Microsoft Surface, which will
be demonstrated today at the All Things Digital conference, provides instant
interaction between people and digital content using hand gestures on a touch
screen. “With Surface, we are creating more intuitive ways for people to
interact with technology,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said. We see this as
a multibillion dollar category, and we envision a time when surface computing
technologies will be pervasive, from tabletops and counters to the hallway
mirror. Surface is the first step in realizing that vision.”
In its current form, Surface is incorporated into a 30″ display mounted into
a table. This allows user involvement to expand beyond just one person. Surface
is capable of recognizing input from not just one finger, but multiple up to
dozens of inputs simultaneously. This technology isn’t exactly new as Apple uses
a less complex version on its iPhone and “multi-touch” technology was
demonstrated by Jeff Han to much fanfare last year. Microsoft, however, is
bringing multi-touch to the masses. Users can perform tasks such as browsing
through pictures and music files by simply using their fingers. For users
operating Surface in restaurants, a simple touch of the screen could allow you
to order a beverage during a meal.
Surface also has the ability to read bar codes on items to provide further
information to the user. “This means that when a customer simply sets a wine
glass on the surface of a table, a restaurant could provide them with
information about the wine they’re ordering, pictures of the vineyard it came
from and suggested food pairings tailored to that evening’s menu,” said
Microsoft. “The experience could become completely immersive, letting users
access information on the wine-growing region and even look at recommended
hotels and plan a trip without leaving the table.” Microsoft also notes that the
transfer of digital content is also possible with Surface. So it’s not too hard
to envision being able to set your Zune on Surface and transfer your playlist or
video files for playback on the 30″ display. Microsoft also released a nice
short video
clip showing the features of this new super gadget. With a 30-inch
screen
Najeeb Jarrar
http://jordev.net/blogs/technews/default.aspx