Microsoft sees ‘Natal’ as your next TV remote!
Microsoft has nothing. All they can do is just generate Natal smoke.
One thing to realize about Microsoft is that there is no such things as ‘leaks’ from Microsoft. They are deliberately placed. ‘Leaks’ occur only when a company does not want the information to come out. These companies do not want ‘leaks’ because of the competition stealing their ideas. This is why trade shows for companies like Apple or Nintendo are such a big deal because the companies are very quiet throughout the year and only announce things at a certain time. A ‘leak’ would be devastating to them.
No one steals anything from Microsoft. Why would they? Microsoft’s business relies entirely on bundling Windows OS with cheap hardware. Microsoft is not in the consumer market (with the recent exceptions to the Xbox Franchise and Zune). Microsoft ‘leaks’ and ‘hints’ at things all the time because gullible journalists will dutifully write it up. The ‘leaks’ about Natal are not leaks at all. Microsoft intended for them to be put out there.
Remember Surface? Where is that now? Oh, it is still in ‘hype mode’. It is trotted out for the marketing purpose to make people believe Microsoft is in the technology business (but Microsoft is actually in the marketing business. Microsoft is primarily a marketing company).
The computer industry, with its geeks and all, go ‘rah rah’ over hype of ‘potential technology’ all the time. But gaming is nothing like the computer industry. Microsoft’s routine to hype out a non-existing product for years until, eventually, it is quietly released as the mediocre product it is, will not work in gaming. Gamers have very long memories. And gamers are always skeptical on hype since the average gamer is barraged by hype each and every day.
Gamers will not believe anything until they try it out personally. Natal seems hellbent on doing everything but letting regular gamers try it out.
The latest edition of PreNatal Hype is that it will “replace the TV remote with gestures and body movements.”
I have heard this before.
Anyone remember this?
Though very successful for a gadget, why did the Clapper fail to catch on as a mainstay item? After all, it is easier to move one’s hands than to get up and turn off a light, right?
Clayton Christensen addresses this issue precisely when he explains why voice will not replace keyboard input. The job to be done was to put text in a machine. Keyboard is far more precise and far less prone to mistakes. People are not going to switch to something that makes the job harder to do even though it appears, at the surface, to be “more accessible”. Natal is not going to be an improvement over the Clapper.
If Natal wants to be the true Next Generation successor to the Clapper, Microsoft needs to get that crazy granny in the Clapper ads who does the double take on the TV before turning it off.
I love that Clapper ad as I love 80s commercials. In fact, I love the 80s in general. So let us have some more fun commercials. Did you know that the makers of the Clapper also made the Chia Pet?
To those who do not know what a Chia Pet is…
Above: Catchy commercial. Ch-ch-ch-chia!
I was surprised to discover that the Chia Pet is still around. However, it looks like the Chia Pets have been evolving. I thought the below Chia Pet was a parody, but it was an actual product!
Above: Hilarious
People think with my Natal posts is that I hate Natal. Nothing could be further from the truth. I LOVE Natal. It’s so bad.
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