When Microsoft announces Avatar Kinect in CES 2011, it surprises no one as we have seen some leaked info and know the capability of the Kinect Sensor. What is amazing is that it has sold 8 million units in the first 60 days.

Based on Microsoft description of Avatar Kinect, it will not be a game. Instead, it will more of a social networking tool. With Avatar Kinect, you can “meet” friends in the virtual world.

The Avatar Kinect will be free for Xbox Live Gold Members and will be “coming in Spring”. With all this excitement comes the reality. Can the Avatar Kinect really perform as what we thought?

Can it walk or run? From the video, it seems that they are always sitting except for the one on Steve Ballmer where his Avatar seems very active.

Here is what Engadget found out behind the scene on a interactive display.

This guy is the person behind the avatar on the screen. In the video, you can see that the Avatar actually runs out to greet the people. In reality, this guy is sitting down with a controller on his hand.

Of course, maybe this is one way to prevent that guy from being exhausted. So, hopefully, Microsoft can deliver a real avatar where the user can control the walking or running.

Click Here to Watch that Guy Demo behind the scene

Here is the video of Avatar Kinect, introduced officially by Steve Ballmer.

In another part of an Interview with BBC, Steve Ballmer mentioned that Microsoft will support Kinect to PC too. This means that it will eventually open up more opportunities to use the Kinect in other ways. There are already many hacks out there using Kinect effectively. Kudos to Microsoft for stating this. An excerpt from Wired: –

Microsoft says it will eventually bring its camera-based motion controller Kinect to the PC platform.

Speaking with BBC News at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, CEO Steve Ballmer did not mince words when asked directly if the Xbox 360 interface device would eventually come to Windows.

“We’ll support that in a formal way, in the right time,” Ballmer said. “When we have an announcement to make, we’ll make it.”

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