Kinect for Windows v2 Release, Sensor, Price: Device Available for Pre-Order; No Xbox Needed
Soon PC users will be able to add a Kinect 2.0 device to their computers, and they won't need an Xbox One to use it.
Microsoft's website is selling the Kinect 2.0 standalone devices for $199 starting July 15. They are already available for pre-order. An Xbox One with Kinect adds only $100 to the price of the Xbox One.
The release of the Kinect 2.0 for Windows is geared at developers looking to create interactive software and games.
Microsoft said that the Kinect device offers "more of the precision, responsiveness, and intuitive capabilities they need to develop interactive voice- and gesture-based applications for the Windows desktop and Windows Store."
No software is included with the Kinect for Windows v2 Sensor -- that is licensed separately. Developers hoping to take advantage of the interactive features that Kinect offers will be responsible for installing Kinect for Windows SDK 2.0.
Currently, there is no way to buy a standalone Kinect device for the Xbox One. When Microsoft slashed the price of the Xbox One by $100, they took away the Kinect. The only way to get an Xbox One with Kinect is to purchase one with it pre-installed.
The Kinect 2.0 includes a newer 1080p main camera with a wider-angle lens, better depth-sensing capabilities and the capability to track more bodies in one frame.
Developers will find it easy to access publishing apps in the Windows Store.
When Kinect first came about for the Xbox 360, Microsoft took advantage of interactive games that had game players mimic movements on the screen. Lately, less games for the Xbox One are using Kinect.
It'll be interesting what kind of interactive software developers can come up with using Kinect 2.0. PC users will soon find out.
What do you think about the Kinect 2.0 standalone device? Do you think it will improve the computing experience for PCs? Leave a comment below.
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