Nope, but there is this mod for PC you can use with a regular mic.
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5626

To be honest,I'm in my teens and don't really see what all the fuss is about too.Sure,some people have probably used non-stop but I feel that it was over-exaggerated a bit.

From what I've been reading elsewhere, many people are surprised by how good and responsive Kinect interface really is. But I don't think I'll ever use it with my set up.

I guess its just cause its fun, I do not yell though. I have my Kinect tuned up to hear me better. Its just fun, and kinda easier during battle...the only annoyance is remember all the shouts, and changing weapons when I pick up so many good weapons...Im kinda a hoarder when it comes to clothing and weapons...lol...so i always have so much on my char that its ridiculous to choose just one or two weapons to use at a time...

Seemed a bit naff at first, once you get used to the voice commands its pretty good and the equipping/sorting items etc. is really useful and saves a lot of time. However, I've noticed there's glitch sometimes where it doesn't actually perform the shout, but thinks it has so when you try and use a shout again it won't let you and you cannot deselect the shout. I have just discovered that using the LB+RB manual shout at this point will use the shout and fix the issue, there a few minor issues with it but on the whole it is very good and would like to thank the guys at Bethesda for a great game and the best integration of Kinect in a game I have seen so far. (Along with the gunsmith mode in Ghost Recon.)

It's because of the dragon shouts. As I understand it you can say "Fus Ro Duh" and your character will do the unrelenting force shout. Whether you yell it loudly or say it in a normal voice, technically that is still "shouting." I think we all understand that you only have to speak loud enough for the microphone to recognize our voice.

When someone says they think it's silly to be shouting at the tv I take that to mean they feel they will have to be shouting not that they are executing shouts by talking normally.

I think they are just being melodramatic. If it was not a dragon shout game, you probably would see a lot fewer people referring to it as "shouting." Personally, I am not that interested in talking while I am playing a video game. I kind of get into a groove and using my vocal chords would seem like a distraction.

I have an Xbox but no kinect and I play skyrim on the PS3, I am not interested enough to buy a kinect. But it sure does sound like a good thing for those who are able to incorporate it into their gameplay.

Now, if only kinect let you see your health/magicka/stamina bars and onscreen text while your HUD was off, then I would have to buy one immediately.

Once you get into it you don't even think about the fact that you're talking. It's just another form of control. And yes it is a good thing. I wish it had been there from the start now.

Kinect is total and utter bullcrap. Worthless junk, like the Move and the Wii. Motion controls are gimmicky garbage that needs burning.
But at least the Move and Wii have controllers, unlike stupid kinect.

I will never, ever, waste my time with any motion controls.

I fail to see why the hell they bothered wasting time and money putting it in.
I especially fail to see how the hell you can play anything other than the most casual none gaming garbage with the kinect.

But, then, bethesda went for the big bucks with Skyrim anyway, at the expense of the game itself. Figures they'd go for the stupidest corner of the market, too.

Good points.

I don't love the Kinect itself. We got it for our kids to play the one dance game and then it sat collecting dust. Fortunately this update to Skyrim rescued it from oblivion because what it does for this game is awesome. Well for me at least. I I can do things I couldn't do with the controller that help make gameplay much smoother. I certainly can't speak for you or anyone else who has their mind made up already without even trying it first but for me it transformed the game into a much more enjoyable experience.

Hey, I had a thought this morning. It would be cool if they had arcane words for the various spells in the game, like "Kah-shee" for fireball, and if they had special arcane words for right and left like "adwa" for right and "agoh" for left. Then you could say "Kah-shee adwa" and equip fireball in your left hand, and "Kah-shee agoh" if you want it in your left hand too. I think I'd be more into it if it used arcane words for spells, kind of like the shouts, rather than saying stuff like "equip spell fireball left hand".