Microsoft Surfaces With a New Concept in Interactive Computing Stephen Fung May 31, 2007 Remember the interactive computing construct in “The Minority Report” where Tom Cruise could interact with data by dragging and dropping it with his bare hands? Well, it looks like the Redmond Giant has created something that is very similar called “Surface” which uses a large touchscreen surface (I wonder if that’s where they got the name from) that is mounted into a table or counter. Users are able to use natural hand gestures to summon information like pictures and music and other digital content. You can even flick a picture across the table to your friend. Other cool features include the ability to flick content over to your PDA’s or other portable devices and have Surface sync it. You can see how the ZUNE users are getting all giddy about this one. The concept has proved so popular that Caesars Palace Casino in Las Vegas was one of the first to put themselves down for an order along with several other Hotels. Their restaurants and clubs could use the systems to allow patrons to order food and drink and get a refill when their glasses are empty. However, with built in wireless, it is possible that the system would even sense when your glass is running low. It’s only a matter of time till this system shows up in other types of applications. To really get the idea of what this thing can really do, check out this video put out by Popular Mechanics when they had a hands on sneak preview of the technology earlier this year: If you want one for yourself, get read to pony up the green. The Microsoft Surface will run you around $10,000 if you want to be an early adopter, however as the technology increases in popularity, you should be able to see it in your house for less in the future. For more information on Surface, visit the official Microsoft Site. Share This With The World!
