Kinect for Windows launching February 1 at $249
The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, priced at $249--$100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle.
The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, the company announced at the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday. Reflecting the fact that it's intended more for professional uses than home consumers, the Windows Kinect kit will cost $100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle--$249.
"The ability to sell Kinect for Xbox 360 at its current price point is in large part subsidized by consumers buying a number of Kinect games, subscribing to Xbox Live, and making other transactions associated with the Xbox 360 ecosystem," Kinect for Windows GM Craig Eisler explained.
Kinect for Windows, on the other hand, will be supported entirely by the hardware sales, as the software development kit and runtime will be offered free to developers.
While the beta SDK released last year supported the Xbox 360 sensor, the new SDK will require the official Kinect for Windows platform. However, things made using the beta for Xbox 360 hardware will still work for now, as Microsoft has extended the license by three years to June 16, 2016.
The Kinect for Windows sensor boasts the addition of a 'Near Mode,' which can see close objects better than the Xbox 360 version--down to 50cm clearly, or 40cm with a little degradation.
Microsoft also plans to introduce an academic price of $149 "later this year."
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replyAlice O'Connor posted a new article, Kinect for Windows launching February 1 at $249.
The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, priced at $249--$100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle.-
I like how Microsoft tries to spin the grossly inflated price, yet a product tear-down at the time of the Kinect's original launch determined that Microsoft spends roughly $50 to build one of them... At least now PC owners can be the next group of Lemmings to follow the Kinect hardware off of a cliff.
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Does this allow anything the homebrewers haven't already done though? This will give you a basic tracked skeleton, but with little opportunity to poke about in the insides and do your own thing. It's useful for adding body tracking to an app but, because it's a black box, not for doing anything new.
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It allows a much finer control, plus it includes the API for simplifying requests for people who do not desire/want to write their own handlers for the tracking. It simplifies a lot of coding for people.
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because you only pay for the parts......not the R&D.
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This just in - company sells product for more than manufacturing cost. Details at 11!
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what does this do for the PC
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more accurately filming users jerking off to porn?
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skyrim with 1:1 motion controls you'll be exhausted after 10 minutes of playing
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Real close apparently that is the diff with the hardware)or software) so they say.
I am 90% getting one for use in game development(PC) so if I do and use it for a project I will let you guys know how close you can use it.
I have the 360 one(works on the PC now) and can compare them and also see if its just software that makes it work closer or the driver etc.
We shall see.
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I would not be surprised to see Windows 8 to be very Kinect friendly.
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yeah.. Just got my 360 version for PC. Now what?
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Fuckin lol at that price.
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Brutal price unless --> "The Kinect for Windows sensor boasts the addition of a 'Near Mode,' which can see close objects better than the Xbox 360 version--down to 50cm clearly, or 40cm with a little degradation." = new hardware in the unit, but then I ask why the hell did they not add a close mode for the 360 too?
Weird, its cool its they support the PC don't get me wrong but some things seem odd.-
"but then I ask why the hell did they not add a close mode for the 360 too?"
I thought the whole idea behind playing games on a console is because of comfy couch? who's tv is within 50cm of their couch?
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Still wont register the back of the image though, giving it more of a 3d shell
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Eh, I don't get the screams about price, it's just an RRP right? I doubt stores will actually sell it at that price, certainly after a few months, like digital camera RRP's are always immensely more then the store price.
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I truly wish all motion controlled devices and games would be annihilated off the planet.
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Yup. It's poor technology being perpetuated by the masses. It works well for about a handful of games and everyone buys the shit out of those. The executives see those numbers and think it's the next big evolution in gaming where in reality most games I've played using motion controls have been a massive step backwards.
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Wow. Those were my favorite games this gen. Sucks for you, I guess.
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theres are good uses for motion controls but the games need to use them better. its still being forced into games that dont need it.
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Why not just say you don't like shitty games? There have been excellent motion controlled games just like there have been excellent traditional control games
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I don't like the mechanics of motion control. I like playing with a stationary controller/keyboard that doesn't require me to move around to do a simple in game action, doesn't have a shitty response, and doesn't limit you to the type of game you can play.
And I also don't like how openly the big 3 embraced this technology, it really feels like future consoles are going to require you to use some sort of motion control.-
So you don't like something like Rock Band drums? Because those are motion controls done very very well
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Okay so I'll go back to my original point that what you don't like is poor implementation. meaning poor game design. The controller is not at fault for a designer using it in a dumb way.
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It is if the controller is limiting the design. People want all of these interactions in the games but the developers have to figure out how the hell they can make the controller actually do that and make it work in their game. As it turns out, that is likely a challenge that will never be overcome because most games have their characters doing superhuman things that motion controls simply cannot translate. So developers either make the game they want without motion controllers or their change the design of the game so that they can work around the limitations of human motion.
The 'well developers just have to figure out how to use it' died with the Wiimote. It's not going to happen because the motion controllers cannot do what the developers need them to do. -
Yup, star power was an awesome use of motion control.
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I've only had kinect for 10 days but this is the best use of it I've found. mainly for the voice controls.
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'XBox'
'BING TITTIES' -
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wow. it should be like a $50 device max. it's so gimmicky.
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A good HD webcam costs more than that so I don't see why you would expect it to even be below $100
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I doubt I'd take the thing for free so I'm not the person to ask. just seems like it would waste space more than anything.
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I'm trying to think of a reason I would buy this instead of a new video card. And I've got nothing. Hell, I can't even think of a reason to connect it to my PC. Now, if I had my pc hooked up to the TV, then maybe, but I'm at a desk sitting less than 2' from the monitor.
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It had a slimmer profile and was able to work on a desktop sitting down I would probably consider it. There are lot of interesting things that can be done with this technology.
I think at the current price point it is really targeting academics/hobbyists and enthusiasts. It will probably be full computer cycle before you see a OS depend on physical gestures.
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