Microsoft Surface

[popltree2]

I am sorry Apple, but I just became a big Microsoft fan. Microsoft Surface (http://www.microsoft.com/surface/) is by far one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time.

Opinions?

[victor_c26]

Definitely interesting and surprising that Microsoft actually managed to put together a competent amalgamation of the touch-screen concepts shown in the past.

This one goes to Microsoft.

[phatlip12]

Rant...

How is this any different from what Apple is doing with multi-touch? I keep reading comments on Digg as though Microsoft invented this technology. Thats not to say you shouldn't get excited - its cool technology but can we give some credit it where it's due? Apple developed this first and has already implemented this into the iPhone (which you can buy next month). Rumors of multi touch computers and support in Leopard are also strong.

How it is Microsoft isn't sued out of the water by Apple is beyond me. This is a company that regularly steals innovative products created by Apple and calls it their own. Call me a fanboy - but I say thats just not fair. I'm not saying Microsoft is incapable of doing innovative things (they have done tons of such) but there eyes tend to wonder towards Apple a little too much when creating software.

Ps. Interesting how this is announced the same day Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have their little chat on stage.

[mushroom]

How is this any different from what Apple is doing with multi-touch?

You can play with this for more than an hour

[phatlip12]

You can play with this for more than an hour

I'm assuming your saying this due to the iPhones battery life? If so, your comment made absolutely no sense. The iPhone runs OS X with multi touch technology built into it. This is software and can easily be implemented on other devices.

[mushroom]

Rant...

How is this any different from what Apple is doing with multi-touch? I keep reading comments on Digg as though Microsoft invented this technology. Thats not to say you shouldn't get excited - its cool technology but can we give some credit it where it's due? Apple developed this first and has already implemented this into the iPhone (which you can buy next month). Rumors of multi touch computers and support in Leopard are also strong.


Apple didn't invent the multi-touch display this is technology that has been in development since the 80's

[phatlip12]

Apple didn't invent the multi-touch display this is technology that been in development since the 80's

Yes, but I'm not talking about the hardware. I'm talking about the software. The software shown in the videos on the site have a strong resemblance to that used in the iPhone.

As you said, this kind of technology was first introduced in the 80's. Just recently has it been built into an operating system via the iPhone created by Apple. Despite all of this (and the software having a strong resemblance to that created by Apple)...people are giving Microsoft tons of credit as if they "invented this".

[mushroom]

"A Surface computer is able to recognize physical objects from a paintbrush to a cell phone and allows hands-on, direct control of content such as photos, music and maps. Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a dynamic surface that provides interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects."

check this out
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html

[spiri]

No matter who invented it, it is totally awesome!

That is so cool, it made me happy watching those videos :)

[tokenuser]

Yes, but I'm not talking about the hardware. I'm talking about the software. The software shown in the videos on the site have a strong resemblance to that used in the iPhone.

As you said, this kind of technology was first introduced in the 80's. Just recently has it been built into an operating system via the iPhone created by Apple. Despite all of this (and the software having a strong resemblance to that created by Apple)...people are giving Microsoft tons of credit as if they "invented this".Have you been sniffing Steve Job's shorts for so long that now anything Microsoft must be prior art from Apple? Take a look at the history piece on the web site. They had proto types of this at the same time that Apple thought the click wheel was an innovation. I saw an early version of this several years ago on the MS Campus in Redmond, and had completely forgotten about it until seeing the video.

Very cool ... BTW anyone noticethe "puzzle" they were assembling was for Forza??

[popltree2]

...Call me a fanboy...

Fanboy. 890

I actually think the technology is quite different. Granted they are both multi-touch and props to Apple for bringing that to a mobile device, but the only similarity I found was in the photo manipulation and MAYBE that scrolling through a song list. Surface brings about things like device recognition and the ability to manipulate the data on those devices i.e. putting your old and new phone on the surface and syncing contacts, putting your camera on the surface and pulling the pictures out of it, etc.

[victor_c26]

Have you been sniffing Steve Job's shorts for so long that now anything Microsoft must be prior art from Apple? Take a look at the history piece on the web site. They had proto types of this at the same time that Apple thought the click wheel was an innovation. I saw an early version of this several years ago on the MS Campus in R

Yep, I can confirm this. Someone I know who works at Redmond said he's seen this a couple of times throughout the years. The dev team that's working on this is actually a floor above his office. He just started talking about it since it was formally announced already.

[phatlip12]

Have you been sniffing Steve Job's shorts for so long that now anything Microsoft must be prior art from Apple? Take a look at the history piece on the web site. They had proto types of this at the same time that Apple thought the click wheel was an innovation. I saw an early version of this several years ago on the MS Campus in Redmond, and had completely forgotten about it until seeing the video.

Very cool ... BTW anyone noticethe "puzzle" they were assembling was for Forza??

No, all I know is I see Microsoft do this all the time so I pay more attention to things. I've been using OS X for over a year now, upon using Vista I was actually a little sickened by how much Microsoft ripped off OS X. As I said, I'm not saying Microsoft has never did anything innovative (they have done a ton of things). However, theres no denying a trend where Apple releases something and Microsoft magically comes out with their own "version" of it later.

Yes they had a prototype of this back when Apple "thought the click wheel was innovative". However, the iPhone has been in development for years (Steve discussed this in an interview I read a while back).

The point I'm trying to make is I don't understand the hype around this product. If I never saw the iPhone before then I would be pretty excited, but other then that I don't see it. When I watched the video I thought "Cool, Microsoft is doing a multi touch thing like Apple" but upon reading comments on Digg people were acting as though this was something new. All I'm saying is a lot of things displayed in this "Microsoft Surface" were things I saw a few months back on the iPhone.

[phatlip12]

I think this product has great potential, however I think Microsoft is implementing this software into the wrong hardware. Cost is one thing that comes to mind. How much does a normal coffee table cost let alone one with a huge touch screen display on it? This looks like it's going to cost a ton of money.

I also have concerns with it syncing with other hardware such as cellphones and PDAs. In order for this to happen, wont these third party companies have to make their devices compatible with Microsoft Surface? If these Microsoft Surface tables are too expensive (I'm thinking they will be) then consumer aren't going to buy them. Why are these companies going to want to make their products compatible with a device that never gets used?

I think the whole table top computing is a really interesting concept but it seems like it's going to be one of those things that we label as being "Ahead of it's time" several years later. You gota walk before you run and I think Microsoft is attempting to run first with this new product.

EDIT

A $10,000 price tag is rumored.

[fred]

it looks really cool but I can't see any justification for dropping 10 grand on it

[phatlip12]

it looks really cool but I can't see any justification for dropping 10 grand on it

I think they need to split this up into two products. The "multi touch" environment should of been built into Windows and the functionality of syncing products to the table should be a separate device that connects to the PC. This separate device would be about the size of a sheet of notebook paper and would be the "usb replacer".

[mushroom]

You know what would be kick ass? playing an Real time strategy game on this

[phatlip12]

You know what would be kick ass? playing an Real time strategy game on this

I admit, that would be pretty kick ass :D

[psbp516]

It's meant for businesses right now. I think eventually, 3-4 years? When competing products come out (possibly from apple) it will drop to the price of a high scale computer and will be consumer viable. But yeah, right now, I'm not willing to spend 10 grand on finger painting...

and yeah it is totally badass....

[electricalburn]

whats weird is that it takes a bunch of infrared cameras around the room pointing at the table to work, so it sounds like you need alot of space to run this.

Although I am a Mac man, I am happy to see the technology no matter who invented it. As much as they are "enemies", were all are moving in the same direction together no matter who cashes the check at the end of the day.

[mushroom]

whats weird is that it takes a bunch of infrared cameras around the room pointing at the table to work, so it sounds like you need alot of space to run this.

Although I am a Mac man, I am happy to see the technology no matter who invented it. As much as they are "enemies", were all are moving in the same direction together no matter who cashes the check at the end of the day.

I think the cameras are inside pointing up thats why its as big as a table

[scoobydiesel]

meh looks cool...nothing big to me but it looks nice id like one but doubt ill get one

[electricalburn]

I think the cameras are inside pointing up thats why its as big as a table

your right i had to watch the video over

[titaniumlizzard]

...And it's not that innovative. Remember this?
0h-RhyopUmc
And this?
89sz8ExZndc
No, Apple's multi-touch is not god.

How it is Microsoft isn't sued out of the water by Apple is beyond me. This is a company that regularly steals innovative products created by Apple and calls it their own.

Apple sue Microsoft? Remember Microsoft owns part of Apple, and I'd hate to tango with Ballmer.

It's meant for businesses right now. I think eventually, 3-4 years? When competing products come out (possibly from apple) it will drop to the price of a high scale computer and will be consumer viable. But yeah, right now, I'm not willing to spend 10 grand on finger painting...

and yeah it is totally badass....

No way will it be the price of a high end PC anytime soon. It's a PC, plus a projector, Cameras, and special hardware to drive the cameras to take the load off the CPU. That's a lot of shit to sell for cheap.

whats weird is that it takes a bunch of infrared cameras around the room pointing at the table to work, so it sounds like you need alot of space to run this.

Cameras are in the table. Don't spill...

Microsoft, make it useful. Until then keep Ballmer in his cage.

[jukey]

yea, they actually went over this kind of tech in an episode of diggnation.

they even showed them playing an RTS.

http://revision3.com/diggnation/2006-06-14