Windows 8 and Kinect to Dethrone Apple and Mac OS?

By the end of 2012, the world of personal computing could be changed forever.

Right now it appears that we are living in a Mac world. Or, more appropriately, an

world comprised of shiny and silvery, aluminum-encased items that are taking over the tech industry. Later this year, Apple

is poised to expand its dominance by releasing its first TV – which could retail for

. Is there anything Apple

sell? Aside from the Apple TV console (a small set-top box that is separate from the company's actual television), Apple has not had any trouble selling large quantities of just about everything. For the next several years, the Mac maker is expected to dominate. Overall, it probably will. No one but Samsung is standing in Apple's way, and Samsung only poses a threat in

and

. But Microsoft

turn the tide with Kinect. The motion-sensing device has already proven to be a smash success for the Xbox maker, selling millions of units to consumers and techies alike. While Kinect was initially viewed as a generic, touch-free version of the motion controller that debuted with Nintendo (

) Wii, it turned out to be an innovative camera for hackers and programmers. As the Kinect hacker community grew, Microsoft was inspired to bring the motion-sensing camera to Windows. But the Windows edition isn't a gaming device, per se; it's more about the programming experience. To game, Microsoft currently expects you to buy an Xbox 360. There has been some speculation as to what Microsoft could do with Kinect going forward. Some wonder if the company will develop a TV with Kinect built-in, or license the technology to a third-party manufacturer that wishes to do the same. This seems unlikely, if not impractical. Kinect is useless without content, and Microsoft isn't about to push the device away from Xbox 360 by offering content that's specifically designed for a Kinect-toting television. However, it

possible that Kinect technology will cross over into other worlds. The word on the street is that Asus is working on a prototype laptop that will feature a Kinect camera that's

. What's the point? No one knows. But it seems that Asus is attracted to Kinect's motion capabilities, which could be used to build a better (or at least different) kind of laptop. What developers – and most of all Microsoft – seem to be missing is the fact Kinect could work really well on a multitude of devices (not just Xbox 360) if the company would do one simple thing: launch an app store. A

app store. I've been saying this since the device launched in 2010. My view was reinforced the moment hackers began to transform Kinect with brilliant, homemade software and other applications. Why wouldn't Microsoft jump at the chance to monetize their creations? Is the company oblivious to the hundreds of millions of dollars that consumers spend on Android and iOS apps each year? Unlike Android apps (and those from other iOS competitors), Kinect apps wouldn't be just another Apple knock-off. Instead, they'd be in a class all their own. You can do a million things with Kinect that are not feasible on the iPad or iPhone. Could that change? Sure. But Apple would have to release a touch-free controller for those devices. Considering how much the company loves its touch screens, we shouldn't count on that happening any time soon. This is the kind of advantage Microsoft needs to succeed. It can't beat Apple at its own game. And let's be honest: Apple couldn't beat Microsoft at its own game either. So instead of licensing Mac OS to as many PC manufacturers as possible (as Microsoft does with Windows), Apple maintained control of the operating system and worked hard to build better machines. After several years of struggling to stay relevant, consumers began to take notice. Now, for the first time in history, Apple is a true threat to Microsoft's business model. To fight back, Microsoft can't simply build a strong OS and a cool app store. It needs to woo consumers with something that is truly unique. Kinect could – no,

– be that something. Where does that leave Windows 8? The new OS will be an essential part of the transition. With a built-in app store, consumers will come to the operating system with the expectation of being able to download fun, creative and inexpensive applications for their favorite Microsoft devices. But the company should not limit Kinect's future to the success of Windows 8. There should be separate Kinect app stores for Xbox 360 and Windows 7 in addition to the official Windows 8 rollout. While it makes sense for Microsoft to launch its PC apps exclusively on Windows 8 (a vastly different OS), it would be foolish to miss out on the millions of Windows 7 and Xbox 360 users who would happily buy millions (if not billions) of Kinect apps a year. Assuming they are given the chance, that is.