Microsoft Readying Windows Kinect SDK [RUMOUR]

[Livin in a box]

Rumours are spreading that Microsoft is already working on the official SDK which would see Kinect functioning on Windows PCs, a development which Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer hinted at to the BBC during CES.

Speaking in a brief interview with BBC online tech program Click, Ballmer said that PC Kinect was something which Microsoft "will support...in a formal way in the right time". Now, speculative blog WinRumours believes it has evidence that that support may be closer than first thought.

WinRumours' information comes from an anonymous source, states that official drivers could be on the scene in as little as a few months, and are likely to be released in beta status as part of an XNA preview package to allow coders to facilitate the Kinect sensor into their programming.

Kinect has already been shown performing various tasks on Windows PCs as hackers have explored the device's potential, something which Microsoft have shown very little concern over - even pointing out that the platform was designed to be relatively open to allow this sort of tinkering. For the latest hacks and tricks which the tech community is pulling from Kinect, head over to the report at Digital Foundry, part of sister site Eurogamer.

This is something Microsoft has promised before and it would be strange to not see drivers become available for Kinect, especially considering all of the money they have spent on it recently.

 

[Terminator02]

this is old

Edit: what's ur source? i see the winrumours thing is new

 

[Delta517]

Is there really a need for these drivers?

We already got some.

 

[Livin in a box]

It's new info from CES that MS will be working on something. The concept of the news is old but the story itself is new, if you get me.

 

[Jamstruth]

Is there really a need for these drivers?

We already got some.

These are ones Microsoft can control. Then they can get onto the Opensource ones and say "We made some, you are now illegal"

 

[Livin in a box]

Edit: what's ur source? i see the winrumours thing is new

Can't post the source, sorry!

 

[Al_Yahud]

Besides the drivers, won't MSFT be coming out with a way to connect the Kinnect to a PC?

How is it connected to a PC now - there is no easy way?

 

[notmeanymore]

I have a feeling this will all be in the next version of XNA.

 

[GundamXXX]

Besides the drivers, won't MSFT be coming out with a way to connect the Kinnect to a PC?

How is it connected to a PC now - there is no easy way?

I dont know how its connected to the Xbox 360 but if its not by USB Im going to assume they will make an adapter for it and in the future sell it with the Kinect and/or seperatly

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Is there really a need for these drivers?

We already got some.

These are ones Microsoft can control. Then they can get onto the Opensource ones and say "We made some, you are now illegal"

No they can't. And MS love open source as long as it's a license that means they can use it no questions asked.