Xbox One的主要問題

????Xbox One的背面怎么樣？

????說到周二那場微軟Xbox One的產品發布會，對于他們從現在到上市發售日將會一直展現的光澤動人、面向未來的產品形象而言，有一個詞可以予以形容，那就是英雄照。但在微軟高管不斷談論Xbox One配有的八核處理器和紅外探深感應器（不要誤會，這些都是非常重要的）的時候，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——同軸電纜輸入端口或CableCard插槽。不幸的是，這兩個我都沒看到。

????需要明確的是，微軟的新一代Xbox在電子技術、計算、游戲和聯網方面均取得了成就。就游戲機、流媒體播放器或家庭影院電腦而論——索尼、任天堂、蘋果和Roku，恕我直言，Xbox One沒有任何水平接近的對手。微軟即將發售的這款游戲機一再被宣稱為“集所有功能于一身的家庭娛樂系統”，但它似乎不僅將至關重要的電視集成束之高閣，而且還把用戶束縛于有線電視或衛星電視機頂盒。這使得新一代Xbox遠非電視機所需要的唯一一個外部設備，因為你實際會需要兩個外部設備。

????為了享用Xbox One一些最基本的功能，比如其界面流暢的節目指南或在看電視的同時用Skype進行網絡語音通訊，請準備每月支付額外費用吧。這一切都在Xbox One產品說明書那字體很小的難懂條文中做了規定：“支持電視調諧器或有線電視/衛星電視機頂盒，需要HDMI輸出端口和HDMI電纜（均另行銷售）?！?/p>

????許多渴望購買Xbox One的消費者會指出，他們已經擁有一臺有線電視機頂盒，從而在Xbox One上不用支付相關的額外花費。但近年來，越來越多的用戶已不再使用由供應商提供的機頂盒，轉而使用所謂的有線卡（CableCard）。鑒于目前全球有7,000萬臺Xbox 360游戲機，很有可能有更多的用戶加入他們的行列。

????有線卡插在PCMCIA插槽中，讓第三方設備接入有線網絡和衛星網絡。有線卡是通過《1996年電信法》的立法而存在的。美國全國有線與電信協會（National Cable and Telecommunications Association）今年2月份發布的一份報告顯示，目前美國投入使用的有線卡數量為60萬，相比去年增長了近8％。（相比之下，美國的有線電視機頂盒數量超過3,900萬。）

????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.)