The most publicized electronic gadget of this Christmas shopping season is the Microsoft’s Kinect. It is nothing more than an add on accessory to the Xbox 360. It is nothing more than a sensor bar that replaces the traditional game controller. What makes Kinect so revolutionary is that you can play games hand-free.
Video games have evolved over the past 30 plus years. They started out as an images composed of white dots on a black background. You moved the image through by pressing certain keys of a keyboard or moving the handle of a joystick. The most memoriable game was Pong. A crude version of tennis that was released in 1966. Then we saw those images in the game take on color. As time and technology evolved to where those images became moved in a more life like fashion. Some even started to look almost realistic.
The late 1990′s saw the development of novel item called a controller. It was a handheld device with several buttons on could push. Then came Dance Revolution. This controller moved controlling images in the game from one’s hands to one’s feet. Dance Revolution introduced a pad that you could stand on and dance. Nintendo on November 19, 2006 launched the Wii. The Wii became an instant hit because it cut the wires from the controller to the gaming console. Thus allowing a greater and freer range of movement. Then just this last November, Microsoft eliminated the handheld gaming controller altogether.
Microsoft took a sensor bar and attached it to the Xbox360. The sensor bar was place below the television, in front of the game players. The movement of hands, feet, and body now controls the characters in the game through their movement.
The Xbox360 with the Kinect has only been out not quite a month. It has mostly been selling in a bundled package. These bundle include the Xbox360, Kinect, and extras. They have been selling for $350 to $400 for a 4 gigabyte bundle. If you want the 250 gigabyte bundle you are looking a over $500. The only real difference is the size of the hard drive in the Xbox.
The basic items in Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle comes with an list of features that are required to family gamers of the 21st century.
- Built-in Wi-Fi
- A black wireless controller
- Standard definition composite A/V cable
- Kinect Sensor
- Kinect Adventures game
- Free one-month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership
Reviews at Cnet.com called the Kinect, “Timing-based learning curve; menu and video navigation is occasionally wonky and gets old fast”.
I have observed different people having trouble trying to play the Kinect at different stores. Ms T has told me she was frustrated with her time playing with the Xbox and Kinect.
Bottom-line: Like any other new product I am recommending on waiting another year. Yes the Kinect is the hot and the latest. I am hearing from a lot of people that it is the software is a bit laggy, and unresponsive to gesture. This is there biggest frustration with the game.
I have wrote enough bad stuff about the Kinect. Let me leave you with a little WOW. Below is a video of a review. Actually, it is more of a promotional video about the Kinect.
