As we reported earlier, Microsoft has announced that it will launch a Windows-specific version of its Kinect motion gesture controller to the public on February 1 for $249. In a post on Microsoft's Kinect for Windows blog site, Microsoft is giving a warning that the Kinect for Windows product will be available "in limited quantities at first". This seems to suggest that Microsoft is preparing people to expect some early sell outs for the device for at least the first few weeks or months.
The blog also touched on why the Kinect for Windows device is being sold for $249 while the Xbox 360 version has a $149 price tag. Microsoft stated:
The ability to sell Kinect for Xbox 360 at its current price point is in large part subsidized by consumers buying a number of Kinect games, subscribing to Xbox LIVE, and making other transactions associated with the Xbox 360 ecosystem. In addition, the Kinect for Xbox 360 was built for and tested with the Xbox 360 console only, which is why it is not licensed for general commercial use, supported or under warranty when used on any other platform.
Microsoft did say that at some point in the future it will sell Kinect for Windows at $149 for use in schools and other qualified education-based organizations.
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