Why is this entire console gimped because of the Kinect?

It's like putting Ketchup on a $40 steak.

 

It's amazing the amount of people who tell the OP they are wrong but fails to provide information as to why and what they can do to solve the problem.

How about instead of complaining you actually try and help your fellow Xbox One users.

Just because you are finding something simple does not mean that everyone will find it the same.

 

@OP, Party chat did not come out till like 2008.

 

It's like hooking up a VCR to an 80 inch HDTV.

 

It's like mounting a pebble on a platinum band.

 

It's like wearing a daisy in the lapel of your tux.

 

It's like watching Gravity on an iPhone.

 

OP: I find signing in effortless, using the voice command, "Xbox, sign in as [insert name here]" - it works 98% of the time on my Xbox One, doesn't require a cumbersome manual sign-in & doesn't require identifying you from your dog with the camera. The console,
from my experience, works just fine even if I don't use the camera, which is more often then not. As for the camera auto-signing on when they walk in, you can turn that off under either your Kinect settings or your profile settings (I can't recall which).
Lastly, the Kinect was never "forced" as you put it. Sorry to hear you hate it, but I personally think you're not being fair.

 

Shut it down already Just stirring

 

My only issue with kinect is accidentally calling timeouts in Madden. I turn it off before I play now. Works great attracting enemies in Thief. "HEY BAD GUY!" "Come out of there!"

 

@Bizz and Sunburst..... Xbox One WITHOUT Kinect is like buying a Corvette and running low octane fuel....

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Kinect truly does bring an added experience to Xbox. The voice commands and the Skype is my favorite. Kinect Sport Rivals (April) has caught my attention to (avatar creating).... plus PS4 went up $50......

 

Buying an XB1 without kinect is like buying a gaming console.

 

^ Ummm....... it's still a console with a Kinect...??

 

^ But without kinect, then what is it?

 

I love the Kinect. It always works for me when I tell it to go home, or record a clip. I've also been using Skype alot. People who hate the Kinect usually have a "glass is half empty" mentality. Be thankful we have something that is another great feature
that does some pretty awesome things. If you don't like it don't use it.