Last night, New York?s famed Times Square went controller-free, as the Crossroads of the World was transformed into a dancing, singing, A-list celebration for today?s North American launch of Kinect for Xbox 360.

A full day of demos, star-studded appearances and a massive, choreographed dance routine culminated in a line of thousands of fans eagerly waiting to take home the future of home entertainment, now available at U.S.retailers.

Kinect for Xbox 360 lets you use your body and voice to play your favorite games and entertainment, literally turning you into the controller. Simply step in front of the sensor, and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice and learns how you play. 17 Kinect games will be available this holiday season ? including dance, fitness, sports, racing and family experiences, Microsoft said.

Xbox LIVE members can also use Kinect to control movies, music and even live sports from ESPN on Xbox LIVE with the wave of a hand or the sound of their voice. Users are also able to share their experiences with friends and family over Xbox LIVE and through Video Kinect video chat service.

The all-in-one Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect includes the new Xbox 360 4GB console, Kinect sensor and "Kinect Adventures," priced at $299.99 ERP (U.S.). Or for those who have an Xbox 360 console at home, the stand-alone Kinect for Xbox 360, priced at $149.99 ERP (U.S.), includes the Kinect sensor and "Kinect Adventures," and works with the 45 million Xbox 360 consoles currently in homes worldwide.

International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that Americans will buy 2.5 million to 3 million Kinect sensors for their Microsoft Xbox 360 video game consoles in the fourth calendar quarter of 2010. The number of Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) Move motion controllers sold should range between 2 million and 2.25 million by the end of this year, IDC says.