After some key moves from Microsoft recently, industry analyst Michael Pachter says he has to get his mom an Xbox 360 with Kinect, and he thinks you should, too.
Considering Microsoft's acquisition of Skype, Pachter is predicting "Videochat 2.0" via Xbox Live. Game design program director at Digipen University Ben Ellinger explains Kinect's chatting abilities as such:
The microphones and the way they deal with sound on the Kinect is really sophisticated. Combined with the visuals, you get this magical effect where Kinect knows who's speaking, it knows who you are, it can center the camera on your face properly. If you get the infrastructure in there well enough, that's a science-fiction app.
In addition to all of the other things you can do with an Xbox 360, the abilities of Kinect combined with the implementation of Skype over Xbox Live means you could call your mom by just asking your Kinect to dial her up. As Pachter puts it, "Skype, Kinect, Xbox 360. I can talk to my mom from my living room? You know what? I'm getting my mom an Xbox 360, and you are too."
The Xbox 360 is evolving from just a game console into an all-encompassing entertainment experience. According to Ellinger, Microsoft's gameplan is "to own the living room."
