Microsoft announces Surface computer interface

by Brad Linder May 30th 2007

Microsoft is taking the wraps off its new "Surface" platform, which should be commercially available later this year. Essentially, Surface lets you interact with a computer via a tabletop interface, no keyboard or separate display needed. Touch the screen to make selections and move images around.

Use two hands to make pictures larger or smaller. Or place certain items on the tabletop to interact with the computer.

The first Surface computers could cost up to $10,000 so don't expect to pick one up for your living room just yet (unless you're a super early adopter with too much disposable income). Rather, they'll show up at hotels, retail stores, restaurants and casinos first.

Harrah's in Las Vegas will have a "virtual concierge" service letting guests reserve tickets, peruse menus, or make purchases. It's just a matter of time until someone builds a realistic virtual poker application.

T-Mobile has signed on to take advantage of Surface's object recognition capabilities, by allowing customers in selected stores to pick up a cellphone, place it on the table and get information about prices and phone plans.

Tags: surface, surface computing, SurfaceComputing

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

glitched said 3:25PM on 5-30-2007

Ive been seeing tech demos for this kind of tech for a couple of years now. Glad its finally coming to consumer tech now!

only question is... did MS buy this tech from these research companies, did they just beat them to market, or did they just copy them?

Eric said 8:43AM on 5-31-2007

Wow Calvin just wow

Calvin said 8:16PM on 5-31-2007

Oh my god. This proves that Microsoft has bugged my house. I was talking about something like this years ago and about how it would work and everything since i was brainstorming ideas for when i start my company(need to finish school) and now look at this. Microsoft jacks my ideas. Maybe i should just sell my ideas to Apple or Linux, anything against Microsoft. Now i need to move.

Rob said 5:58PM on 6-01-2007

Wow, how did this not come from Apple?

Ok, maybe the question should be how did this come from Microsoft?

It could be a better way to show off photos and move through music than what I have seen in from home theatre/media computers to this point. This type of interface would be more intuitive to use than a remote control or keyboard to move through photos, albums, or lists. (In fact they should be rid of lists altogether...use cover art or large thumbnails of memorable scenes.)

The experience would be more intimate for sharing photos with friends and family. I can see everyone gathering around a coffee table with a Surface enabled device built in, to see the wedding photos or photos of the grandkids. Or actuallly seeing the cover art of movies that you potentially want to watch.

There are a few "ifs" that Microsoft has to resolve to make this big (like the Ipod became big for Apple).

If the price is not outrageous Surface could be big. I do not want to pay $1000 for it: $300 is the most I would pay. Even $300 might be high.

If they do not attempt to make this a stand alone computer at a stand alone computer price, it could be big. We do not need another stand alone computer to administer (or pay for). I don't care if it is actually Vista running- cripple it, so I don't have to concern myself with running security software on it or defending it from vulnerabilities. Make it connect effortlessly to a stand alone computer - wirelessly. Think like Apple TV and do not try to do too much with this device. Doing too much makes prices rise, too. But, don't take steps to stop (white hat) hackers from doing cool things with it.

(There needs to be a balance here. Lock it down enough so that people who do not know anything about the inner workings of computers do not have to worry about anything, at the same time, don't actively attempt to keep the motivated and knowledgable users from building on it. Again, see Apple TV.)

If they partner with a furniture design firm and give customers options in order to work with so the device can blend in to an existing room aesthetic (like offering different types of wood, stain, colors, for say a coffee table), Surface could be big.

These "ifs" are not trivial for such a large company. Is there any chance that Microsoft can get Surface into the living room? Or will it be a novelty only seen in hotels and casinos? Today I feel like an optimist, and since Apple has gotten it right so many times now that Microsoft can copy them, I think Microsoft can make Surface big.

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