Microsoft Debuts Avatar Kinect for Xbox 360

Jan 092011
 

After getting an overwhelming response on the release on Xbox Kinect, Microsoft is here with another exciting feature for Xbox users. Steve Ballmer announced ‘Avatar Kinect’ at CES 2011 during Microsoft’s press briefing.

Microsoft's Ballmer delivers keynote at CES 2011

Steve Ballmer delivers keynote at CES 2011

Avatar Kinect is basically an Xbox 360 feature that allows users to act as their digital avatars on the screen using the Kinect for Xbox. It makes use of Xbox Kinect sensors to read the gestures and even the finer moments of smile and eyebrow. These gestures and motions are then replicated on the screen.

Avatar Kinect In Action (via Engadget)

Avatar Kinect In Action (via Engadget)

The idea is a superb, innovative one, you can hang up with friends on Avatar; join the virtual chatroom with other Kinect users over internet and much more. Microsoft describes the phenomena like this:

With Avatar Kinect, a player can invite up to seven friends to join them in one of 15 imaginative virtual environments to reflect their mood and inspire their conversations or performances. Arrive or leave sessions in style with unique animations like flying in with a jet pack, or snapping fingers to vanish. Players can also add cool animated and visual effects to creatively express their thought.

The Avatar Kinect is expected to be released this Spring, and the good thing is it would be available for free to all Xbox LIVE Gold members. Now that’s great, here is Avatar Kinect’s trailer to let you watch it in action!

Microsoft sold over 8 Million Kinect Sensors

Jan 052011
 

Steve Ballmer at CES just announced  that Microsoft sold 8 Million Kinect Sensors in first two months. Not only that but Microsoft also sold over 50 million XBox units world wide and outsold  PS3 and Wii for past 6 months in the United States. Way to go Microsoft?

avatar kinect

Microsoft also announced at CES today that Kinect will get “Avatar Kinect” which basically lets you use your avatar in motion.  Kinect at this point is a bit buggy when it comes to facial detection but over the time they are planning on fixing all the bugs.

Picture Credit: Engadget

2.5 Million Kinect Sensors Sold in Less Than a Month

Nov 302010
 

So Microsoft has always had the edge, so to speak, especially with new products and the way they market them. One of the newest products, which also happens to be the hottest “toy” of this holiday season, is the Microsoft Kinect. A camera sensor system that is compatible with your Xbox 360 that reads your every move and turns video games into a workout in short order.

image from kinectnow.com

Pushing almost 100,000 units per day since the system launched (according to CNN), the Kinect sensor has been a hit just about everywhere that it is for sale. The gaming system was a top performer for Target stores through the “Black Friday” shopping weekend. One of the best things about the new Kinect is that you do not have to be the top gamer in your family to use it. This gets the entire family off the couch and playing games much like the Wii did when it first came out. I feel the lack of better, more adult oriented games, has hurt the Wii, but that’s a perfect atmosphere for the Kinect.

Most reports are saying that the Kinect will be the hottest gift on this years Christmas lists and even Microsoft is confident in that saying they are on pace to sell almost 5 million units by the end of this holiday shopping season. The unit, only costing about $150, or $100 less than a Nintendo Wii, is not an expensive addition to your gaming system. As more and more game become available for the Kinect, I think you will see the popularity soar.

Since I haven’t really heard much about the Playstation Move and the Nintendo Wii is mearly just “getting by”, I think Microsoft has another winner on it’s hands. The fact that it was released just in time for Christmas I am sure was just all part of the plan.

Call Of Duty: Black Ops – Everything You Should Know About

Nov 062010
 

Call Of Duty: Black Ops game is almost out and we wanted to share some news what you should know about Black Ops.

When is official release date?

November 9th 2010

What kind of game is Call Of Duty: Black Ops?:

First-Person Shooter

Who will be able to play Black Ops?

Owners of PC (Windows), Play Station 3, Wii, Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS

What are the System Requirements for PC players?

Operating system Windows XP (32-bit) Windows Vista or Windows 7 (64-bit)
CPU Dualcore Intel 3 GHZ or AMD 6500+ Quadcore Intel 2.6 or AMD Phenom II 955
Memory 1 GB RAM 2 GB RAM
Graphics hardware GeForce 9800 GT / ATI X1900 with 256 MB VRAM – DirectX 9.0c DirectX GeForce GTX 260/ ATI Radeon HD 5800 with 512 MB VRAM – DirectX 10
Sound hardware DirectX 9.0c compliant Sound card

Where can I find official Video Trailer(s)?

YouTube Channel

Call of Duty: Black Ops Launch Trailer:

What is the url for official Call of Duty: Black Ops Website?

http://www.callofduty.com/blackops

Another cool Call of Duty: Black Ops  TV Commercial:

I know we should not trust WikiPedia but to be honest I found lots of information there including the Systems Requirements above.

Kinect New Controller for XBox 360

Jun 142010
 

Microsoft’s Controller-Free Game Device Official Name is ‘Kinect for Xbox 360’ as off 13 June 2010! The controller less input device which was previously known as Natal was giving its new name at a pre-E3 event. The have confirmed that ‘Kinect’ will be available for Retail in November!
Continue reading »

XBox 360 Will Support USB Flash Drives as Memory, Release Date April 6th

Mar 262010
 

xbox 360 usb storage support Major Nelson just announced that XBox 360 will support USB Flash drives which can be used as additional memory storage to save Games, Demos and Profiles. The good thing is that you can take that USB flash drive to another Xbox 360 and re-configure everything you had on your previous XBox 360.  This means that instead of buying extra hard drive for your XBox 360, you will be able to use your 32GB USB flash drive.

Release date for Xbox 360 update is April 6th.

Here are some key points:

  • You can have 2 devices connected to the console at a time, enabling up to 32GB of simultaneous storage.
  • The system won’t just configure the device once it is connected to the console. You’ll need to head to the memory area in system settings, select your USB Device, and choose from Configure Now (Format and Configure the Full Device), or Customize (you can choose how much memory you want configured for Xbox360 from the free space on the device.)
  • Enhanced memory management functions, so you’ll be able to have better control on what you want to copy or move between storage devices.

Checkout rest of the screenshots of Xbox 360 supporting USB Flash Drive via Flickr.

More via Major Nelson

Xbox Live on Windows Mobile in Development for 2010

Dec 302009
 

Xbox-360-Logo Got hint from few devs that Xbox Live will come to Windows Mobile Q1 2010. Currently what’s in development for Windows Mobile is to see which friends are online, Send Message with 140 characters (Same as Twitter)  and also to check on your status.

With Xbox Live App on Windows Mobile you will be able to send Tweets and update Facebook status. Basically nothing new as far as Twitter and Facebook, except that you can sign in to XBox Live account and pretty much talk to your friends.

There is a valid rumor going around tho, that Xbox Live games will be also incorporated with Windows Mobile but that’s just a rumor from Engadget

Tech Deals: Black Friday Ads Started Already?

Nov 072009
 

While some of you might wait for Black Friday Ads. Online stores already started today with great deals called Pre-Friday sale. Sites like Amazon , Walmart, Best Buy and KMart as of this morning they lowered prices on great tech stuff  and cloths.

Amazon in just two hours will take $100 off on Xbox 360 Arcade which brings it down to $199! (Link) Promocode will start at 12PM PST.

Walmart has also good deals which started at 7am this morning in-stores and online see this (Link) for more info. They are selling HP Laptop for $299 that’s with Windows 7 Premium!

If you really want to be aware of all the things going on before Black-Friday go to BFAds.net

Wish you happy shopping and remember to ask your self each time “Do I really need this?” I know some of you are hard core shopaholics.

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