Thought Microsoft Kinect was just about motion control and games? Think again. Microsoft has just shown the finished Natal kit in action summoning films on Xbox Live, using just your hands – or your voice. And yes, it’ll work with Sky Player in the UK.
A Microsoft Kinect engineer came on to the stage to show how the Xbox 360 peripheral can be used for more than just games, flicking through services with a wave of the hand, then summoning up a movie on Zune simply by saying “Xbox Zune”, then pausing and playing it with one word commands.
Corporate vice president for Xbox Live Marc Whitten confirmed that Microsoft Kinect would also work with Sky on the Xbox 360 in the UK, before showing off video chat using the kit, which was working with Xbox Live users and Windows Live users on PCs. Two Xbox Live users were shown watching the same movie and talking at the same time in three separate windows, albeit with some forced banter.
Even if you’re not excited by the launch line up Microsoft Kinect games, there’s no denying its entertainment powers are impressive. Who needs remotes anymore? Who needs Skype or iPhone Facetime? Not us.
Out 2010| £TBC | Microsoft
