Microsoft | Evolving Consumer

E3 2011: adidas Teams With THQ

Trade shows such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo are known to get gamers up and running – that is running to see games and to get to appointments. The rest of the time gamers need some urging to get that much activity, but now adidas is set to team up with THQ to bring the popular miCoach interactive athletic training system to video game consoles.

The new collaboration is set for release next year, and will allow gamers to train using the miCoach hardware, including heart rate monitor (or any ANT+ compatible monitor), which will connect to the THQ’s new video game title for the Kinetic for Xbox 360 or PlayStation Move via miCoach Pacer and miCoarch mobile app.

“We’re taking our successful miCoach line and broadening its reach to an even larger audience, who we hope will find motivation and inspiration from adidas and our roster of star athletes,” said Simon Drabble, Director of miCoach BU for adidas. “In simple words, this combination of console technology and training for sports supports everybody to become better athletes, regardless of their fitness level.”

Players will get an onscreen trainer to guide them through hours of on-screen training and motivating game experience. The system will get gamers toned up beginning next year.

miCoach Official Website
THQ Official Website

E3 Preview: 2011 Kinect Games (Announced and Expected)

This could be the year of the Kinect for the Xbox 360. 123KINECT has compiled a list of the games we hope to check out at this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

E3 2011 Kinect Games Announced:

Champion Jockey
Forza 4
Hulk Hogan’s Main Event (Over the Top Wrestling?)
Michael Phelps: Push the Limit
Mind ‘n Motion (Left Brain Right Brain?)
Rise of Nightmares
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster
Star Wars Kinect
Take Shape (Harley Pasternaks Hollywood Trainer?)
The Gunstringer (XBLA)
The Sims 3 Pets
UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System
DaVinci Kinect (Microsoft Surface application ported to Kinect) NEW

Continue reading E3 Preview: 2011 Kinect Games (Announced and Expected)

KineticShift Heads to E3

This week KineticShift will be reporting from the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 (June 7-9) in sunny Los Angeles. We expect big news on the video game front from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony – and we hear this will include more fitness games and activities that will help encourage gamers to get off the couch.

Check back all week for the latest from E3. This is one show we’d hate to miss.

E3 Official Website

TV Show Inspires Game That Will be on TV Show

In a unique twist, THQ’s popular video game The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout video game will be actually make it’s the show that inspired it. The game will be featured on tonight’s episode of the hit NBC series, with an all-new, downloadable endurance challenge. Following the episode, owners of the game will be able to download the “TV Show Challenge” content for free for the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect.

During the episode, five contestants will participate in four challenging rounds of exercise moves, lasting five minutes each, taken directly from the TV Show Challenge. Contestants’ scores will be based on how well they perform the exercises in the time allotted.

As an added bonus, for 24 hours following the May 10 episode, the “Pilates” pack will be available free (a $4.99 value) on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout.

The Biggest Loser Official Video Game Website
The Biggest Loser Official Website

Lenovo Brings Motion Controlled Game System to China

Strange as it may seem some video game technology is actually not available in China. This is because of a combination of technology that is banned for export to China, as well as a ban on the importation of the systems by the Chinese government. And let’s not forget that there are no doubt fears that it will result in mass pirating.

The latter is no doubt a concern, as has been seen in recent years just about any technology can be reversed in China, and we pretty much known that the Blackhawk helicopter that was destroyed in the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden will likely be studied very closely by the Chinese military. This could jump start China’s attempts to get stealth technology for rotor aircraft, and area where the country has so far lagged behind.

Another area where China is already looking to jump ahead is surprising enough in the aforementioned video game space, and now Lenovo, China’s largest PC maker, has introduced a console to rival the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360, complete with motion control.

Originally known as the eBox, the console has reportedly been renamed the iSec, which stands for “Sports Entertainment Center.” It will include motion sensing technology that works much like that in the Microsoft Kinect, suggesting that this could be used for a range of gaming styles – allowing players to take part in Chinese style martial arts action adventures and of course fitness games.

There is some irony in all this. The Chinese government had banned the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 as there were concerns it could harm the country’s youth – and of course there had been bans to export some hardware to China. But now the Chinese are looking to get in on the game, and the computer gaming market is on the rise Chinese seems to think if you can’t keep it out, embrace it. The final question will be whether China attempts a US invasion with the iSec.

[Via PC World: Lenovo-backed Video Game System Unveiled in China]

Nintendo to Wii 2

Sony and Microsoft have reaffirmed their commitment to their current generation consoles, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 respectfully, and made it clear that it will be 2014 before either company brings out a next generation console. Both Sony and Microsoft gave their current hardware significant makeovers, notably the PlayStation Move and Xbox 360 Kinetic respectively; both of which came out last fall.

Nintendo’s Wii, which was released in 2007 – just days after the Sony PlayStation 3 arrived at retail – hasn’t seen the similar upgrade. While it dominated the gaming arena thanks to its innovative motion controller system, the hardware was far less cutting edge than either the Sony or Microsoft consoles. The Wii doesn’t support HD and doesn’t provide the same streaming opportunities as the PS3 or 360. Likewise, Nintendo has been hit on the handheld front too, as Apple’s iPhone and more recently the iPad have stolen some of the Nintendo GameBoy’s thunder. Continue reading Nintendo to Wii 2

Train with the UFC on Kinect

Want to train like a UFC fighter? It doesn’t need to be intimidating. THQ is releasing UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System, a fitness-oriented game due out this June. UFC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is an organization that pits different style fighters against one another. Fitness routines and full programs are designed to challenge and motivate users looking to get in shape. That includes over 70 mixed martial arts (MMA) and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)-approved exercises. Benefit from disciplines such as wrestling, kickboxing and Muay Thai. Each workout is designed to improve strength, endurance and conditioning through the routines. All 51 routines, along with nine exclusive bonus routines on the Kinect for Xbox 360 version, will be specialized to target specific muscle groups, and factor individual skill levels and fitness goals.

UFC Personal Trainer was designed by the NASM and support from MMA training experts Mark DellaGrotte, Greg Jackson and Javier Mendez, who have worked with UFC fighters.

UFC Fitness Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System Official Website

Fitbit Partners With New API

This week Fitbit announced the availability of its beta API, along with new key partners that include RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me and others. The Fitbit Tracer device and companion web-based data aggregation technology can be used to track weight, nutrition, exercise, sleeping schedules and more. It is a wearable device that clips onto clothing or slips into a pocket. It features accelerometer technology to help track daily health activities including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned and even sleep quality. This data is then wirelessly uploaded to the Fitbit website.

This company has announced that it has raised $9 million in new funding led by The Foundry Group. The big news this week is that the new Fitbit API will allow third-party developers to integrate Fitbit data in their own applications, products and services and also to read and write data for users’ Fitbit activities, food logs and other data in real time. Users can thus connect with fitness and weight loss apps such as RunKeeper and Lose It, and import and publish data into into their apps. About.me users will be able to display real Fitbit stats on their profile through use of the API and Microsoft HealthVault allows users to upload daily activities and sleep sessions into HealthVault. And Last Fall, FitBit announced an integration with Google Health.

We’ve long said that fitness is good when it is done with a partner, and apparently Fitbit thought the same thing.

[Via Techcrunch: Fitbit Partners With RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me And Others With New API]

FitBit Official Website

Microsoft Moves 10 million Kinects

Move over Sony PlayStation Move, the Xbox 360 Kinect motion control system is seriously moving. This week Microsoft announced that it has sold more than 10 million Kinect motion-sensing game system units worldwide in just the four months since it was released.

That makes it the fastest-selling consumer device on record. The infrared camera add-on for the Xbox 360 game console is priced at $150, and has steadily outpaced Sony’s competing Move device. But let’s not move too fast.

Sony had previously noted sales of 4.1 million units of the Move in its first two months, and still has not taken into account holiday sales. So what is clear is that consumers are looking to get moving with video games and for that we can’t complain.

Biggest Loser Arrives for Kinect and Wii

It is official, there is no reason not to want to be a loser, and by that we mean a big loser, as in The Biggest Loser. Based on the hit reality series The Biggest Loser health and fitness games for the new Kinect for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii have arrived.

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout for Kinect for Xbox 360 features a dynamic routine of exercise moves that are adjusted to how well the players do. And The Biggest Loser Challenge for the Nintendo Wii offers its own challenging ultimate workout that uses resistance bands as well as a stability ball. Players – if players is actually accurate considering that the idea is to get a workout – can work out with a friend in 4, 8 and even 12-week programs, which can be customized from more than 125 exercise moves, including cardio boxing.

Since working out alone won’t keep you in shape, both titles include a library of 50 recipes and a wealth of valuable nutritional tips to keep up a healthy lifestyle.

The Biggest Loser for Kinect and Wii

OptumHealth Debuts Fitness App for Windows Phone 7

OptumHealth, one of the nation’s largest health and wellness companies, announced this week that it will release its OptumizeMe mobile application with exclusive features for the new Windows Phone 7 mobile smartphone platform. The app is designed to help people pursue their health goals through their own online social networks, where they can track their progress and issue fun fitness challenges to their friends, family and coworkers. Continue reading OptumHealth Debuts Fitness App for Windows Phone 7

Hands On: Kinect for Xbox 360

Kinect for Xbox 360 delivers a whole new way to interface with games, as advertised. Just be sure to have a seven-year-old on hand to help mount the hardware. Shaun Conlin, editor of Evergeek.com explains.

There’s no denying that Nintendo took Microsoft by surprise when its comparatively wimpy little Wii became a runaway hit with general consumers, not just gamers. Wii’s simple and somewhat sloppy motion-sensitive controllers were key to its success.

After some presumed head scratching, Microsoft set about the none-too-small task of one-upping the competition. Taking the controller out of motion-controlled gaming altogether, the Xbox people delivered last week a true evolution of interactive entertainment, one where the player’s body waves and flails and prances about – and sometimes speaks – to invoke on-screen actions of the playable character on screen. Awesome idea there, Microsoft. Continue reading Hands On: Kinect for Xbox 360

Video Games Won’t Get You Fit, But Can They Get You in Shape to Get Fit?

We’ve long taken the opinion that video games are not an acceptable alternative to hitting the gym, but we also agree that fitness related games – including dance games, workout titles and anything that involves “moving” you off the couch is still a good thing. But now comes word from a few sources that the American Heart Association has found that Wii games such as Wii Sports and Wii Fit could be an actual “gateway” to the real deal.

According to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, who was quoted by My Fox Houston, games not a substitute for actual exercise, but do encourage people to get healthier. Franklin’s view:

“The fact of the matter is that 70 percent of Americans don’t exercise. Some of the reasons they don’t exercise s that it’s not enjoyable, it’s no fun, and it’s not readily accessible.

“Often times the boxing, the golfing, and other activities have an energy expenditure that is equivalent to slow, moderate walking. That’s a lot better than sitting on the couch.”

With the recent release of the PlayStation Move this past September, as well as this week’s release of the Xbox 360 Kinect we expect a lot of gaming to occur, but at least this could be a gateway to healthier gamers.