Microsoft gets Kinect ready for the PC

During Microsoft's keynote at CES this year, Ballmer mentioned that the company would be bringing support for the Xbox 360 motion controller, Kinect, to PCs "in the right time." This comes in response partly, and following the multitude of Kinect hacks that have brought Kinect to Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. Earlier this month, Microsoft have looked into working Kinect in with Windows Phone 7, and merging the device into existing and future products to come out of Redmond. In terms of official support, that is all that has really been talked about so far, until mentioned recently by WinRumors. Microsoft is understood to be creating a Kinect SDK, and releasing official drivers for Windows which will be unveiled in a few months to finally allow letting people work with it officially and begin developing titles for the device on Windows. Sources familiar with the plans say that the drivers will be released with the XNA "Community Technical Preview" with a beta tag. The company is also expected to introduce motion control features in the next edition of their operating system, Windows 8. Microsoft have purchased 3D gesture company Canesta and 3DV systems which all deal in 3D gesture controls. Early in 2010, Windows 8 product slides were leaked showing new features including potential Kinect integration. With Microsoft taking such a huge jump into this technology, it only makes sense that the company is looking for methods to incorporate this into existing and future products as they explore the realms of touch and gesture-based computing.

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