Kinect a sign of things to come

When Microsoft first announced its motion-based interface two years ago, the company pitched a grandiose vision of a controller-free future in gaming.

Along with a launch game lineup aimed largely toward the casual crowd (read: Wii owners), the team showcased innovative features such as scanning real life objects, interacting with a virtual boy named Milo and the ability to play previously released titles without a controller.

Setting up a Kinect unit is incredibly easy, just connect the power supply's USB cable into your 360, then plug the Kinect's USB connector into a port branching from the power supply cable and you're set. Contrary to some premature reports, you're free to sit during controller-free menu navigation.

Kinect offers a separate dashboard for Kinect compatible features displayed in a series of panels. You can navigate these panels using your hands or via voice commands, both of which felt responsive.

Prior to any voice command you have to say "Xbox" and then follow the simple on-screen prompts. Voice commands only work on the surface level of the Kinect menu, so once you're in the Avatar Editor or achievements menus, you're limited to hand commands.

The Kinect picked up my voice commands even at a mere whisper, so there's no need to yell.

Both hand and voice commands were very intuitive and responsive under different sound and lighting conditions, giving us a glimpse of what could very well become a standard option in future consoles for menu navigation.

We can't make one blanket statement as to how well Kinect works with games, as you must consider it on a case-by-case basis.

Kinect's spatial requirement also needs to be considered. Unlike other motion control offerings that simply register arm movements, Kinect can scan your body, whether you're running, jumping, squatting, doing sit-ups or lying down. You just need a substantial amount of room to do so.

Kinect is an impressive piece of technology that has a high ceiling for growth. Even though the controller-free experience takes getting used to, it's a bold step into the future worth a closer look.

This story was originally published November 12, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Kinect a sign of things to come."