Kinect for Windows launching February 1 at $249

by Alice O'Connor, Jan 10, 2012 5:45am PST

Related Topics – xbox 360, Microsoft, Kinect, PC

The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, the company announced at the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday. Reflecting the fact that it's intended more for professional uses than home consumers, the Windows Kinect kit will cost $100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle--$249.

"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," Kinect for Windows GM Craig Eisler explained.

Kinect for Windows, on the other hand, will be supported entirely by the hardware sales, as the software development kit and runtime will be offered free to developers.

While the beta SDK released last year supported the Xbox 360 sensor, the new SDK will require the official Kinect for Windows platform. However, things made using the beta for Xbox 360 hardware will still work for now, as Microsoft has extended the license by three years to June 16, 2016.

The Kinect for Windows sensor boasts the addition of a 'Near Mode,' which can see close objects better than the Xbox 360 version--down to 50cm clearly, or 40cm with a little degradation.

Microsoft also plans to introduce an academic price of $149 "later this year."

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By: Shacknews x Show Full Post

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Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Kinect for Windows launching February 1 at $249.

The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, priced at $249--$100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle.

Jan 10, 2012 5:45am PST

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Alice O'Connor posted a new article, Kinect for Windows launching February 1 at $249.

The jazzed-up Windows PC version of Microsoft's motion-sensing Kinect controller will officially launch on February 1, priced at $249--$100 more than the Xbox 360 bundle. : Shacknews
Thread Truncated. Click to see all 77 replies.
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  I like how Microsoft tries to spin the grossly inflated price, yet a product tear-down at the time of the... : AwRy108
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    I believe it will be PC owners who actually unlock its true potential, in fact we have already seen the m... : ShXIII
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      Does this allow anything the homebrewers haven't already done though? This will give you a basic tracked ... : jcupitt
      
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      It allows a much finer control, plus it includes the API for simplifying requests for people who do not d... : LoioshDwaggie
      
      Their windows SDK for the 360 version was pretty bad, so I hope its more than that. : Toth21
    - This 100% : valcan_s
  - And how much do you think it costs to manufacture a top of the line Nvidia or AMD graphics card? - you pa... : ESchack
  - because you only pay for the parts......not the R&D. : daroach1414
  - i'm sure you know that the price doesn't JUST reflect the cost of the parts, right. you're a smart guy th... : Korban
  - It is not even really spin. I figured that was the reason before I read the article, it is common sense. : Evil Benius
  - This just in - company sells product for more than manufacturing cost. Details at 11! : lord cecil
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  what does this do for the PC : action figure
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    Apparently more accurate. : Freon
    - toggle
      more accurately filming users jerking off to porn? : action figure
      
      Kinect-enhanced interactive 3D hentai incoming for sure. : Freon
  - Makes it more like a console : phate81
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  skyrim with 1:1 motion controls you'll be exhausted after 10 minutes of playing : DrFlammable
  - Should've put those points into stamina, bro. : Freon
  - i can't wait to take an arrow to the knee in real life : MercFox1
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  So here's the stupid thing: how far away from your PC do you have to be to make this work well? The sp... : Masem
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    the stupid thing is that you didn't read the article The Kinect for Windows sensor boasts the addition : zerog83
    - but that would mean you'd be within 2 feet of your pc waving your arms like an idiot when you can just re... : cptstern
  - Real close apparently that is the diff with the hardware)or software) so they say. I am 90% getting on... : valcan_s
- I would not be surprised to see Windows 8 to be very Kinect friendly. : Firefly1985
- What a stupid fucking idea. : chadg033
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  lol at $250. : atom519
  - yeah.. Just got my 360 version for PC. Now what? : Shyssiryxius
- Fuckin lol at that price. : at0micgarden
- I cant wait to not buy this! : phate81
- Seems interesting. For a hobbiest or engineer the price isn't outrageous. However it is too much for a ... : Freon
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  I could see this being useful for simulators, considering you don't have to wear anything to track head m... : phate81
  - yea it would awesome if it is as accurate and as responsive as trackIR. Way to expensive though at this p... : DarkDeus
  - It needs to track at least @ 60fps with great accuracy (no difts) to compete with TrackIR. Not sure if K... : recoilfx
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  Brutal price unless --> "The Kinect for Windows sensor boasts the addition of a 'Near Mode,' which can se : valcan_s
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    "but then I ask why the hell did they not add a close mode for the 360 too?" I thought the whole idea ... : cptstern
    - Kinect requires a good 8-10' in front of your TV. Many (most?) people have their couches at about 8-10' f : Bold
  - because if you're that close to it, you're not doing full body capturing most likely. : dantastic
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    Hmm.. at that close, it should be able to do a semi-accurate 3d scan of a smaller objects... sounds like... : recoilfx
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      Still wont register the back of the image though, giving it more of a 3d shell : Shyssiryxius
      
      You rotate the object around as the software refines the captured points. They've been able to recr... : recoilfx
  - wait for the after market "Lens kit" for the 360 version in 2 months. : g0nk
- Eh, I don't get the screams about price, it's just an RRP right? I doubt stores will actually sell it at ... : Creepin_Jeezus
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  I truly wish all motion controlled devices and games would be annihilated off the planet. : creeping-death
  - Yup. It's poor technology being perpetuated by the masses. It works well for about a handful of games a... : cetra00
  - Wow. Those were my favorite games this gen. Sucks for you, I guess. : HockeyJohnston
  - theres are good uses for motion controls but the games need to use them better. its still being forced in... : Degenerate
  - High five, Motion Control hating buddy! : chadg033
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    Why not just say you don't like shitty games? There have been excellent motion controlled games just like... : OverloadUT
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      I don't like the mechanics of motion control. I like playing with a stationary controller/keyboard that ... : chadg033
      
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      So you don't like something like Rock Band drums? Because those are motion controls done very very well : OverloadUT
      
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      I would say no, but I would also say that I don't consider Rock Band/Guitar Hero to be motion controlled.... : chadg033
      
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      Okay so I'll go back to my original point that what you don't like is poor implementation. meaning poor g : OverloadUT
      
      It is if the controller is limiting the design. People want all of these interactions in the games but t... : cetra00
      
      Yup, star power was an awesome use of motion control. : OmegaRed59
  - hello my future wife : opengl128
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    you clearly haven't used Kinect + Netflix then : geedeck
    - toggle
      I've only had kinect for 10 days but this is the best use of it I've found. mainly for the voice controls... : Degenerate
      
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      It's absolutely the stuff they should have been selling kinect on, instead of that goofy arm wave crap : geedeck
      
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      Yup, it's pretty interesting as a utility accessory. It makes a horrible video game controller though. : cetra00
      
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      And welcome cetra00 to the "Hasn't played Child of Eden Club"!!!11111one It's not horrible, or even ba... : geedeck
      
      I have. Child of Eden plays better without Kinect. It's plays faster and is more responsive with a norm... : cetra00
      
      'XBox' 'BING TITTIES' : Rauol Duke
      
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      heck yes! i want my house to run off kinect. : hirez
      
      I've actually said "TIVO. PAUSE" a few times in the past month. I can't wait till this level of voice con... : Prozium
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  wow. it should be like a $50 device max. it's so gimmicky. : thebigbeefsandwich
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    A good HD webcam costs more than that so I don't see why you would expect it to even be below $100 : OverloadUT
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      I doubt I'd take the thing for free so I'm not the person to ask. just seems like it would waste space mo... : thebigbeefsandwich
      
      Sweet. Please tell us what else you aren't the person to ask, so we can ask. : jake
- The close mode completely changes things with the kinect. I think it's going to do some pretty awesome st... : sammyl
- #2096
  
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  By: R@zzle x Show Full Post
  
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  The real question is whether or not they will make available formal driver software so I can just plug in my XBOX one since no one uses it.
  
  Can't wait to use mine as a TrackIR for IL-2
  
  Jan 10, 2012 2:04pm PST
  
  The real question is whether or not they will make available formal driver software so I can just plug in... : R@zzle
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  I'm trying to think of a reason I would buy this instead of a new video card. And I've got nothing. Hel... : capt tripps
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    Also "PC buffer porn" do once im bored of netflix is over I can get my fap on. : Strid3rtheGreat
    - God damn it. Miss reply. : Strid3rtheGreat
- I'm holding out hope that kinect + windows 8 will allow me to lay in my bed and say "PC launch netlfix" t... : Strid3rtheGreat
- "Masturbation detected. You may want to view one of these..." : barcibus
- It had a slimmer profile and was able to work on a desktop sitting down I would probably consider it. The... : TheEmissary

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