Kinect integration with Windows Phone Mango

So this is pretty neat, Kinect working with Windows Phone. We've seen previously how the Kinect and WP7 can communicate but in the above video you can see the input from the Kinect device being sent to the WP7 emulator and actually manipulating an on-screen figure reflecting the user's movements/position. This could prove to be a massive advancement for both WP7 and Xbox as a gaming console. Windows Phone would receive more attention from console owners with extra integration and the Xbox would boast a 3rd controller (sporting a screen).

What's great about this is if we take an example of a title for the Xbox 360 - Fifa. Playing using the Kinect sensor would be enough enjoyment, but there's room for the WP7 handset with player control via tilt. Shooting, passing and crossing the ball could be achieved by the direction and force of a leg swing. No need for a bulky 360 controller. The WP7 device could show information on-screen such as the radar, player information and more giving the big screen less UI clutter. It would also improve menu navigation and quick management of the team instead of waving at your TV.

More genre examples could be thrown in including driving games, where tilting your body would act as the steering, while the player's left and right thumbs act as acceleration and braking respectively on the WP7 device. In this scenario, we could save big screen space with putting the radar on the handset as well as a mirror and possibly more.

For the time being, however, it's required that a PC and the phone be on the same network with the PC running software for integration to be achieved. Should this new introduction of video game interaction take off, we could possibly see the PC removed from the equation leaving the Xbox console to handle everything.

What do you guys think? Too much or a real possibility?

Via: WPSauce

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.