Microsoft has officially halted production of the Kinect

[Polycount]

The writing was on the wall for Microsoft's flagship motion control device and now, it's finally official: the company has ceased all production of the Kinect.

The Kinect may not have been the most popular console gaming peripheral in the world but it still managed to attract a sizable audience, selling roughly 35 million units over its nearly seven-year lifespan. In the realm of gaming motion controllers, the Kinect stood apart as an innovative piece of technology - nobody had seen anything quite like it when it launched in November 2010.

Microsoft's goals for the Kinect were admirable. The device was intended to get people up off the couch and moving around while largely eliminating the need to use a controller. Whether or not the tech giant accomplished that goal in the end remains a topic of much debate.

Though the Kinect has been the source of some controversy over the years, it would be irresponsible to call the device a complete failure. Indeed, Microsoft has undoubtedly learned valuable lessons about the pricing and marketing of their devices for the future.

But more importantly than that, while the Kinect itself may at long last be "dead," the tech within - and the minds that created it - will live on in other devices (Microsoft-owned or otherwise).

For example, Microsoft's own AR HoloLens headset was created by Kinect developer Alex Kipman and will be taking full advantage of its predecessor's depth-sensing technology. Additionally, some Windows-powered laptops are now beginning to ship with Microsoft's Windows Hello facial recognition technology, undoubtedly based on lessons the company learned from the Kinect.

Even Apple's upcoming iPhone X will use know-how from recently-acquired company PrimeSense (the original creators of the Kinect's tech) to power the phone's depth-sensing cameras.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/71577-microsoft-has-officially-halted-production-kinect.html

 

[amstech]

I remember using the Kinect to play bowling with my family at Thanksgiving a few years back. It was a nice reprieve from the Wii...no controllers or gizmo's and for a moment it seemed like it was going to take off/be successful.

Then reports come out of privacy violation. We find out Microsoft was using/could use it to spy on people and could basically used this highly advanced lens to 'collect data', information they can share with anyone they damn well please if you read the fineprint.

Bye bye Kinect and good riddance.
There are those of us who enjoy privacy, we use Android.
There are those of us who don't care to have privacy, they use Apple/Microsoft.

 

[nismo91]

Perhaps the most surprising use of kinect are in commercial sector. I have seen many exhibition shows and even modern museum features kinect to make "touch-less" interactive experience for visitors. so yeah, kinect was not a failure for sure. in fact I think MS should have made kinect 2.0 or a successor while waiting for the AR to be affordable and widespread.

 

[stewi0001]

The Kinect is actually fairly useful but Microsoft focused it on the wrong markets IMO.

2 things that I wanted to use it for are:
- 3D Scanner. Last time I tired it did not work for me but I know it is capable to.
- Motion capture for animation. On my vast search of the internet, I did come across some software that was capable of tracking multiple people but since this is not a profession for me, I did not buy it.

I have not gone looking around for alternative devices so I do not know what else is out there. I also know that the Kinect is not "the best" but it could be nice on the novice and intermediate levels.

 

[EClyde]

See, More stuff for the closet.

 

[Teko03]

There are those of us who enjoy privacy, we use Android.

Said no one ever. If Google had it their way, they'd have the word "privacy" removed from the dictionary. Google is the forefront of "always listening" and selling your data for money.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Kinect? Now that's a real blast from the past. I'd actually forgotten it once existed and I was surprised to read the name again because I would've assumed, had I even remembered it, it would've become extinct about a decade ago.

 

[Reehahs]

No body seen anything like it? Really? Sony Eye Toy camera had you karate chop ninjas without controllers since 2003 on PS2.

 

[Nobina]

I remember using the Kinect to play bowling with my family at Thanksgiving a few years back. It was a nice reprieve from the Wii...no controllers or gizmo's and for a moment it seemed like it was going to take off/be successful.

Then reports come out of privacy violation. We find out Microsoft was using/could use it to spy on people and could basically used this highly advanced lens to 'collect data', information they can share with anyone they damn well please if you read the fineprint.

Bye bye Kinect and good riddance.
There are those of us who enjoy privacy, we use Android.
There are those of us who don't care to have privacy, they use Apple/Microsoft.

Google is probably #1 privacy violator out of these 3. Unless you have custom ROM like LineageOS or similar without Gapps installed you are not secure from them at all.

 

[oldikes]

There are those of us who enjoy privacy, we use Android.

Google, out of all three companies, is by far the worst about respecting your privacy.

 

[LeroN]

I remember using the Kinect to play bowling with my family at Thanksgiving a few years back. It was a nice reprieve from the Wii...no controllers or gizmo's and for a moment it seemed like it was going to take off/be successful.

Then reports come out of privacy violation. We find out Microsoft was using/could use it to spy on people and could basically used this highly advanced lens to 'collect data', information they can share with anyone they damn well please if you read the fineprint.

Bye bye Kinect and good riddance.
There are those of us who enjoy privacy, we use Android.
There are those of us who don't care to have privacy, they use Apple/Microsoft.

With Android you have even less privacy than with Microsoft or Apple. Google share your privacy actively for third-party marketing and you agreed with it. You can use Windows 10 anonymously but try to use an Android device by same way.
No privacy today nowhere.

 

[amstech]

With Android you have even less privacy than with Microsoft or Apple. Google share your privacy actively for third-party marketing and you agreed with it. You can use Windows 10 anonymously but try to use an Android device by same way.
No privacy today nowhere.

You can turn of tracking with Android with a few quick apps and/or IP maskers, I use IPVanish.
With some add-ons for Google Chrome nothing gets tracked on my accounts either.
That's whats so great about their OS, the freedom to install/do what you wish.

Microsoft Windows 10, even with all the privacy stuff disabled still tracks your data/locations/activity. Apple tracks everything and there are no apps/options to truthfully hide from them.
If you know what your doing, the comparison of privacy is a no contest in favor of Google. There are plenty of online guides and walkthroughs that will teach you how to stay private.

Block ISP tracking for good with IPVanish VPN
There are several people here commenting about Google not being private...you guys need to be informed! ( I guess some of these apps/tweaks can be made to Windows based systems too )

 

[LeroN]

You can turn of tracking with Android with a few quick apps and/or IP maskers, I use IPVanish.

Once you use an Google account you are tractable. I have deal with marketing and see how it works. Google earns money but you can believe that hiding IP by programs saves your privacy. Once you connect a cell phone to Google it has a phone number and getting some additional information is easy peasy. All earn money in that symbiosis.
The best marketing specialist today is who can make people believe by any way that they are safe using a service.