Xbox 360 Kinect takes the controller from video gamers (photos)

Summary: What will be the must-have item for this year's holiday shopping season? Most likely it'll be the controller-free Xbox 360 Kinect gaming center.

By Andy Smith | November 4, 2010 -- 06:38 GMT (23:38 PDT)

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Microsoft released Kinect, its controller-free video gaming system for the Xbox 360, just in time to become the next must-have item for the holiday shopping season (see ZDNet's Holiday Tech Gift Guide). Here's one of the first reviews of Kinect.

Will this become a familiar sight at your workplace? Will better dancing lead to a promotion? Larry Dignan ponders business uses.

Plus, here's a gallery of the first games available for Kinect.

Credit: Microsoft

Topics: Microsoft, Hardware, Mobility

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RE: Xbox 360 Kinect takes the controller from video gamers (photos)

I like the idea of no controllers for the Kinect suite - unlike the WII where there were numerous issues at first (controllers hitting the tv because they 'flew" out of the playa's hand), no batteries to worry about, etc. As long as by having the system, you can still have the controllers for other Xbox360 games, it would give my family what we are looking for at this time. Something that can be used similar to a WII on some games, but you can play traditional games if desired. I am curious of how they get it to work, especially with those of a larger, non standard, body type. Will some be too tall, too short, too brawny, to brainy....I mean to Urkelish. But seriously if it does do Voice recognition, and it does do some type of body activity motion montoring, it introduces a whole new area of success and failure. Just like with the early wireless remotes for the major console systems, they tended to have 'dead' spots, and in the critical part of the game......right before a major objective save point or before you hit save progress - very frustrating. I would be willing to pay the $400, but I would really want a little more information than what was provided in this article before making the decision. We considered the WII, and then the Sony, but Sony Electronics seems to be going through a tough time lately - releasing a lot of Sub-Sony-Standard products, and the WII for the most part in a Karioke type game, is just too 'happy'. I know you can get some other games for the WII, but it seems that MSFT has made the right move here, combining the Entertainment of the WII with the Xbox360 to create a game system that can be enjoyed by everyone, in more ways than one.

kgunderson
4 November, 2010 11:36

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RE: Xbox 360 Kinect takes the controller from video gamers (photos)

Hooray! Microsoft discovers Mandala 25 years after Commodore!

hiraghm@...
4 November, 2010 11:40

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RE: Xbox 360 Kinect takes the controller from video gamers (photos)

RE: Xbox 360 Kinect takes the controller from video gamers (photos)