05/21, 9:35pm
Kinect gets new capabilities ahead of Windows rollout
Microsoft has updated the software development kit for its Kinect sensor, adding facial expression recognition and other capabilities to its 3D camera system. The update comes ahead of Microsoft's release of the Kinect for Windows SDK, which will bring the Kinect's feature set from the Xbox 360 to Windows desktops and notebooks. The update is largely in keeping with what Microsoft previously revealed as forthcoming features for Kinect.
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05/21, 8:46am
Leap Motion unveils motion control for Macs and PCs
Leap Motion has taken the covers off its new motion-tracking device for computer interaction. As the video (embedded below) demonstrates, the device maker shows off how the device could potentially replace a mouse and keyboard in a number of computing and gaming contexts. The size of a small flash drive, the Leap is said to be able to allow users to control a computer in three dimensions, tracking natural hand and finger movements down to 1/100th of a millimeter.
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05/08, 12:53pm
Joule accessory will measure, record heart-rate
Microsoft is preparing an addition to its Kinect accessory for the Xbox 360 that will track a user's exercises across multiple Kinect games, The Verge learned from its sources. Called Play Fit, it will upload numbers to online storage and thereby be accessible from anywhere. A new hardware accessory will be made available as well, dubbed so far as the Joule.
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05/07, 7:30pm
Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle subsidized by 2 year contract
The previously speculated Xbox 360 bundle deal from Microsoft has been confirmed to exist. A voucher for the bundle has appeared on the Microsoft Store website, showing a 4GB Xbox 360 complete with Kinect for $99 and a two-year, $15-per-month Xbox Live Gold subscription.
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05/04, 8:29pm
Researchers turn Kinect, plastic tube into 3D telepresence tool
Researchers at the Human Media Lab at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario have developed a hologram-like teleconferencing model that uses Microsoft's Kinect system to enable live, 3D teleconferencing. In a manner reminiscent of Star Wars' hologram messages, users are able to get a three-dimensional view of their conferencing partner.
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05/02, 11:50am
By Justin King
Microsoft is reportedly preparing to offer a $99 Xbox 360 bundle that will include the Kinect sensor, subsidizing the upfront cost and tying buyers to a two-year subscription. Unnamed sources have told The Verge the company will require an agreement that works like a cellphone contract, requiring buyers to pay a termination fee to cease monthly payments before the end of the term.
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04/30, 3:35pm
Augmented reality table uses lasers, Kinect, more
NUI Group forum member Bastian has created a touch table that uses a projector and Microsoft's Kinect sensor to make it appear as if a user is touching objects floating in space. According to Hackaday, there are also four infrared laser involved to track the hand, making for an effect of a 3D holographic display. Kinect tracks the user's head in relation to the table, allowing the projector to adjust the image accordingly.
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04/28, 5:35pm
Lenovo investment Eedoo makes costly motion gaming
A recent Lenovo investment, Eedoo, is drawing criticism for the upcoming launch of China's first mainstream motion gaming system, the CT510. Pitched as a family entertainment system, the system is conspicuously like Microsoft's Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360 but is intended more as a general device with HD movie playback, karaoke, and motion-driven exercise apps. At $600, however, it costs more than the $399 US price of Microsoft's most advanced Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle.
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04/26, 12:40pm
Special edition hardware first online, then off
Both the look and the release date for the Xbox 360 Celebration Pack were briefly visible online today, as Amazon.co.uk accidentally posted the information online. VideoGamer.com discovered the online leak, now removed, which revealed a Union Jack-skinned console, Kinect sensor, and controller.
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04/20, 8:40pm
Kinect patent hints at augmented reality
A Microsoft patent application revealed on Thursday could, if granted, bring automatically adjustable three-dimensional audio to Kinect gamers with surround sound systems. In addition to the possible audio benefits, the patent implies that the Kinect may be an even more capable attachment than Microsoft previously let on.
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04/20, 11:05am
Skype seeks development engineer with Xbox focus
The Skype team is looking to bolster its ranks by posting a job listing which references the Xbox gaming console. Based in its London office, the position tells little about exactly how the video, voice, and text chat service will integrate into the platform hasn't been revealed. The Software Development Engineer will contribute to the development of experiences on Xbox, the listing reads.
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04/16, 11:50pm
Apple continues ongoing 3D camera tech
Apple job listings have shown that Apple is still actively researching 3D visual display and capturing technology that would extend to its iOS devices. An iOS Software Engineer position is looking for a doctorate holder who can handle "cameras and surfaces in a 3D environment" as well as "multi-view stereo and 3D reconstruction." Although it's unclear how long the same technical requirements have existed for the job, employees have been mentioning work in 3D imaging for at least two years.
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04/13, 4:35pm
Next-gen Xbox console to get 16-core CPU?
The next-generation Xbox console, which may or may not be called the Xbox 720, may be powered by a 16-core CPU, SlashGear reported on Friday. That CPU may be branded as IBM Power PC, and be paired with one or two GPUs that has comparable processing power to AMD's Radeon HD 7000. That power will be needed to run next-generation games and the Kinect successor, which is said to be able to read lips and fingertips as well as track multiple players and thus require at least four cores.
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04/02, 2:30pm
Next Xbox may lean on graphics and DRM
A currently uncertain but unusually detailed rumor Monday has Microsoft's next-generation Xbox making aggressive decisions on hardware. Multiple tips to VG24/7 supported AMD's hints of movie-quality 3D graphics with claims there would be two Radeon HD 7000 graphics cores. Rather than simply pair them up to form a single virtual card, as with AMD's usual CrossFire, it would have each core rendering separate objects in the same scene.
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03/30, 2:45pm
PS4/Orbis may get Kinect-like gaming features
The rumored PlayStation Orbis, a codename for the upcoming PlayStation 4, may use a Kinect-like motion sensor to track gamers, according to images posted online at design firm Coque. The illustrations have since been pulled, but have been saved by original rumor source Kotaku and embedded below. The PlayStation Eye, an accessory for the current PS3 console, already has tracking capabilities, though it's not as advanced as the Kinect's sensors.
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03/27, 2:30pm
Kinect for Windows 1.5 coming late in May
Microsoft has just revealed that the 1.5 release of its Kinect for Windows software is coming at the end of May. The most significant change will include what Microsoft calls "seated," or 10-joint skeletal tracking that will give the Kinect cameras the ability to track the arms, head, and neck of a user. This will work both in the near mode for seating as well as the regular, standing mode.
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03/27, 10:00am
MLB joins cable on Xbox 360
Microsoft took its promised Comcast Xfinity TV and HBO Go support live on the Xbox 360 Tuesday with the extra addition of MLB.tv. Akin to the ESPN app, it gives users the option of watching live and on-demand events, albeit live only for out-of-market games. Kinect owners have the extra advantage of motion and voice commands that can sometimes speed up the action.
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03/15, 7:30pm
Shows interface in preparation for April 1 launch
HBO has begun its marketing push in anticipation of its
April 1 introduction of support for HBO Go on the Xbox 360. As part of that campaign, the video content provider has created and uploaded a video "tease" on YouTube (below). Showcased in the video is the Xbox's ability to use Kinect voice commands to manage the service's user interface.
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03/14, 2:45pm
Beamatron is a Kinect-based AR concept from MS
Andy Wilson, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, has been busy working with colleagues on a project dubbed Beamatron. It's an augmented reality concept that uses KinectFusion, another Microsoft project, to create a 3D model of a space and build projected graphics onto it. It also gets Kinect to see the room and its many obstacles, as shown in the video below.
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03/07, 7:55pm
Ad-supported content available for free
Vevo has brought its music video library to the Xbox 360, enabling users to access more than 45,000 titles. The content is available in HD resolution and for free, through an ad-supported app that supports Kinect navigation.
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02/28, 4:40pm
Bundle includes two games
Microsoft today announced an Xbox Special Edition 4GB Kinect Family Bundle. The package features a glossy white console with matching controller and Kinect sensor. Included are two game compilations, Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures.
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02/24, 4:35pm
Kinect may soon sport document, video controls
Microsoft is bringing the Kinect to PCs and recently released an SDK to this effect, but now a USPTO patent suggests it has more in the works for the system. A Seekbar feature will let users watching TV navigate channels and otherwise control their TVs and video with nothing more than their hands. The Seekbar would thus let users to open a seekbar while their other hand drags along it to either fast forward or rewind to where in the video or other content they want to be.
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02/17, 1:00pm
Next-generation Xbox to carry Durango codename
Microsoft is internally referring to the third-generation Xbox console as Durango, Kotaku claimed to have learned from multiple sources near the project. If true, this means any future news and rumors will center around this name, though the finalized name on the console and packaging will differ and isn't yet known. Durango is the name of one of Mexico's 31 states, which follows the theme started by Natal, Microsoft's codename for Kinect and a city in Brazil.
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02/07, 12:55pm
Kinect Star Wars Xbox 360 gets definitive date
After months of extra waiting for the game itself, Microsoft has confirmed that the Kinect Star Wars Xbox 360 bundle will be available April 3. The special edition system will cost $450 and includes a 320GB Xbox 360, a Kinect motion controller, and a copy of the game in question. Both the console and the Kinect have unique R2-D2 theming, while the gamepad is patterned after C-3PO.
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02/01, 8:40am
Kinect for Windows and 1.0 SDK go live
On schedule, Microsoft has started shipping the Kinect for Windows add-on and its matching software. The sensor lets those on Windows 7, 8, and Embedded use the motion control from the Xbox with optimizations for the PC world, such as tracking subjects as close as 15.7 inches as well as a PC-oriented USB cable. It costs $249 for anyone, although it will cost $149 for educational users later.
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01/31, 9:15am
Kinect notebooks being tested, ASUS a partner
The upcoming notebooks with built-in Kinect will be licensed to makers such as ASUS but no other motion-sensing technology can be used in these, The Daily claimed Tuesday. Likewise, while the Windows 8 notebooks with Kinect were ASUS-branded, the Taiwanese computer maker isn't involved in testing the gear, but it will likely be a launch partner. The test units are almost always plugged in as well, suggesting the technology is heavy on energy use. A dedicated battery pack just for the Kinect camera and sensor that clips onto notebooks may be required in order to alleviate this issue.
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01/27, 9:45am
Kinect notebooks may use motion for Windows 8
Microsoft is not only planning to release Kinect for Windows but is aiming to make motion control a built-in feature for PCs, according to fresh leaks. Those at The Daily claim to have used two prototype Windows 8 notebooks where the Kinect sensor system replaces the normal webcam. A Microsoft insider claimed that the ASUS-branded systems are testbeds with the hint they may become real products.
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01/25, 10:35pm
App controlled using Windows Phone device
Developers have demonstrated an unofficial feature for Microsoft's Kinect system that mimics holographic effects. The Programming4fun team used the Kinect beta SDK and Windows Phone to create the illusion of a holographic scene, using the Kinect sensors to track a user's position and change the perspective of the scene projected on a flat surface.
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01/13, 8:45pm
Kinect sales also at record pace
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer, during the company's last CES keynote earlier this week, has provided some statistics on Xbox 360 sales. The company claims that it has sold more than 66 million of the gaming consoles worldwide. About 10 million of the sales came just in the fall.
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01/03, 3:45pm
First Xbox Live UFC fight plagued with problems
Microsoft's live UFC app for the Xbox that launched in December suffered a number of hiccups when trying to stream UFC 141 on December 30, BitMob's Dan Hsu reported. Microsoft sent out 30,000 promotional passes for Xbox Live members to try out the app, which likely led to the technical issues many suffered with the app not loading. Other issues included resetting, crashing, moving to an earlier point in the fight with no ability to fast forward to live broadcasting, buffering, stutteringl and switching between standard, high or very low resolutions.
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12/27, 8:55pm
Sensors analyze body volume to estimate mass
Researchers at Eurécom in France and the Italian Institute of Technology's Center for Human Space Robotics have demonstrated a system that utilizes Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect accessory to weigh astronauts in microgravity environments. The sensor is used to make a 3D model of an astronaut's body, enabling a computer program to extrapolate mass based on volume estimates.
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12/18, 8:50pm
Apple TV may go beyond voice with DVR link, motion
New leaks from within Apple's media talks have hinted that the long-rumored Apple TV set may go beyond just voice commands. The sources for the Wall Street Journal had the set responding also to "movements," hinting at a motion system like Microsoft's Kinect or the Nintendo Wii remote. Development has also supposedly been underway for uniting DVR storage with iCloud, hinting that a user might stop watching a regular broadcast TV show on the set itself and then pick it up later on an iPhone or a computer.
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12/08, 9:45am
Apple patent would provide 3D display, control
Apple has been working on its own, unique alternative to Kinect for Windows, a newly published patent application shows. Its design for a "three-dimensional imaging and display system" would have a device sit on the desk that would use one of multiple possible methods, such as tracking the reflection time or attenuation in light beams. It could let users get audible feedback on interacting with the environment, navigate a corresponding 3D desktop, and use head tracking for tasks like zooming in or scrolling.
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12/05, 12:30am
Microsoft outlines launch plans for X360 live TV
In sync with the fall Xbox 360 Dashboard update, Microsoft has provided a listing of TV providers that will be ready to go this week. Along with existing access to ESPN, Hulu, and Netflix, the December 6 update will also bring EPIX authenticated video in the US, Lovefilm in the UK, MediaSet's Premium Play in Italy, Sky Go in Austria and Germany, Telefonica España's Movistar Imagenio, and MSNBC's Today in the US.
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11/29, 6:45pm
Xbox 360 has best week ever, nears 1m in one week
Microsoft on Tuesday marked its best week ever for gaming. The company sold over 960,000 Xbox 360 consoles during Black Friday week, getting its best one-week Xbox hardware sales ever even with a holiday. Over 800,000 of those were sold just on Black Friday itself, and it was one of the top sellers at Best Buy.
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11/29, 1:05pm
Verizon details FiOS TV on Xbox 360 requirements
Verizon has now made public some details of its Xbox 360 Live TV service first mentioned back at the start of October. Through their Xbox 360, Xbox Live Gold members will have the ability to access up to 26 live FiOS TV channels, depending on their subscription. They also need to be FiOS TV and Internet service subscribers.
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11/28, 10:00am
Kinect 2 rumor has it tracking facial expressions
A rumor Monday claimed to have details of the next-generation Kinect. The Xbox peripheral would overcome the inherent limits of the current system and could detect facial expressions, Eurogamer was told. It would be accurate enough to detect emotional expressions and even to read lips, possibly letting it tell who was speaking a command.
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11/24, 3:15pm
Microsoft details Black Friday sales
A day ahead of Black Friday, Microsoft has posted a teaser page for its own online store's discounts. The company plans to give away free Windows Phones to anyone who signs up for a two-year contract, undercutting even a one-cent Amazon deal. It's not known if this includes a modern phone like the Focus S or is limited to older hardware.
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11/23, 4:45pm
Microsoft to put Kinect into Sony, Vizion TVs?
Microsoft has plans to make and sell TVs with its Kinect sensor built in, according to sources speaking with The Daily. It would then no longer require the company's Xbox 360 gaming console to be connected, and would allow users to turn the TV on or off or change channels with hand gestures rather than remote controls. What would be required, however, is a connection to a PC running Windows, a feat that's already been documented.
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11/23, 3:35pm
Offers finer detail detection than Kinect
A Russian startup has developed a technology that can project an image into thin air and then manipulate it with gestures. Astrakhan-based Displair has developed a prototype that projects images into a stream of cold fog and then uses an infrared camera to capture and manipulate gestures. The prototype in some ways mimics Microsoft Kinect's ability to process movement, but is able to do so at a much finer scale.
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11/22, 6:35pm
Kinect for Windows confirmed early
Microsoft took its expansion of Kinect a step further Tuesday with plans from general manager Craig Eisler that a new Kinect controller was coming just for Windows. The system, so far called just Kinect for Windows, will have tuned hardware and software just for closer confines, including objects that can be fully recognized as close as 20 inches. A Near Mode in software will focus on apps that are designed just for upper-body tasks.
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11/17, 10:45am
Nielsen shows kids, teens want iPad for Christmas
Apple virtually controls what kids want for Christmas this holiday, Nielsen found on Thursday. Among US children aged six to 12, 44 percent wanted an iPad. The company also swept the top three, with the iPod touch at 30 percent and the usually unobtainable iPhone at 27 percent.
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11/15, 3:10pm
Xbox hits 10 years old and gets bonuses
Microsoft kicked off the tenth anniversary of the Xbox with a celebration page and bonuses. Everyone gets access to a free avatar prop for Xbox Live that provides a gift box that opens to reveal fireworks. Some downloadable games will also be on sale as part of the anniversary.
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11/15, 3:40am
Microsoft Research releases 'Code Space'
Microsoft Research has released a new user interface for sharing content across devices and displays using Kinect technology. Project 'Code Space' has currently been implemented for developers who are working in small teams and who want to move content from a presentation onto their device simply by using a hybrid of touch and air gesture interactions.
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11/10, 4:50pm
Microsoft sends tile-based Xbox 360 UI
Microsoft on Thursday started giving beta users its promised fall 2011 Xbox 360 Dashboard update. The upgrade introduces the tiled, Windows Phone 7-like interface we first saw at E3 and organizes sections that would normally need hierarchical sections into groups. The interface is more optimized for the Kinect and lets users search for content across the whole Xbox and Xbox Live using voice, although a gamepad fallback is available.
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11/04, 2:00pm
Kinect SDK beta 2 for Windows now out
Microsoft's body motion peripheral for the Xbox 360, the Kinect, just turned one year old, but the company released a Windows SDK for it back in June, nearly six months ago. On Friday, Microsoft released beta 2 of the SDK and a teaser message. Through a Twitter update, the Kinect team told users to follow it and stay tuned, as a today was a "big day."
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11/01, 4:55pm
iPad 2 sits just outside top five
Verizon's 4G LTE network has taken top place in a PCWorld list of the best products of 2011. LTE allows for much faster speeds than HSPA- or EVDO-based 3G networks, in some cases giving performance on par with wired connections. Second place in the list is occupied by the MacBook Air, Apple's ultraportable notebook. Its design has been copied by computers based on Intel's Ultrabook standard.
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11/01, 11:35am
Microsoft shows three new prototype AR projectors
Microsoft is continuing work on its Kinect body motion sensing tech, incorporating it into new gear. The latest demonstration and video (below) from the Microsoft Research team in Cambridge shows off three prototype projectors that utilize the technology. They include the Camera Projector, the Room Projector and the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) Projector.
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10/31, 10:05am
Microsoft marks Xbox 360 Kinect birthday with SDK
Microsoft kicked off the first-year anniversary of Kinect this week by launching a Kinect Effect site and promising wider support. The Xbox 360's full-body motion controller has been changing education and medicine, such as teaching autistic children and letting surgeons check medical images while still in gloves, the company's communications VP Frank Shaw said. He didn't give an update on sales but reiterated that eight million Kinects sold in roughly the first two months.
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10/27, 12:10pm
Microsoft outlines decade-long future vision
Microsoft's Office team has put out a concept video (below) outlining what it imagines in its long-term future. The Productivity Future Vision demo shows a world dominated by touch and gestures, where smartphones are transparent blocks and tablets, walls, and tables all recognize either touch, voice, or in-the-air gestures. It imagines users physically dragging what they're working on from device to device and even includes 3D holograms that go beyond the edge of the display.
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