Microsoft updates Kinect developer preview on Windows 10

Michael Cottuli

If you’ve been intending on developing a product with Kinect in mind, you may be interested in knowing that Microsoft has released a new developer preview for Kinect on Windows 10. While Kinect hasn’t been getting all that much love recently – the Xbox One’s system sellers have bee consistently not making use of the kinect – it’s still an impressive piece of technology at its core, and one that Microsoft realizes should continue to be developed for.
By using Kinect with your Windows 10 device, you open yourself up to a few features you might not otherwise have. For instance, beyond just being a webcam and a microphone, the Kinect is a device that’s compatible with Windows Hello. If you’re not one of the people who was already enjoying Windows Hello on a high-end Surface, the Kinect’s going to be opening up the opportunity for you to enjoy one of the more entertaining features of the OS.
The blog post from MSDN shows off in pretty decent detail how you can go about installing the software if you’re interested. Once you run the Kinect Configuration Verifier and set up the connect (the blog recommends it be placed as close to the bottom or top as possible, and kept .5 meters from the position of your face) you’re free to start the installation process.
Beyond explaining how to get the new SDK, the blog post spoke about the new webpage for it in the Windows Dev Center, and reminded developers that they can stop by Channel 9, a series of videos where Microsoft employees run down the latest relevant discussions about Windows tech. If that’s not enough, developers can check out the Microsoft Virtual Academy, where they can test their knowledge on Microsoft devices with free training sessions.