Report: Microsoft taking on Wii with motion-sensing camera
This camera, from Israeli startup 3DV Systems--which has reportedly been acquired by Microsoft--could form the basis of a new motion-sensitive controller that Microsoft is reportedly working on.
(Credit: Jared Kohler/CNET)Nintendo won't be the only video game console maker with a sophisticated motion-sensitive controller if a report out Tuesday from The Wall Street Journal is accurate.
The report said Microsoft plans to unveil a new video camera that would allow players of its Xbox 360 console to control games by moving their bodies. And if true, it's a clear shot across the bow of Nintendo and its innovative Wii console, which shocked the video game world when it was released in late 2006 with its own motion-sensitive controller.
The camera may well be the product of Microsoft's reported acquisition of Israeli start-up, 3DV, which had developed a motion-sensitive camera.
For months, there had been speculation that Microsoft's interest in 3DV was about taking on Nintendo and the Wii. But neither company would confirm such speculation. On Tuesday, Microsoft declined to comment on the Journal story.
The Journal said, "the camera is based on technology that Microsoft developed inside its sprawling research arm," though it added that, "Microsoft also recently acquired...3DV...which has developed a 3D camera and holds related patents."
For Microsoft, coming up with a controller that could be appealing to a more casual gaming audience is key to carving away at Nintendo's giant lead in the so-called "next-generation" video game console wars. Though both Microsoft and Sony--which makes the much-maligned PlayStation 3--contend that the Wii is not really a competitor, the two companies originally lumped all three consoles together before the generation began in 2005 with the Xbox launch, and continued a year later with the Wii and PS3 launches.
The Journal reported that the new camera could be shown at next month's E3 show in Los Angeles, though it might not come out until later in the year, and that Microsoft is expected to first sell the camera as an accessory rather than bundling it with the Xbox.
On June 22, Geek Gestalt will kick off Road Trip 2009. After driving more than 12,000 miles in the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest and the Southeast over the last three years, I'll be looking for the best in technology, science, military, nature, aviation and more in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and South and North Dakota. If you have a suggestion for someplace to visit, drop me a line. And in the meantime, join the Road Trip 2009 Facebook page and follow my Twitter feed.
Daniel Terdiman is a staff writer at CNET News covering games, Net culture, and everything in between. E-mail Daniel. 
next time when you're going to write something, please make it at least sound intelligent.
Whatd'ya know, the mindles, brian dead Nintendo zombie idiots trike again!
Hey loser, Nintendo DIDN'T invent motion control. Motion control was invented by other companies long before Nintendo even knew such a technology existed.
Furthermore, Nintendo themselves LICENSED the motion control technology from a US company called Gyration Inc. Ninendo don't even own the patents to that technology.
Now why don't you get a life for a change eh?
MS isn't the @ss-hole here, Nintendo is hiding behind like a hundred or so patents trying to corner the sensor remote market. Suing everyone that tries to compete with patent violations. They should spend a little less of that time and money in litigation and allocate it to making some decent games.
Microsoft Surface predates Apple's Touch and iPhone by several years. Also, comparing a large table sized information device with a phone/PDA is just plain silly. :)
@Monkeyfun16:
I do believe there is story over on slashdot or Appleinsider that mentions the name "Microsoft" in it. Why don't you go over there and troll instead of mocking people here? Your presence is not welcome with your rather poor impersonation attempts.
@ExWinUser:
You're right- non-MS fanboys are excellent at running around MS fanboys at spreading FUD, discontent, and just making obnoxious embarassing trolls of themselves, which does little to make people want to choose their particular OS they promote. Do you really look at a brain dead idiot with no will power drooling over their keyboards as they pound away their vitriole and hatred for all things Microsoft and think, "Yeah, I want to be just like them. I'm going to buy an Apple Macintosh today and join the crowd."
People like this do far more harm to their cause than help it. :/
You would. You sound every bit as brian dead as he is.
@ by ExWinUser :"Microsoft is the King of copying"
So is Nintendo, and so is Apple.
Nintendo did NOT invent video games. They used to be a playing cards company. Nintendo came and stole the intellectual properties of the US firms that actually invented video games, and Nintendo was sued on court and actually LOST.
@ by ExWinUser :"Lets face it, non windows users can run circles around any ms fan boy anytime"
You couldn't run circles around a toilet cleaner if you tried, boy. Apple/Nintendo faboys are universally acknowledged as the most stupid, idiotoc, clueless morons on the internet.
CNET needs to do much more thinking before posting, it's stupid comments in the articles that is attracting the fan-boys/girls.
Comparing this super advanced 3D motion control camera to Sony's Eye Toys is like comparing the Space Shuttle to a commercial jetliner. They are not even on the same planet.
The Wiimote is NOT the principle controller for all Wii games. At least do your research before you open your mouth.
Plus it doesn't have to be a controler for all 360 games. it merely has to be the controler for the casual 360 games that benefit from motion controls and appeal to the soccer mom/kiddie crowd
@aMUSICsite : "Does sond more like a EyeToy add-on, which is nice but not "clear shot across the bow of Nintendo"
# 1. It's far more advanced than Eye Toy, and outguns the Wii in it's motion control technology.
# 2. It IS a shot across the bow of Nintendo. It goes after the same csaul game crowd Nintendo has been milking with their overpriced, underpowered Wii.
I meant the Wii remote, i.e. the one that ships with the console. After doing a bit of research I found Wiki says...
[The Wii Remote, sometimes unofficially nicknamed "Wiimote"] And I have always referred to it as the Wii-mote sorry for not being correct.
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# 1. It's far more advanced than Eye Toy, and outguns the Wii in it's motion control technology.
I should hope it's better than the EyeToy (to correct you it's one word not two ;) as the EyeToy came out in 2002 and camera technology and the power of the consoles have come a long way in the last 7 years.
# 2. It IS a shot across the bow of Nintendo. It goes after the same csaul game crowd Nintendo has been milking with their overpriced, underpowered Wii.
I'm not so sure that it's just the interactive remote that has sold the Wii.
" Cheap is key. Dirt cheap and sold in huge volume to the masses."
Well, let's take a closer look at that statement, AppleRocks1963. I happen to have a MacBookPro 15" with a broken LCD. When pricing LCD's (and I do this for a living), the price for an LCD for Toshiba products is typically $300-600. Dell run s $400-800. HP is in the $500-1000 range. Lenovo- well, they sell their laptops for less than the replacement screen itself costs at $1200-2500.
Based on that, and that all those machines cost far less than my MacBookPro, that should mean that the LCD for the MBP should be very very expensive, right? High quality, expensive materials, etc.
$150.
That's right, $150 for a replacement screen. Apple was using the cheapest and most abundant screen available for the unit. Now for me, that's great because I can afford to replace it, but what does it say about Apple when they are using parts that are *cheaper* than all the other OEM's? Where does your faith lay in such a case, AppleRocks1963?
Your response would be interesting to read from whichever account you want to use to post with.
Naaaaah
But I noticed the knee-jerk crazy, wild eyed rantings of a Sony fanboy fanatic.
Seriously, the technology sounds as cool as can be but I'm sure its application will be way dorkier than intended. And doesn't this new camera hose all those people who ALREADY have one?
Robert
- by aaronlancet May 27, 2009 12:27 PM PDT
- Why not just take -all- the fanboyism out of the argument right now. It doesn't do anyone any good. The PS3 is worldwide only 5million units off of the Xbox 360 (22.x mil to 27.x mil) but both combined can't catch up to the Wii (50~mil units). This 'innovation' is clearly targetted at the Wii marketshare, there's no doubt about it. Whether it is good or not is nothing we can ascertain yet, since we have yet to see any functional demonstration of its use with modern games.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(38 Comments)Now I'm sure you'll just ignore me anyway and go back to bickering, so have fun but remember, you're not doing yourself, your favored console (or company), or the world any good by it. You're just stroking your own egos.