One of the conspicuous absences from the Microsoft press briefing was Avatar Kinect, especially considering how hard the company hit the odd pseudo talk show service during its CES briefing in January. Tonight we managed to learn what's up with the feature (because we know how anxious you've been about the whole thing).

Look for Avatar Kinect in July as a part of the recently released Kinect Fun Labs -- that's according to a representative we chatted up during an event to celebrate the service. If you're unfamiliar, Fun Labs is a sort of test bed available through Xbox Live where developers can show off experiences for the device that don't fit inside the standard game mold.

It seems like a smart move too. As a marquee feature, Avatar Kinect is pretty forgettable, but it makes perfect sense as a "gadget" in the quirky Fun Labs lineup.