How is the software on these things? Is it a privacy nightmare with telemetry, or does it work without phoning home?
There's no way to be 100% sure as no one has this, but it's likely to be just a Linux box, like the Steam Deck. Valve doesn't need any more telemetry than what they already get from the Steam client, and they have consistently delivered hardware that you own and can modify the software at will, so I would expect this to be the same.
Valve doesn't need any more telemetry than what they already get from the Steam client
And, to be clear, Valve does get a lot of telemetry out of Steam. It is likely nowhere near as bad as macOS/Windows itself, but it's not like it's automatically going to be entirely private/secure just because it's Linux.
Absolutely, my point is that it's likely no more telemetry than a custom Linux box with Steam would gather.
Well nobody knows because no one has this thing yet. But I would imagine it would be like a steam deck in this regard.
Checked out of curiosity, it apparently runs linux too. Also will allow sideloading APK files and overall use bunch of opensource software.
Pretty good honestly.
It's running an ARM build of SteamOS. And as is the case with the other Steam hardware you are free to use your own OS. Arch recently revealed an ARM build.
Unknown but currently no reason to think that it won't work without phoning home.
Obviously this is a risk you take if you're an early adopter, but I wouldn't expect it from Valve.
I'm sure it will have as much telemetry as Steam itself. More so since it has more data it'd be gathering from the accelerometer and other tracking sensors.
The marketing says it's a streaming first platform, but also a stand-alone computer.
Streaming from your gaming PC.
Yes
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