Kinect for Windows out now

Kinect for Windows has been released worldwide today, including a sensor and license for the hardware.

Microsoft is inviting business, including those outside of games, to innovate and develop software for the motion-sensing hardware.

American Express, Mattel, Telefonica, and Toyota have already developed applications for Kinect for Windows, but the license allows anyone to develop new software.

The Kinect for Windows early adoption program has led to 300 companies spanning 25 countries building software for Kinect.

The Windows Kinect hardware features "advanced speech and audio capabilities" and "improved skeletal tracking that enables control over which user is being tracked by the sensor." It's unknown if these features will be implemented in future versions of the Xbox 360 model.

Unfortunately, Australians are asked to pay more than the rest of the world. It retails for AUD $299 locally, but just USD $249 in America.

Comments

punk
punk K:4088 02/02/2012
I like the kinect but I guess you can't just use the xbox kinect hardware?

do you need to stand 10 feet away from your pc too? :P
gargoyles
gargoyles K:13105 02/02/2012
We get ripped off. i'd just use my Xbox 360 Kinnect somehow if i wanted to use kinnect on my computer
maxiboy
maxiboy K:21084 02/02/2012
Why have 2 kinect bars if you have a PC and an Xbox, just wait for someone to make hacked drivers for the Xbox version like they did for the 360 controller.
abuu91
abuu91 K:18277 02/02/2012
Pretty sure they have different focus points set so that they operate properly at the regular distance someone would sit from their computer screen.
Heller
Heller K:142768 02/02/2012
Yeah, they have different internal hardware. I'm sure someone will hack the firmware eventually, but as @abuu91 said, I don't know how the focal points would work considering you're sitting much closer to your PC.
KyleKatarn
KyleKatarn K:373 04/02/2012
Ridiculous. Just ridiculous.

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