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Microsoft isn't selling Kinect for Windows anymore
Given that Microsoft has consolidated so many other parts of how it operates lately, word that it's discontinuing the new Kinect sensor for Windows shouldn't be much of a surprise. From here on out, Redmond will no longer sell the now redundant desktop-specific version and instead point app developers toward the "functionally identical" Xbox One unit and its necessary adapter cable instead. The Xbox One sensor was apparently pretty popular amongst desktop developers and Microsoft couldn't keep up with demand in some markets, so rather than keep producing two incredibly similar units, it's likely focusing its efforts on producing more of one. Should you already own a Windows Kinect don't fret -- Nadella and Co. promise that support for it isn't going anywhere. For a peek at how we put the console do-all sensor to use with a Windows PC, take a gander at the video just below.
Xbox One's Kinect sensor coming to Windows on July 15th
Microsoft's plan to bundle Kinect with the Xbox One may not have been to everyone's taste, but that's not stopping it from expanding sales of the motion-sensing peripheral. In fact, you'll only have to wait just over a week to get your hands on the second generation Kinect for Windows. We know because the company has updated its pre-order listing with the promise of shipment by July 15th. The sensor, which costs $199/£159, delivers better depth sensing, 1080p resolution, a wider field of view and various other improvements. Developers have been invited to publish their creations to the Windows Store, so there'll likely be more Windows Kinect apps to download than ever before -- good news if you're not interested in the Xbox One but have always wanted to wave your arms about in front of your PC.
Kinect for Windows SDK update lets developers add green screen effects
Kinect for Windows developers can now get a little more creative: Microsoft has released version 1.8 of the camera's SDK, which lets app creators produce a green screen effect by removing the background. The update also brings a new Kinect Fusion API that scans the color of an object in addition to its shape, saving some 3D modelers the trouble of creating a separate texture map. There's better scene tracking and more code samples, too. Programmers who crave the new software tricks can grab the refreshed SDK and its companion tools at the source links.
Next-gen Kinect for Windows opens dev kit applications, costs $400
Microsoft's new version of Kinect for Xbox One is also headed to the world of PCs, like its previous incarnation. The new Kinect for Windows sensor won't be available publicly until some point in 2014, but developers can apply for an early, $400 development kit starting right now (due before July 31st at 9AM PT), Microsoft announced today. In that $400, developers (if accepted) will get early SDK access, a pre-release "alpha" version of the device, a final retail version (at launch), and private access to both APIs and the Kinect for Windows engineering team (in private forums and webcasts). Should you get in, you'll find out more come this August.
Microsoft: next-gen Kinect sensor for Windows to launch in 2014
Microsoft already gave us a look at its next-gen Kinect alongside the Xbox One, but today the company circled back to announce an update to the Windows version of its sensor. Don't get too excited yet, though: the update won't debut until 2014. Still, Redmond has shared details about some of the enhancements it says will "revolutionize computing experiences," such as a higher-definition camera, expanded field of view and improved motion tracking -- essentially the same improvements we'll see on the new Kinect for the Xbox One. Microsoft says developers will learn more about the updated hardware and SDK at the Build 2013 conference in June, so stay tuned.
USC starts a web hub for DIY, open source virtual reality projects
For the sheer variety of virtual reality headsets available, there's been few resources available for those who want to craft their own devices. USC wants to save us the effort of searching around. Its MxR Lab has just launched a showcase of creations and modifications that DIY enthusiasts can build, including open source code for both the devices and integrating full-body motion control through Kinect for Windows or OpenNI. The most ambitious is Socket HMD, a complete 1,280 x 800 headset that involves a 3D-printed shell and custom-assembled electronics. If your own ambitions don't stretch that far, you can still build the VR2GO viewer, which uses iPhones and iPod touch players as the eyepieces, as well as mods for the Oculus Rift developer kit that add stereo cameras or increase the field of view. Yes, you'll need a 3D printer and a knack for programming to get most of these projects going, but you won't have to wait for someone to make them for you -- a big help when many ready-made VR displays are either in development or priced out of reach for the average person.
Kinect for Windows SDK gets significant update on March 18, includes Kinect Fusion and Interactions
Kinect for Windows is getting a big SDK update on March 18th to version 1.7 -- Redmond's calling it "our most significant update to the SDK since we released the first version" -- which includes the long awaited 3D object scanning application Kinect Fusion. Microsoft took to Engadget's Expand stage today to unveil the features of the SDK update, which included live demos of both Kinect Fusion and Interactions; Fusion creates live 3D models of both people and objects, while Interactions adds a whole variety of recognizable gestures to the Kinect for Windows SDK ("push-to-press buttons, grip-to-pan capabilities, and support for smart ways to accommodate multiple users and two-person interactions," says Microsoft). Microsoft' also adding code samples to its Kinect for Windows development site (CodePlex), making this the first such code from Microsoft available in an open-source channel. We'll have demo videos of the new Kinect for Windows SDK features for you as soon as we can. Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!
Kinect for Windows SDK gets accelerometer and infrared input, reaches China and Windows 8 desktops
Microsoft had hinted that there were big things in store for its update to the Kinect for Windows SDK on October 8th. It wasn't bluffing; developers can now tap a much wider range of input than the usual frantic arm-waving. Gadgets that move the Kinect itself can use the accelerometer to register every tilt and jolt, while low-light fans can access the raw infrared sensor stream. The Redmond crew will even even let coders go beyond the usual boundaries, giving them access to depth information beyond 13 feet, fine-tuning the camera settings and tracking skeletal data from multiple sensors inside of one app. Just where we use the SDK has been expanded as well -- in addition to promised Chinese support, Kinect input is an option for Windows 8 desktop apps. Programmers who find regular hand control just too limiting can hit the source for the download link and check Microsoft's blog for grittier detail.
Kinect for Windows SDK to add new features, markets
Kinect for Windows will arrive in style to China and other new markets starting October 8th, sporting a brand new SDK. The new developer kit will add features like color camera settings and extended depth data, as well as more tools and samples like a UI demo based on Kinect's so-called human interface guidelines. Chinese users won't be the only ones waving hello for the first time this fall though, as Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, and Poland have also been added to the list. All told, 38 countries will be able to tinker with the Kinect by the end of the year, and Microsoft envisions an era "where we'll be able to interact intuitively and naturally" with our computers. Some of Redmond's userbase may want it to start somewhere else with that quest.
Kinect Toolbox update turns hand gestures into mouse input, physical contact into distant memory
Using Microsoft's Kinect to replace a mouse is often considered the Holy Grail of developers; there have been hacks and other tricks to get it working well before Kinect for Windows was even an option. A lead Technical Evangelist for Microsoft in France, David Catuhe, has just provided a less makeshift approach. The 1.2 update to his Kinect Toolbox side project introduces hooks to control the mouse outright, including 'magnetic' control to draw the mouse from its original position. To help keep the newly fashioned input (among other gestures) under control, Catuhe has also taken advantage of the SDK 1.5 release to check that the would-be hand-waver is sitting and staring at the Kinect before accepting any input. The open-source Windows software is available to grab for experimentation today, so if you think hands-free belongs as much on the PC desktop as in a car, you now have a ready-made way to make the dream a reality... at least, until you have to type.
Kinect for Windows SDK reaches v1.5, now works when you're sitting down
Microsoft is busting out version 1.5 of its Kinect for Windows runtime and SDK that includes a raft of new features for the Xbox-lacking hoi polli. The update includes 10-joint skeletal tracking that'll work even when seated, face following capabilities and joint orientation -- the latter enabling it to predict how your body will move for greater accuracy. It's also gaining four extra languages for speech recognition: French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese, not to mention Kinect Studio, which will help developers record and play back your movements to fine-tune their applications. In addition, Redmond is offering language packs to ensure the sensor will play harmoniously with your local dialect, cobber.
Microsoft kicks off Kinect Accelerator program to take 11 Kinect-centric start-ups to the next level
Microsoft unwittingly created quite the hacking cottage industry when it first introduced Kinect. Though it took awhile for the company to come to grips with the amazing inventions enabled by its sensor bar, Redmond eventually released Kinect for Windows. Now, the Kinect Accelerator program is here to take Kinect development even further. Kinect Accelerator is a three-month long incubator of sorts for folks with Kinect-basted start-ups. It works by providing the chosen ones with mentors from Microsoft Research, Microsoft Studios, Kinect for Windows and the Xbox team to provide support and knowledge to refine and improve their Kinect apps. Additionally, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs will be available to give advice help the teams craft business plans to help them become profitable. We had the opportunity to chat with Craig Eisler -- who heads up the Kinect for Windows team and is heavily involved with Kinect Accelerator -- about this new venture. Eisler told us that Microsoft's been planning the program since last summer after witnessing all the Kinect innovations that have been percolating organically. So, the Accelerator gives Microsoft the opportunity to find some of the best ideas and speed up their development. Microsoft wound up receiving almost 500 applicants to the program, and winnowing it down to a final 11 was no easy task -- the final 50 ideas were apparently all quite good, and the initial plan was to only take ten into the program. The 11 who made the cut hail from across the globe (US, Canada, Argentina, France, and Germany), and will receive $20,000 and office space, plus Kinect hardware and development software to get their ideas off the ground. Unfortunately, we couldn't get Eisler to tell us exactly what each team is working on, but he did say they'll benefit the medical, retail, fashion, and even farm industries when all is said and done. Specifics about the inventions will come later, once the mentors have worked their magic and the apps are closer to their final forms, so stay tuned. You can learn more about the Kinect Accelerator and the chosen teams at the source link below and PR after the break.
Kinect for Windows version 1.5 to be released in May
Seems like it was only yesterday that Microsoft took the wraps off version 1.0 of Kinect for Windows, putting the power of voice and gesture controls in the hands of the hoi polloi. Now, the gang in Redmond has said that version 1.5 will be coming in May, and will bring 10-joint skeletal tracking to let the sensor bar work while users are seated. The update also includes Kinect Studio, an app that allows devs to record, play and debug clips of users to fine tune their applications. Additionally, it brings language support for French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese, plus there's added support for regional dialects in those languages and English as well. Lastly, Microsoft is promising a whole slew of new countries around the globe will be getting Kinect for Windows in May and June, so to see if your homeland made the cut, check out the source below.
Microsoft Kinect for Windows version 1.0 available today
Today is the day fine folks -- Kinect for Windows is here. The official, and commercial, version 1.0 of the SDK just hit the interwebs along with the accompanying hardware for a price of $250, or $150 for qualified educational customers. The tool has picked up a number of new features since the last beta, including support for up to four Kinects being used simultaneously and near mode for monitoring motion from just 40cm away. The sensor itself seems mostly the same, but may not be compatible with its console cousin -- the device's product page states that it will only operate with software developed for Kinect for Windows. For more info and a complete list of improvements hit up the source link.
Microsoft Kinect coming to Windows on February 1st, up for pre-order now!
Straight out of the horse's mouth: Kinect is oh-ficially coming to Windows starting on February 1st! We've seen Microsoft's PrimeSense-sourced motion sensing system used for just about everything outside of gaming, but proper Windows compatibility is bound to mean huge, huge things for its future. Wondering what's next for Kinect? So is Microsoft, and in just a few weeks, it'll make it even easier for you to answer that. Update: It's up for pre-order now! The $249.99 price tag ain't pretty (consider this -- the standard Kinect, with games, is but $120), but it'll probably be a premium that many hackers are willing to pay. Thanks, Mary Jo Foley!
Rumor mill: next gen Xboxes + Kinect 2 to read lips, track fingers, make unicorns real
Pinches of salt at the ready, folks. According to the latest speculation, Microsoft's sequel to the Xbox 360 will actually be two models, a pared down set-top box for casual gamers and a heftier model for the hardcore. Either way, Xbox 720 / Xbox Loop's getting paired up with a revised version of the magnificent Kinect hardware. The digital grapevine's saying that Kinect 2 will be able to read your lips, track your fingers and sense the tone of your voice to determine if you've come over all angry. It can't do that currently thanks to its USB cable, which can only transmit 16MB/s of data -- limiting the camera's resolution to 320 x 240 at 30fps. We don't know what protocol the new sensor bar will use, but we do know that either USB 3.0 (which can transmit 400 MB/s) or Intel's Thunderbolt (700MB/s) would remove such limitations. In related news, 2012's Kinect for Windows is getting a shorter USB cable for better data integrity and a refocused image sensor that will switch to "near mode" to see objects 50cm away -- which means a whole bunch of classic Kinects and Nyko Zooms are gonna wind up as a filling for a New Mexico landfill.
Kinect for Windows SDK beta 2 out now, celebratory celebrations cleared to commence
It's only been a few months, but already the Kinect for Windows SDK beta is moving from stage uno to stage dos. (That's one and two, vaqueros.) Microsoft's outing it in commemoration of the Kinect's one-year anniversary, and it's also launching a Kinect for Windows site and blog, too. We're told that the Kinect for Windows commercial program is still on track for an early 2012 launch, and to date, some 200 companies have agreed to take part in the pilot program. Ask for the beta 2 piece, the refreshed build includes "faster skeletal tracking, a better accuracy rate when it comes to skeletal tracking and joint recognition, and the ability to plug and unplug your Kinect without losing work / productivity." Hit the source links to get your download on, but be warned -- we've seen it off and on throughout the day. Update: Just in case you need even more info on the movement, the official KinectforWindows.org website is now live too.
Kinect for Windows SDK beta to roll out tomorrow?
Microsoft's been talking up its forthcoming Kinect for Windows SDK for quite a while now, and it looks like developers might soon finally be able to get their hands on it. According to WinRumors, Microsoft will roll out the beta version of the SDK during a special event on Channel 9 at 9:30 AM Pacific time (12:30 Eastern) tomorrow -- something that's now been backed up somewhat by the Channel 9 website itself, which is simply promising a "special Kinect focused event tomorrow." WinRumors is also reporting that the President of Microsoft Spain said during an appearance at a conference today that the beta SDK would be available "this week." So, it certainly seems like things are lining up for a release -- it's just a shame that "Kinect applications" doesn't have the same ring as Kinect hacks.
Microsoft details Kinect SDK for Windows PC, promises 'robust skeletal tracking' (update)
Sure, a lack of first-party tools never kept you from bending the Kinect to your diabolical whim, but Microsoft's taking some time out at MIX 11 to talk about the official Kinect SDK for Windows and show off a few demos. Mind you, all of that's going to happen on stage over the course of the next hour, so we don't have many details for you right now, but Redmond says devs will have access to not only the basic color and infrared depth cameras, but "robust skeletal tracking" of two simultaneous individuals as well, and perhaps most excitingly, full access to the Kinect's array of four microphones for noise canceling and voice recognition complete with API support. Hate to say it, Kinect hackers, but the bar's about to be bumped up. Keep it locked right here and we'll let you know if the Microsofties reveal anything else fun! Update: Yep, we're getting some Kinect SDK details now -- Microsoft says you'll be able to write Kinect apps for PC in Visual Basic, C#, and C++, and they're showing off basic coding now... with just a few minutes of work in Visual Studio, they had a program that could draw lines using the wave of a hand. Update 2: Okay, we just saw some straight-up Minority Report fun here -- a guided astronomical tour of the universe controlled by Kinect, and a motorized lounge chair! Connection permitting, we'll have video up soon.
Microsoft to release Kinect for Windows SDK this spring
Looks like we're not the only ones enjoying all those Kinect hacks being dreamed up and implemented by hardworking enthusiasts the world o'er. That's right: it was rumored early this year, and now it's been confirmed -- Microsoft will be releasing the Kinect for Windows SDK. According to Microsoft, "It will be available this spring as a free download, and will give academic researchers and enthusiasts access to key pieces of the Kinect system-such as the audio technology, system application programming interfaces and direct control of the Kinect sensor itself." Commercial licensing details will be made available at some point thereafter. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]