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...

Apple's hardware + Google's software = The Holy Grail

Not to get religious or anything with the title, but the combination of both Apple's hardware and Google's Android software would make one stop and admire for a moment, the sheer marvel of such a creation. It would almost be like some untold, unseen relic emerging from the ashes of the "smartphone wars" unscathed, like a thing of true beauty. Or maybe I'm just thinking too far outside the box...


Imagine, though, for a moment, that Google and Apple collaborated on such an effort to bring forth the "ultimate" phone. Google tried (and failed, might I add) with the Nexus One. They thought they could capture what Apple had done with the iPhone hardware and add their thing of beauty Android 2.2 (Eclair) software to the mix and have a hands-down winner. They might have done just that, had they not followed Apple's mistake with the ordering and activation process - to a complete and miserable tee. However, try as hard as they could, Google could not find the "perfect" hardware to showcase Android's technical prowess. Even the Droid family of phones doesn't have the complete hardware package to take the iPhone 4 head-on. Even with the "integrity issues" of antenna quality, the iPhone 4 is still the reigning king of hardware. You may disagree, but numbers don't lie. Apple is seeing quite a large number of activations with the iPhone 4 (as we all may remember, the activation mishaps that happened on pre-launch day, June 15). Google's Android OS, however, is steadily ascending the ladder of success and already more than nipping at Apple's heels - it's already amputating iOS 4's legs with a foaming, rabid mouth. Now, with a collaborative effort of Android's OS (especially with the forthcoming Gingerbread, set to bring even more to the Android offering table) and Apple's technical hardware expertise, the "ultimate" phone would be brought forth in a blaze of glory. What would it be called? Does it even matter? What's for certain is it would probably bring about a hailstorm of antitrust allegations and be the hottest device since the second generation iPod. It would have the radiance of a "retina display" and Apple's A4 technology, along with the sturdy casing we've all come to know and love (minus the antenna issues, of course - since Apple would probably have that all sorted out by this time, anyway) with the technical elegance of the Android OS.


Would this device ever come to fruition? Probably not. In fact, I know it won't. One, because of antitrust allegations that neither company would want to spend countless dollars on battling and two, each company stands to make more money from competition than from a collaborative effort. Still, doesn't hurt to dream of an "iPhone" with Google Maps Navigation sitting on a car dashboard. A man can dream...

Un-Googling Android = Bad News for Everyone

Apparently, Verizon inked a deal to have Bing replace Google as the default engine in the new Samsung Fascinate smartphone. If remembered correctly, Google is the daddy of Android and, thus, removing Google as the search engine is like castrating a father before he can hatch offspring. Does this make sense? No. It doesn't. It's corporate politics and it's another classic example of "bloatware" that infected so many Dell, HP/Compaq, etc. computers throughout the '90s and the early 21st century. Now, where the computer manufacturers are no longer gaining as much revenue and ad space through home computers, the cell phone carriers and cell phone manufacturers are vying for control over the mobile space through questionable actions - such as replacing Google with Bing on a smartphone.


What will this prove? Hopefully, this will prove that customers and consumers can vote with their wallets and let it be known that if Android is the operating system of choice (which polls keep pointing toward, what with their recent upshot past iOS), then that means ALL Google services are wanted with the device - not just the services the carriers "feel" are best for us, in general. Verizon has already been practicing this with BlackBerry devices, but RIM is a company on the fence - they have no stake in any advertising or search operations. Google, however, has stake in both and they provide services and content for ease of use and a better overall customer experience. For instance, Verizon is rumored to be hindering or stopping Navigation services Google is offering for free through their Android software, in order to provide customers with pay-for options. Is this what we, as the consumers, have come to expect? Is this what we will continue to pay for? Hopefully, Google takes a page out of Apple's book and starts dictating terms a little harsher in the future - all Navigation services will be included, unrestricted and Google will not be replaced by Bing, a rival search engine. As a side note, Microsoft is already getting revenue from HTC for use of Sense UI, so when will it end? It seems as if Microsoft is becoming that annoying fly in the restaurant while you're trying to enjoy your porterhouse steak and potatoes au gratin.


The time to end these practices is now and we, as consumers, must vote with our voices and wallets. For those who want the full experience of Android, BlackBerry, and even webOS, must let it be known that anything less will not be tolerated.

New notifications for Apple need to happen. Yesterday.

Gaming has been prevalent on the iOS platform since Apple created the [Draconian] application process and, thus, the App Store. However, the most annoying part of gaming on the iOS platform, while using an iPhone, is the notification system that pops up an annoying box which you must act on upon view. A box that pops up dead center on your screen. A box that you cannot ignore. At all. The most recent arrival of the Netflix application stresses exactly how much Apple needs to revamp their notification system. Yesterday.

Imagine, you're watching a film or TV show - trying to catch up on a missed episode of The Office or sneaking in a little Paul Blart: Mall Cop while on lunch break at work - and right as you're in the middle of a good scene, someone sends you a text message. What is Apple's answer for this? Pop up a notification in the middle of your screen. You have no choice but to hit "Close", which will promptly close the pop-up, or "View", which will exit your current app (or, rather, switch - for those iOS 4-compatible apps) and enter into your Messages app. Currently, Netflix is not iOS4-compatible. You know what that means? Yup, you guessed it. You will have to restart the entire process all over again and sift through a slew of menu options because someone text you. Can you get upset at the person who sent you a message and expect them to know you were sneaking in a little TV time on your phone while on lunch break (or maybe while actually working, but don't worry, your secret is safe)? Sure. But that's not something Apple can help with. What can Apple help with, you ask? They can fix their notification system to something similar to Android or even webOS. Google and Palm get it. Why can't Apple? Why are they holding onto this cumbersome, annoying notification process? Who knows. What's definite is the consensus is growing against this system. Sure, we want to know who's texting us or emailing us or even leaving us comments on Facebook. What we don't want is to have another app intruded upon because Apple can't figure out a way to devise a method simliar to Google or Palm and have those notifications come up in a little bit of a less conspicuous way. We get it. Maybe soon, Apple will get it too.

RIM - what happened!?

The BlackBerry Torch. What was supposed to be the savior for RIM's ailing BlackBerry lineup and technology turned out to be so much of a flop in less than a month, amazon.com had to reduce the price by $100 to entice buyers. Will it be enough?

My guess is no. RIM failed to address the problems of BlackBerry OS 5 and put this pseudo-touch screen concept into a package almost as small as the Palm Pre. Only the Pre did it elegantly. And, honestly, the Pre doesn't have a whole helluva lot less horsepower under the hood than the Torch. What went wrong?

It seems apparent that RIM doesn't feel threatened, as of yet. The marketshare numbers put up by Apple with the iPhone and the various manufacturers under Google's Android haven't been enough to scare RIM into reality. Why? Perhaps because the name "BlackBerry" has become a staple in the corporate sector. Perhaps because Mike Lazaridis is tougher in his stubborn stance than a coffin nail. Either way, it would be wise for RIM to start taking notice of the revolution going on around them and start putting out a viable, quality product to compete in this marketplace. While the Torch may be a positive sign of things to come, hopefully it won't be too late for them. iPhone and Android already have enterprise features and these features are becoming more robust every day. RIM may soon find itself playing catch-up in a market it once dominated.

After all, let's not forget what happened to Palm...