Xbox One: Watch the new Kinect detect a heart rate from across the room

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Microsoft has significantly upgraded the sensing capabilities of the second-generation Kinect sensor that will ship with the newly announced Xbox One game console. One example: The Kinect can detect a user’s heart rate optically. See the video above for a demonstration of the capability during a tour of the Microsoft Xbox campus today. The idea… Read More…

NFL commish says new multi-year partnership with Microsoft will ‘change the game of football’

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The nation’s most popular sport is about to get real geeky thanks in large part to technology from Microsoft. During today’s big Xbox One launch in Redmond, Microsoft announced a new multi-year partnership with the NFL that will, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, “change the game of football.” NFL.com is reporting that the deal is for five years and… Read More…

Reactions mixed as group of 14 Xbox fans watch console launch at Microsoft Store

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It certainly wasn’t as exciting nor populated as the Surface tablet debut or the Halo 4 launch party, but a group of 14 Xbox aficionados still managed to gather at the Microsoft Store in Seattle’s University Village to watch the Xbox One launch streamed over Xbox Live. Everyone stayed to watch the hour-long presentation and… Read More…

The next Xbox: What to expect from Microsoft’s new console

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Well, we’re almost there. In less than 24 hours, the tech world will be listening and watching in anticipation as Microsoft officially unveils the next generation of the Xbox. The console market has been struggling, but Microsoft — which has led in the U.S. in console sales for 28 consecutive months — is aiming to shake things up… Read More…

Sony teases PS4 hardware in new video, one day before Xbox launch

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Less than 24 hours before Microsoft reveals the new generation of Xbox, Sony has just posted a teaser video showing off aspects of the Playstation 4 console. But if you were looking for high-def pictures of the new console, you’ll be disappointed. The 39-second clip shows a blurry black box and quick glimpses of the console… Read More…

The next Xbox: Why this launch is so critical for Microsoft

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Next Tuesday, May 21, is a Very Big Day for Microsoft. With the rest of the technology world watching, the company will take the stage at 10 a.m. Pacific time in Redmond to reveal the new generation of Xbox, whatever form (or name) it may take. This is the world into which this new Xbox… Read More…

Shopping, sword-fighting and silliness: Meet the first-ever WIN Reactor graduates

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From a retro-futuristic driving game to a healthy shopping and eating app, more than six months of stealth startup work going on at the Washington Interactive Network (WIN) accelerator was shown off at a demo day on Thursday afternoon. It’s been nearly two years since WIN was awarded a $1.2 million grant for what’s now called the WIN Reactor, also known… Read More…

Xbox 360 marks 28 straight months atop U.S. market; industry sales sink 25%

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Just days before we get our first look at the next-generation Xbox, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 continues to dominate the U.S. video game industry. The latest numbers from NPD market research firm are out and the Xbox 360 was the top-selling console in April, marking the 28th straight month atop the U.S. console market. Microsoft sold… Read More…

Google debuts music service, unlocked Galaxy S4 as stock tops $900 for first time ever

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Lots of news flowing from the Google camp as the tech giant is holding its annual I/O developer conference in San Francisco. The conference runs throughout Friday and lots of the announcements are geared toward developers, but here are some of the more newsworthy bits so far today: Google debuted a subscription-based streaming music service… Read More…

Report: Microsoft to replace Xbox Points with gift cards, currency

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The move away from Microsoft Points has been rumored for some time now, but now it looks like Microsoft may be officially ditching its virtual currency system and instead allow Xbox users to make purchases with gift and credit cards. That’s what sources are telling The Verge this morning. As it is now, people can purchase games and… Read More…