"Near mode" Kinect for Windows priced, dated

By Robert Purchese Published 10 January, 2012

A possible feature of Kinect 2?

Kinect officially comes to Windows operated PCs on 1st February, and will cost $249.

Kinect for Windows will not be compatible with Xbox 360s. That's because Kinect for Windows has firmware that can do more.

The most attractive Kinect for Windows feature is a near mode, which allows the camera to be used as close as 50cm away.

Will this be a feature of Kinect 2 - the second generation of the device rumoured to be so powerful it can lip read?

Kinect for Windows also bundles the software development kit (SDK) and runtime, so buyers can commercially make their own apps for the camera.

Many boffins have already tinkered non-commercially with Kinect using the Xbox 360 camera. This won't be allowed when the Kinect for Windows launches. But those Kinect PC apps that exist already will be allowed to live on - Microsoft has extended the beta SDK licence for them to 16th June 2016.

Students will be able to buy a cut-price Kinect camera for Windows later this year at a special academic price of $149.

Sesame Street Kinect TV was demoed last night at CES 2012.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 4 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AGBear #1 5 months ago

    Only Microsoft would bundle the same product with different firmware at a higher price. Ladies and gentlemen, start your (firmware) flashing...

  • arcam #2 5 months ago

    I like the idea, but even after it's been out a year on Xbox I still don't know exactly what I'd use it for.

  • andisart #3 5 months ago

    hefty price point

  • Mogwha #4 5 months ago

    Kinect should have had a 'near mode' from launch. Kinect is useless if there is more then 2 people in the room too.

  • Doctor_What #5 5 months ago

    @Mogwha That would have been good, true, but the Spectrum would have been better with larger emory and multi-core processors... Some tech just takes time to develop.

  • Moonprince #6 5 months ago

    250? Makes you wonder how much the next xbox will be if this is the price of kinect alone...
    Edited by Moonprince at 10/01/12 @ 11:30

  • CamelCarcass #7 5 months ago

    Wait, we can't use the existing kinect sensor we paid £150 quid for?
    Are they fucking serious?!

  • Machetazo #8 5 months ago

    More to mull that Kinect was rushed out, and soon they'll want people to buy the complete version.

  • Dizzy #9 5 months ago

    Only Microsoft would bundle the same product with different firmware at a higher price. Ladies and gentlemen, start your (firmware) flashing...
    True... Sony would charge more and remove hardware :)

  • Dave52 #10 5 months ago

    Is this just for gaming on a PC, or are there some other benefits I'm missing...?

  • LOLLERS #11 5 months ago

    'Near Mode' is a potential solution for decent head-tracking in racing games... and also for making Kinect work better in UK-sized living rooms.

  • el_pollo_diablo #12 5 months ago

    So it's a webcam then?

    /troll

  • LazyDan #13 5 months ago

    Pay Microsoft a lot to do their R&D for them. Great deal.

  • arcam #14 5 months ago

    @Dave52 Gmail!

    https://mail.google.com/mail/help/motion.html

  • GiarcYekrub #15 5 months ago

    Many boffins have already tinkered non-commercially with Kinect using the Xbox 360 camera. This won't be allowed when the Kinect for Windows launches
    Well there goes my interest

  • jetsetwillie #16 5 months ago

    standard internet disgust and hate aside im really quite interested to see what the PC community dreams up for kinect. could be pretty cool....

    ... dam it!! their i go being optimistic on the internet again...

  • JodaCast #17 5 months ago

    I dont think "Near Mode" means you can stand closer to use it and therefore all Xbox Kinects should have it (I could be wrong). Near Mode is probably for use at a desk, seeing as most Windows users will be sat directly in front of a monitor. It might allow for more detailed hand/finger tracking or head/eye tracking that isn't possible when a user is standing playing games.

  • Dave52 #18 5 months ago

    @arcam - Brilliant...!

  • oupe #19 5 months ago

    This means it will probably cost 250,-
    I can't see it succeeding at that price point.

  • weebl #20 5 months ago

    @Moonprince @CamelCarcass The videogame industry sells hardware for a loss in the hopes that software sales will return the difference. This is obviously being sold at manufacturing cost plus a markup.

  • 32768Colours #21 5 months ago

    The most attractive Kinect for Windows feature is a near mode, which allows the camera to be used as close as 50cm away.
    A camera that can see things close up?!

    Welcome to the World of Tomorrow!!!

  • Rusty_M #22 5 months ago

    So I could end up with 1 kinect for my xbox and another for my PC? I'd rather just shift one between the two.

    I think Kinect is great tech, but as yet I've not seen anything I want to use it with, although I suppose it could replace TrackIR.

  • Darren #23 5 months ago

    Still don't want Kinect even for my PC. The camera is too big and ugly for starters. I predict that Kinect will almost certainly bomb on the PC at that pricepoint.

  • coolbritannia #24 5 months ago

    I play Dance Central.

  • mrbandersnatch #25 5 months ago

    AFAIK the hardware limitations with open source drivers for the current Kinect limit the usage to 50cm, hence I'm wondering what the difference here is!

    I won't be surprised in the slightest if this all comes down to drivers and licensing and the actual hardware is no different between and Xbox and Windows Kinect.

  • FogHeart #26 5 months ago

    Remember that the front end for Windows 8 will be the tile-based Metro that XBoxers have used on their dash, so it lends itself well to Kinect. You'd scroll and select much as you do on your 360, but at a desk. People with home theatre PCs will probably use the 'long range' Kinect to scroll around video/music collections and operate the EPG.

  • persus-9 #27 5 months ago

    So I could buy a Kinect and be able to tinker about with it on PC and play xbox 360 games with it or I could buy PC Kinect for more money and be able to tinker about with it on my PC without standing up whenever I wanted to use it. I don't think there is much chance of a significant install base building up at the price point so I can't imagine we'll see many, if any, professional programs on PC. Neither option sounds that great to be honest. I think in spite of the student discount I'll just wait till Kinect 2 comes out and see what that brings.

  • MonkeyMagik #28 5 months ago

    Everyone's missing the point with this. This is designed for software developers, not for the general public to play games e.t.c. on their PC. The article above says "Kinect for Windows also bundles the software development kit (SDK) and runtime, so buyers can commercially make their own apps for the camera"

    Thats why it's $250

  • persus-9 #29 5 months ago

    @MonkeyMagik But without an install base for that device who is going to bother to make anything for it? Only the hobbyists. Sure this is a dev tool but it is also the only version of itself available that is completely compatible with the software made on it so it is also the product needed to run the things made. I think they're aiming this at hobbyists. Perhaps they'll release a consumer version alongside Windows 8 at a lower price point without the SDK and this dev kit will then be a dev kit for something other than itself or perhaps they just don't have any faith on Kinect on PC.

  • Dave52 #30 5 months ago

    @jennymaynard01 - But does she utilize Windows Kinect...?

  • DrStrangelove #31 5 months ago

    I think Kinect is pretty useless for gaming (except dancing games), but I believe as an additional computer interface its possibilities are immense. Think of professional use for 3D software like CAD or molecule modeling, for example. I'm not sure how they will be affected, but I'm confident they will. I suppose that goes for much more I don't even think of now, but generally I think Kinect has a much greater use with a PC than with a gaming console.

    Sure, there's been Kinect-hacking before, but a mass market product will undoubtedly push forward software development.

    One possible application that imo is going to be used quite a lot (also for FPS games, I suppose), is perspective head-tracking. That alone would change a lot.

  • altitude2k #32 5 months ago

    Regarding the price, Microsoft made the very good point that the Kinect for 360 hardware pricepoint is offset by the sale of games. There is no such income for Kinect for Windows, so why should the game buyers subsidise those users who don't buy the games?

  • kassmageant #33 5 months ago

    ( looking with at my kinect after reading that article) - " why did i bought you, exactly?"

    if MS will keep up this attitude - i think i will go with wii U, at least they are clear it will be GAMING CONSOLE
    Edited by kassmageant at 10/01/12 @ 16:29

  • trebellk #34 5 months ago

    @Kass and the 360 has no games because there is a PC Kinect now how?

    Bloody thing is flooded with games.

    and yep, good idea to get WiiU. New consoles are always great.

  • Lunatic4ever #35 5 months ago

    $249 !!!! WHAT THE FUCK? IS THIS A JOKE!?!?!?!

    they will never ever get away with this

  • Lunatic4ever #36 5 months ago

    @kassmageant

    dude...seriously look over your text every once a while before u post it..

  • drhickman1983 #37 4 months ago

    "Near Mode is probably for use at a desk, seeing as most Windows users will be sat directly in front of a monitor."

    Thing is, thats pretty much exactly what I need Kinect for the Xbox to do. My PC and Xbox share the same monitor, and I sit in the same place.

    That said, I'm still not convinced I'd bother with Kinect, but at least it would be viable for me.

  • kevcampbell #38 4 months ago

    @kassmageant gaming console, or ebook reader haha