Skip to main content

Kinect will come to PCs, says Microsoft CEO

microsoft-bbc-steve-ballmer-on-kinect-for-pc
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With all of the Xbox Kinect modding going on and Microsoft’s new menu-gesture updates to Kinect for Xbox, we’ve been wondering if Microsoft has any plans to open the Kinect motion camera up to PCs and other devices. Until now, the answer has been “no comment.” For the last two days, I’ve been asking Microsoft executives and employees at CES if they knew anything about this and the answer has always been, that it sounds like a cool idea but there are no plans at this time. Well, the BBC finally got a confirmation from the big man himself, CEO Steve Ballmer.

When asked by the BBC if the company has any plans to bring Kinect to PCs, Ballmer said it will happen, in time. “We’ll support that in a formal way at the right time and when we have an announcement to make, we’ll make it.”

Ballmer also spoke a bit about where Kinect is already heading: “Well we certainly started it out with Xbox, very focused in on gaming and we’re the number one game console in a lot of countries and at this stage we’re very happy about that. We’re trying to do two major things though: we’re trying to move beyond gaming to include the world of socialization, movies, TV, music, and we’re trying to make the whole experience accessible to everybody in the family, not just the traditional gamer.”

Do you want to make motion gestures or speak to play games and navigate menus on your PC or other products? Microsoft is certainly trying something new with Kinect. It will be interesting how they capitalize on the buzz from here.

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, Surface Pro 9 heavily discounted today
The Surface Pro 9 in laptop mode on a table.

Microsoft's Surface devices are well known for their versatility and performance, but they command premium prices. That's why there's always high demand for Surface Laptop and Surface Pro deals, as who doesn't want to enjoy a discount when making a huge investment? If you're interested, Best Buy is offering the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 at $300 off, which brings its price down to $1,000 from $1,300, and the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 at $540 off, which lowers its price also to $1,000 from $1,540, ahead of the arrival of the consumer versions of the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. You need to push through with your transaction as soon as possible if either of these bargains caught your attention, as we're not sure how much time is remaining before they disappear.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 -- $1,000, was $1,300

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is a traditional Windows 11 laptop that's powered by the 12th-generation Intel Core i5 Evo processor, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 8GB of RAM. It won't match up to the performance of the best laptops, but it's going to be more than enough to handle daily tasks for work or school. The laptop features a 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen with vibrant colors and sharp details, a battery that can last up to 18 hours on a single charge, and a 512GB SSD that provides ample storage space for your files. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 also comes with a 720p webcam and dual far-field Studio Mics for clear video calls.

Read more
The best MacBook to buy in 2024
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

Now that Apple has started outfitting its laptops with its M3 generation of chips, it's time to take another look at which is the best MacBook to buy in 2024. That’s not always easy, though, as buying the newest MacBook isn’t always the right decision. Apple has several tiers of performance, as well as various sizes, which can further complicate the matter.

What’s more, you can also still get M1 and M2 MacBooks, some from Apple’s own website and some from third-party retailers. But are they still worth your money? Our guide should help you decide.

Read more
9 best laptops of 2024: tested and reviewed
The MacBook Air on a white table.

To earn the crown as the best laptop in 2024, a device needs to have it all: gorgeous design, killer performance, a productive keyboard, long-lasting battery life, and much more.

Each of the laptops below has been vetted thoroughly by Digital Trends. Whether it's an affordable Chromebook or a top-of-the-line gaming laptop, they've all been subjected to real-world testing, as well as benchmark and battery tests, to collect enough data to objectively pit them against each other.

Read more