Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are all determined to increase the longevity of their consoles, but all three companies are taking a very different approaches. Sony has added a motion controlling wand, and Nintendo is probably going to go with an HD version of their current hardware soon. But Microsoft is taking a different tack entirely. They've introduced minor upgrades to their hardware almost every year, but the next "big thing" is to do away with the controller entirely. At $150, Kinect, Microsoft's camera peripheral, may seem pricey, but the cost is comparable to buying all the hardware you need for multiplayer Move. And Nintendo's controller-plus-Nunchuck setup, even today, will still set you back about $60 per set. Kinect seems aimed squarely at a new, casual crowd: All of Microsoft's big-name titles this year (Fable, Halo, Alan Wake) are completely bereft of motion controls, and most of Kinect's launch titles are the type of cute, minigame collections you'd probably associate with Wii. But with unique camera integration, voice command capabilities, and strong third-party support, this surprisingly powerful piece of technology has definite potential. But is the system right for you? Here's a breakdown of Kinect's pros and cons: PROS: Kinect is casual friendly, so it's a great novelty to bring out at parties and family gatherings for "non-gamers." And the reworked menu navigation works pretty well too. Once the device is on, you can navigate to the Kinect hub, control movies, and move through any number of programs using just your voice. If you don't want to talk, you just wave your hand to bring up an on-screen cursor. Navigation is simple, intuitive, and pretty accurate; plus, it just feels futuristic to talk to your Xbox and have it respond, or wave your hands around Minority Report-style to manipulate things on screen. The hardware is high-quality as well. The camera auto-adjusts when you turn it on and boot into a game -- no fiddling or trying to twist the device to just the right angle. In-game snapshots are of good quality, and if you use the built-in chat, the camera will track your movements, zoom-in when you're alone, and even pan out automatically if someone else steps into frame. read full review here
