Items tagged with kinect
Does everybody remember the Kinect camera? You know, the pricey accessory that was included in every single Xbox One console box until Microsoft wised up and concluded that 1) customers weren’t keen on the $499 price tag compared to the PlayStation 4’s $399 price of entry and 2) gamers didn’t really care about the camera. When Microsoft introduced a Kinect-less Xbox One for $399, sales soared. Sales only improved when the console’s price was cut to $349. So we were quite surprised when Microsoft introduced a new 500GB Xbox One console bundle with a Kinect camera earlier this month at the $499 price point. The rather unremarkable bundle also included free, full-game downloads of Dance Central...
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Like a quarterback calling an audible at the line of scrimmage, Microsoft analyzed the situation with its Xbox One and eventually decided to sell the console without a second generation Kinect motion sensor bundled in. The Kinect was at first viewed as an integral part of the Xbox One experience, and though things have gone in a different direction, Microsoft says there's a lot of them out there and those who own a Kinect use it regularly.Mike Nichols, chief marketing officer for Xbox, spoke with Polygon at length about the Kinect, though some details he preferred to keep close to the vest. One of those details is the number of Kinect sensors that are out there. According to Nichols, Microsoft...
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Microsoft’s Xbox One launch didn’t go off exactly as planned in late 2013. Before the console’s release, the company was dogged over DRM restrictions with the console (which were later dropped) and concerns over its high price tag compared to its counterpart, the Sony PlayStation 4. Microsoft would attribute the higher price tag to the included Kinect camera -- a peripheral that many gamers didn’t particularly care for -- only to later capitulate by ditching the camera and lowering the entry price from $499 to $399. Microsoft would late institute an even lower entry point at $349. However, the damage had already been done and Sony has clearly come out as the clear sales leader for this generation...
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Microsoft has just announced that it's discontinued its 'Kinect for Windows v2' kits, meaning that going forward, anyone who would like to add Kinect functionality to their PC will need to purchase the 'Kinect for Xbox One' kit as well as a separate adapter. Functionally, both the Kinect for Xbox One and Kinect for Windows v2 kits are identical; what was different was that out-of-the-box, the Xbox model wouldn't work with a PC, and the PC version wouldn't work with an Xbox. The option of purchasing the Xbox model and using an adapter has existed for a short time; now it's just forced. This mechanic is little different than purchasing an Xbox 360 or Xbox One gamepad and needing a separate adapter...
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Microsoft is fully focused on its Xbox One game console and accompanying second generation Kinect motion control sensor. And what about the original Kinect for the Xbox 360? Well, to (loosely) paraphrase Microsoft: "Ain't nobody got time for that!" While Microsoft is super proud of its original Kinect and the path it paved, it's time to move on, hence the company's decision to stop selling the original Kinect in 2015. "The original Kinect for Windows sensor was a milestone achievement in the world of natural human computing. It allowed developers to create solutions that broke through the old barriers of mouse and keyboard interactions, opening up entirely new commercial...
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Whether Microsoft is ready to fully admit it or not, the Redmond outfit incorrectly surmised that bundling a second generation Kinect motion control sensor with the Xbox One and charging a $100 premium would allow the console to fly off store shelves. To Microsoft's credit, it did sell minutes of units at the $499 price tag, but Sony's PlayStation 4 priced at $399 has sold millions more, hence why Microsoft now offers a standalone Xbox One package for the same price. Come October 7, you'll also be able to purchase the Kinect sensor by itself. The second generation Kinect will go for $150 MSRP, which is a $50 premium over the bundled price when purchasing an Xbox One. However, it will come with...
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We first got a glimpse of the second generation of Microsoft’s Kinect sensor for Windows back in March, and now the device is available for preorder for $199 in the U.S. (It’s also available in a number of other countries.) “The Kinect for Windows v2 sensor gives developers more of the precision, responsiveness, and intuitive capabilities they need to develop interactive voice and gesture-based applications,” reads the post. The device is intended to be used with the Windows SDK 2.0, which will be out in beta form in July. As previously reported, the new Kinect for Windows sensor v2 is a bit more demure than its predecessor, with the big glowing “X” logo gone...
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Today, Microsoft confirmed a development rumor that's been swirling around its next-generation console ever since it announced Kinect would become an optional add-on rather than a mandatory boat anchor. Lifting that requirement will give game developers 10% additional graphics power to play with and help close the gap between the Xbox One and PS4. The story kicked off when Xbox head Phil Spencer tweeted the following: In a statement to Eurogamer, a Microsoft representative then confirmed that the performance improvement coming in the next version of the Xbox SDK was the result of making Kinect an optional accessory. "Yes, the additional resources allow access to up to 10 per cent additional...
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Microsoft is finally going to give gamers what they've wanted since the Xbox One launched -- a cheaper version that doesn't come bundled with a motion controlled Kinect sensor. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, made the announcement in a blog post today, saying Microsoft will begin selling a Kinect-free Xbox One console for $399 beginning June 9, 2014, in all markets where the console is currently sold. This is a huge deal, not the least of which is because Microsoft has been so reluctant to separate its Kinect from the overall Xbox experience. However, by forcing the bundle on consumers, Microsoft essentially gambled that gamers would have no problem paying a $100 premium over Sony's PlayStation 4,...
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The second version of Microsoft’s Kinect for Windows is nigh, and the company has shared images of the final hardware design. There’s nothing too revolutionary here, but Microsoft has made the Kinect for Windows v2 to be slightly more inconspicuous by moving the “Kinect” label to the top of the device and swapped out the glowing “X” logo for a simpler, lower-profile indicator. Above: Kinect for Windows v2; Below: The original There’s a hub which accepts input from the sensor and the power brick and also has a USB 3.0 output to a PC, and of course there’s the power brick itself. Kinect for Windows v2 hub and power brick Microsoft says to stay tuned,...
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News from gaming insider Pete Doss is that Microsoft is mulling significant changes to the restrictions it places on developers regarding the Xbox One's GPU. Reportedly, some 10% of total GPU horsepower is reserved for the Kinect -- 8% for video and 2% for voice processing. Microsoft is apparently planning changes that would free up that 8% video entirely, leaving just 2% of the system's GPU dedicated to voice input. If Microsoft makes this change, it could have a significant uplift on system frame rates -- and it's not clear that developers would necessarily need to patch the architecture to take advantage of the difference. Generally speaking, in the PC realm, swapping between two GPUs within...
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Believe it or not, the 2014 edition of the International Consumer Electronics Show is about to begin, and companies far and wide are solidifying launch plans when things kick off in Las Vegas. Samsung is amongst the first to offer a teaser, showcasing its 2014 Smart TV line. Samsung’s voice interaction service, which understands natural languages, is currently available in 11 countries. In 2014, the service will expand into 12 new markets, making the service available in a total of 23 countries worldwide. Users can change the channel in one step – by simply saying the channel number. They can even open a website or app using shortcuts. For reference, 2013 models require two steps...
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What was rumored has now been confirmed, and Apple is the proud owner of Primesense, a 3D sensing company that was responsible for the hardware and chip design used in the first-gen Microsoft Kinect motion control sensor. Israel’s Globes broke the news, indicating that the deal is done. The final bill was between $300 and $350 million, which is right in line with what we heard earlier this month but quite a bit more than the $280 million Apple was rumored to have offered back in July. ' As we said before, this is an intriguing acquisition for Apple. It doesn’t have anything like the Kinect, for example, and PrimeSense’s assets and expertise could provide Apple with the ability...
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The Xbox One is more than just a game console. We know that may be blatantly obvious to many of you, but we want to drive that point home from the get-go. The gaming, home entertainment, and mobile/computing industries are vastly different than they were when the previous-gen Xbox 360 launched in late 2005. Since then, there’s been unprecedented intermingling, consolidation and integration across these markets and Microsoft took it all into consideration in the design of the Xbox One. Of course, the Xbox One plays games—really well, actually. With its updated hardware, more refined controllers, new Kinect sensor, and a wealth of developer support, the Xbox One is an excellent gaming...
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The Xbox One is more than just a game console. We know that may be blatantly obvious to many of you, but we want to drive that point home from the get-go. The gaming, home entertainment, and mobile/computing industries are vastly different than they were when the previous-gen Xbox 360 launched in late 2005. Since then, there’s been unprecedented intermingling and consolidation across these markets and Microsoft took it all into consideration in the design of the Xbox One. Of course, the Xbox One plays games—really well, actually. With its updated hardware, more refined controllers, new Kinect sensor, and a wealth of developer support, the Xbox One is an excellent gaming...
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According to a report from Israeli newspaper Calcalist, Apple has completed an acquisition for PrimeSense, the company originally behind Microsoft’s Kinect. The paper did not cite any sources, so take the report for what it’s worth, but the deal is reportedly for $345 million. PrimeSense issued a non-statement statement on the matter, telling various outlets that “"We are focused on building a prosperous company while bringing 3D sensing and natural interaction to the mass market in a variety of markets such as interactive living room and mobile devices. We do not comment on what any of our partners, customers or potential customers are doing and we do not relate to rumours...
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As we inch closer to the U.S. release of Microsoft's Xbox One, you can bet that you'll be hearing more and more about its features and functionality. Of course, a major selling point for the next-generation unit is speed: graphics and otherwise. The new Kinect sensor seems markedly quicker at recognizing inputs, and the console itself seems mighty quick at translating those inputs into actions. How so? Take a look at this Vine video, posted up by Major Nelson himself. He uses his voice to command the Kinect to look for a QR code, which just so happens to be a code that'll grant one a trial period of Xbox Live. After holding the card in front of the sensor, the console converts that code into...
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It shouldn't come as any surprise that companies (particularly those in the technology realm) are now being asked to explain themselves more frequently when it comes to privacy. And, given that the next generation of home consoles are nearly here, it's Microsoft that's coming clean on privacy as it relates to the Xbox One and the forthcoming Kinect sensor. The company has this week published a privacy statement that applies to its Xbox line, Xbox Live, Windows Phone Games, Xbox Music, Xbox Store and Games for Windows Live. The post goes on to describe how and why it'll be collecting data, with these statements doing a solid job of summing it up: "When you sign in to Xbox using your Microsoft...
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Microsoft’s Kinect is nothing short of impressive, but it can used for much more than just entertaining games. Microsoft Research Asia is developing the Kinect Sign Language Translator system which translates sign language into text or speech (and vice versa) in real time. Microsoft Research Asia has been working with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Union University on the project in China, and in the collaboration between engineers, educators, and sign language practitioners has resulted in working demos that are amazing. The Kinect-based system can capture signs made by a person; recognize the meaning of it using the sign itself as well as body positioning and posture; and...
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Among the various SNAFUs and PR misfires related to the Xbox One release earlier this year, one item that had people upset was that Kinect would be used for advertising--or worse, that the Xbox One Kinect was actually designed with advertising in mind. The source was a UI designer who was expounding the capabilities of the Kinect and how it could be used to deliver interactive ads and used for native advertising (i.e., ads built directly into the content). There was a great fear that Kinect was gathering biometric information, reading people’s emotions, gathering data about how many and what kind of people were in a room at a given time, and more. But in a forum post on NeoGaf, Microsoft...
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If you're of the mindset that Kinect on the Xbox One is simply a more advanced version of what we saw on the Xbox 360, you'd be grossly underestimating it. In a TechNet blog post, Microsoft goes into some great detail to explain what makes its next Kinect so amazing - and it's not just one or two things; it's a variety of things. I'll be honest in saying that prior to reading through this and checking out the videos, I had no special respect for Kinect - but my opinions have pulled a 180. As the video below shows, Kinect can read people three different ways. For starters, it can convert the person standing in front of Kinect into a skeleton with numerous joints, where even the closing of a hand...
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The likes of Kickstarter and Indiegogo have become the land where dreams are born (or are crushed), and yet another intrepid group of techies-come-entrepreneurs is looking to raise money via crowdfunding. Flowton Technologies is a group that makes a “natural interface” controller for the home that allows users to control things with voice and gesture, and they need $150,000 to get from prototype to production. With the Flowton Controller, you’ll be able to walk into your house, say “I’m home”, and turn the lights on; control your TV with gestures in the air; adjust the thermostat without leaving the couch or using any other device; and more. It’s akin...
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