Microsoft Surface
The software giant has built a new touchscreen computer-a coffee table that will change the world. Go inside its top-secret development with PopularMechanics.com, then forget the keyboard and mouse: The next generation of computer interfaces will be hands-on.
One of the consumer pain points is the frustrating mess of cables, drivers and protocols that people must use to link their peripheral devices to their personal computers. Surface has no cables or external USB ports for plugging in peripherals.
For that matter, it has no keyboard, no mouse, no trackball - no obvious point of interaction except its screen. If you place a digital camera on the Surface, digital pictures will spill out onto the tabletop in an instant.
As you touch and drag each picture, it follows your fingers around the screen. If you pull the corners of a photo you can stretch it to a new size. You can also put a cellphone on the surface and drag photos to it - just like that, the pictures will upload to the phone.
It's like a magic trick! You can drag and drop virtual content to physical objects. The name Surface comes from "surface computing," and Microsoft envisions the coffee-table machine as the first of many such devices.
Surface computing uses a blend of wireless protocols, special machine-readable tags and shape recognition to seamlessly merge the real and the virtual world - an idea the Milan team refers to as "blended reality."
The table can be built with a variety of wireless transceivers, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and (eventually) radio frequency identification (RFID) and is designed to sync instantly with any device that touches its surface.
One of the key components of surface computing is a "multitouch" screen. It is an idea that has been floating around the research community since the 1980s and is swiftly becoming a hip new product interface - Apple's new iPhone has multitouch scrolling and picture manipulation.
Multitouch devices accept input from multiple fingers and multiple users simultaneously, allowing for complex gestures, including grabbing, stretching, swiveling and sliding virtual objects across the table. And the Surface has the added advantage of a horizontal screen, so several people can gather around and use it together.
Its interface is the exact opposite of the personal computer: cooperative, hands-on, and designed for public spaces. If it seems as though the Surface machine sprang up out of nowhere, that's only because Microsoft has been unusually secretive about it.
Early designs of the table are evidence of the product's long development cycle; rejected shapes include "squashed white egg" and "podium." Steven Bathiche, research manager for the project, has been involved since 2001, when he and fellow researcher Andy Wilson first dreamed up the idea of a tabletop computer.
Microsoft's Surface uses the same DLP light engine found in many rear-projection HDTVs. The footprint of the visible light screen, at 1024 x 768 pixels, is actually smaller than the invisible overlapping infrared projection to allow for better recognition at the edges of the screen.
It is a splashy new computer interface, surrounded by hype, but it is also, quite literally, furniture. It is a technology in its infancy, where even the engineers behind it can't predict its full impact; but the possibilities are everywhere, underhand and underfoot - on every surface imaginable.
Microsoft Surface [http://masalexs1.blogspot.com/]
Interactive Hotels in the Offing With Microsoft Surface
Microsoft is a name synonymous with innovation and making life simpler. After changing lives of millions of people worldwide with their technological inventions under the able leadership of Mr. Bill Gates, the year 2008 is also a turnaround year for Microsoft when it launches its most interactive application - Microsoft Surface.
Microsoft Surface in Hotels
There is a widespread excitement about the Microsoft Surface's utility and the way it transforms imagination into reality. You must have dreamt of touching the surface of the deep blue sea as you see it on your computer or television screen. But Microsoft Surface have made that possible. You can actually make movements with your hands and swirl the water on the screen.
One of the many likely place where Microsoft Surface is expected to make its mark are the hotels and restaurants. As places which need constant innovation in décor, food, menu and presentation; Microsoft Surface in hotels and restaurants is the perfect addition to attract more visitors and also ensure a more user friendly ambiance.
Microsoft is quite enthusiastic about the introduction of Surface in restaurants and lounges. Harrah's casinos and Sheraton hotels are amongst the first few in hotel business who are going to introduce Surface. Though critics refer to this as an expensive bet, with each unit of MS Surface costing $5,000 to $10,000 approximately, hotel and restaurant owners are quite positive that the Microsoft Surface application will be worth investing and will surely enhance their business.
So, what will be the Microsoft Surface in hotel experience be like? It is said that the whole application will be set on a touch table. As you run your fingers on the table, you can have your choice of mood lighting to the menu to order your favorite food and drinks. Experts believe that the Surface application can do away with the requirement of waiters in a restaurants; because, computers can be more approachable and convenient.
So when the next time you go to a Microsoft Surface enabled restaurant, do not forget to check out the bar. The touch table on the bar is set to offer you a menu card with several options for wine and drinks. Besides, introducing to the origin of the wine you order, you might also have the option to book a tour to see the vineyards. Interestingly, Microsoft Surface has also ensure that you are notified when your glass needs a refill. Now thats innovation for you!
Microsoft Surface - A New Way to Interact with Computer
If you ever watched Star Trek (The Next Generation is my favorite) you know how the Enterprise acrews control their starship. They have a long black board panel covered by screen full of instructions list, images and on screen button. The crews simply touch the screen to give order; raise shield, set direction, fire phaser or open communication channel. If they open a star map, touch on certain spot of the map and the area automatically zooms in.
That is what Microsoft brings to us by their Microsoft Surface product. Currently it is 30-inch diagonal display table with Vista for operating system. Microsoft had been worked secretly on this project since 2003 and built more than 85 early prototypes for extensive testing in internal use.
The rule is simple. Touch the screen to tell the computer what to do, either open a document, scan image or file transfer. Put your pda phone on the table, drag your excel/word/pdf document into your pda. There you have your file transferred. It works vice versa. Once you place your pda/cd/dvd on the table, a thumbnail list of ny documents it has inside will show up. No driver installed, no "found new hardware" ballon and no waiting time until Windows is ready to use the new device. The rest is up to you. No mouse no keyboard. Just the table and your finger. A new way (but not actually new at all) to operate computer.
Currently it is intended for commercial use, place order in restaurant, ticket reservation, something like that. You come to a coffee shop, using Surface to search for museum to go, movie to watch, shop to buy or you can use Surface to open menu list, place your order, play online games or listen to music while waiting for your order. Once you're done, use Surface to open your bill, type (or just place?) your credit card and done. Microsoft says that they have partnered with Sheraton, T-Mobile and Harrah's Entertainment as Surface will hit market in winter 2007.
By seeing their demo it seems perfect for simple action such as place order or plays game. I have no idea how if we want let's say type something on word document or edit an excel spreadsheet or even programming. Perhaps "Surface: The Next Generation" will provide virtual keyboard but hey, it means we still need keyboard don't we?
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