(Ed. Update: Speech Recognition Section)

So, Kinect…what is it actually?

It’s a motion-sensing bar billed as the next-generation method of playing games. Basically, “you are the controller”, as the Microsoft campaign says.

I just wave my hands in front of the machine just to play games and fiddle around with my Xbox options, Minority Report-style?

Yep.

Can’t I do that with the Wii or PlayStation Move?

You need to hold a third device in addition to waving it in front of the sensor. You also have to do countless calibrations after each round in most games. Based on the current launch title line-ups, you only need to calibrate just once when you’re setting up the device on the Xbox hub.

Like the PlayStation Move + Eye Toy, the Kinect also calculates depth of field. Depending on the game launched, you can make your avatar move within a certain field on the screen. Case in point, the “tech demo” Kinect Adventures features one minigame where you have to walk backwards and forward within a small distance to collect points.

So it really feels different than anything that’s been done in videogames?

You better believe it. I was a skeptic, but this kind of controls show a lot of promise. Doing simple hand gestures when navigating the hub (more on that later) while on the couch is pretty cool. If coded and programmed right, you’ll need to immerse and exert yourself more into games. There are just some things the Kinect can do that the Wii currently cannot like, oh say, a proper dance game that can only be won by doing actual dance moves.

Cool! I wanna see the insides because I like to take things apart, warranty be damned.

Here you go (courtesy of iFixit). Key parts of the Kinect’s insides include a depth-of-field and RGB camera, IR projector, and main boards vertically stacked-up to fit the Kinect’s svelte design. Yum. Keep in mind that it’s a pretty tough nut to crack and re-assemble, so proceed to this realm with caution.

You’re paying $229 for a sensor bar? That’s expensive, isn’t it?

No, not really. Think about it this way: for a simultaneous multi-player PlayStation Move experience, you need to buy a camera and three extra Move controllers. Ditto for a Wii multi-player party. You also don’t need extra stuff to complement the device after getting the sensor bar. Microsoft just happened to put the actual price tag of a multi-player experience up-front.

So what games are hot for the device?

Right now, Dance Central is all you need to buy if you wish to see the potential of the device and see what it offers. You also will get Kinect Adventures to muck about with your friends, since the game comes free with the device.

The other games like Kinect Sports and Sonic Free Riders can go fly kites. They’re more or less HD versions of what you’ve played on the Wii four years ago.

Any changes to the Xbox 360 hub?

Yeah. You did get the update on your 360, right? You can switch between the regular dashboard and the brand-spankin’ new Kinect dashboard. Just wave at the machine and you’re in.

Navigating through the menu is pretty nifty once you get the hang of it. Initiating a button is just a matter of moving the cursor like a mouse. Switching from page to page is just a matter of placing the cursor on the mid-left side of the screen and doing a gentle swipe. Instant gamertag login via face recognition is also great though it will take about 10 to 15 minutes to set up.

However, the mini Kinect Dashboard needs work. While the standard Xbox 360 dashboard that pops up when you press the Xbox button on the controller is sleek, the Kinect Dashboard looks like it was farted out by the U.I dev team at the last possible minute. Dress it up for the love of all that is holy.

How about speech recognition?

Unfortunately, that feature is not supported in this region at this point in time. If it’s available after launch (Microsoft got back to us; that feature’s not out on launch), we’ll let you know. (Update) However, it worked on the Dashboard just fine when I used my North American account. All you do is just say “Xbox, Play” or “Xbox, Dashboard”. Pretty nifty stuff.