$400 Xbox Kinect bundle due November 4 in US

[Mojo Jojo]

From $400 Xbox Kinect bundle due November 4 in US | Tech Gear News - Betanews,

$400 Xbox Kinect bundle due November 4 in US

By Ed Oswald | Published September 8, 2010, 2:03 PM

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Microsoft has fired the first salvo in a battle for motion-sensing superiority that is sure to last through the holiday season. The Redmond company said Wednesday that it would introduce a Xbox 360 bundle that would include Kinect for $399.99 beginning November 4.

The console is Microsoft's redesigned 250GB Xbox 360 which retails on its own for $299.99. The company had announced in July that the Kinect system would be a $149.99 add-on, so buyers would save $50 on the bundle. Like the standalone Kinect offering, the game Kinect Adventures, would be included.

Preorders for the bundles are available at several retailers, including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target, and GameStop.

While the new offering would launch initially in the US, Microsoft said it planned to launch the bundle in Europe on November 10, and Japan on November 22. There may be an underlying reason for Redmond's decision to publicize its Japanese launch.

Xbox in the country has never managed to gain a strong foothold, finding itself a distant third to Nintendo's Wii, and second place Sony. Microsoft may believe the Wii-like Kinect may finally be able to generate interest in its flagship console.

Microsoft Japan entertainment and devices chief Takashi Sensui has even gone as far as to tell ABC News that Kinect will close the sales gap, and may even surpass them "eventually." It has a long way to go however, considering the console has only sold about 150,000 units for the entire year, far less than either of its rivals.

 

[meStevo]

I am pretty sure I've seen enough to pick this up on release... Sony's Move is out next week and I am still looking for an excuse to buy it.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I think I'll wait until Kinect is actually $100...

 

[meStevo]

Guessing that'd be middle of next year maybe at the earliest.

 

[Ramy]

I think I will pass all together. I rarely play the Wii now.

 

[Derwin0]

Microsoft sorta announces a $149 price tag

Kinect for Xbox 360 - Pre-order from Microsoft
Microsoft: Kinect price only an estimate - CNN.com

By Wednesday, the Kinect order form had been changed to make clear that the official price has still not been finalized.
"Official pricing has not been announced. $149.99 is an estimate only and subject to change," the site reads.

What I find disconcerting is this:

The controller is compatible with the Xbox 360, and Microsoft suggests 6 feet of space between the player and the television.

How many people have 6' between them and the TV set in the room where they play games?

 

[meStevo]

It's been that price for a while, that article is from June. They were probably wishy washy in case Sony tried to undercut the total price of their motion stuff by very much and then they didn't at all (Move may be cheaper, but really for the full experience you need 2 orbs)

 

[TheForce]

Derwin0 Hadn't heard about the 6 ft. distance. Just went to measure and my home theater is idea at 8 ft- 10 ft so standing my head will clear the overhead projector throw and not cast a shadow on the screen.

I had heard the $149 number and have budgeted for that. I already have the latest version of the 360. Any word how long the cable is from the Kinect to the XBOX console? I'll need a 17 ft run minimum. If just a USB, can extensions be used?

 

[meStevo]

I'd expect to be able to extend the USB, there's no other connections on the stock Xbox, note that if you don't have the newer model you'll need to power it too. If you have the newer model, will be harder/impossible to extend it, as they made a propriatary cable I think that powers and connects the device in 1 cable.

 

[Ramy]

The Kinect plug-in can plug into the USB or it also has a special plug on the new 360's too.

 

[cybok0]

You don't need the new Xbox for kinect?

 

[Ramy]

You don't need the new Xbox for kinect?

No you don't.

 

[Mojo Jojo]

Microsoft has a hit with Kinect Xbox 360 game controller

Please visit the link:
Microsoft has a hit with Kinect Xbox 360 game controller - USATODAY.com

 

[dont24]

What if someone buys a new 360 Kinect bundle. Can the sensor be used on older 360s? I know the standalone sensor has everything needed to hook-up to an old 360.

 

[meStevo]

The Kinect in the bundle doesn't come with the AC adapter, it would have to be purchased separately (if that's even possible at the moment).

I bought my Kinect at a KMart so I could put it on my Sears card... clerk said they've sold a ton of them, but mostly it's been the console bundle, which was surprising to me.

 

[jayn_j]

The Kinect in the bundle doesn't come with the AC adapter, it would have to be purchased separately (if that's even possible at the moment).

I bought my Kinect at a KMart so I could put it on my Sears card... clerk said they've sold a ton of them, but mostly it's been the console bundle, which was surprising to me.

Kind of unfortunate that the standalone does. We had the RRoD about 8 weeks ago and bought one of the new slims. Would prefer to NOT pay for the adapter. I likely will have one available around Christmas

 

[TheForce]

The new XBOX has a special Kinect USB on the back colored orange. If you use that you will not need the power adapter. I have the new XBOX 250Gb hard drive model with the kinect USB socket. However, I needed a USB extension so I used the AC adapter anyway and just plugged the USB extension into one of the other ports. The stand alone Kinect comes with the AC power adapter and a short USB adapter that I didn't need. You get one game that comes with the Kinect too.