Though we might already know the Xbox One release date, price, and specs for the most part, Microsoft execs released a new video today that further detail the impressive technology within the Kinect controller. Coming nearly two weeks after Sony posted information of its own PlayStation 4 DualShock 4 controller online, the Kinect controller will surely compete with its rival once it goes on sale in November for $499.
Check out the Xbox One controller video featuring Major Nelson and Zulfi Alam here:
Design
The Kinect controller was designed the way many Apple products were during Steve Jobs days at the helm, with user’s engagement and a sense of seamlessness in mind. The video starring Major Nelson and general manager Zulfi Alam describes how the controller is built specifically for comfort by losing the likes of tiny screws in the back holding all of the techie blood and guts inside. That leads to the seamless feel as there are no visible bumps with the only grooves being those connecting multiple pieces of plastic.
Thumbstick, Triggers, & D-pad
Similar to the complete design, the tumbstick, triggers, and D-pad were all slightly reconstructed for optimum gaming comfort with maximum gaming functionality. The thumbsticks are now made of soft rubber and are slightly smaller to better detect even the slightest deviations in angle. Similarly, the D-pad protrudes slightly higher but underneath is connected closer to the motherboard in order to cut down any delayed response from the controller to the console.
The triggers feature smaller rumble motors but instead of them being situated just below the triggers on the back of the controller, they are located directly underneath to give a better handle of the controller and rumble pack. Even more exciting, though, is that the motor is able to differentiate between different types of vibrations to emit. For example, users can expect specific rumbles based on what the user is actually doing in their respective game, whether it be shooting a gun, driving a car, or scoring a goal. Every rumble is tailor made for that specific usage.
Wireless
For convenience sake, the Xbox One controller will have the option to go wireless or be hardwired into the console. Simply jacking in the wireless controller to the console via USB port (functional with any USB cord) automatically ceases any wireless data transfer and does it through the wire. When wired in, operations only take as long as it does to send information from the controller to the console and back, essentially the blink of an eye.
Should users prefer a wireless experience, Microsoft engineers have increased bandwidth by 20x in order to further increase the computing response time between the console and controller.
Buttons
The signature on/off Xbox button in the center of the controller is a piece of art in and of itself. Sitting underneath a layer of aluminum and another layer of transparent aluminum lies an IR LED light that communicates directly with the console’s Kinect sensor in order to bolster recognition commands like the One’s ability to distinguish between gamers based solely on which person is holding the controller.
The ABXY button set have also been upgraded to be more aesthetically pleasing but Microsoft was sure not to undertake any changes that might put a hindrance on a user’s gaming experience.
