By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Adinnieken on 30 April 2013
Edit Thread
Mmmfishtacos said:
Adinnieken said:
Jega said:

 With all the next-gen news blitz, I completely forgot about the importance of Kinect.

Here are my top 5 reasons why I think Kinect 2.0 will be the killer App for Xbox 720.

1.Kinect will make even multiplatform games better on Xbox 720.

PS4 camera. Is Sony trying to do some of what Kinect 2.0 will do with this device?

The fact that Sony is attempting to duplicate what Microsoft is doing with Kinect I think shows the importance of Kinect 2 with the Xbox 8.

However, that said.  I think Skype will be the killer app on Xbox 8.  That is until Illumiroom releases.

Why is Skype important?  With Skype, Xbox 8 becomes a communications hub.  I can do all the person-to-person communication I could do before with Xbox 360, but recieving incoming calls with friends.  So let's say I'm in a party chat with a group of friends, and one of our buddies calls.  Wiht Xbox 8 and Skype, my Xbox console can have my Skype number tied to it, so while I'm on the console I can answer.  If that's a phone-to-Skype call, I can just talk without anything but a verbal interaction.  However, if it's Skype-to-Skype call, I can have a window displaying the other party while they see me playing the a game. 

Let's say I'm getting home from school, and I'm talking to someone on Skype via my Windows Phone.  As I walk into the room, I can toss my call to the Xbox 8 with a flick of my finger, because the Xbox 8 is "always on", and sit down, and start talking to the person via the console.  Likewise, if I decide to go to my room, I can toss the call to my Surface tablet and continue the conversation as I walk around the house. 

As well, around Christmas, I can have my family sitting around the TV, and we can talk to my family members around the country.  As someone begins talking, Kinect will move the camera to focus on the person talking, all the while identifying any members of my family that have an account on my console so people know who they are.

That's why I think Skype will be the killer app.

You’re joking right? I mean really?  You do know that Sony has had a camera for years now. Way before Kinect was ever thought of. They showed many of the same demos MS hype during the e3 conference a few years back. It's just an upgraded eye. And skype will do nothing for the xbox or any other console for that matter. Hell it's on the vita now. 

What is similar between Kinect and the PS/3 Eye is they both have an RGB camera, they have built in mics, and they connect to USB.  Where they differ is much more significant than their similarities.  The depth sensor, the Infrared projector and detector, means Kinect can see true depth and movement.  Even with Kinect 1's low resolution.  The PS Eye in whatever form perceives depth, either through calculated geometry within a 2D image, or through the position of a colored ball on the Move controller. 

Kinect doesn't perceive depth.  It actually takes a physical "measurement" of the entire room and it's contents, including the gamer.   For example, Kinect can tell you the exact position of a person in a given space.  The PS Eye can't.  It can do a good job of approximating it, and with Move is nearly perfect in perceiving it, but it isn't perfect and with Move you can fool it by increasing or reducing the ball size.

But the PS Eye was so good at doing what Kinect can do that Sony implemented the Move controller.  I forgot about that.  And now they've added a second camera for stereoscopic detection.   So yeah, while you're right it can do something similar, it isn't quite as capable.  If it had been, Sony would have done something with it sooner.  Either to do something like the Move earlier or something like Kinect.  Instead, AS THEY HAVE SAID, the PS Eye didn't work well for what Microsoft did with Kinect so they didn't pursue it. 

You're entitled to your opinion regarding Skype, but my perception is that Microsoft will be making a big deal of it.  In fact, I will go so far as to say every Xbox LIVE subscription will include free Skype time.