The Kinect relies on a crystal clear camera view in order to best pick up players and scan the environment so when the camera is left unattended and untouched for, say, a few weeks time, it’s bound to gather dirt, dust, and other impurities that could impede its performance. And with hazards such as dropping the peripheral or the potential for scratches and other damage, you’re privy to a unit that could be rendered effectively useless should you fail to take the proper precautions.
The Pritect Sensor Cover for Kinect cover seeks to address these dust, privacy issues, and safety issues by promising to protect (hence the name) the camera from dust and offering a solution for the Kinect’s camera being uncovered and vulnerable when not in use. For $9.99 MSRP, the Pritect cover is a logical accessory to pick up should dust and privacy concerns weigh heavily on your mind. Though there really isn’t much to say about it; it’s a sturdy piece of glossy black plastic that fits securely over the Kinect, and does exactly what it says: obscures the camera view and keeps dust and other particles out. It has a fit very similar to that of Nyko’s Zoom accessory, and snaps on quite snugly.
Svelte, attractive packaging created to fit the piece’s shape serves as a great place to store the Pritect when not in use, but as far as the limited uses for this device goes, it’s not truly worth a ten-spot unless you’re that paranoid about the Kinect’s camera picking you up when going about your daily life for some reason, or unless you’re that concerned about dust and dirt filtering through. If you’re one of those gamers who absolutely needs to see their gaming inventory fully protected and kept from harm by external plastic shells, it’s a sensible product that’ll serve you well. Just don’t be expecting miracles out of it.