Microsoft's newest video game console, the Xbox One, will be released Nov. 22. In preparation for the big day, an Xbox Live executive recently detailed why the Xbox One is more than a game console.

Larry Hyrb, Microsoft Xbox Live programming chief, spoke at Broadway Studios in San Francisco on Sunday and explained how the Xbox One differs from its predecessor, the Xbox 360.

"It's certainly more powerful," Hyrb said. "The graphics are better, but we tuned Xbox One for today's gaming, meaning certainly high-def, certainly better sound but it's also the fact that you can instantly resume a game, just like you can on a mobile phone. The system turns on in 13 seconds, completely unheard of 10 years ago."

Another difference between the two systems is that the Xbox One comes equipped with a Kinect (a motion detector, camera and microphone) as opposed to the Xbox 360, which uses the Kinect as an add-on.

According to Hyrb, gamers will be able to use the Kinect to say, "'Xbox: on,' to turn on the system, or 'Xbox Bing: show me movies with George Clooney.'" In addition, "the system can see your heart beating" and "the blood moving in your face."

"Instead of thinking 'Well gee, maybe only 10 percent of the audience is going to see this particular feature of a game,' now they're guaranteed that every single person has Kinect and can therefore do really interesting things," Hyrb said.

For example, if one is playing Dead Rising 3, Hyrb says you can summon zombies by saying, "Hey! Come here." Hyrb added that the Kinect is light sensitive, "so if it's darker, maybe you'll see more zombies."

The Xbox One is also advertised as being a diverse entertainment hub,

"[Xbox One is] the only next generation game console that has HDMI in, so that means it will work with your existing satellite or cable box," Hyrb said.

Meanwhile, Xbox Live, which Hyrb defines as a "suite of services that's gaming and entertainment," has been improved.

"We have Xbox music and movies and television, just like iTunes," Hyrb said.

In addition, "smart glass" gives gamers the ability to activate their Android, Apple iOS or Windows smartphone into a second screen.

"That enables experiences on games that bring it to that second screen," Hyrb said, adding that an example is "in-game characters call you on your phone."

Finally, with Xbox live, the Xbox One learns with you.

"When you're playing Forza Motor Sport 5, the system learns how you drive," Hyrb said. "So, if you have a friend you play with and he or she isn't around, the system can still drive just like your friend would drive. My drivator now is in your game."

Listen to the full 11-minute interview with Hyrb here.

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