Kinect

If you've been jonesing for some bling to add atop your entertainment center, then you can rest a little easier tonight knowing that this blue Swarovski-studded Xbox 360 Kinect sensor of your dreams is about to become reality.

Hand-crafted and outfitted with over six thousand crystals, this fancy-pants sensor was commissioned by Microsoft for none other than Kylie Minogue for her upcoming Aphrodite: Les Folies European tour. Microsoft and Kylie Minogue an unlikely paring? I don't think so. You see, this piece will go quite well with the studded Lips mics we saw a while back. Plus, you can sing and dance along with Kylie in Dance Central. All you need now is a spotlight.

It looks like at least one of the predicted tech trends for 2011 might be coming true. Today, during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer detailed updates to Windows Phone 7, parts of which users can expect to see next month.

Announced features include Internet Explorer 9 for faster browsing, multitasking, and built-in Twitter integration. But arguably the most exciting announcement is that the phones will connect with the Kinect, serving as a kind of controller for the device. Details are still sketchy, but based on the demonstration, the Kinect will be able to detect players using Windows phones and allow them to use the phones as controllers to enhance the game. The phone's screen will also display game play, adding another level of interactivity. No official date was announced for this functionality.

These updates, plus the recent announcement that Nokia would be ditching its own software in favor of Microsoft's mobile OS in its phones by the end of the year, could signal that 2011 is the year of the Windows Phone.

It's safe to say that the Kinect is the must-have gift this holiday, but it looks like there might be some disappointed faces come Christmas. Don Mattrick, the president of Microsoft's Xbox business unit, told audience members at the Web 2.0 Summit that if they want a Kinect in time for Christmas, they need to buy one within the week. Don speculates that at the rate Kinects are currently flying off shelves, there won't be any left by the time Christmas rolls around.

Microsoft moved one million Kinects in under two weeks and is projecting to sell five million by year's end. A quick look around the web shows that it's currently sold out online at GameStop, Amazon, Target, and BestBuy. Is this the equivalent of the Cabbage Patch Kid craze of the '80s or more recently, the great Wii shortage of 2007?

Microsoft's Kinect hit the streets this past week amid glowing reviews and excited fans. However, the system, which allows you to use your body to control the games, has hit a bit of a snag: similar to the so-called "racist HP webcams," GameSpot reported accuracy and facial recognition problems when darker-skinned users were playing and testing the Kinect.

Not so, says Consumer Reports, who debunked the claims, citing low lighting levels as the cause of the issues. I mentioned in my review that low light situations could cause sensor hiccups, as you need sufficient light for the sensor to read your face and motions. Want some tips on how to optimize your play area when using the Kinect? Then just keep reading.

Welcome to part two of my Kinect review, where we take a gander at some of the available games for the Kinect system. I was able to test out a half dozen during my time with the Kinect, so let's dive right in as I take you through what each game is about and rate them to help you decide if they're worth your dough.

Kinect Adventures
Coming stocked with every Kinect bundle, you're going to kick off your Kinect experience on the right foot. Fun challenges have you moving your feet (and body!) side to side to avoid obstacles, rafting down a river, jumping up and down, and all in all, having a fantastic time doing it. This game is a blast — no wonder everyone is getting a copy!

Hear about the rest of the games after the break.

While testing out the Microsoft Kinect system this past week, there was one thing that kept running through my mind: Leonardo DiCaprio's breakdown scene in The Aviator (stick with me here). Unlike Howard Hughes, I don't have a crippling case of OCD, but I do think that the Kinect system is "the way of the future." Think about it — just a few short years ago, the Wii broke serious ground in the motion control arena, followed by the glowing remote of the PlayStation Move, but taking leaps and bounds ahead of that is the Kinect, which uses no controllers at all. Sure, some serious gamers will say that controller-less games are a fallacy and may be no more than a baby's toy. OK, fine. But here's something — maybe there's room for both.

The Xbox 360 has always kinda been known as "the gamers' console". There are plenty of games for hardcore gamers to choose from, and access to Xbox Live to play online with your friends makes it social, but really, the Kinect allows the Xbox to be the best of both worlds, fluffy and edgy, at the same time. It's obvious that Microsoft is targeting the "nongamer" for this system, as it's been featured on shows like Oprah and Ellen, and I believe that it will open up a huge market for Microsoft to tap into.

Find out more about the Kinect, along with the rest of my review after the break.

Oprah has been extra awesome in her last season, already sending an entire audience to Australia along with a brand new Motorola Defy. During yesterday's show, she got a demo of the Kinect system, then sent each audience member home with one of their own.

I'm already looking forward to the Kinect's ability to shape my bod, but there's a ton of other games that will be Kinect-compatible soon, as well. Check out Oprah's audience after they find out they're all getting a Kinect and an Xbox 360 in the video after the break.