Microsoft's Stephen McGill

It's part of the platform. But I think we've proven that you don't need to replace a console regularly, because we can update the services and experiences you have. Three or four years ago, versus now, it's exactly the same physical console but it's a completely different experience. You'll see us continue to do that.

I can't go into specifics. It's a very healthy number - I'm getting more than I did when we launched 360 as a console. That said, a lot of retailers have now switched off their pre-orders - demand has been incredible. That's great to see, it's clearly the must-have product for Christmas. A lot of retailers have closed their orders for day-one delivery so obviously they're now taking orders for the next replenishment of stock.

The key thing for us is to make sure our manufacturers are working 24-7, that we've got the right number of planes, the right number of boats and vans, lorries, taxis, whatever it takes to make sure we're replenishing the stock regularly from launch, all the way through to Christmas.

We've got new allocation coming in incredibly regularly. It's down to individual retailers really.

Well, we're manufacturing as many as we can, and we'll do everything we can to get them out as quickly as we can - that said, demand seems to be really encouraging so far, and obviously the marketing campaign hasn't really kicked in yet, so that starts over the next week or two in the lead up to launch - it's clearly going to be a hot thing for Christmas.

I hope I have enough, I can never promise - but we're building and shipping as quickly as we can.

I can't go into the profit side of our business. Obviously we want to make sure it's as affordable as possible - it's a benefit if we get this out to people so they can begin using it. We think it's really good value. Particularly if you think that, out of the box it's ready for multiplayer - you can have a four-player system right out of the box for your £129. From a value perspective I think it's really priced quite well.

I don't think it's a barrier. The key thing for us is making sure that people understand what Kinect can do for them and how it can unleash gaming and entertainment for a lot of people that haven't really been able to do it because they haven't been able to get used to the technology of having a gadget in your hand.

Controllers are getting more and more complicated. Everyone knows how to kick a ball, pretty much everyone knows about volleyball, or bowling. There's nothing more natural than doing it with your hand. We did it as kids, we've done it growing up. Pressing buttons is alien to a lot of people. Hardcore gamers like you or I, yeah, we can get it, but a lot of people don't, and can't.

So we're taking technology out of the way, making the technology invisible. Yes there's some great technology, it's a great gadget but ultimately it needs to be invisible for people to have a great time, and no other platform comes close. No one's ever tried this before, and I love that.

The thing I've learned over the last few months, or the thing I've really enjoyed I should say, is when we've been out on the tour and seeing people's expressions, when they see or play Kinect for the first time. That moment when they realise, my hand is controlling what I'm doing on the screen. I'm saying "Xbox pause" and the movie pauses.

You go and play a game, you see a ball and you go and kick it, it's so natural. For me it's been great watching people's reaction to that, because it's been great. Amazing to see.

Well from a Kinect point of view what we're trying to do is revolutionise the gaming and entertainment experience, it's bringing new forms of entertainment to life in magical and extraordinary new ways.

I haven't heard any of those kind of comments, the only comments I've heard have been 'wow, now we can go and do this, I can now go and do that'. It's just unlocking their creativity like nothing else they've had in their tool box before, so everything I've heard has been incredibly positive.

Unfortunately I can't go into that sort of sale projections with you, nor do we split any of those sales out country by country.

At a senior level, yes. I'll say this: I'm expecting to sell a lot of consoles to a lot of people who hadn't been considering Xbox 360 because of the new experiences we're offering with Kinect.