Microsoft unveils new controller

Microsoft unveils new controller

news.bbc.co.uk

Microsoft has unveiled its new control system for the Xbox 360, at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles.

Project Natal is a fully hands-free control system that will use face recognition and motion sensors to allow users to play games.

Film director Steven Spielberg, attending the launch, said it was "a window into what the future holds".

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wow - this is really scary stuff. Soon you wont be able to tell the difference between our reality and virtual reality. I wonder if you can get them to predict things and maybe even remind you of things to do.

I personally have kids and would find it a little strange if not disturbing seeing them talk to a virtual person. Whats wring with having an imaginary friend like the good old days...

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Totaly agree, people will lose their mind and their grip on reality..

i wonder which one is easier to manipulate and control:
a) a person with sense of reality or
b) a person that has lost it and doesn't know what is real and what is virtual.

reply to post by Next_Heap_With


They already have with losers blowing their brains out over the goings on in EverQuest and these excessively bookish types wearing helmets and capes around town to defend their D&D clans.

They're just crackheads without the crack.

it will fail, just like the eye toy died pretty quick. people want to be able to have a hands on experience.

i watched teh presentation on this yesterday, they had live demo's and its pretty amazing stuff, ive heard of motion control, but this is motion control that needs absolutely nothing except the sensor ... it total blew my mind as i was watching.

Word is, MS wants to change the name asap.

One definition of NATAL:

Of or relating to the buttocks.

Sounds like an interesting idea. I think this has a shot at going big. One thing you have to look for in something like this is who is making it. MS already has a good name in the console world and they have money to throw at this project. This new technology might seem scary at first but don't be scared, because like always the technology is going to come if we like it or not.

It might possibly fail. Why? Because it's Microsoft. The Xbox 360 is around $299. And the way MS prices it's accessories, like the Wi-Fi dongle for $99, or the 120GB drive for $180, you can expect this new "controller" to cost just as much, if not more than the console itself. Or, to appease everyone, MS will sell it at a retail of $298, so that no one can say it's more expensive than the console.
Aside from the dread that it may be overpriced upon release, the technology is amazing, and if it pans out, it will definitely give the Wii a run for it's money. But all of that is dependant on the quality of software that is developed for it. Systems live or die by their software/games. If they actually make good games, and not just gimmick games, then this thing could very likely destroy the Wii, and it could very likely usher in a new era of interactivity between humans and electronics on a consumer level.

I mean, imagine this technology for your computer. No peripherals. The possibilities are endless if MS pulls it off and fine tunes it. HAL as your desktop PC.

[edit on 2-6-2009 by Oreyeon]

This is extremely creepy....


If you think World of Warcraft and Everquest have made some hermit types, just think what your own "friend" would do.

reply to post by Sliick


imagine it though - she's being really nice to the AI - I can see kids going through bullying procedures and perverts trying it with kids online before going out to do their damage...this kind of thing could affect people mentally....

I, for one, welcome our new Microsoft overlords.

Sorry to be flippant; it can't always be helped.

...to elaborate...

I don't share any of your concerns. I think it's amazing technology and so long as the software isn't too gimmicky or linear, could end up being very interesting to interact with. We're starting to see interfaces like the 'minority report' come to life where the information being presented to you is a tangible object that you can truly interact with.

I think it's amazing, I can't wait to see where this technology goes.


[edit on 2-6-2009 by memoir]

This is some incerdible tech, but I agree that if it isn't used properly, then it could do serious damage. Imagine virtual tutors for your kids, imagine rather than teachers, a screen doing the teaching.

Seriously, this is revolutionary technology but it will cause alot of problems, I'm guessing we are going to have at least one generation of kids with little, to NO inter-personal skills.

Then again, we'll need shy, quiet and subdued population when all the loud mouths get wiped out, lol.

EMM

Hate ms, and i will stay away from there products if i can.

this is amazing!

Remember this?


This won't come anytime soon i'm suere

Originally posted by booda
reply to post by Sliick

 

imagine it though - she's being really nice to the AI - I can see kids going through bullying procedures and perverts trying it with kids online before going out to do their damage...this kind of thing could affect people mentally....

The technology could also help train kids on how to deal with bullying or perverts. Microsoft has some amazing technology around the corner

Originally posted by ModernAcademia
this is amazing!

Remember this?

This won't come anytime soon i'm suere

They used that to plan the Super Bowl's security So it has ALREADY been used in practice...and succeeded.

[edit on 3-6-2009 by yellowcard]