Advancements in technology over the past decade alone, has been downright staggering. It really wasn’t that long ago when people considered talking to someone face to face from a long distance away was an idea of science fiction. Heck, even the idea that simple media for entertainment such as video games would have caught fire like it has and evolve into the booming industry it is today was unheard of more than a decade ago. But here we are, already looking forward to the next generation of console gaming and even further expansion of what technology can be incorporated into this constantly expanding form of entertainment.

One of the new additions to the expansion of gaming technology is Microsoft’s incorporation of the Xbox Smartglass device to their upcoming games featured on the X-Box One. As shown by the trailer on the main site, it will be following Microsoft’s plan as sort of touch screen remote for the media encompassing console the Xbox One will be. Further elaboration is given on Xbox Wire on how the smart glass will be used in gameplay. Such as a in-game smart phone for Dead Rising 3, or a touch screen interface for the upcoming game Spark.

While I am truly impressed by Microsoft’s ambition for just how much this little device will be able to do and how it could be used to make video games more engaging, there is something that just doesn’t feel right about this. Call me old fashioned, but it all seems like a little much. Is it really that terrible to press a button on a controller to access the game map that we have to transfer it to another screen on a hand-held device? Not that I’ve been all that thrilled about the whole media center that Microsoft is trying to make the Xbox One. Ever since it was announced, I felt it was a unnecessary. Sadly, I have the same feelings about the X-Box Smartglass. Its just another extra gaming device, like the Kinect, that you have to pay more money for that is designed to do multiple things but in reality, will only be used for one thing (At least, that is what I would do if I ended up getting it). That is not to say that this idea does not have potential to enhance the video game experience.

However, much like the Wii U, it is uncertain how many people will have the money to spend on it. In all honesty, I for one, am not at all encouraged to go out and buy it with what I have seen so far. If they are going to get a bigger crowd on board for when it is released, Microsoft is really going to have to get creative with how to use it in their games or else sales will not be as spectacular as they are hoping.