Microsoft
Surface:
What you Should Know
about the Microsoft's Multi-Touch (and a Collection of Videos).
Microsoft has announced their top secret Microsoft Surface computer
which will go live by the end of 2007. Here is a video teaser you
haven't seen in the news demonstrating the Table. Scroll down to
see The 6 Microsoft Surface Videos, including
a Demo by Bill Gates.
1. What is the Microsoft Surface?
Surface is
essentially a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a shiny black table base,
topped with a 30-inch touchscreen in a clear acrylic frame. Five cameras
that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen. Users can
interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and
objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world
items tagged with special bar-code labels on top of it.
2. How much does it cost and when is it available?
Prices for the Microsoft Surface will reportedly be $5,000 to $10,000 per unit. However Microsoft said it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in 3 to 5 years.
3. What is the Microsoft surface software?
Microsoft Surface runs Milan software. While it runs on a Vista PC, there is a whole other layer of software that handles the advanced touch input.
At its core, Milan is powered by a fairly standard high-end Vista PC with an off-the-shelf graphics card, 3GHz Pentium 4 processor and 2GB of memory. To make the touch screen work, Microsoft crams a lot of other stuff into its tabletop unit. Underneath the roughly textured scratch-proof and spill-proof surface covering the top of the unit, five infrared cameras sense fingers or other objects touching the surface, while a DLP projector turned on its side generates the screen image people see.
4. When did this begin?
MS started surface in 2001. Microsoft Surface is a forthcoming product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of natural motions, hand gestures, or physical objects. It was announced on May 30, 2007 and is expected to be released by commercial partners in November 2007. Initial customers will be in the hospitality businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, retail, and public entertainment venues. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Surface
5. The official Microsoft Surface site.
It features a Flash animation. http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
6. Microsoft Surface pictures
7. More videos of the Microsoft Surface
1. Microsoft Surface:
Business 2.0 Demo
Demonstration of Microsoft Surface, the new touch-controlled technology. The touch interface is reminiscent of the iPhone 2. Microsoft Surface - The Possibilities Videos
What is Microsoft Surface? Microsoft Surface™, the first commercially available surface computer from Microsoft Corp., turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. The product provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that's easy for individuals or small groups to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. In essence, it's a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. Soon to be available in restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and public entertainment venues, this experience will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.
3. Microsoft Surface - The Magic
4. Microsoft "Surface" - Demo by CNET video
Even though so many people were left un-wowed by Vista, Microsoft's latest announcement is sure to elicit some excitement. Five years in the (very secretive) making, the Surface Computer is a tabletop system that allows users to interact with digital media in some truly remarkable ways. CNET News.com's Ina Fried has exclusive video of the system in action, viewable below. Surface Computer users can fingerpaint digitally, resize and interact with photos and videos, and even "digitize" some real-life events, such as splitting up a restaurant bill and researching wines. The Surface Computer can recognize some real-world objects and creates on-screen versions to interact with. The innovative system looks a lot like the interface demoed in the now-famous YouTube video of NYU researcher Jeff Han. Alas, the Surface Computer isn't intended for home use--at least not yet. Instead, the tabletop system is expected to be used as an interactive kiosk for businesses, restaurants, and for entertainment in public spaces
5. Microsoft Surface - The Power
6. Pete Thompson, General Manager, on Microsoft Surface
Pete Thompson, General Manager, onMicrosoft Surface. Pete Thompson describes Surface's appeal
7. Bill Gates, Chairman, on Microsoft Surface
How does Surface work? At a high level, Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and the result is displayed on the surface using rear projection. What is surface computing? Surface computing is a new way of working with computers that moves beyond the traditional mouse-and-keyboard experience. It is a natural user interface that allows people to interact with digital content the same way they have interacted with everyday items such as photos, paintbrushes and music their entire life: with their hands, with gestures and by putting real-world objects on the surface. Surface computing opens up a whole new category of products for users to interact with. What are the key attributes of surface computing? Surface computing has four key attributes: Direct interaction. Users can actually "grab" digital information with their hands and interact with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard. Multi-touch contact. Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger, as with a typical touch screen, but up to dozens and dozens of items at once. Multi-user experience. The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience. Object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.
Please bookmark this site for more information tomorrow.
Demonstration of Microsoft Surface, the new touch-controlled technology. The touch interface is reminiscent of the iPhone 2. Microsoft Surface - The Possibilities Videos
What is Microsoft Surface? Microsoft Surface™, the first commercially available surface computer from Microsoft Corp., turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, interactive surface. The product provides effortless interaction with digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Surface is a 30-inch display in a table-like form factor that's easy for individuals or small groups to interact with in a way that feels familiar, just like in the real world. In essence, it's a surface that comes to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more. Soon to be available in restaurants, hotels, retail establishments and public entertainment venues, this experience will transform the way people shop, dine, entertain and live.
3. Microsoft Surface - The Magic
4. Microsoft "Surface" - Demo by CNET video
Even though so many people were left un-wowed by Vista, Microsoft's latest announcement is sure to elicit some excitement. Five years in the (very secretive) making, the Surface Computer is a tabletop system that allows users to interact with digital media in some truly remarkable ways. CNET News.com's Ina Fried has exclusive video of the system in action, viewable below. Surface Computer users can fingerpaint digitally, resize and interact with photos and videos, and even "digitize" some real-life events, such as splitting up a restaurant bill and researching wines. The Surface Computer can recognize some real-world objects and creates on-screen versions to interact with. The innovative system looks a lot like the interface demoed in the now-famous YouTube video of NYU researcher Jeff Han. Alas, the Surface Computer isn't intended for home use--at least not yet. Instead, the tabletop system is expected to be used as an interactive kiosk for businesses, restaurants, and for entertainment in public spaces
5. Microsoft Surface - The Power
6. Pete Thompson, General Manager, on Microsoft Surface
Pete Thompson, General Manager, onMicrosoft Surface. Pete Thompson describes Surface's appeal
7. Bill Gates, Chairman, on Microsoft Surface
How does Surface work? At a high level, Surface uses cameras to sense objects, hand gestures and touch. This user input is then processed and the result is displayed on the surface using rear projection. What is surface computing? Surface computing is a new way of working with computers that moves beyond the traditional mouse-and-keyboard experience. It is a natural user interface that allows people to interact with digital content the same way they have interacted with everyday items such as photos, paintbrushes and music their entire life: with their hands, with gestures and by putting real-world objects on the surface. Surface computing opens up a whole new category of products for users to interact with. What are the key attributes of surface computing? Surface computing has four key attributes: Direct interaction. Users can actually "grab" digital information with their hands and interact with content by touch and gesture, without the use of a mouse or keyboard. Multi-touch contact. Surface computing recognizes many points of contact simultaneously, not just from one finger, as with a typical touch screen, but up to dozens and dozens of items at once. Multi-user experience. The horizontal form factor makes it easy for several people to gather around surface computers together, providing a collaborative, face-to-face computing experience. Object recognition. Users can place physical objects on the surface to trigger different types of digital responses, including the transfer of digital content.
Please bookmark this site for more information tomorrow.
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