14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just opened pre-orders for the Windows-compatible edition of the Xbox One Kinect sensor, set to be released on July 15.
The sensor is utilized in motion tracking, able to recognize people's natural movements and gestures, as well as follow voice commands, in order to provide a different kind of experience, in tandem with the Xbox One computer entertainment system.
The Xbox One Kinect 2.0 is priced at $200 / €147, which is a bit cheaper than the previous version of the sensor, as the Xbox 360 Kinect costs $250 / €184. The old sensor, however, does get a significant discount for students, which brings it down to $150 / €110. For now, the 2.0 edition of the product does not have such an offer available.
The rather expensive gadget does not ship with any software, and is instead designed to function with the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit 2.0, for which a license has to be separately acquired.
The clause does seem indicative of the fact the Windows-compatible version of the Xbox One Kinect is intended more for developers than for consumers.
The Kinect for Windows v2 Sensor will be released on July 15, 2014, and the Kinect for Windows Software Development Kit 2.0 will be available this month as a public beta.