I am not one for making outright predictions, especially when it comes to technology. In fact I am more likely to take shots at what end up being ridiculous predictions based on personal biases.

However, there is a technology available today that I truly believe will be the break-out technology of 2011 and beyond. I am of course talking about Microsoft’s Kinect accessory for the Xbox 360 gaming console. Mark ‘Rizzn’ Hopkins and I talked about it in a recent Daily Brief, and like him I had a gut feeling that when we first started hearing about Project Natal that we were hearing about the future.

I also remember at the time that a lot of tech pundits either discounted the project altogether or declared it would be just another failure for Microsoft. Then on November 4, 2010 – not even a full two months ago – Microsoft released the Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle; and when we look back on tech history that day will be a significant turning point.

This technology is having impact in ways that I don’t believe even Microsoft could have foreseen. Within days, on the edge developers were hard at work on their new toy figuring out how they could talk with the Kinect and then make it do things that had nothing to do with gaming.

Here at WinExtra we’ve been reporting on many of the things that have been done since that breakthrough day, as have our friends over at SiliconAngle. Like the team over there, I know we are only seeing the tip of the revolutionary changes coming. From real-time robotic telepresence, to aiding in people learning the American Sign Language, to capturing live 3D action, and yes even a Minority Report type user interface the changes are only just beginning.

If so much can be achieved with a first generation device, one has to wonder what will be possible when Microsoft ships follow-up versions of Kinect. If the cutting edge developers can do what they have done so far, what will we see when the rest of the developer community – across all platforms –  based on this foundation?

One has to wonder if Microsoft realized the impact that Kinect would have beyond the intended gaming platform. Did they realize the gift that they were bringing to the future of computing?

November 4, 2010 changed technology, and when we look back, Microsoft may be remembered more for this one thing than anything else.

[Cross-posted at Winextra]