Microsoft's Surface Computing

[GetaGrrrip]

Wow, this is pretty cool!

http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

I can already see this in a bar with a bunch of drunks drawing rude pictures.

[jmtjet]

Microsoft tables will cost in the 10,000 dollar range when they are introduced, I wouldn't expect to see too many of them for a while.

[fink]

As cool and interesting as it looks I can think of numerous places that concept would be a hinderance. First, the table would always need to be clear of objects (rendering the table kind of useless). Even if they come up with a super damage/stain/scratch resistant surface then you're going to have to wait for a waiter to completely clean the table before you can use it in a bar or restaurant (or hold all your drinks etc in your hands while you manipulate the images... oops, your hands will be holding things.. guess you'll need 2 tables.

How many living rooms are designed with chairs all way round a coffee table? I can't see more than 2 smallish people using the table comfortably in most situations unless they want to bend over or sit on the floor. How many of us have a large enough living room to have two tables, one of which can't be used as a table?

I don't see this invention as being too popular for some time. Maybe when they can mount it on a wall or an upright stand but not as a table.

I also wonder what cold drops of condensation from a glass or what hot plates will make the screen do. And elbows or leaning forearms etc.

[ProfessorU]

You'll see this as a high-tech way to order in a restaurant. MS knows this isn't ready for the mainstream yet, but it's going to be a 'disruptive technology'.
MS came to the palmtop computing world a few years too late and it took HUGE amounts of effort to make winCE competitive with the PalmOS. They don't want to make that mistake again. Better to be the developer for a growing niche market that try to buy out the competition years later.

[GetaGrrrip]

A friend sent me this in an e-mail, but I found a link:

http://www.king5.com/sharedcontent/V...p?vidId=149027

They'll be arriving in bars around November.

[fink]

That means no more mice, no more keyboards. It's all hands-on.

Hardly. Imagine spending more than a few minutes either scrunched over a table or sitting/standing with your arms in the air writing on a 3 foot screen. Chiropracters will be the ones to benefit from that concept.

It's a niche product at best as it is. This will never take over the mouse/keyboard computer as we know it.

[jmtjet]

It's a niche product at best as it is. This will never take over the mouse/keyboard computer as we know it.

God, I hope not.