming: how can i hold the tablet and my controller at the same time?

Tablet on lap, pad in hands. Glance down to lap to check things, look back up to carry on playing.

Anyone have a copy of that 360 Pad + Chat Pad Screen mockup?

 

[dr. apocalipsis]

I can think about this like a glorified VMU.

Code Veronica ran without HUD on screen. You could check ammo and hp at VMU screen. Alan Wake anyone?

Maps, items, mission targets, etc... All of this outside of the main screen, providing better game inmersion. Just think about better item management without having to rotate weapons pressing the same button several times or pausing the game.

Also, with no dedicated hardware you would have to buy. The thing works even on android phones everyone of us already have. This is not just for WinPho.

Can't understand the hate. Most of it coming from people just say it will not deliver what potential aplications can. It's like refuse to buy a new console cause you are sure you will not like the games. Thing is, you don't need to buy anything!

 

[Stumpokapow]

It is also a response to surveys showing many people are using tablets and TVs at the same time: (http://www.forbes.com/sites/briancaulfield/2012/04/05/tv-time-is-tablet-time-survey-says/). 45% of Americans that owned tablets used their TVs and tablets at the same time on a daily basis. MS was bound to make a move in this area.

This, to me, is a pretty profoundly negative thing. It speaks to both the declining attention span of basically everyone, which bodes poorly for rich, intellectually stimulating content and better for loud, whiz-bang content--and it speaks to the time-wasting power of a tech loop. Gotta check a news site, okay gotta check facebook, oh wait I wonder if the news site updated, okay I got a message on Facebook, let's check sports scores, oh I wonder if someone replied to the message I sent back on facebook, oh man car crash story posted to news site, lol just got an sms *switches to phone*, etc. Portlandia did a skit skewering this. There's also the idea of multiple people who have so little social grace, they can't even WATCH TV together without being distracted by their own personal stuff.

Nintendo basically acknowledged these phenomena and then announced "We want to fight back against them by making a device that unites people, and uses the tablet form factor to draw you back into what's on the TV, rather than distract you."

And MS acknowledged these phenomena and basically said "LOL You Playing a Game? Why don't you interrupt your game by checking your tablet? Watching a TV show? Making sure you read the wikipedia article on it at the same time. Don't pay attention to any one thing."

I didn't think the Wii U demos were particularly good, but I am definitely down on Smart Glass.

 

[Refreshment.01]

There's tons of games that could make something like this very useful, would be cool if a second player could use the iPad for like aiming, fire control, navigation, I can think of endless uses for this idea in a single or multiples on the same couch. Apple TV already does something like this were you can play Zombie Gunship on your television but use the iPad screen as a radar, it's super cool.

So whats with all the negativity?

Not everyone is down on this concept, there are many people interested.

However, some people have observed that is just a reactionary move on MS part to the Nintendo strategy and not much anything interesting has been shown from MS's part. So it proves they are on the rush to jump in the "me too" bandwagon.

Plus the biggest failure with Smart Glass is one thing: It lacks integration.

 

[Gorki247]

However, some people have observed that is just a reactionary move on MS part to the Nintendo strategy and not much anything interesting has been shown from MS's part. So it proves they are on the rush to jump in the "me too" bandwagon.

Except that MS showed off the concept of 'asynchronous play' and smartphone integration before Nintendo had even unveiled the WiiU. And certain features of Smartglass are already available in their Xbox Companion app. Smartglass is just bringing all this together and to other platforms.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

interesting for the media aspects. syncing your library. If you can use x360 to stream your media from home to your ipad when on the road, that's a nice feature.

PLEX does this already for me though....

 

[MrNyarlathotep]

Except that MS showed off the concept of 'asynchronous play' and smartphone integration before Nintendo had even unveiled the WiiU. And certain features of Smartglass are already available in their Xbox Companion app. Smartglass is just bringing all this together and to other platforms.

What is asynchronous play, and where did MS show it?

 

[Refreshment.01]

Except that MS showed off the concept of 'asynchronous play' and smartphone integration before Nintendo had even unveiled the WiiU. And certain features of Smartglass are already available in their Xbox Companion app. Smartglass is just bringing all this together and to other platforms.

Doesn't matter, if they reallly believed in this concept and were working for so much time on it (even before WiiU) we would have witnessed compelling uses or applications for smarglass by now. Reality proves this not the case.

Doesn't matter if MS unveiled smarglass in 2005, if there's no commitment to the concept then it worth's nothing.

It's the timing of the "smart glass" unveiling that presents MS in a reactionary state. You can't blame people for thinking this.

 

[Raide]

Doesn't matter, if they reallly believed in this concept and were working for so much time on it (even before WiiU) we would have witnessed compelling uses or applications for smarglass by now. Reality proves this not the case.

Doesn't matter if MS unveiled smarglass in 2005, if there's no commitment to the concept then it worth's nothing.

It's the timing of the "smart glass" unveiling that presents MS in a reactionary state. You can't blame people for thinking this.

MS are a software company primarily, so they tend to spend a long time trying to get all that software infrastructure sorted out first. Luckily for them, their hardware user base sorted itself out by Apple selling loads of iPads and iPhones. Plus it is free, so even if people don't like the sound of it, they will probably just try it out an see. Way too early to count it out, since MS do like to keep changing things up at regular intervals based upon consumer feedback.

Nintendo are making their own hardware and software and they have to start their userbase out from 0. Will they continue to update the software API's to make more things possible? Maybe to make the tolls a bit easier but once the hardware is locked in, there is only so much they can do. Way too early to count them out too.

 

[whatevermort]

Not sure I really get it(maybe I'm not "core" enough), I'd love for my iPad to be able to be used in conjunction with Xbox games and the dashboard.

?

Im assuming that this will be Windows platforms only. iPads won't get these delights, whatever they are.

 

[Raide]

Im assuming that this will be Windows platforms only. iPads won't get these delights, whatever they are.

Well, they said the SG app would be for pretty much everything so unless they want to shut out a large percentage of the userbase they are hoping to attract, it should work on everything.

 

[SeanR1221]

Im assuming that this will be Windows platforms only. iPads won't get these delights, whatever they are.

Nope it works on ios and android. MS is a software company, they're not dumb.

Anyone see on Joystiq that all first party games will use smart glass?

 

[Refreshment.01]

MS are a software company primarily, so they tend to spend a long time trying to get all that software infrastructure sorted out first. Luckily for them, their hardware user base sorted itself out by Apple selling loads of iPads and iPhones. Plus it is free, so even if people don't like the sound of it, they will probably just try it out an see. Way too early to count it out, since MS do like to keep changing things up at regular intervals based upon consumer feedback.

Nintendo are making their own hardware and software and they have to start their userbase out from 0. Will they continue to update the software API's to make more things possible? Maybe to make the tolls a bit easier but once the hardware is locked in, there is only so much they can do. Way too early to count them out too.

It's weird that you quote me because i don't quite grasp how this is a reply to my post.

I just explained Gorki247, why some people view it as a reactionary move from MS to the WiiU. If MS was so invested in that type of interaction and started that early then by now we would have most definitly watched the fruits of the research. But it's not the case.

Even Sony has cooked up some very interesting interactions with the Vita and PS3.

 

[Raide]

It's weird that you quote me because i don't quite grasp how this is a reply to my post.

I just explained Gorki247, why some people view it as a reactionary move from MS to the WiiU. If MS was so invested in that type of interaction and started that early then by now we would have most definitly watched the fruits of the research. But it's not the case.

Even Sony has cooked up some very interesting interactions with the Vita and PS3.

Sorry, I started typing and then figured out I pressed Quote instead of Reply..Sorry!

I think it is a reactionary move from MS. As soon as they heard about Nintendo's plans for the controller, I bet they started working faster on getting Smartglass up and running. Why else shoot for a November launch with it? I would prefer thtem launch it now, so we get get it tested and sort out any potential bugs.

 

[soultron]

My thoughts:

Pros:

• Thank you for not forcing hardware on us, Microsoft. Really. It wouldn't have been good for you, as a company, or us, as consumers.
• Every MGS release will be using it from now on. Think of this as Nintendo using the WiiU GamePad in every one of their releases. Really shows third parties what can be done with it. Hopefully they'll be encouraged to make use of it when it makes sense.

Cons:

• Users who don't live in the US (or places with licensed properties that make use of SmartGlass, like Canada where the HBO content doesn't apply to us, IIRC) won't really be seeing the best, if any, use out of SG by entertainment companies.
• It probably won't be used (by a lot of third parties) effectively or at all.
• Fragmented Android userbase will mean that some tablets and phones probably won't be able to run some SG game experiences properly if the developers are doing anything other than sending numerical data (such as stats and telemetry) and doing things like joining MP games from SG menus.

Time will tell if the cons list goes away. I'm honestly not going to get down on it until they start doing pointless stuff like Better With SmartGlass. It's an option and gives people choice if they want the "expanded experience," and I'm cool with that. I'm someone who tends to devote myself entirely to what's on the television so I won't be using it while watching TV or movies (mostly since I don't use my XBOX for that anyway, silly Canadian content providers...) so the game stuff is the only thing I can ever see myself being interested in.

The only thing I really want SmartGlass to be is a functional XBL companion. I'd love to be able to open the app and see which of my friends are online and be able to send them voice or text messages from my Android phone. The XBL site is terribly slow for this, so the experience on the web/desktop computer is terrible, so this makes interacting with on-console users difficult when you're trying to interact with them via off-console means.

 

[1-D_FTW]

i would. For Witcher/Skyrim etc i wouuld love to have a map/inventory list/spells list etc on my tablet so i dont have to keep pausing and interrupting the game.

Smartglass has fantastic potential if you have the imagination and scope to see where it would be used.

I'm about to download an android app that does this for racing sims. Puts all the telemetry on the tablet . I didn't realize how elegantly it was done.

 

[Coolwhip]

Because smartglass is half-assed. Personally I don't think it's much more than an experiment. To both try to steal Nintendo's thunder and to not get left behind in the tablet market. No developers will really spend money it and no consumer will use it. Stuff like this needs to be an xbox 720 peripheral. But then it would be too obvious of a Wii U copy. It will probably still happen though.

 

[Raide]

I'm about to download an android app that does this for racing sims. Puts all the telemetry on the tablet . I didn't realize how elegantly it was done.

Something like that for a mainline Forza game would be pretty awesome. All those data bits flowing around, some fancy air-flow images etc. Could be pretty neat!

Because smartglass is half-assed. Personally I don't think it's much more than an experiment. To both try to steal Nintendo's thunder and to not get left behind in the tablet market. No developers will really spend money it and no consumer will use it. Stuff like this needs to be an xbox 720 peripheral. But then it would be too obvious of a Wii U copy. It will probably still happen though.

I get the feeling its all a big test. Launch it this year with some in-game usage and all the media stuff, announce 720 at E3 2013 and have everything just port over when it launches at the end of 2013.

 

[Shurs]

I'm down on it because I don't want to play video games with my iPad in my lap.

Also, when it comes to anything that has to interact with a game in real-time, I don't so how latency won't be an issue.

 

[dr. apocalipsis]

• Every MGS release will be using it from now on. Think of this as Nintendo using the WiiU GamePad in every one of their releases. Really shows third parties what can be done with it. Hopefully they'll be encouraged to make use of it when it makes sense.

2 games confirmed then. Less catalogue than Virtual Boy.

 

[Gorki247]

Doesn't matter, if they reallly believed in this concept and were working for so much time on it (even before WiiU) we would have witnessed compelling uses or applications for smarglass by now. Reality proves this not the case.

Doesn't matter if MS unveiled smarglass in 2005, if there's no commitment to the concept then it worth's nothing.

It's the timing of the "smart glass" unveiling that presents MS in a reactionary state. You can't blame people for thinking this.

It was actually at the WMC last year, a few months before E3 2011. But that's time enough to prove that this isn't them copying Nintendo (although I'm sure they'll be accused of this, no matter what).

They have been working on developing it all this time, just like Nintendo has been working on the WiiU. What's wrong with that? As a matter of fact, they have already released a few apps using the technology (e.g. Xbox Companion, Waypoint Atlas); likely as a test or interim solution. Showing the next step at this year's E3 made sense if they are going to release it this year.

Yes, it is possible that they adjusted their development cycle to have it released in time for the WiiU, but they would be stupid not too. That doesn't mean they weren't committed to it before this.

2 games confirmed then. Less catalogue than Virtual Boy.

Really? Let's not forget XBLA; they'll be releasing plenty of games on there.

 

[1-D_FTW]

I'm down on it because I don't want to play video games with my iPad in my lap.

Also, when it comes to anything that has to interact with a game in real-time, I don't so how latency won't be an issue.

The PC apps enter the IP of the tablet (which could be done with a friendly syncing technique in console land) and then that game data gets sent through ethernet and that udp data gets sent back to the tablet through your wireless router. That's less latency than you get with the wireless controllers.

 

[Winterblink]

Technical latency issues aside (which I don't feel will be much of an issue anyway) there is the physical latency of actually having to take your eyes and/or hands off the game to look at your tablet/mobile to get that additional information. For game using this as inventory management and maps, that seems like a bizarre, gimmicky crutch used in favor of proper UI design in game.

 

[Shurs]

The PC apps enter the IP of the tablet (which could be done with a friendly syncing technique in console land) and then that game data gets sent through ethernet and that udp data gets sent back to the tablet through your wireless router. That's less latency than you get with the wireless controllers.

That's interesting.