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Xbox One Kinect bundle drops to $399 for a limited time
With the holiday season just around the corner, Microsoft is looking to capitalize on Xbox One sales over the next couple of months. As such, the company has announced a limited-time deal for the kit that includes its latest console and companion motion sensor, plus Dance Central Spotlight, Kinect Sports Rivals and Zoo Tycoon. If you're in the US, Mexico or Canada, starting today you can buy the Xbox One Kinect bundle for $399, $7,999 MXN and $449 CAD, respectively. What's more, for people who only want the Kinect, Microsoft's also offering it for $99 right now. Microsoft didn't say how long this promotion will last, so those of you who are interested should probably act on it as soon as possible.
Hands-on with prototypes of the Xbox One and new Kinect sensor
We gasped our way through the liveblog. We brought you news of the specs and the software and all that other good stuff. But now it's time to take a deep dive into the Xbox One, Microsoft's next-gen console, and what it might mean for Earth's living rooms. Engadget was given exclusive access to the hallowed labs at the heart of this project and to the engineers who made it happen. We got to play with prototypes of the hardware and to discover firsthand whether Kinect 2.0 really can tell if we're winking. Read on past the break and we promise to spare you no detail.%Gallery-189016%
Microsoft announces Skype integration for Xbox One, leverages Kinect enhancements
It may have taken two years and a new console generation, but Microsoft is finally making good on an old promise: Skype is coming to Xbox. Microsoft has been planning to port the internet telephony service to its home console since it purchased Skype back in 2011, but it never surfaced on the Xbox 360. Now, the service is poised to make the most of the next generation, leveraging the refreshed Kinect and voice enhancements for a higher-quality experience than its predecessor was capable of. Gamers can receive calls even while watching movies, and they can open them up side by side other apps and games in Snap Mode. Naturally, Skype can be controlled via voice, with commands to shut off the mic or camera, end calls and go full screen. Group video chat was given a mention, but it's still not clear just how many folks can be looped in.%Gallery-188985% Alexis Santos contributed to this post.
Microsoft's new Kinect is official: larger field of view, HD camera, wake with voice
Microsoft's introducing a new Kinect motion-sensing camera to go alongside its new Xbox One game console. The camera peripheral is getting some major improvements in its second iteration, and it's expected to ship with every new console at launch. One of the most impressive features is the ability to wake the console with just a voice command. Simply say "Xbox on," and you're ready to get gaming. In fact, you can shout all sorts of things at your new Kinect, such as "watch TV" or (wait for it...) "snap Internet Explorer." That's right, there is true multitasking built into Xbox One and you can move windows around or switch between tasks, with just a voice command. Of course, you can also navigate the various panels and screens with the usual hand waves and air pinches, should you feel a bit silly talking to your console. On the inside is a 1080p camera -- a huge step up from the VGA sensor on the original Kinect. The new motion controller processes a stunning two gigabits of data per second to accurately read your environment. Everything about this second iteration of the Kinect is more accurate, in fact, from the number of reference points on your skeleton it monitors down to its ability to read your heartbeat. And it's powerful enough to bring that increased fidelity to not just one, but six skeletons simultaneously (should you have enough room in your pad for that many players). It even has the ability to talk to the standard Xbox controller for some Move-like functionality. Lift the remote and you'll lift your shield in the game, for example. For Microsoft, the Kinect is what ties the Xbox One experience together.
