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Ok — all you Apple Computer fans / MS haters — all of you gather around and lets say this together: “Oh… I never thought they could!”
Microsoft unveiled a very interesting new technology today that they call “Surface Computing”. Rather than write up a long boring post, I will point you to this review, a video (below) and the official website.
These tables will cost U.S.$5000 - $10,000, so I could certainly expect some people from DHA Lahore to have them installed soon.
“Blue Monster” Image by Gaping Void.
| Written by Osama A. on 05/30/07 in Software & I.T. |
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May 30th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
MS didn’t “invent” this technology.. i know of 6 different university level research programs working on “Gesture interface design” and “multi-touch interface design” .. on top of that if you search multi-touch interface on youtube you will get a lot of demos. Since 1990’s a lot of interest has been in this field related to HCI.
BUT what is interesting is how MS has used the technology to produce a product out of it. Given that this product will be heavily used by big companies to display their products and interact with customers .. the average joe doesn’t really need a coffee table like this yet
(can we put a cup of coffee on this table?)
I think MS is doing a great thing its nice to see this product its refreshing but credit of the actual technology goes to other researchers and credit for making the WOW impressive product goes to MS..
Now, MS send me a demo product to test
May 30th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I was referring to inventing a product, not the tech — Building a better version of an existing product (ahem.. apple I’m looking at your iphone) is one thing — conceptualizing something entirely new is another.
The average joe doesn’t NEED a Supra to drive to work either, but they WANT it. That’s what makes luxury items successful.
May 31st, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Have you seen Paycheck and Minority Report? and the recent Ufone ad? Now, thats what I call technology
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:09 am
hey that’s a brilliant cartoon too!
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:38 am
Steve! Wow, good to see you here.
Yes the Blue Monster concept is great and its good that you’re involved with Hugh on this — although I’d love to know how your specific roles with it.
Any advice a Microsoft veteran like yourself has for would-be entrepreneurs with regards to changing their own societies / countries for the better?
June 2nd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Absolutely wicked tech!
I can see this, combined with photosynth change the world of computing and user interaction dramatically over the next couple of years.
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:47 pm
All they did was put it on a table and slap some branding on it. It’s been around for several years.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/65
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:59 am
Wicked cool! Intelligent surfaces will surround us, to sense when we’re out of coffee creamer and send an impulse to the grocery store to order more, and make your to-do list for you. AWESOME!
June 3rd, 2007 at 6:00 am
[…] tip Hugh with a bit of a back story at Green & White with other links to reviews […]
June 3rd, 2007 at 2:30 pm
@Jason DeFillippo,
‘All they did’ was create a marketable product from fundamental knowledge from MIT and Jef Han (among others).
That pretty much covers 80% of the development.
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:45 pm
[…] sticking to his software-only stance (noting the exception of the X-box, the new and very exciting surface computing - although I’m not sure why that couldn’t be a pure software play for Microsoft - , […]
June 4th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Yes it is easy to always look at “inventing technology” as innovation. I think the bigger harder task, especially for a large company like MS, is to beat the corporate politics and get enough vision alignment among executives to create a whole new commercial product category.
October 16th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
What MS has done is really not new. The idea is around since 80’s. Such work is not only being conducted at MIT but also at many other universities in USA and Canada. Dudney’s (UWO)2-dimensional world is a related concept of late 70’s. Important thing is what are the practical implications of this technology. It could be much more than what we can presently imagine!