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Microsoft got Kinect technology since "Apple is a pain in the ass"
Techspot ^ | 6 November 2010 | Emil Protalinski

Posted on 11/07/2010 5:13:27 AM PST by Erik Latranyi

Back in June 2008, PrimeSense was looking to sell the technology that would eventually be engineered into what we now know as Xbox Kinect. The first company in Silicon Valley that PrimeSense CEO, Inon Beracha tried to demonstrate the sensor that powers Kinect to was none other than Apple.

The technology had been developed by engineers in the Israeli military.

When asked about why he thought of Apple first, Beracha told Cult of Mac that "It was the most natural place for the technology." The negotiations didn't go so well.

Beracha figured the technology was so good that he would be able to sell it to anyone. In the end, it came down to "Apple is a pain in the ass," Beracha reportedly said with a smile on his face.

(Excerpt) Read more at techspot.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: apple; ilovebillgates; iwanthim; iwanthimbad; kinect; microsoft; microsoftfanboys; tech
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To: doorgunner69
Ooooh! I can hear the report abuse buttons being furiously mashed... There is a cult here that has apparently coerced the mods into invoking hate crime rules for anyone laughing at their precious toys........

Uh, no, it was Jim Robinson... So I suggest you cool it...

41 posted on 11/07/2010 12:45:58 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: MrEdd
Biggest pot and kettle posting of the month.

Show me where I have attack a Windows user... or called them names... or invaded a Windows thread with insults.

42 posted on 11/07/2010 12:49:28 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: Erik Latranyi; Swordmaker
> This is not meant as an anti-Apple nor anti-Microsoft thread and it should not devolve into either.

Heh, best of luck with that.

I don't think it was just secrecy and NDAs that turned off the negotiations with Apple. I think they just weren't interested enough to pay a lot for it. Here's my take on it:

  1. Not Apple's business. Apple doesn't sell a gaming console; the Mac is not the gaming platform that Windows is; and I can't imagine Apple coming out with a gaming-oriented console any time soon. Doesn't fit their business model either.

  2. Apple sells systems that they design from top to bottom. Any purchased technology has to be integrated tightly into their system, not just bolted on. This would have been a "solution in search of a problem" on an Apple product.

  3. Cool as it seems, a full-body controller is a gimmick, not a general-purpose tool technology. Apple has a strong bias toward elegance and simplicity, even subtlety, which this is not.

  4. Computer nerds dancing, shouting, and waving their arms in front of their computer cameras has been done. It's an internet JOKE. It has a dodgy reputation, as Microsoft will find out when the bizarre, kinky Kinect videos start hitting YouTube. How long until users start doing... weird things... in front of their Kinect and recording the results. Apple is a bit prudish -- they may not have wanted to associate their product line with that.
Just sayin'... :)
43 posted on 11/07/2010 12:57:32 PM PST by dayglored (Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!)
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To: HereInTheHeartland
Real men use IBM.


44 posted on 11/07/2010 1:05:15 PM PST by Gomez (shibboleet)
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To: Swordmaker
You just love tossing threats around, don't you? You are not being attacked personally, but choose to see it as a personal insult whenever someone laughs at the cult of Apple. JimRob can correct me if wrong, but the rules you guys love to threaten people with clearly say no ad hominem attacks, meaning attacking an individual. Take your threats somewhere else. Laughter is not an attack to most people.

It's funny, but I never see PC folks demanding special protection if an apple guy derides their machines..........

45 posted on 11/07/2010 1:21:43 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: doorgunner69
"You are not being attacked personally"

The following isn't a personal attack in your book?

My view of Swordmaker is a 35ish man-boy who lives with Mumsie - and she buys him the Kleenex tissues he most definitely needs...

Childish and stupid, but no doubt a personal attack...

46 posted on 11/07/2010 1:26:42 PM PST by PreciousLiberty
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To: MrEdd

I do not recall Swordmaker personally attacking anyone. If he disagree with you on a subjective matter, so be it. You can agree to disagree.


47 posted on 11/07/2010 1:31:16 PM PST by coon2000 (Give me Liberty or give me death!)
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To: Erik Latranyi

I really don’t see where Kinect would fit in the Apple product line — maybe on Apple TV after it morphs into a game platform, but that’s going to take years, if it happens at all. XBox, on the other hand, was ready for this kind of technology, and already competing directly with the Wii.

Apple: “Why should we want this?” Microsoft: “How much do you want for this? Result: Apple is “a pain in the ass.”


48 posted on 11/07/2010 1:35:16 PM PST by ReignOfError
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To: Erik Latranyi

I really don’t see where Kinect would fit in the Apple product line — maybe on Apple TV after it morphs into a game platform, but that’s going to take years, if it happens at all. XBox, on the other hand, was ready for this kind of technology, and already competing directly with the Wii.

Apple: “Why should we want this?” Microsoft: “How much do you want for this? Result: Apple is “a pain in the ass.”


49 posted on 11/07/2010 1:35:47 PM PST by ReignOfError
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To: HereInTheHeartland

I BM.
I had a nice one this morning. Mmmmmmm. BM.


50 posted on 11/07/2010 1:39:12 PM PST by Vermont Lt (We are so screwed.)
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To: PreciousLiberty

So, does the winner of this fight get to keep the Playboy for the first two nights? Because I am enjoying watching it, and I will kick in to get you both new issues.


51 posted on 11/07/2010 1:42:47 PM PST by Vermont Lt (We are so screwed.)
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To: PreciousLiberty

He was threatening ME pal, go take a look. I am not responsible for what someone else wrote............


52 posted on 11/07/2010 1:45:53 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: doorgunner69

On that subject, personally I rarely ever read “PC” posts. On the occasion that I do it is because the technology subject might interest me. On the other hand there appears to be a group of posters who swarm Apple posts simply to call people who purchase and use Apple products gay and cultists. Whatever it is that scares the crap out of you about Apple, you need to come to grips with it. I own Apple products and I am not gay, although my wife is making me think about it real hard. I like their product, it is top notch quality. I could care less who is the CEO. If Bill Gates produced a product as good or better than Apple, I would buy his stuff. Jobs did a remarkable transformation of a company that most wrote off as dead. I guess we need to admire mediocrity, or outright failure, a true success story needs to be discredited and the person who is largely responsible for it needs to be demonized. Is that the lesson here?


53 posted on 11/07/2010 1:48:27 PM PST by coon2000 (Give me Liberty or give me death!)
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To: doorgunner69

Tailgunner, I suggest you review the comments that Blue Highway and Leo Farnsworth were tossing around about me and think about loaded adjectives and implied ad hominems in phrases such as “precious toys” referring to an entire group of computer users on Freerepublic and those phrases invitation to starting flame wars before you start criticizing my efforts to head one off. I’m doing what Jim wants: stopping it before it starts. I just informed you of the source of the rule, the owner of the site.


54 posted on 11/07/2010 2:58:48 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: doorgunner69

Tailgunner, I suggest you review the comments that Blue Highway and Leo Farnsworth were tossing around about me and think about loaded adjectives and implied ad hominems in phrases such as “precious toys” referring to an entire group of computer users on Freerepublic and those phrases invitation to starting flame wars before you start criticizing my efforts to head one off. I’m doing what Jim wants: stopping it before it starts. I just informed you of the source of the rule, the owner of the site.


55 posted on 11/07/2010 2:58:48 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: dayglored

I think they thought that Apple would be interested because Apple has a history of turning technology into desirable products.

This technology has much more potential than just a game controller. In fact, it could have as much general use potential as the IR remote control.

The shame is that Microsoft is probably the worst company to develop this tech. I would have preferred seeing the tech in the hands of a general CE company.


56 posted on 11/07/2010 3:25:46 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: Leo Farnsworth

I am so sick and tired of you thugs who come in to our Apple threads and do nothing but insult us.

What the Hell?

I am in the printing business and after extensive research we moved exclusively to Macs many years ago and the reasons we switched are as valid now as they were then.

They handle workflow better, they handle fonts better, they handle Postscript better, they handle CMYK color spaces better, they handle large (1+ gig) files better and they handle alpha channels, clipping paths, duotone spot colors and EPS files better.

They also have a better iteration of ID packaging for transfer to Pre-Press Houses and they work with RIPpers better, and on and on and on.

But you jerks don’t give a damn. On and on, all you do is come on here and insult us, for doing nothing more than choosing which computer platform is better for our professional needs.

I’m sure that if you and I sat down we would agree in virtually everything...gun rights, taxes, Obama, abortion, RINO’s, on and on...but does that matter to you? NO! You come here and insult me for no other reason than I chose a Mac 10+ years ago for my chosen profession: printing/pre-press and graphic arts.

What jerks you people are, and I’ve never said that about fellow Freepers, but the appellation DOES fit in this case.

Ed


57 posted on 11/07/2010 3:26:14 PM PST by Sir_Ed
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To: Sir_Ed

Sir Ed, if you are going to take personal offense when people bash Apple, why would you click on a thread that calls Apple a pain in he ass in the title? It’s not like the banter back in forth was going to be a big surprise.

I’m now going to say something very controversial. Apple vs. Microsoft at this moment in time is Coke vs. Pepsi. Personal preference in the only thing that makes one better than the other.


58 posted on 11/07/2010 3:39:12 PM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: Erik Latranyi

I was pretty interested in buying the standalone Kinect console as I already have the Xbox 360. But locally all they are selling is the bundle packs.

What I want is the very realistic one on one moves like they have for boxing, and I spent the last 12 hours on several Xbox forums, many people are totally awestruck with it. Some games are in their infancy, some have lag and the requirements for room may limit some people.

Sure its brand new and Microsoft has a long history of selling products that have some “bugs” still in them.

This is future gaming, its not perfect but is light years already better than the Wii, it could be a total Wii-killer if MS gets more games or hybrid games, I can already imagine a lightsaber battle or better yet FPS games like Halo.

But I am sitting this out for a little while, maybe another month, thats how long it took the last time when the 360 started getting major bugs. But overall I am thinking this is a great investment for family games.


59 posted on 11/07/2010 3:40:06 PM PST by Eye of Unk (If your enemy is quick to anger, seek to irritate him. Sun Tzu, The Art of War.)
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To: dangerdoc

I agree with some statements regarding Jobs, and I also wondered what Kinect was, so I clicked on the thread.

My Photoshop uses OpenGL when I render or ray-trace, so I continued to read, then came upon the unnecessary insults and put-downs.

I guess what I have a problem with is calling all of us Mac users “gay” who are in love with “our toys,” when it isn’t true, it’s an insult, and it doesn’t speak to the issue of Jobs being too controlling, a statement of fact that I happen to agree with!

But I can say I wish Jobs would loosen the controls more, would allow USB 3 and Flash in its iStuff, and I wish he would open up the App store more, while also NOT calling everyone who disagrees with those statements weepy 35-year old Mama’s boys who are homosexuals living in their mother’s basements!

Vast gulf between disagreeing with a company’s CEO and calling said company’s users weepy, homosexual mama’s boys.

Ed


60 posted on 11/07/2010 3:59:22 PM PST by Sir_Ed
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