14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just deployed its new Avatar Kinect application for Xbox 360 consoles equipped with the Kinect sensor, allowing owners of the two devices to engage in full 3D chats with friends as well as record videos, edit them, and then share the footage with others.
Microsoft promised that it isn't pushing owners of the Xbox 360 console to buy a Kinect, but it's been deploying lots of features that make use of the new sensor in order to turn it into a must-have addition to the regular Xbox experience.
We've already seen lots of games made for the new device, and Microsoft has previewed plenty of new services that will be released later this year for the Xbox 360 and Kinect.
Now, the company has finally deployed the Avatar Kinect application, which was presented earlier this year, as a new way to talk to friends through your Xbox 360 avatars, which will behave just like your own body, thanks to the tracking done by the Kinect.
"Express yourself with your Xbox avatar," Microsoft says. "See your facial expressions and gestures on your Xbox avatar as you chat with friends in our 3D stages and produce your own TV shows."
What's more, the Avatar Kinect application can also allow you to record, edit and then share footage of your antics online.
"The Kinect sensor can record your session with a producer's editorial eye, following your performance, zooming and panning, just like a real TV production. Share your video recording with friends by uploading it to KinectShare.com and downloading it to your computer, and from there, posting it to your favorite social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more."
Avatar Kinect is now available as part of the Kinect Fun Labs experience which sees new and interesting mini-games appear that make use of the Kinect.
The Avatar Kinect app is free to download, weighs in at 658.59 MB, and usually requires a Xbox Live Gold membership, but, in order to celebrate its release, everyone can try it out until September 8.