Video Kinect: video chat and stream sharing over Xbox Live and Live Messenger

Xbox Live and Windows Live Messenger are about to meet up in a very personal way -- Microsoft has just announced a new video chat service called Video Kinect, which serves as a logical extension of its brand new Kinect voice- and motion-sensing control system. But it's not just video calling, no sir, you'll be able to watch movies, news, sports, and the like together with whoever you're chatting with. Additionally, thanks to a motorized base and a new skeleton-tracking feature, the Kinect unit will also follow users as they move around the room. Yup, not creepy at all.

[Paul Elmy Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:20PM]

This is absolutely amazing!

[skyblaze Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:29PM]

@Paul Elmy

never had a 360. this seriously makes me wanna go out and buy one now

[BeSublime Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:43PM]

@Paul Elmy Who let the parents in?

[alext Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:52PM]

@Paul Elmy

This is great stuff, but with all the bandwidth cap. and throttle like no tomorrow from ISP(s) how many video chat can we have a month ?

[rutter9 Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:50PM]

@alext

Good thing it's not a chatroulette stream. Children would be scarred for life all over.

[r19578 Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:51PM]

@skyblaze Me too, I had never paid attention to XBOX until now, I even thought stay away from anything of that division since they cancelled Courier. Now I am considering an XBOX 360 slim and Kinect combo.

[Sproketz Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:21PM]

I wonder where they came up with Kinect?

[BrianH Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:23PM]

@Sproketz

connect + kinetic?

[CyberJove Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:29PM]

@Sproketz

I'm pretty sure the "Kin" aspect is part of the Marketing aspect, and MS trying to cash in on the Social Networking craze.

Think of the other uses of Kin like Kinship, Kin Folk, etc.

[lnm4444 Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:25PM]

Skynet approves.

[Rick James Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:26PM]

Pretty cool. But I'm guessing once the novelty wears off, this'll just end up being another outlet for cyber sex

[arash Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:39PM]

@Rick James cyber sex with kinect!oh. but seriously there could be some good titles for you and your partner to do in front of tv. the real use of kinect is is porn

[EggoEspada Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:27PM]

Microsoft just is making this better and better... come on keep it coming. :)

[DoctarPeppar Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:29PM]

This is really cool...now comes the tough part, getting people to actually use it :| They are going to need some decent promos to pull this off.

[techlord Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:30PM]

Microsoft won't allow skype for many reason.

[Seven2k Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:33PM]

Still think she should of demoed the real way.....NAKED!!

[n1hmrd Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:48PM]

@Seven2k I agree naked with Lots jam and honey poured over there bodies,holding nothing but a large glass of beer!

[Couchmen Posted Jun 14th 2010 2:34PM]

Still can't do any of that on at&t dsl.

Why am I tormented like this?

[LiqwidZero Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:29PM]

@Couchmen
You can't do anything but surf Plain Jane websites and send and recieve e-mails with AT&T DSL. Why bother with it?

[silverdoe Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:00PM]

So on PC, u use webcam or Kinect? No matter what, Kinect better comes to PC as Bill Gates said!

[scyber Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:02PM]

So since the iPhone 4 video chat is build on "open standards" what are the chances you will be able to call one from your 360?

[arash Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:43PM]

@scyber that's not VIDEO CHAT buddy, thats freakin revolutionary magical FACETIME on the freakin revolutionary magical RETINA

[benjgvps Posted Jun 14th 2010 7:42PM]

@scyber If microsoft or a third party makes a Live Messenger client for the iPhone, then you could probably call someone with an Xbox + Kinect.

[KirbyKoot401 Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:08PM]

yeah um i've never really wanted a 360 until now...... *looks at wii and sees that new sexy black xbox*

[CCTV36 Posted Jun 14th 2010 3:39PM]

Now if they'll adopt facetime if and when it becomes a standard.

[timotim Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:37PM]

Some things to note:

Bing is now on 360... this could mean Maps, Visual Search, Travel, News etc with Avatar support.

MS may look to add Windows Media Center's Internet TV feature to the 360 natively.

Seems as if MS will be the first to add an online music store directly into their dash with Zune music... would be really cool if they include Zune Pass as part of the gold membership.

[kelokera Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:50PM]

this will sound "FANBOY!!!!" but... PS3 has video chat since the eyetoy came out... it's nothing new... and... nobody will use it!!! cuz... you can chat with your computer, with your phone, etc... will you chat with your xbox?!!!! I don't think so...

I have a PS'3... you know how many times I do chats with it? ZERO!... now... if they put a video chat (a la metal gear solid) on the shutters, or sport... that may work...

[timotim Posted Jun 16th 2010 12:01AM]

@kelokera This is more than just simply looking at each other while you chat though like on PS3. What makes this so compelling is that its PARTY CHATS! People can and do hook up all the time to watch movies and TV shows together... this will allow AT LEAST 4 people to get together to watch things like the Sunday night game... the latest blockbuster movie, news shows etc... thats much better than what PS3 is offering.

[knwldg0010 Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:56PM]

This is great, but it would be great if it worked for WP7 also.

[KBatFLORIDA Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:02PM]

@knwldg0010 I was thinking the same thing...and I think it will.

it works with Windows Live Messenger and I think its only a matter of time before it works with WP7 too

[knwldg0010 Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:21PM]

@KBatFLORIDA

I'm hoping it will also, but it may be up to the carriers.

[David3000 Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:33PM]

@knwldg0010

It look like there will be WP7 support....at least according to Giz and WMPoweruser

http://gizmodo.com/5563100/video-kinect-lets-you-chat-with-xbox-live-and-windows-live-messenger

http://wmpoweruser.com/?p=17100

[knwldg0010 Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:39PM]

@David3000
I just read the Giz blog before seeing your post, but thanks for the wmpoweruser link. This is great, I'm glad to see Kinect is not just for gaming.

[ounkeo Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:16PM]

I have to say, while I'm generally not ever really impressed by MS, these presentations from this event have indeed impressed me.

[shishi Posted Jun 14th 2010 5:47PM]

hhmmmm twins... *drool*