Xbox One的主要问题

    Xbox One的背面怎么样？

    说到周二那场微软Xbox One的产品发布会，对于他们从现在到上市发售日将会一直展现的光泽动人、面向未来的产品形象而言，有一个词可以予以形容，那就是英雄照。但在微软高管不断谈论Xbox One配有的八核处理器和红外探深感应器（不要误会，这些都是非常重要的）的时候，我迫不及待地想看一眼Xbox One盒子的背面，我希望在背面看到真正的英雄——同轴电缆输入端口或CableCard插槽。不幸的是，这两个我都没看到。

    需要明确的是，微软的新一代Xbox在电子技术、计算、游戏和联网方面均取得了成就。就游戏机、流媒体播放器或家庭影院电脑而论——索尼、任天堂、苹果和Roku，恕我直言，Xbox One没有任何水平接近的对手。微软即将发售的这款游戏机一再被宣称为“集所有功能于一身的家庭娱乐系统”，但它似乎不仅将至关重要的电视集成束之高阁，而且还把用户束缚于有线电视或卫星电视机顶盒。这使得新一代Xbox远非电视机所需要的唯一一个外部设备，因为你实际会需要两个外部设备。

    为了享用Xbox One一些最基本的功能，比如其界面流畅的节目指南或在看电视的同时用Skype进行网络语音通讯，请准备每月支付额外费用吧。这一切都在Xbox One产品说明书那字体很小的难懂条文中做了规定：“支持电视调谐器或有线电视/卫星电视机顶盒，需要HDMI输出端口和HDMI电缆（均另行销售）。”

    许多渴望购买Xbox One的消费者会指出，他们已经拥有一台有线电视机顶盒，从而在Xbox One上不用支付相关的额外花费。但近年来，越来越多的用户已不再使用由供应商提供的机顶盒，转而使用所谓的有线卡（CableCard）。鉴于目前全球有7,000万台Xbox 360游戏机，很有可能有更多的用户加入他们的行列。

    有线卡插在PCMCIA插槽中，让第三方设备接入有线网络和卫星网络。有线卡是通过《1996年电信法》的立法而存在的。美国全国有线与电信协会（National Cable and Telecommunications Association）今年2月份发布的一份报告显示，目前美国投入使用的有线卡数量为60万，相比去年增长了近8％。（相比之下，美国的有线电视机顶盒数量超过3,900万。）

    What about the back?

    When it comes to launches like Tuesday's Xbox One announcement, there's a term for the shiny, face-forward product image they'll be showing from now until unboxing day: the hero shot. But as Redmond executives went on about octa-core processors and infrared depth censors (which, don't get me wrong, are hugely important), I was anxiously waiting for a look at the box's backside, where I hoped to find the real hero: a co-axial cable input or a CableCard slot. Unfortunately, neither were to be seen.

    To be clear, Microsoft's (MSFT) new Xbox is an achievement in electronics, computing, gaming, and networking. When it comes to game consoles, media streamers, or home theater PCs—with apologies to Sony (SNE), Nintendo (NTDOY), Apple (AAPL), and Roku—nothing else comes close. But repeatedly billed as an "all-in-one home entertainment system," the upcoming console from Microsoft not only appears to leave crucial television integration on the shelf, it also tethers users to their cable or satellite boxes. This makes the new Xbox much more than the one peripheral your TV needs—because it's actually two.

    In order to enjoy some of Xbox One's most integral features, like its smooth-looking program guide or Skyping while watching TV, be prepared to pay extra, every month. It's all there in the fine print: "Supported television tuner or cable/satellite set-top box with HDMI output and HDMI cable required (all sold separately)."

    Many aspiring Xbox One buyers will point out they already have a cable box, making the investment in Xbox One a wash. But in recent years, an increasing amount of users have been dumping their provider-supplied tuners for so-called CableCards. And with 70 million Xbox 360s worldwide, this was a huge chance for many more to join them.

    CableCards plug into PCMCIA slots, giving third-party devices to access cable and satellite networks. Legislated into existence by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, there are currently 600,000 deployed in the U.S., up almost 8% from last year, according to a February 2013 report by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. (By comparison, there are more than 39 million cable boxes in the wild.)