We are using the best controller ever invented: You!

Natal, a rectangular bar that sits on your TV, tracks your body’s movements and recognizes what you say to it. It also understands your tone of voice, allowing you to truly interact with a game and enter the virtual world. No announcements were made on when the solution will be available or how much it will cost, however it will be compatible with every Xbox 360 system.

To get a good impression on what’s possible, checkout the Milo video here:

For me, it is one of those innovative solutions were you think “yes, I’m living in the 21^st century”. With it, we are quickly approaching a future where you can take part in a virtual experience that is nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Perhaps this technology is bringing the Holodeck from Star Trek a step closer to reality…

There is another great video that shows how much fun it can be to play using the technology in a game called Ricochet.

It is clear that Project Natal is Microsoft answer to Nintendo’s motion controlled gaming solution you see in the Wii today.

Want to see more action? Checkout the official Project Natal video:

There are some intriguing questions arising though: if a tennis video game requires the same body movements as actually playing tennis, why not go to the tennis court and play the game? What will be the impact on real life relationships, if you can have authentic conversations with a virtual person? What do you think of Natal? Please share your thoughts in the comments area below!

What Everybody Ought to Know About Project Natal

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A Nice Additional Publishing Stream

While you might only know the Amazon Kindle as an electronic book and newspaper reader, you can also read blogs with the device. In the past, only establish blogs were allowed on the Kindle list. Since two weeks however, Amazon is allowing much more blogs to be listed through the Kindle Publishing for Blogs beta program. With this step, Amazon has innovated its publishing platform by leveraging popular (user generated) content for anyone to read.

Each blog subscription has a price tag though, so I am not yet convinced that many people will choose to read blogs this way. Especially since free alternatives are available, take Google Reader for your mobile phone for example. However even if you doubt anyone would subscribe to your blog this way, it is still a good idea to sign up and get listed on one of the biggest websites on our planet. It is a nice additional publishing stream to the available subscription methods of this blog and the free exposure can’t hurt!

Innovation Conversations on the Amazon Kindle

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The new Start Trek-movie called Star Trek XI had its world wide launch about a week ago. When looking at the trailer, you see young Kirk, Spock and some fantastic visual effects. So no surprises there (except for Zachary Quinto aka Sylar from Heroes playing young Mr. Spock). Any geek and ‘Trekkie’ (like me ) is probably going to checkout this movie soon.

However, will it also attract a larger audience?

Besides the special effects and the cast, you get the change to

• See Leonard Nimoy (age 78) in action, probably for the last time as Mr. Spock Prime.
• See Winona Ryder in action as mother of Mr. Spock.
• See Dutch kickbox champion Lucia Rijker play a Romulan.
• Hear Majel Barret, the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, for the last time as the voice of the main computer (she passed away last December).

The real ace up this movie’s sleeve is that it’s got a great producer and director: J.J. Abrams, best known for creating the series Lost. Next week Monday I will be checking out Star Trek XI in the IMAX theatre in Amsterdam and truly hope we are going to see a darker, less perfect world and characters. Also the new brigde is supposedly ‘look even slicker than an Apple store’, according to Abrams, inspiring the design/geek in all of us.

Have you seen this movie? What did you think? Bold Sci-Fi or still good mannered?

Star Trek XI, good mannered or a bold sci-fi movie?

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