Day Three Hundred and Five - XBox Kinect

Dear all,

It's the year of the Rabbit and what better way to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year than to engage the new 'Kinect' Box for the Xbox and dance the night away in front of the TV.

This thing is AWESOME! Darren and Vince had spent the afternoon in Barrie on business but had popped into Costco on the way home to pick up a few bits and pieces *yay*. I was unaware of the new toy until much later in the evening during the reveal by Darren, it was an XBox Kinect! http://www.xbox.com:80/en-US/

Once the wiring had been assembled and box location decided ( on top of the TV), we were ready for the off! I was still unsure as what this would mean [and the effect it would have one our lives] but I soon found out...

Darren had a DVD of games included with the purchase so we set to work getting ready and it was hilarious!

Using a web cam-style box that enables users to control their avatar using gestures and spoken commands ( not emotions.. that's in development) the Kinect renders the classic 'joystick' or game controller redundant and opens the door to the new era of entertainment which is unimaginable in it's potential (see Tron).

Darren and I started out playing an interactive game where two players guide a raft down some sensational rapids and [you've guess it] we were driving the thing! It was hilarious!

I was awful ( because I insisted on dancing throughout which completely thwarted Darren's attempts to direct the raft through the various obstacles) although my fitness levels were a bonus - it is quite the work out!

You lean, jump and flap around like a crazy person in order to complete the game. It's hard.. but easy to get the hand of and [like all of these things] highly addictive. I can see a point, in the not so distant future, where people rarely need to leave the house.. why would you??? Everything you need is on the computer. It's the disconcerting truth about modern day technology.

I then took to the raft with Vince who was also very good, the added bonus being Vince's height ( he could reach the golden 'A's in the sky - triple points! )

Here we are getting our movements 'screened' by the Kinect Box.

More dancing from me ( it was cool music!)

And more action from the front. This thing if blooming funny!

It also took 'web cam' style pictures from the computer which I will have to access and post on the blog. Apparently I fell asleep not too long after this and slept through two hours of the boys jumping up and down like yoyo's [nb I was asleep on the couch].

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!