Project Natal - release date leaked?

Still no release date, but in a recent interview Bill Gates said that Project Natal would also work with the Home PC and Windows. This is interesting, especially as the PC begins to break into the living room - it opens up a whole new set of things that can be done with Natal - control the house, the media center etc.

Project Natal will be backwards compatible - thus any games that exist on the XBOX 360 could be updated to work with Project Natal - this is huge for XBOX 360 fans.

Fact #1: "Project Natal' is the current name for the innovative new 'controller-less' way to control the XBOX 360.

Fact #2: 'Natal' is pronounced 'nuh-tall' - I thought it was natal as in pre-natal! DOH!

Fact #3: 'Project Natal' takes the 'controller' to a whole new level allowing for 360 degrees of control, using your body as the 'key' to the virtual world.

Fact #4: Project Natal allows you to kick, punch, headbutt, throw, touch, pass and interact with different items without any gadgets. You can even use your body as a shadow!

Fact #5: The name 'Project Natal' originates from a city (Natal) in Brazil - Alex Kipman who is a primary figure involved in the project is from Brazil. Also, Natal in Latin means 'to be born' and as this product opens up a whole new world of control then the name seems appropriate (perhaps I was right with my 'pre-natal' pronunciation after all!

Fact #6: Not only does 'Project Natal' track your body but it can also recognize face changes, and also hear changes in your voice - this allows for an even more deep and immersed link to the virtual world.

Fact #7: "Project Natal" recognizes you - not only is this an innovative way to increase security, and allow for quicker log-ons, it's also pretty darned cool!

Fact #8: "Project Natal" combines a RGB camera, multi-array microphone, depth sensor and also uses a custom processor running its own specialized software. To the lay person that means it's pretty cool - the innovation is spectacular, but the fact it has a separate processor also means that the XBOX 360 can still be used to the fullest to produce truly amazing games.

Fact #9: With the RGB camera, you get full face recognition. This really opens up a whole lot of implications, including more secure computers for the future; Microsoft have stated that they have a lot more to 'announce' but are keeping this under wraps for now - watch this space!

Fact #10: The technology behind the depth sensor includes an infrared projector and a CMOS sensor - Ok in layman's terms this means that 'Project Natal' can understand true '3-d' despite differing lighting conditions.

I've been playing video games for over 20 years and it's always been a 'geek' thing to do. Nintendo began the process of making the video game a family pastime with the introduction of the Wii, and this console has become the bestseller both in the USA and the rest of the world.

It's innovative approach of using a motion sensor in the controller changed the way people interacted and played video games. Now you could seemingly roll a bowling ball, or swing a sword to hack away the latest monster; the Wii controller became a hundred different tools, from a fishing rod, to an assault rifle; it revolutionized the gaming industry and gave Microsoft a royal kick up the Keizer.

Sony are always close on the heals of Nintendo and Microsoft, so it's no surprise that they are introducing their own motion sensing device that also uses the PS3 eye. From the demonstrations I've seen so far it does seem impressive.

It looks very responsive and there's no doubt that it is as good as anything Microsoft or Nintendo has; however, where Microsoft really scores big in my book is in the use of the interaction that blurs the real and the virtual world. Sony and Nintendo have really missed the boat on this one, and potentially this could catapult the XBOX360 into orbit.

**UPDATE**

Sony will never go down without a fight - they have announced that their motion-capture peripheral, the PSEye will feature face recognition capabilities. So it looks like both major console manufacturers will have a similar product - who will get it to the market first?

Ahh but I had a program that did that on my PC ten years ago - I think he was called Dr Floyd. It kind of talked to me, although it didn't make sense at times? Isn't this just a glorified form of that program?

Well in a way yes, but this takes it to a whole new level. For one, Milo can sense your expressions and react to them. Secondly, the conversation and interaction with Milo is astonishingly real; in the video above, Milo pouts when he realizes you know about his homework problem. From what I have seen so far, the character doesn't simply read from a list of probable answers buy seems to interact with the main character. Just look at the way the character takes the picture from the woman.