Microsoft Kinect - Review

I was able to snag a Microsoft Kinect on launch day (thanks to an early Christmas gift from a few great individuals), so here's the breakdown of what is, isn't and what's believed to be happening in the future with this device.

First, the Microsoft Kinect is a wonder straight out of the box. From the first moments you see it start to pan up and down automatically to detect your signature and the floor to sensor-placement ratio to the moments where you start the play the included Kinect Adventures! and see the wonder of the sensor treating your entire body as a controller, it's all awe-inspiring and shows off the real technical prowess that Microsoft has put behind this controller sensor. It instills a sense of the Wii motion controls, only minus the need for an actual controller to hold in-hand to use in conjunction with the sensor. As for the technical aspect, this device hits the ground running and doesn't seem to slow down. Minor technical glitches occur infrequently - when calibration is occurring, the device sometimes is unable to detect the floor to sensor ratio and provides an error message to continue or stop and recalibrate - but these glitches do not hinder a great technical marvel.

Games. Any good console or gaming device will need good games to grow and thrive. Is the Kinect any different of this trend? Absolutely not. We've already seen what the Wii can be when great games are released (Resident Evil 4, Mario Galaxy and Mario Galaxy 2, etc.) and what can happen when bad games are released (almost any third party game since launch), and the same applies for Microsoft's Kinect device. Unfortunately, at release, not many games are available for this device, so it's tough to determine where Kinect stands, currently. As a double unfortunately, this writer has been unable to review the other games released for this device, so specific title reviews cannot be factored in here. However, the good news is it looks like these games have received great reviews from other outlets on the internet and should help to make this device better. Kinect Adventures! is a great starter game and definitely gives a great perception of how this device can be handled and will turn out.

Another cool feature of Kinect is the ability to navigate a special dashboard from within the Xbox 360 (aptly titled the Kinect Dashboard), which gives the user several different dashboard options, such as Kinect Chat and ESPN. Users can control the back and forth through the menu navigation through hand gestures or even voice commands via the built-in microphone. As a side point, the built-in microphone can also be used for Xbox LIVE chat communication - something that may or may not be used, depending on the user, but that is definitely welcome as an option. Foreseen are further abilities in dashboard navigation for Kinect, as this device seems to be built and ready for more commands and navigation, such as "On" and "Off" commands, more dashboard navigation and even the ability to control the Netflix application (as both Kinect and Netflix grow in popularity and expand their user bases, respectively).

Overall, Kinect is a great device and great things can be seen into the future for its expansion and user-interactivity. As of now, a few great titles are available and should be utilized, in order to get the full user experience. Will this device be something great? Microsoft is certainly banking on it - both their Windows Phone 7 campaigns and Kinect campaigns are costing them a cool $1 billion dollars. Time will tell, however, if Microsoft has a winner on its hands with great software titles and interactivity, or if it will be another Wii clone with lackluster titles that do not nearly make use of the technological prowess of the device. It definitely looks like the future could be bright for Kinect. Microsoft may have been struggling in the days of late with their mobile platforms and operating system and internet shares declining, but the Xbox 360 has proven to be their golden goose and Kinect may very well be another golden egg for them.

Galaxy Tab - iPad killer?

Hardly. That's the answer I can absolutely use when I think of the Galaxy Tab versus the iPad and if asked the question if the Galaxy Tab would beat the iPad in both sales and capabilities/technological prowess. The Galaxy Tab has several issues that I believe will hinder it in the long run.

See, Apple does market research. Extensively. And they offer products to the mass markets that they know will sell based on ideas and their extensive research. How is this proven? Just look at Mac sales, iPod, iPhone, etc. and try to dispute the point. Whether you love or hate Apple (or you're an in-betweener), Apple makes products that are built to sell and capture your attention, lovingly. Google has also captured some of this magic and assisted in development of a comparable mobile operating platform in Android. The mass public has basically spoken and have made their choice when it comes to the battling OSes: iOS vs. Android. However, Apple has a point when it comes to their technology and it was made recently in an earnings report call, which Steve Jobs sat in on. Mr. Jobs compared Android to iOS and noted the key difference is in the fragmentation: Android revisions and iterations will not always be available to all mobile devices utilizing Android, whereas iOS will always be available for any iPhone that the OS is made for (e.g. if the OS is designed to work with iPhone 3G, 3Gs, 4, etc. then it will work on any of those phones worldwide). The same concept applies for the iPad. The Galaxy Tab will not always receive the latest version of Android, though by the time future versions are no longer compatible, a newer, better piece of equipment and hardware will be made available, so this is really not too big of a deal. However, the second point is where things get really interesting and it is one that can only be taken head-on over time and with extensive developer support. iOS has a vast (emphasis on VAST) App Store market with a wealth of apps of all types that are both available for the iPad and the iPhone/iPod Touch. What this means is that the iPad has a multitude of options at its disposal when it comes to users installing and discovering new software to help them tackle certain daily tasks, projects, etc. Android does not have as extensive of a market available currently and, therefore, cannot directly compete with iOS in this regard. Users can always install third-party apps, but that isn't much of a plus, since the iPad can be "jailbroken", allowing users to install third-party apps at their convenience. Users will also have a tough time with their finger movements, as the Galaxy Tab is only 7" in diagonal measure, whereas the iPad is 10" - which makes the iPad an easier device to type on and handle more complex tasks without the need for squeezing your fingers together. You know a device isn't ready, finally, when even the company that designs and publishes the final revisions of the base operating system, Google, advises all companies working on tablets that would like to utilize Android to hold out until version 3.0 "Gingerbread", to ensure compatibility and full capabilities.

Will the Galaxy Tab make a splash and find a niche market to thrive and get people seeing how Android performs on a tablet device? Absolutely. Is it the iPad killer? Well, considering we're still waiting for that "iPhone killer", the answer is a definite "no". However, devices like this will keep Apple on their toes and promote innovation, which is beneficial for all consumers, no matter how you slice it.

Kinect vs. Move - Sony's Last Stand?

Microsoft is getting ready to release their Kinect peripheral add-on for the Xbox 360 console shortly (as in less than 2 days shortly) and attempt to re-revolutionize the gaming industry while using a similar platform to Nintendo, as used in the Wii - only minus the controller. Sony, on the other hand, is using a very similar architecture to Nintendo's Wii platform with the PlayStation Move. The move, using "wand" controllers, captures users' motion and actions using the Eye Tool and sensors within the "wands". Who will prevail in this battle? The answer might surprise you. Read on.

While Nintendo has no plans to cut the price of their Wii console anytime soon, Microsoft has both cut prices and released an updated iteration of their console to the mass markets. Sony, on the other hand, had previously released an updated version of their console in the PS3 "Slim" (which is a pretty misleading title, since there's really nothing slim about it..). However, Sony has no price cut in line for the PS3. Would it be necessary? My answer is yes. With Microsoft offering a lot more with their Xbox 360 - if nothing else were to be mentioned, just the fact that Xbox Live has over 5 million users worldwide with the membership being $49.99/year should be sufficient enough - Sony is already having a tough time clawing back the market share that Microsoft captured back in 2005-2006, prior to the PlayStation 3's launch. Basically put, Sony has been playing catch-up in a one-legged race and has not had much ground to stand on over the last several years. Microsoft's Kinect takes the innovation of wireless controlling to a whole new level - YOU are the controller. Sony felt it necessary to pseudo-borrow from Nintendo's approach and use almost the same algorithm they use, only make it wireless where the secondary controller does not have to be attached to the first controller. What is the end result? The same experience. Sony needed this time to shine and take brilliant ideas and turn them into solid platinum. What they ended up with is, at best, silver - a "move" they cannot afford in this losing battle (pun intended).

So, there you have it, folks. It looks as though Sony is singing its last hurrah. With the only games that fueled sales for a while (Uncharted and God of War) now fizzled away in popularity, the fates are twisting their heads in Microsoft's direction. Where Microsoft is becoming less relevant in the PC and mobile worlds, they are sitting pretty in a Julius Caesar-like position in the gaming realm. Sony's only hope now would be if they joined forces with the juggernaut of the mobile world - Apple, Inc. To tell you the truth, it doesn't seem too far-fetched of an idea and would benefit both companies. But, that's for another entry...