Kinect for Windows announced, to be available from 1st Feb

[nsane.forums]

We knew it would happen, but didn't know when. It's now official, Kinect for Windows will be available from February 1. You can even preorder the device now.

We saw a Kinect device for Windows today, and we thought it meant something might be available soon, but we didn't realize it'd be this soon. Microsoft announced at CES tonight, during their final keynote that the device will be officially available from February 1.

Kinect for Windows is already available for pre-order, even though it was only just announced too. You can preorder the device on Amazon here for $249 USD. It seems a bit expensive compared to the Xbox 360 variety, however. Microsoft points out that Kinect for Windows is ONLY designed to be used with the SDK right now, and that it does not include any content at all.

The Amazon description says that;

• Utilize Kinect skeletal-tracking, sophisticated microphone array, and other sensor technologies
  
• Link computers to Kinect devices running Windows 7 and Windows 8 Developer Preview
  
• Run applications built with the Kinect for Windows Commercial Software Development Kit (SDK)
  
• Use the Kinect for Windows SDK to build applications with C++, C#, or Visual Studio Basic by using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010
  
• The sensor will only work on computers running the SDK software
  

Microsoft says that the Kinect will be available in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom but only in limited quantities intially. The company is warning against using the Xbox Kinect for development as it violates licensing agreements, and will not receive the software updates the Windows device does;

However, non-commercial deployments using Kinect for Xbox 360 that were allowed using 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.

The question is, will you buy the Windows kinect, or will you just buy the Xbox one?

View: Original Article

[DKT27]

Kinect for Windows to launch with "limited quantities"

Microsoft has revealed more information about the upcoming Windows version of the Kinect motion gesture controller which will go on sale beginning February 1 for $249

As we reported earlier, Microsoft has announced that it will launch a Windows-specific version of its Kinect motion gesture controller to the public on February 1 for $249. In a post on Microsoft's Kinect for Windows blog site, Microsoft is giving a warning that the Kinect for Windows product will be available "in limited quantities at first". This seems to suggest that Microsoft is preparing people to expect some early sell outs for the device for at least the first few weeks or months.

The blog also touched on why the Kinect for Windows device is being sold for $249 while the Xbox 360 version has a $149 price tag. Microsoft stated:

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. 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.

Microsoft did say that at some point in the future it will sell Kinect for Windows at $149 for use in schools and other qualified education-based organizations.

:view: View: Original Article