How will Kinect for Windows change computing for us

In the long illustrative history of electronic peripherals, very few technologies have managed to make a commercial impact like Microsoft's very own Kinect. As a matter of fact, this motion sensing input device still holds the world record for the fastest selling consumer electronics system, with a whopping 8 million sales in just two months of its launching. And now after notching up our Xbox 360 experience and going through a multitude of other applications (including a slew of DIY hacks), the exalted Kinect is about to make its much touted splash in the realm of Windows.

Kinect for Windows SDK

Staying true to the announcement made by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at this year's CES, the company released the version 1.0 of their SDK and runtime of the Kinect-Window package on 1st of February, 2012. As for cost, the current retail price is kept at $249. But Microsoft has also decided to go with a specially subsidized price of $149 for Qualified Educational Users, within this year.

Why Kinect for windows?

From a business oriented perspective, this ambitious and expansive commercial move was always on the cards for Microsoft. As we mentioned earlier, Kinect is already one of the most successful electronic peripherals, when it boils down to 'old fashioned' amount of revenues generated (with more than 18 million units being shipped globally). Now, chew upon this whirlwind of statistical figures: there are around 1.3 billion Windows PC users worldwide, in comparison to the paltry 66 million users of Xbox 360 (upon which Kinect motion sensing is originally based). So just by doing simple math, one can proclaim that a simple Kinect fueled foray into the Windows market alludes to a commercial endeavor of astronomical proportions.

Kinect for Windows is really exciting

There is no doubt about the fascinating scope of Kinect, as it makes its official plunge into the Windows scheme of things. Initially, when the technology first opened up in the Xbox gaming consoles, users were drawn in by the novelty of the core motion sensing mechanism. Now, imagine a personal computer defined system which allows us to interact and control our programs and software, without requiring to physically touching any accessory like a mouse or keyboard. Obviously, the potential of this wondrous application covers an infinite ambit, with human-machine interaction moving on to new progressive levels.

Kinect for Windows a gοοd іdеа

The ceremonious launching of Kinect for Windows SDK was a deftly planned event orchestrated by Microsoft. But beyond the brouhaha and buzz surrounding the advanced technology, the release was cleverly complimented by distribution partners in twelve different countries. As a matter of fact, after the second version of software kit's beta release, this comprehensive vanilla version is available for download under a commercial license (as opposed to just a hobbyist's license). So, this means third party companies can already start their user oriented developments on the application related solutions. For normal folks like us, this insinuates a previously unexplored world of motion sensing PC games, adroit switching programs and unobtrusive media tweaking capabilities. Moreover, to add 'icing on the cake', Microsoft has also made it clear that it is planning on integrating its intriguing technology into portable computers like laptops and tablets.

Kinect for Windows puts gaming in center stage

The core functionality of Kinect is directly related to a rich, 'naturalistic' gaming experience. In view of this, the version 1.0 of Kinect for Windows hardware has been incorporated with a wealth of new features. The major ones among these include the so called 'Near Mode' mechanism. This mode entails the Kinect to work at distances as less as 40 centimeters (about 16 inches), considering that PC users (including gamers) sit at a closer proximity to the screen. Other highlighted attributes include support for four Kinect sensors into one computer, better voice command software and an enhanced skeletal tracking system. All of these certainly hint at an improved gaming mechanics, which takes user interaction and controlling up to new levels.

Areas of improvement to change landscape

Still now, we have harped about the exalted nature of Kinect's advanced technology. But as with all other fallible electronic systems, the Kinect does have some predicaments relating to its inherent slowness in response to hand gesture UI. This accuracy based problem can hamper a few interactive scenarios such as multimedia controlling (like for example, video editing). Moreover, Kinect has traditionally exhibited a mercurial form, when it comes to light sensitivity. So, how far the vanilla version (in portable devices) can adapt to outdoor conditions still remains a credible question.