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Microsoft Surface: it is like an iPhone, in table form



It looks like interactive surfaces are all the rage nowadays. First we had the iPhone from Apple with its multi-touch technology and now we have Microsoft's Surface (of course neither of these devices is actually shipping yet, but when does that stop us from talking about them?). Surface is a 30 inch screen that is mounted in a table. It uses a similiar touch interface as the iPhone does, but on a much larger scale. It can also interact with objects that are tagged using RFID tags, displaying information about the object. Microsoft eventually sees a point in the future when you would be able to rest your Zune (ha!) on the Surface and transfer songs from your library using only your fingertips as well as interact with other devices in the same fashion.

Check out the Surface website for some very cool demos. Sadly, you won't be able to buy this for your home anytime soon. The unit is rumored to cost $10,000 and at the moment is aimed at commercial uses. Microsoft is scheduling a road show of sorts so you can get your hands on one and give it a whirl.

Sometimes I feel like we're living in the future, people!

It looks like interactive surfaces are all the rage nowadays. First we had the iPhone from Apple with its multi-touch technology and now we...
 

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Aditya Thatte

kick ass MS !!!! apple folks dont compare ur shit to ours ...just acknowledge that the product is good

June 29 2007 at 5:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
stiltskin

if it's only commercial why taunt us with a couple on couch? c'mon microsoft.

June 05 2007 at 9:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marxie

cant see microsoft pulling this one off. Lets pull this apart:
• They say multi-input, i.e fingers, but get 3 people working at the same time resizing pictures, down loading etc.
• All demo's were 1 person...I do canned demo's, i see the smoke and the mirrors :)
• I bet children could cash it, all drawing at once.
• what OS, Vista? No chance!
• table tops aren't ergonomic, looking down all day would kill ya
• Evolution isn't Desk Top, Lap Top, Palm Top, Table Top!?! Whats next, stone and Chisel?
• and try to determine a round glass of nuts from a glass of beer, or an ash try......if ash tray exist by then!
Nice idea though, and a wow factor when you see it.

June 04 2007 at 5:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin

No one has brought up yet, that this technology will be perfect for children (and seniors).

Since I work with touchscreens, my own daughter learned to use a touchscreen interface from the age of two. Long before she could handle a mouse, she knew hundreds of submenus for learning websites, and even (to my surprise) figured out how to drag objects using her finger.

June 01 2007 at 8:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Catt

The idea of a touch table is not new
here is one for mapping applications
http://www.esri.com/library/fliers/pdfs/cs-northrop-grumman.pdf
Kudos to Microsoft for taking it to a whole new level. The price is about right for the target audience but would like to see them make something like this for the consumer market. I work with Mapping applications all day something like this would be really slick. Imagine using my hand to dray instead of a mouse. Hmmphf....

May 31 2007 at 1:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BuzzGT

Can anyone say...."back problems"....it will never sell.....

May 31 2007 at 10:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Paul

iPhone wasn't the first touchscreen device, nintendo DS was first! Give credit where credit is due

May 31 2007 at 8:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
eric f

Finally! a digital solution for board games. My friends are not going to be able to cheat at Risk anymore...

May 31 2007 at 8:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David Foster

Take that Steve Jobs, man who says MS has no style and never creates anything innovative.

May 31 2007 at 5:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
glad

I wonder if this is the same type of technology they showed at TED last year, which was amazing. If it is then microsoft will have a hit but the cost needs to fall dramatically.

May 31 2007 at 3:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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