Microsoft's Xbox Kinect saying 'game over' for the TV remote

For those who find that lifting the TV remote is just too much effort, a revolutionary update of the Xbox Kinect will allow people to control their sets by shouting. Microsoft has announced upgrades for its Xbox and Kinect system that are designed to make the console the entertainment hub for the home. In future the Xbox will incorporate a microphone, TV service, an internet connection and the ‘Bing’ search engine to transform viewing options through the set. The new system will allow viewers to talk to the Xbox and control what they see on the screen – anything from YouTube, to a library of films to music videos and live TV. ‘You say it, Xbox finds it,’ said Marc Whitten, corporate vice-president of Xbox Live. To watch live TV, you just say the words ‘Xbox live TV’. Microsoft demonstrated voice control for its Xbox Live at the big E3 electronic entertainment trade show in Los Angeles. Viewers will be able to search for movies featuring a particular star, such as Nicole Kidman, by saying the name or music videos via the name of the artist, such as Lady Gaga. Mr Whitten said the system would do away with the need to fiddle with a controller, saying: ‘You no longer have to navigate through the menus to find content.’ The Kinect system is the first to allow users to take part in and control games on the screen without the need for a handheld controller. Players effectively synchronise their bodies with the Xbox via a sensor that sits in front of the TV. It is suggested that, in future, people will be able to control characters in video games through a mixture of movement and voice controls, so putting them in the middle of the action. The Kinect has sold 10 million units since it launched last autumn and so became the software giant’s fastest selling consumer product.