Xbox 360 Kinetic - Microsoft's Revolutionizing Moment

Microsoft recently released Kinetic (code name: Project Natal), which allows Xbox users to use their entire body as a game controller. To illustrate what I am talking about see the video below. How we play games has now been redefined.

Business Review:

Xbox in general was a great move on Microsoft's part. They own majority of the gaming contracts for computer games, so why not make a game console out of it. With Kinectthough they have changed the standard of how people play games, which makes other game consoles, such as PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii look ancient. If other game consoles cannot come out with this interactive gaming interface by Christmas, Microsoft will dominate gaming. This also helps Microsoft improve their reputation as a innovation company washing away the fact that they stole Apple's ideas in the past. Steve Jobs always makes fun of Microsoft as lacking innovation and style. I think that ends today with the release of Kinect.

Future Speculation:

As we all know Microsoft is also a software company that makes the operating system that most of us use. With Kinnect, I bet they are also planning to implement a similar functionality utilizing the computer's webcam for a gesture interface, so I think they will also dominate the operating system market in the future as well.

Apple is well aware of this and is probably trying to come out with a similar gesture interface to compete. In fact, it would also make sense for Apple to team up with Sony orNintendo to create this new interface. It would be time and cost efficient, but knowing Apple they just might do it themselves.

I guess in the future (a few years from now) be prepared for a gesture interface like what we saw in Minority Report, Star Trek, and many other sci-fi movies.

Minority Report: Hand Gesture Interface

Nintendo 3DS - thanks for getting rid for the funky glasses

Nintendo has been an innovator in the gaming industry and the launch of the Nintendo 3DS is a testament to their leadership in the gaming market. The Nintendo 3DS is the next generation of the Nintendo DS portable gaming device. As indicated by their clever naming scheme the Nintendo 3DS will have 3D display, but their 3D display methodology will require no funky glasses at all. The only downside is the small screen that a DS has. However it is still cool, so watch out next year the 3Ds will be released!

Nintendo 3DS

Business Review:

Nintendo is very strategic. By releasing a 3D portable device (3DS) they are the first to enter into the 3D gaming market while gaining the association as the 3D gaming company. The 3DS will create a lot of commotion for some time and people will be expecting future game consoles to be 3D capable. Nintendo is also aware that their are many 3D capable monitor that do not require a glass (check out CES), so with the commotion and expectation for 3D, Nintendo could also be the first to develop 3D games because they already have the 3DS framework. By having the 3D association and framework, Nintendo would also have a chance to dominate the gaming market beyond the family, fitness, and classic Nintendo game genres in 3D. Great job Nintendo for being an innovator and getting rid of those annoying glasses.

Here are the specs:

Size (when closed):

Approximately 5.3 inches wide, 2.9 inches long, 0.8 inches tall.

Weight:

Approximately 8 ounces.

Look:

Final design is TBA.

Top Screen:

3.53-inch widescreen LCD display, enabling 3D view without the need for special glasses; with 800x240 pixel resolution (400 pixels are allocated for each eye to enable 3D viewing).

Touch Screen:

3.02-inch LCD with 320x240 pixel resolution with a touch screen.

Cameras:

One inner camera and two outer cameras with 640x480 (0.3 Mega) pixel resolution.

Pre-Installed Software:

TBA

Nintendo 3DS Game Card:

2 GB Max. at launch.

Wireless Communication:

Can communicate in the 2.4 GHz band. Multiple Nintendo 3DS systems can connect via a local wireless connection to let users communicate or enjoy competitive game play. Systems also can connect to LAN access points to access the Internet and allow people to enjoy games with others. Will support IEEE 802.11 with enhanced security (WPA/WPA2). Nintendo 3DS hardware is designed so that even when not in use, it can automatically exchange data with other Nintendo 3DS systems or receive data via the Internet while in sleep mode.

Game Controls:
Touch screen, embedded microphone, A/B/X/Y face buttons, + Control Pad, L/R buttons, Start and Select buttons, "Slide Pad" that allows 360-degree analog input, one inner camera, two outer cameras, motion sensor and a gyro sensor.

Other Input Controls:
3D Depth Slider to adjust level of 3D effect (can be scaled back or turned off completely depending on the preference of the user), Home button to call system function, Wireless switch to turn off wireless communications (even during game play), Power button. The telescoping stylus is approximately 4 inches when fully extended.

Input/Output:
A port that accepts both Nintendo 3DS game cards and game cards for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems, an SD memory card slot, an AC adapter connector, a charging cradle terminal and a stereo headphone output jack.

Sound:
Stereo speakers positioned to the left and right of the top screen.

Battery:
Lithium ion battery details TBA.

Languages:
TBA

Parental Controls:
Parental controls similar to the Nintendo DSi system will be included.

Here is a sneak preview of the 3DS

YouTube Video

Here is a video of 3D monitors/televisions that don't require the glasses

YouTube Video

New Apple iPhone 4 released and many new advances

Today Steve Jobs has finally released the iPhone 4 after months of "leaks" (if that is what they are
calling marketing these days). In addition to the new iPhone, Apple has also announced a wave of new
aggressive business installments for the iPhone 4, such as iMovie, FaceTime, and NETFLIX. This is very
smart on Apple's part because they made their phone not only more capable, but there are also offering
services that will utilize the new capabilities.

Business Review

It seems that the approach that Apple has taken to build everything in-house has finally paid off.
They are able to optimize their software with their hardware, which gives them the capability to have
these intense functionality on the iPhone 4 making it very attractive to consumers. Microsoft on the
other hand went the software route was able to lead technology market for a long time because they
were able to get their products out cheap since they did not do hardware, but that is all changing now
because consumers cares about functionality, which Microsoft is unable to offer.

Tech Overview

The iPhone 4 features:

iPhone 4 will be launched for the Verizon network. With these new changes and updates to the

hardware:

Today Steve Jobs has finally released the iPhone 4 after months of "leaks" (if that is what they are
calling marketing these days). In addition to the new iPhone, Apple has also announced a wave of new
aggressive business installments for the iPhone 4, such as iMovie, FaceTime, and NETFLIX. This is very
smart on Apple's part because they made their phone not only more capable, but there are also offering
services that will utilize the new capabilities.

Business Review

It seems that the approach that Apple has taken to build everything in-house has finally paid off.
They are able to optimize their software with their hardware, which gives them the capability to have
these intense functionality on the iPhone 4 making it very attractive to consumers. Microsoft on the
other hand went the software route was able to lead technology market for a long time because they
were able to get their products out cheap since they did not do hardware, but that is all changing now
because consumers cares about functionality, which Microsoft is unable to offer.

Tech Overview

The iPhone 4 features:

iPhone 4 will be launched for the Verizon network. With these new changes and updates to the

hardware:

• Entire stainless steel rim is the antenna
• Glass front and back panels
• 960 x 640, 326 pixel per inch display
• 800:1 contrast ratio
• IPS Technology screen
• Front facing camera
• Rear facing camera with LED flash

New wave of Apple installments:

• iOS 4 allowing multitasking on iPhones
• iMovie on iPhone 4
• NETFLIX for the iPhone coming this summer
• Adobe Flash ads on iPhone and iPad - Adobe knows flash is becoming obsolete, so they are trying to get the most out of flash while they can.

Here's a great video to sum it up.