Interesting that Sony and Ninty only looked at it for the gaming potential, it seems, whereas MS saw its potential in much more than gaming. So was willing to invest in the tech because of the possibility of an application well beyond the gaming console. It helps that it's got a virtual monopoly on PS OSs to it is an easy thing to put Natal drivers into PCs and get all sorts of potential that way.
If you wanted to be uncharitable you could say Sony and Ninty were short sighted. But a less judgemental assessment is to say that Ninty and Sony were narrowly focussed.
Just wait, the PS Eye 3.0 will be a binocular camera using some tech that isn't a patent held by MS, and Ninty will put camera functionality into a home console system in the future too.
I do think MS divorced itself from a device in the hand motion control before the mass market is truly ready for it. So without necessarily implementing a handheld device with the same features as a Wiimote or Move there could be a one handed device with buttons and analog stick introduced for Natal at some point.
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix
