No.  Kinect 2 is significantly better than Kinect.  They aren't even comparable. 

Kinect used a passive infrared system, where an area is blanketted with IR light, and the temperature/strength of that light is measured to calculate the distance.  It's a technology that's fraught with peril, as it can easily be washed out in bright sunlight. 

Kinect 2 uses a passive infrared system, where a laser scans the room and depth and motion is measured based on the time it takes for the light (photons) to return from the surface it's shot at.  This is the same technology used by satellites to map the earth, it's called LIDAR.  Kinect 2 is so much better than Kinect, that it is possible for Kinect 2 to measure your heart rate.  In fact, it is possible for it to detect certain medical conditions as they're happening.

As to the capabilities of the microphone array, there has been a lot of work to improve it so it's even better than before.  My guess is that there will be more deonstrated about the improvements that have been made.  Some of these will be evident on Skype more so than anywhere else.

A great claim on the internet. But after owning a PS3 and told I will love the exclusives I cant disagree more. Not everyone liked the PS3 exclusive games as much as you think. Some were great while to many took focus away from control all the time. Tat became annoying and boring. To the point I havent even biought UC3 as I havent felt the need to. 2 just dragged waaaaayyyyy to much.

a) No, the spacial shift of the random speckle pattern is transformed into depth information (in the case of Kinect, with approximative formulaes, as the exact formulaes include triangular functions, and the processor in the PrimeSense was removed by MS late in the stage).

b) Kinect2 is a tof-camera. It uses a very short IR pulse (not a laser) and measures the time of flight of the photons (hence tof) that bounce back from whatever they get reflected. The heart thing has nothing to do whatsoever with the tof camera. The only medical condition Kinect2 would be able to detect is the condition when you are lying dead on the floor.

I don't consider them a fake audience.  I consider a fake audience to be a laugh track.

I think the Microsoft employees were there because this was an event not only for the press and a few developers, but for employees as well.  If Microsoft wanted to fill the venue with press or developers, they could have just invited more.  Instead, they wanted a venue where Xbox Team members could attend to see the presentation, as well as a small cadre of press and developers.

I don't consider them plants, I consider them actual audience members.  Though, someone definitely recognized that no applause was happening when people were expecting applause because the Microsoft employees began chiming in.  Prior to that they were just as quiet as everyone else.

The only thing that looked embarrassingly fake for me was that Skype call. :p

lol ok. They want to make sure it all goes to plan if anything. Who cares if the real thing is just as good.

And we all know that the original Kinect thing performed all the stuff just as was demoed in its reveal event. Oh..no...wait.....

lol U doubt sony's ability to pump out games from their studio.. and u really think MS new inexperienced studio will meet the deadline.. heck they didnt even have Forza 5 footage to show at the conference and Turn 10 is their most exprerienced. Lack of footage only prove the rumor that MS development is behind 6 months... good luck with ur 15 exclusive in one year! 

And the most famous one GT5 delay how much do u think delay was from  GT5 prologue to GT5 and now GT6 2007 to 2013 5 years 3 games wheres the delay?? every sony studio has been releasing games every two years on average and this is when they had one team to working on complex PS3 architecture. Sky is the limit on how fast they are going to do it with PS4 x86 architecture...

I dont believe i m even explaining  you sony's abilty to produce games. thats just common sense!! oh wait!! what m i saying? Ur more excited about the release time of the games on xbox one than the games themselves.  

And about Ryse! did i miss the part where they showed the footage and release date of the game.. but MS didnt even have a proper working Kinect at the conference...!

ok. Don't you sound smart and witty. I bet youll sleep good tonight.

Every corporation is guilty of this to some degree....on paper vs application. Whats important is that the application is as close to the on-paper as possible. I think it is still the case.

then which exclusive did u like.. and held ur "FOCUS" Halo? or Gears of war? or Forza? no wait halo? or fable or gears of war, or Halo!

Xbox go Home ur a dragggg