Microsoft Surface
Did you know that using mice on computers is slowly going behind the times? Why, even Microsoft thinks so! It seems as if the latest and greatest tools in the computer navigation world are your fingers. Yep, you read that correctly. Your fingers! Allow me to elaborate a little bit. Microsoft has unveiled a new type of computer in which you can use your hands to do the tasks you need to get done. Sounds pretty cool, huh? Let’s check it out!
This new product is called Microsoft Surface and it’s very neat, to say the least. Basically, it is a Windows Vista computer that is tucked inside of a table base with a clear top. Inside the computer, there are five cameras that are able to sense your touch. These features allow you to, for example, paint a picture by “dipping” your finger into the palette and drawing something. Here’s an example of what the Surface looks like:
The Microsoft Surface is initially intended for customers to use in businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores and public venues. In addition to sensing your touch, Surface can also sense objects, such as wine glasses, cell phones, cameras, music players, credit cards and so on. Below is a list of some of the cool things you can do with the Surface computer:
- Restaurant: Scroll through a cocktail menu and select your drinks. Place two credit cards on the computer and drag and drop the items to each credit card to split the bill however you need to.
- Retail Stores: You’re buying a cell phone and want to compare two models. Place them on the Surface table and the list of specifications will appear. (In fact, the cellular provider, T-Mobile, plans to try this idea out first!)
- Hotels: The Surface would be the ultimate concierge service. Select what you want to do and it will appear instantly on a map for you to look at.
- Personal Use: Place your digital camera on Surface and your pictures will appear like photos (see the image above). Move them around by dragging them and resize them by dragging the corners.
And that’s not all! There’s so much more you can do with this amazing table computer. It can also identify WiFi or Bluetooth devices and barcodes, just to name a few.
The Surface’s price tags are reportedly $5,000 to $10,000 per unit. However, Microsoft says it expects the prices to drop enough to make consumer versions in three to five years. It is expected to be released by commercial partners in November of this year (2007).
If you’re as interested as I was in the Microsoft Surface computer and want to see what else it can do, check out a YouTube video on it here. Or, to see more videos on the official Microsoft Surface Web site, just click here.
Check it out and enjoy, my friends!
~ Neil Patel