[Npl]

Originally Posted by Rolf N

Eurogamer: MS advises against "clutter" for Kinect
Yeah. I'm putting a chair out on my lawn, bring my binoculars and watch all of this unfold from a safe distance.

This would be a perfect gift for your childs, instead of the Wiimote-screen where it says to use the wrist-strap you will get a screen "clean up your room NOW!" and "Is that undone homework on the desk?"

[Silent_Buddha]

Originally Posted by Npl

This would be a perfect gift for your childs, instead of the Wiimote-screen where it says to use the wrist-strap you will get a screen "clean up your room NOW!" and "Is that undone homework on the desk?"

Haha, I was just thinking the same thing, except with some of my single male friends. Maybe it'll actually get them to clean up their apartment/room?

"Microsoft, working to make living spaces cleaner and more pleasant to live in."

Regards,
SB

[patsu]

Originally Posted by Tchock

But if these kinect ads are real, it's amazingly astonishing that whichever doofus at MS actually approved the horrible vision from the creative director/director for the campaign. The in-your-face treatment of the tagline (YOU ARRRGH THE CONTROLLAR!) is about 10 years old (and despised), and I don't get why I should prefer motion vs traditional controller in the footage shown. Speeding up people's motion into grotesque territory rather than slowing it down and trying to achieve "magic" is probably the last straw in all of it.

Are they really that bad ? I agree the tagline "You're the Controller" needs to change but that's a done deal way before these ads were released. For now, they tell me Kinect can be enjoyed by everyone and it's a totally different experiences. You don't have to play it for competitive reasons too.

When the launch date draws near, they will have different ads to sell Kinect features and software.

I see some blogs mocking the ads. Then again, it's motion gaming. The same people will do what they do for their own reasons.

The PS3 Sports Champions bundle indeed looks cheap. As in %$&$*( cheap.

[patsu]

Stolen from GAF…

Apparently, the Kung Fu LIVE crew (Air Guitar Company) are looking into integrating Move with their pure camera-based technology:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/...comment-460952

Teemu Mäki-Patola | September 29th, 2010 at 11:56 am

Thanks Letherclad! That’s right! We certainly hope to be doing much more in the future and are currently inspecting the integration of Move sticks with our full-body tracking tech. It shows promise of a wide variety of new experiences.

[Rolf N]

Originally Posted by Silent_Buddha

Haha, I was just thinking the same thing, except with some of my single male friends. Maybe it'll actually get them to clean up their apartment/room?

"Microsoft, working to make living spaces cleaner and more pleasant to live in."

Regards,
SB

Not to mention all the new jobs created at the return counters.

[patsu]

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/10/03...i-remote-plus/

Thanks to retail leaks, we know Wii Remote Plus will be bundled with FlingSmash in North America. Nintendo’s upgraded remote has the Wii MotionPlus gyroscopic dongle built inside.

That’s nice, but what is FlingSmash? It’s like Arkanoid with Wii Sports tennis controls. In this game, players swing the remote to send Smasher flying through blocks as the screen automatically scrolls horizontally, and according to these screenshots, vertically.

…


[screen shots below]

[patsu]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ve-wii-console

Nintendo has revealed that one in three households in the UK contain a Wii console, while over 11 million people - around one in six people - own a DS handheld.

The statistics, supplied by GfK Chart-Track, have been released alongside the company's Christmas line-up, which includes an array of UK celebrity spokespeoeple.

Topping the list is actress Dame Helen Mirren, who will be promoting Wii Fit Plus, while pop group JLS is fronting Wii Party.

Meanwhile, broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan will be endorsing Brain Training as pop-football duo Louise and Jamie Redknapp enthuse over New Super Mario Bros.

Other names involved in Nintendo's advertising plans include Alexandra Burke, Olly Murs, Ant and Dec and Jedward.

...

[Shifty Geezer]

That's mind-boggling. I didn't believe it at first when I read the stroy breaking earlier, until I read the stats were from ChartTrack. A population of ~60 million, about a 5th of the US, and all of 6% of the billion-strong combined populations of NA and Europe, has bought over 10% of the world's supply of these things! That's more than Japan, with 10 million sold to 120 million people!!

I guess that's the selling power of Ant and Dec!

[AntShaw]

I never knew I had that much buying power!

[patsu]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/m...-to-any-table/

Surface was bested by SecondLight as the coolest tech we can't buy, and now here comes another successor: LightSpace. This gets rid of the expensive table in favor of a (surely not cheap) series of projectors hanging from the ceiling paired to a 3D camera. The camera detects the relative position of things and instructs a projector to apply a Surface-like interface onto any flat surface. From there a user can literally grab any file they like and carry it over to another surface, where it will be displayed. It's all demonstrated quite handily in the video below...

[patsu]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/w...for-you-video/

You might not have heard of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but there are likely a bunch in your new smartphone -- they make possible the tiny accelerometers and gyroscopes needed to detect motion as your device swings around. However, last week students at the University of Twente demonstrated a brand new micrometer-scale system: a tiny musical instrument that plucks strings (those "folded flexures" above) one-tenth of a human hair wide. Six microscopic resonators fit on a microchip, one resonator per musical tone, and series of the chips can be combined into a MIDI interface to play entire songs. …

(Video inside)

[eastmen]

Originally Posted by patsu

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/m...-to-any-table/

lol what happens when you pass our hand through the image . Doesn't seem to be that smart. Rather have a table with a short throw projector on the bottom. After all you need a surface anyway. This way the image wont distort in anyway

[jonabbey]

Hm, I went by the local Fry's this afternoon to get a look-see at Move.

They had plenty of Navigation controllers, plenty of games, plenty of charging stations, and even plenty of Move/Eye/Sports Champions bundles, but they were completely sold out of the Move controller standalone.

Pity, as I already have an Eye, and was thinking of grabbing a Move or two.

Nice to see they've sold out, I guess.

[Rolf N]

Originally Posted by jonabbey

Hm, I went by the local Fry's this afternoon to get a look-see at Move.

They had plenty of Navigation controllers, plenty of games, plenty of charging stations, and even plenty of Move/Eye/Sports Champions bundles, but they were completely sold out of the Move controller standalone.

Pity, as I already have an Eye, and was thinking of grabbing a Move or two.

Nice to see they've sold out, I guess.

Yeah, it's been a bit difficult to get the standalone parts. I ended up buying the Move controller, Navcon and charging dock from three separate online retailers, because none would have more than one of the items in stock. I wonder if this indicates strong sales or poor supply. The starter pack seems to be just slightly easier to get.

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by Rolf N

I wonder if this indicates strong sales or poor supply.

Two sides to the same coin. Or rather, supply isn't keeping up with demand, but you don't know if demand is higher than could reasonably be anticipated, or if demand is pretty low but there was very little supply. All in all, availability is much of an indicator of sales!

[Arwin]

I think initial sales have been good, but resupplies after that initial shipment seems to be a widespread issue.

[Billy Idol]

Originally Posted by Rolf N

Yeah, it's been a bit difficult to get the standalone parts. I ended up buying the Move controller, Navcon and charging dock from three separate online retailers, because none would have more than one of the items in stock. I wonder if this indicates strong sales or poor supply. The starter pack seems to be just slightly easier to get.

It is def sold out everywhere because of no supply! My buddy who bought Move controller had to check out a lot of stores to get 4 pieces! He talked to store-people and they all lamented about Sony providing not enough controller to their store. The dedicated game shop for instance got a total of 3 Move controllers. Other were already sold out or pre-ordered, amazon is maybe still sold out...

Whoever is responsible for the supply at Sony - he clearly does not do a good job! Because it is not the first time that Sony supply fails...

[Shifty Geezer]

If the Move bundles are available, and the Move controllers not, that suggests Sony underestimated how many PSEye owners wanted Move, and assumed most buyers would be sans PSEye and want the bundle.

[Arwin]

Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer

If the Move bundles are available, and the Move controllers not, that suggests Sony underestimated how many PSEye owners wanted Move, and assumed most buyers would be sans PSEye and want the bundle.

And/or how many people would buy a second (or third/fourth - there are a few who did that for multiplayer Gladiator in particular that I know from Gaf) Move controller of course.

But the Move bundle itself has sold out in many places as well.

[AntShaw]

What about customer error and not thinking they needed to have a PS Eye?

[upnorthsox]

If it was a large issue we'd see alot of returns, my guess would be that if its an issue at all most would just keep the extra controller and pickup the bundle.

[upnorthsox]

I think it's safe to say that Sony very much underestimated demand, luckily for them they launched in September so they have time to recover supplies for the holiday season. If they launched in November with the same supplies they'd be f__ked.

[NavNucST3]

Originally Posted by Arwin

Another Dance Central movie, being played in a Best Buy.

Be sure to keep watching until the freestyle bit comes up though ...

[yt dancecentral /yt]

Every time I see Dance Central I think the naysayers will be surprised come this holiday with sales numbers for Kinect and select titles.

Now all MSFT needs to develop in concert with another publisher is a kiosk that encourages people to try it using the Kinect featureset as an almost "self-aware" kiosk.

Customer walks by the kiosk
Kinect: Hey, you!
Customer: [looks at kiosk]
Kinect: Yes, you! (Kinect displays the video of the person looking at the kiosk)
Kinect: Just wave at me to give me a try!
Customer: [waves]
Kinect: Are you ready to get your dance on or would you rather have an adventure?
Kinect: [on screen prompt] Say "Dance" or Say "Adventure"
Customer: Dance
[Dance Central loads]

Sure there are a slew of problems with the above scenario but it does incorporate many of Kinects selling points.

[patsu]

I read it only sold out in some areas. In others, there are still plenty left. Still a good start though. Hope Sony keeps rolling out innovative services and integrate them together.

[patsu]

http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2010/09/...voice-control/

The WSJ is reporting that Google TV will include voice control courtesy of Google’s speech recognition technology — the same that powers Android on handsets. No word on how far the integration will go, but a Google product manager says one will be able to change channels just using their voice. I’m guessing the process will work similarly to Voice Actions for Android (demo below). Now the big question is: Will there be any other input devices, other than an Android handset, that can take voice commands?

The demo clip looks awesome. In real use so far, it's much less smooth for me (Threw my phone at the passenger seat one time coz it kept recognizing the wrong words ). Nonetheless, it'd be a good secondary input for the living room. IMHO, it's the UI framework that has the most value (e.g., ability to paste spoken text into any edit field, applications can add "verbs" to the UI input module).

If MS optimizes the experience for Kinect mic, then it should be one step up from holding up a cellphone, or speaking into the cell phone in speaker phone mode.