Microsoft has already announced plans to expand its Xbox 360 Kinect device add-on to work on Windows-based PCs. The first Kinect for Windows devices are scheduled to go on sale on Wednesday, February 1. Now a new report from The Daily claims that Microsoft is looking to integrate the motion gesture technology inside future version of Windows-based laptops.
The story claims to have seen two prototypes of laptops that contain small Kinect sensors on the top of the laptop"s screen. The story says that the prototypes appear to be Asus-based notebooks that are running on a build of Microsoft"s Windows 8 operating system. The article also claims it has received word via an unnamed source at Microsoft that these prototypes are indeed officially sanctioned by the company.
It"s not likely that Microsoft will actually be making any Kinect-based notebook themselves. Rather, the company will more likely license the Kinect technology to established notebook makers such as Asus. Having an integrated Kinect sensor system inside a laptop could have many different uses, from navigating the Windows 8 user interface with just a wave of the hand to making Windows 8 games that will be operated via the Kinect sensor.
This new rumor follows a previous story from The Daily that claims Microsoft is working on some kind of Kinect enabled entertainment set-top box for TVs.