Xbox Live Vision Camera comes into focus
As we get every closer to the coming electronic winter tempest that is the Christmas gaming lineup, new things keep appearing and distracting us with their interesting nature and exciting ideas. The newest Xbox 360 innovation to be openly debated online? The new Xbox Live Vision Camera of course!
It seems that the new glorified Microsoft web cam may be more advanced that we were led to believe. We know it is capable of live video and stills for all sort of amusing purposes (and of course, probably some rude ones) online but it seems several new features have been revealed by some clever people. The new camera is able to zoom to an extent and add effects to pictures such as one might use on a digital camera ‘edit’ menu. One of the more interesting facts is it instantly adds whatever it can see to you dashboard background as soon as you boot up. Hopefully there is an option to turn this off without unplugging the camera.
The camera also has many other features that you probably have heard of such as picture and video messaging, as well as being able to let you take a personal picture for your gamertag (which will be separate to your normal picture) which can be seen by all your friends. Surprisingly the camera is to retail in two different bundles, one for the stated $39.99/£21 and one for a higher tag of $79.99/£42 which includes more stuff and a years subscription to live. This ‘double bundle’ idea is purely a rumour unlike the rest of the story at the moment, but it does make sense that Microsoft would send out two different forms of the product after the apparent ’success’ of the Core and Premium 360 bundles. For more information on the bundles, you only have to look here.
Anyway, this little toy should be out pretty soon (September is the best bet at the moment) so let us all look forward to sending each other stupid pictures over Xbox Live. Should you be in a hurry, go rush to Toys ‘r Us since they seem to be blundering with stocks already, and a lucky customer already walked out with the device.
Many thanks to Xrest and Predator GR for this intel, and LaMeRz for the Toys ‘r Us snafu!
Got mine at Toys R Us in Miami, FL this morning… Yes that’s about a month before the street date of 9/19.
Are you kidding?
Seems Toys R Us are screwing up big time on this one
If they’re in stock, and retailers have them, what they holding back on?
Because you don’t want to piss off Microsoft
Hmmmmmm. I dont think the UK form of toys r us would be so kind to me. Might try anyway…..
Not kidding. I originally saw the story on Engadget. I then took a ride over to Toys R’ Us and I bought 2 of them. The other for a friend of mine. It works great. Used it in Uno today. It was $39.99.
Say if I joined you in a game of Uno, and you had webcam , but not in your friends list, could I still see you?
Yes you can. I’ve joined a bunch of random games of Uno today and the other people playing with me were asking me about the Camera. So they can see me for sure and all of them are not on my Friends list.
Cool, I’m going to run to TRU to see if I can nab a few for my buddies.
They’re selling on ebay for about $100.
Check more details our here and how you can get at least one!
Will this be usable in games like the eyetoy? Because I won’t be playing online.
Yes; it comes with a game called “TotemBall,” which is be controlled like an Eyetoy game. You use your arms to move the thingy around.
Yup, got mine at Toys R us today for $40 in Ft. Wayne, IN