Okay…so I wrote an article over at PC World about Microsoft’s Kinect sensor-controller for the Xbox 360. According to a press release from Microsoft, the controller has sold over 2.5 million units in the first month.
By comparison, the Sony Move — which came out in mid-September — only sold a million units in the first month. The iPad, which is reportedly the fastest selling non-phone electronic device, “ever,” only sold 2 million units in its first two months on the market. To be fair, the Kinect has the benefit of being introduced just a few weeks before Christmas — and less than a month before the biggest consumer electronics shopping day of the year, Black Friday. So, the Kinect’s rapid adoption rate is not really an indicator of much.
–
Anyway, the interesting part is that the commenters came out in force, claiming that I was everything from being a wild Apple fangirl to being a Bill Gates lover, and suggesting that my comparison was crazily unethical and stupid.
One commenter was particularly interesting, because he went from calling me an Apple fangirl:
Oh I see why, its another non-male article writer who is like all the other non-male writers who are biased towards Apple products.
To claiming I was being unfair to Apple:
Also, you are comparing a device that cost $150 vs one that cost $499 to start. The cost alone will drive sales higher.
To insisting that I was making a stupid comparison:
It would have been better for you to give a sales number of the Kinect vs devices in its class.
(Yeah, let’s ignore this DIRECT quote from the FIRST SENTENCE of my article: “Microsoft’s Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360 is selling faster in the first month of its release than both the Sony Move controller and the Apple iPad.”)
Of course, then he (I’ll assume it’s a he, considering he had such an issue with my “gender”) says it would have been impossible for me to compare the Kinect to other devices in its class, because:
In this case it is a game controller and it is the ONLY one of its kind. The Sony Move is nothing more than a fancier vs of the Nintendo Wii’s controller.
Oh logic, where art thou?
–
Now, why did I compare the sales of the Xbox Kinect — an add-on to an already popular gaming console — to the iPad — a touchscreen mini-computer tablet? Why? WHY?!
Uh, because it’s almost Christmas, and guess what your kids want.
Yeah. And, truth be told, both Apple and Microsoft are vying for the top spot under the tree this year. In fact, Microsoft’s own Kudo Tsunoda claimed, back in September, that the Kinect would outsell the iPad during the holiday season.
So, uh, yeah. How dare I compare two products that are in completely different categories, even if the products’ own creators are suggesting that I do so.
