New Kinect For Windows Is Official, Arrives This Summer

It was near the tail end of last month when we first brought you word on the new Kinect for Windows v2 sensor, and boy are we glad to be at BUILD 2014 that was held in San Francisco, where the new Kinect for Windows v2 sensor as well as its SDK (software development kit) are tipped to arrive some time later this summer (folks living in the northern hemisphere, that is).

With the SDK, it would mean that developers are able to begin creating Windows Store apps using Kinect, making this a definite milestone. In fact, it has been a pretty common request from the developer community in order for Microsoft to roll out something that allows developers to build such apps, so we are pleased as punch that Microsoft has listened and responded appropriately. I guess one ought to be able to see the first fruits of such labor when summer rolls around.

The Kinect for Windows v2 has also been re-engineered, boasting major enhancements in color fidelity, video definition, field of view, depth perception, and skeletal tracking. As the end user, you might be more interested in the real world gains and changes, which would be greater overall precision, improved responsiveness, and intuitive capabilities that ought to make your voice and gesture experiences all the more fun. In fact, Kinect for Windows v2 will include 1080p HD video so that you can stand closer to the sensor, without requiring that much room space compared to its predecessor. [Press Release]

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: Kinect, Microsoft, Windows