Thoughts about the Xbox Kinect

I said I would follow up with a post about the Microsoft Kinect, but Dave Michels beat me to it with a very comprehensive article about what this device might lead to for microsoft and software in general.  Check his article out on his blog pindropsoup.com

It's being reported that the device has outsold the iPad for the number of days its been on the market.  It helps that it makes a great gift, but then again the iPad is on a lot of people's wish list too.  What is certain is that the Kinect has exceeded a lot of people's expectations. 

Many people are saying the Kinect will change how we interact with computers, not just game consoles, and there is a hacker community hard at working making the Kinect do things that Microsoft never intended for it to do.  Drivers have been written for the PC, the Mac and Linux, it's been embedded in an R/C helicopter that can fly around obstacles because of it, and all sorts of new applications are being written for all sorts of crazy things beyond games for the Xbox.

Dave mentions in his article that some Microsoft people aren't happy that the device has been taken beyond the Xbox, but I've heard a different story.  I think that Microsoft gets that it is a great thing that people are coming up with new uses for what was supposed to be a high end toy.  I believe Microsoft themselves will take it beyond the living room if the Lync launch was any indication.

If you still aren't convinced, you have to watch this video.  The real magic is in the software, but still - this is amazing!