You won't want to spill Coffee on here

[Ant-Shimmin]

Take a Look at this beauty

 

Microsoft Surface

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html

[Ashley]

Its nice but due to its inevitably high price and real lack of general use when is it ever going to be used except for fancy-ass companies who want to show off?

[Shorty]

That looks pretty cool... weren't Sony using something similar at their hilariously embarrassing press conference some time ago?

[Fields]

What a fucking shite idea. I can just see everyone running out to buy a fucking coffee table that lets you look at your photos. Even Microsoft admit that it will be priced way beyond the reach of the average user. In which case, who the fuck is it for? What the fuck is it for? What utter fucking bollocks.

[Shorty]

priced way beyond the reach of the average user. In which case, who the fuck is it for? What the fuck is it for? What utter fucking bollocks.

For use in trendy bars?

 

The Forum/Common Room in Sheffield has computers, pinball machines, a table with classic games built in, about 25 widescreen televisions and 12 pool tables - I think they could afford one or two of these tables

[Ant-Shimmin]

What a fucking shite idea. I can just see everyone running out to buy a fucking coffee table that lets you look at your photos. Even Microsoft admit that it will be priced way beyond the reach of the average user. In which case, who the fuck is it for? What the fuck is it for? What utter fucking bollocks.

 

Woah...Calm Down Buddy!

 

Bah I like the technology

[Fields]

For use in trendy bars?

 

The Forum/Common Room in Sheffield has computers, pinball machines, a table with classic games built in, about 25 widescreen televisions and 12 pool tables - I think they could afford one or two of these tables

Fair enough. I'm just confused as to why Microsoft have put together all these slick videos of people organizing their photos, sending emails and the like, and hailing 'surface computing' as the next big thing, then going on to say that it will cost upwards of $10,000 and isn't intended for the home market. I mean seriously, who are they trying to sell it to? Like I said, great tech demo, but 'surface computing' will never be anything more than a novelty.

[conzer16]

It's a prototype for the future really. Ubiquitous computing will be a reality in the near future and this is just a sample of what there will be to offer.

 

Personally I would love one of those!

[McPhee]

Like all technology these will rapidly fall in price anyway. I bet they are affordable in 5-10 years

[KKOB]

It's a prototype for the future really. Ubiquitous computing will be a reality in the near future and this is just a sample of what there will be to offer.

 

Personally I would love one of those!

Microsoft are all about the prototypes, and future. They talk endlessly about their Microsoft concept home of the future type stuff, but their focus seems very very spread out. They're trying to do too much at once and seem to be moving on very quickly from one 'great idea' to the next. Least they'll be around in the games market for a time, and unless a new iteration of the zune comes out soon i can't see them making too much head way in that market. and now with this idea, i'm just meh.

 

Pubs and clubs and places already have touch screen games, and beyond the very expensive idea of using it to pay for things and order stuff, i can't see much use for this 'innovation'.

 

Maybe in about 5 years, after apple might have released their smudge free touch screen imacs we might see this idea more of an expensive reality in the home, but i can't see why it caused the excitement that it has.

[theguyfromspark]

Microsoft are perfectly suited to be one of the companies who pour research money, time and effort into this sort of thing due to their size and deep pockets. If this tech was released by an unknown company it wouldn't get nearly as much exposure as it has which can only be a good thing. Maybe the tech won't catch on, but I think it's brave of MS to give it a shot.

Some of the possible uses for Surface described where:

 

In a Bar or Restuarant, view menus, order food + drink and Pay by card through the interface.

In a Pub Quiz night, show the questions and pictures/videos on each of the contestants tables, perhaps give them multiple choice questions and allow them to select the correct answer.

The usual pay per minute internet access in reception areas.

Also in the future, I can imagine curved quater pipe shaped surfaces that could replace desks in offices, with the vertical part of the surface replacing the PC moniter (if you played Dreamfall there's a similar system there).

Anyway, as a software developer, I think it's inspiring and I urge people to be a little less closed minded about new technology, certain clever people could only see computers being sold to 5 companies at it's early stages and the TV was dismissed as useless to the masses too!

[Ant-Shimmin]

Microsoft are all about the prototypes, and future. They talk endlessly about their Microsoft concept home of the future type stuff, but their focus seems very very spread out. They're trying to do too much at once and seem to be moving on very quickly from one 'great idea' to the next. Least they'll be around in the games market for a time, and unless a new iteration of the zune comes out soon i can't see them making too much head way in that market. and now with this idea, i'm just meh.

 

Pubs and clubs and places already have touch screen games, and beyond the very expensive idea of using it to pay for things and order stuff, i can't see much use for this 'innovation'.

 

Maybe in about 5 years, after apple might have released their smudge free touch screen imacs we might see this idea more of an expensive reality in the home, but i can't see why it caused the excitement that it has.

 

Slap One Of These

 

 

on it and this thread will be full of jizz.

 

I think it looks excellent, wether it is just a "gimic" or not remains to be seen, but it indeed looking good and I believe it will be available for the public in a few years. I for one would love one and It looks very accessible and impressive.

 

Considering it's just a tech demo, it looks very good.

 

I personally would love one of these

[KKOB]

 

I think it looks excellent, wether it is just a "gimic" or not remains to be seen, but it indeed looking good and I believe it will be available for the public in a few years. I for one would love one and It looks very accessible and impressive.

 

Considering it's just a tech demo, it looks very good.

 

I personally would love one of these

 

I wouldn't. I can see that it would be nice in a home where they don't already have PCs, it assumably would have a nice simple UI and lots of nice features what we can have on the standard computer today. I can't see it being that significant in the next 10 years however. It's going to be grossly expensive at least when it finally goes on sale to the public. I can't see retailers giving it too much if any space in their shops, and i can se it being quite niche. Microsoft would have to persuade people with computers and laptops and pdas etc that they need another computing device, this time in their living room.

 

It is nice though, just not all that useful to me, or to the people i know. i think it will just be an extravagance for the most well paid geeks of the world.

[Ant-Shimmin]

I wouldn't. I can see that it would be nice in a home where they don't already have PCs, it assumably would have a nice simple UI and lots of nice features what we can have on the standard computer today. I can't see it being that significant in the next 10 years however. It's going to be grossly expensive at least when it finally goes on sale to the public. I can't see retailers giving it too much if any space in their shops, and i can se it being quite niche. Microsoft would have to persuade people with computers and laptops and pdas etc that they need another computing device, this time in their living room.

 

It is nice though, just not all that useful to me, or to the people i know. i think it will just be an extravagance for the most well paid geeks of the world.

 

Totally Agree, but I think it won't just be an extravagance, it opens alot of oppertunities, wether MS can capitalise is another thing.

 

Oh well, guess we will have to wait 5 Years to find out

[Fields]

Slap One Of These... on it and this thread will be full of jizz.

At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, Apple are shipping a product next month that uses similar multi-touch technology, and it's in a form that people actually want ie. not a coffee table.

[theguyfromspark]

Some ideas for the living room space:

 

As shown, display media from cameras and other devices.

Remote control replacement for tv/dvd/etc

Media Center Extender

Baby Moniter (with video)

Front door intercom

Internet Telephone

 

Sure it's not worth the money, but it's all about the image at the moment.

[Ant-Shimmin]

Some ideas for the living room space:

 

As shown, display media from cameras and other devices.

Remote control replacement for tv/dvd/etc

Media Center Extender

Baby Moniter (with video)

Front door intercom

Internet Telephone

 

Sure it's not worth the money, but it's all about the image at the moment.

 

It has possibilites, thats the most important thing

[KKOB]

At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, Apple are shipping a product next month that uses similar multi-touch technology, and it's in a form that people actually want ie. not a coffee table.

 

LOL

 

If you look at the D5 video of Gates and Jobs on stage together the other day, when Gates talks about future portable devices and mentions those flexi screen things, like a pull out scroll display, Jobs has such a big smirk on his face! made me laugh anywho.

 

The technology behind the coffee table is very interesting but i'm not sure a coffee table is the right device for it all. I can see how it fits in with M$'s view of the living room, 360 on the TV, maybe media center, laptops all around and a couple PCs networked together. But in a real home i'm not sure of the coffee table being the right place for this-admittedly cool- technology.

[Ant-Shimmin]

At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, Apple are shipping a product next month that uses similar multi-touch technology, and it's in a form that people actually want ie. not a coffee table.

 

Maybe so, but it's all about innovation, and as I said it seems as if it's still in it's early stages, and I have no doubt in my mind if MS utilise the software correctly they can create something special.

 

I certainly plan to get one when they are offered to the General Public.

[KKOB]

Maybe so, but it's all about innovation, and as I said it seems as if it's still in it's early stages, and I have no doubt in my mind if MS utilise the software correctly they can create something special.

 

I certainly plan to get one when they are offered to the General Public.

 

You must have some serious income! i'm jealous!

[Ant-Shimmin]

You must have some serious income! i'm jealous!

 

I forgot to include that I will buy it, when I complete my goal of "World Domination" but thats a totally different issue

[Caris]

Takeo man, come on.

[EEVILMURRAY]

I'd like to see someone playing Counterstrike on this.

[KKOB]

Takeo man, come on.

 

hello?

 

I said what i think . . .

[McPhee]

I wouldn't. I can see that it would be nice in a home where they don't already have PCs, it assumably would have a nice simple UI and lots of nice features what we can have on the standard computer today. I can't see it being that significant in the next 10 years however. It's going to be grossly expensive at least when it finally goes on sale to the public. I can't see retailers giving it too much if any space in their shops, and i can se it being quite niche. Microsoft would have to persuade people with computers and laptops and pdas etc that they need another computing device, this time in their living room.

 

It is nice though, just not all that useful to me, or to the people i know. i think it will just be an extravagance for the most well paid geeks of the world.

 

Its funny, for a minute there i thought you were describing the iMac