Today's news is the Microsoft Surface - a multitouch computer screen coffee table that allows you to intuitively interact with photos, videos, maps, etc. We covered this technology a few times, last year (see Apple's Multitouch Screen, Multitouch Screen, UI, Scanner Table and Acoustic Sensors) but now, Microsoft's version is taking the technology mainstream. With a price-tag of $5k-$10k, targeted towards restaurants and hotels, the device it's self is not yet ready to change our lives, but it does represent the future of computing. Aside from the more intuitive interface and seamless integration with wireless devices, such as cameras and phones (see video), the large, coffee table format has the potential to make computing a group activity. Sharing screens and input devices on a single desktop or laptop computer to view photos and collaboratively work on multimedia projects is a bit awkward but a device like the Surface could change all of that, allowing groups of even 4-5 people to gather around and share in the experience! Here's something that you can take to the bank: when these things come down in price and start becoming commonplace, were's gonna see some wicked, virtual board games that will spawn a whole new genre of multimedia, multi-player gaming!
Labels: Microsoft, multi-touch, multitouch, Surface, table, UI
