Microsoft Announces Kinect for Windows Coming February 1
Kinect is coming to PC in just three week's time.
Microsoft's last-ever CES keynote took place last night, and Steve Ballmer enlisted the help of American Idol host and radio DJ Ryan Seacrest when it came to hosting the show. We've got a full breakdown of the keynote itself here, but probably the most notable piece of news to come out of it was the revelation that Kinect is finally making its way to the PC.
Microsoft last night announced that it would release Kinect for Windows just a few weeks from now. The new Kinect for Windows hardware and accompanying software will be available on February 1 in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The suggested retail price is perhaps a tad steep for some folks ($249 for the U.S., international pricing not yet announced), but Microsoft says that this high price is because the company can't bank on people buying Kinect games along with the peripheral, as was the case with the Xbox 360 version.
"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," Craig Eisler, General Manager of Kinect for Windows, said in a statement. "In addition, the Kinect for Xbox 360 was built for and tested with the Xbox 360 console only, which is why it is not licensed for general commercial use, supported or under warranty when used on any other platform."
The $249 price tag includes a one-year warranty as well as access to ongoing software updates for both speech and human tracking. Microsoft also said that while it encourages all developers to "understand and take advantage of the additional features and updates available with the new Kinect for Windows hardware and accompanying software," devs using the SDK and Kinect for Xbox 360 hardware can continue to do so in their development activities if they want to. However, non-commercial deployments utilizing Kinect for Xbox and previously allowed under the beta SDK are not permitted with the newly released software.
"Non-commercial deployments using the new runtime and SDK will require the fully tested and supported Kinect for Windows hardware and software platform, just as commercial deployments do," said Eisler, adding that it would be extending the beta license until 2016. "Existing non-commercial deployments using our beta SDK may continue using the beta and the Kinect for Xbox 360 hardware; to accommodate this, we are extending the beta license for three more years, to June 16, 2016."
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This would be a good deal if the PC version of the kinect also worked on the 360. If they are somehow mutually exclusive, then for me it wouldn't be worth it.
Do they really expect people to buy this version for NON-commercial use when they can get the 360 version and use the same software with it for a fraction of the price?
It already IS on windows, just with custom drivers (does it need custom firmware?)
Interesting. I have my PC connected to my 55inch. It would be nice to do some navigating with just hands and voice.
At $249 I will choose not to be an early adopter. If anything I will pull it off my xbox and use free software tools already available for download. 249 is a sure fire way to kill a technology or drive consumers to other products. $249 will get you a 7" tablet, a portable handheld dedicated gaming system, a new Android/iPhone, a video card, and much more. Good Luck Microsoft, but no thank you.
$249......what the?
I sense there will be a massive amount of flailing idiocy as people try to navigate or game once this is released for PC. The image of a disco full of people who can't dance comes to mind.
As far as gaming is concerned, it should be amusing to hear the influx of excuses as to why these players are getting their asses handed to them.
- “time will tell" microKinect 5$.
$249......what the?
At $2.45 I would still not be interested on this gimmick.
At $245.00 .... I would much rather get ... something else.
Errmmm.... why didn't they just allow the 360 Kinect to work on PC?
It's not like you can't plug it in and use the SDK for it already.
I'd like one. Price is too steep though. Consoles get all the love.
Spend thousands on my computer, and games, and this is what I get.... Do they really think we won't buy games with it? What else am I gonna use it for?
so just like the controllers there is no way to just use the controller with a usb cable without buying additonal hardware. but with this there is no way to use the kinnect from your 360 on your pc officially
MS always find a way to get more money out of its sheep
$250 you have to be kidding me... It should be somewhere like $50 - 75 at the most. Even then I probably wouldn't buy it lol can't see me waving my hands around to game. I really don't like the wii and any motion gaming in its current state.
Errmmm.... why didn't they just allow the 360 Kinect to work on PC?It's not like you can't plug it in and use the SDK for it already.
They pretty much gave the answer I think. People buying the Kinect for Xbox are presumed to buy at the very least 1 game for it. I think the price is a bit steep myself. I'd prefer to see the same pricing for both versions and Microsoft stepping up and recouping money on Kinect for PC games or charging $25 extra to enable Kinect for basic navigation in Windows 7 or Windows 8.
MS just does the same douchey approach that Apple uses. They can make it cheaper and easier and more open and encourage innovation and allow for choice. But telling you what you can or cant do rather than lettin you do it, means they can make more money and shut out competition and control you better. I'm done supporting that crappy model. I'll stick with my PC and whoever else maintains an open and free system.
F A I L
MS won't let existing XBOX Kinect owners to use their Kinect on PC and expect them to shell another $250 for the same thing??? And where's the software developer support??? Guaranteed to failed....
I have an Xbox without Kinect. It didn't make any sense to me at the time since there were/are no interesting games that make sufficient use of motion controls. I find it difficult to justify the price for this PC version. The voice and gesture recogniition is a nice idea, but it isn't particularly practical at the moment. I can't really see myself jumping on board with this, especially when you consider it costs more than a motherboard, and as much as decent CPU or GPU. Might be good for some people, but I can't see a lot of these moving very quickly.
MS won't let existing XBOX Kinect owners to use their Kinect on PC and expect them to shell another $250 for the same thing??? And where's the software developer support??? Guaranteed to failed....
yes i love the commerials now where everything supposed to work together yet they really don't
At $2.45 I would still not be interested on this gimmick.At $245.00 .... I would much rather get ... something else.
You should typed the second first and the first second lol
i have heard, for bandwidth issues, kinect on the 360 is a bit gimped.
If the PC version employees at 1080 P camera, and an upgraded motion sensor (more detail than the 36o version) than I would think that this is an acceptable price.
However if they are just selling us 360 kinnect with PC software, I hope they have enough lube for the consumer's tell them to shove it.
way too expensive for the hardware, I currently have the 360 version hooked up to my pc which is hooked up to my 100 inch screen, nevertheless, it is still a waste of time to use voice and hand gestures.... when compared to how efficiently a mouse works
What they need to do is tell us WHY it costs so much. Justify it. What is it going to do? Are we talking Minority Report here or just XBOX on your PC?
It'd be nice if we just were able to pay for software, instead of separate hardware, and utilize our existing webcams. Not sure if this is the intent or not.
I think i'll wait till take-up drives down the price, it will happen evetually
ha ha ha, I find the price tag hilarious! I mean, do they think anybody will buy this for that price!? they cant be that naive . . . can they?
I don't see specs on it. Perhaps it has higher resolution then the 360 version?
Unless microsoft is losing a hundred dollars per sale of the kinect, there is no actual reason to charge more.