Microsoft Surface: consumer version in 2011?
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| Microsoft Surface is a tabletop computer that's controlled by physical touch instead of a mouse or keyboard. Image: Microsoft |
Microsoft's tabletop computer could appear in homes in three years or less, the executive in charge of its development said this week.
Since unveiling the Microsoft Surface product last year, the company has gotten plenty of feedback from businesses and enthusiasts who want to get their hands on the technology, said Tom Gibbons, corporate vice president of Microsoft's (MSFT) Specialized Devices and Applications business. And Gibbons said he feels confident that the touch-based computer could be affordable enough for consumers in three years or less. "In the three-year time window, we absolutely see how to get there," Gibbons said. "If we can beat that, we'll try to beat that."
Surface is a computer built into a coffee table, and its 30-inch screen is controlled by touch rather than by a mouse or keyboard. (The complex manufacturing, of course, makes it expensive — the commercial version will be priced between $5,000 and $10,000) Though the concept is similar to Apple's (AAPL) touchscreen iPhone, the implementation of the technology is quite different. Surface works using digital cameras under the glass, which track movements above.
Because of that design, Surface can be used to track objects, not just gestures. For example, in one Microsoft demonstration, special coasters are used on the Surface table to show how it might identify a drink in a bar, and allow a patron to reorder digitally.
Gibbons said Surface has plenty of buzz; Microsoft has gotten 2,000 inquiries from 50 governments or corporations, stretching across 25 industries. But for now, his focus is on getting the first units shipped out to customers. "We're running a couple of months later than I'd like with our deployments," Gibbons said. The reason: Because a tabletop interface is so new, customers have needed extra help designing custom software. "While I was hoping we'd have something out now, we'll definitely have something out in the next couple of months."
Practicality is another question. While the possibilities for gaming, retail and hospitality are pretty obvious, it's not clear where Surface would go beyond that. As JupiterResearch analyst Michael Gartenberg put it in his first look at the technology last May, "Yes it's a PC; but you'd never know it was running Windows, and while it could run Office, that's not something it's ever likely to do." Of course, Gartenberg meant that as a compliment, but it hints at other questions of practicality. What do you do, for instance, when your digital coffee table crashes?
But those are questions for later. Now it's about the thrill of innovation, which Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer seemed to feel for Surface at a meeting with analysts last month when he said the company will push to get a consumer version ready.
"We've had more pushback to get a consumer version of the Surface in-market than you can shake a stick at," Ballmer said. "We will follow our noses in terms of consumer interest and make a set of investments that try to take some steps toward making Surface a consumer product, and also scaling up the industrial design."
We must remeber that this is the first item in this field of development(the iPhone is not in the same category as the Microsoft Surface though they both use similar technology). The first computers did not have all the fuctions that everybody wanted and were really only used by those who had some form of stake in the technology or those who were enthusiasts (sounds familiar).
I have seen many people on many forums complaining about size and orientation but I could see this technology being re-assembled so that the main components and the screen + cameras will be independant of eachother, in something similar to a server hosting 1 (or possibly more) independant screens placed in different locations. In this way the screen could be mounted on the wall or on a drafting stand for easier use. I myself am 6'8" and even sitting leaning over a table is exteremely unappealing. Just remeber that these types of design considerations are not set in stone an could change at any time.
I could see many uses for this technology in fields like:
- art, Photoshop would be ideal for a system like this
- retail, I'm sure that they will allow you to put in your credit card number in manually
- video games, Like what was said ealier RTS games would be awesome utilizing this technology
- modeling, I would love to see 3DS Max running on this
- home functions, such as viewing movies, photo albums, whiteboard, etc
As for viruses, if a hacker really wants to get a virus on any technology that you own (credit cards, home pc, handheld devices, etc) they will do so in ever increasingly creative ways.
Anyway enough of this tangent, I have only one question. Does anyone else look at this and see Star Trek written all over it?
Actually, there is a major third player in the touch screen inovations, the one that really showed it was practical and had mass appeal, Nintendo with their DS.
To the guy who thinks he can catch a virus on his credit card through a surface: wow, just wow. I see lots of "hey, that's neat" uses for this technology, plus some useful ones, I like the comment that mentions learning games. Simple image editing (take image from camera, then give the "fix" utilities from Windows Photo Gallery), sticking with Microsoft's wares – it could asct as an intermediary interface for your zune to your computer. I'm not sure if these will be full blown computers or not, I get the impression that they are not, so I assume tehy will not have storage. This would be the ultimate "Media Center Extender" though… And to be fair, I believe Microsoft put in for the patent on this technology before Apple patented the technology that drives the iPhone and iPod Touch. I'm not sure why they are so slow to market with this stuff, some of it has to be dealing with the negative bias people seem to hold against them. I have my own negative thoughts, Windows Me for example I consider a virus… This seems like a genuine attempt to shoehorn their way into a market that Apple has been all but uncontested in – Digital Entertainment.
Practical applications? One word. Education. Make something like this consumer ready, and you have something that families can sit around to play and learn.
I bet half these comments would be different if it was another company doing it….. Wake up !!!! If i could sit at a bar and touch the tabletop 4 my drink !!!! bring it
"Here we go again. How many times has Microsoft ‘promised’ and not delivered? Read Bill Gates’ The Road Ahead. Written in 1994 he has still not delivered promised ‘revolutionary’ technologies. Leave it to Apple to deliver a touch interface on technologies – oh, they already do!"
Don't Forget Bill gates owns 1/2 of apple too…… please remove foot from mouth
Here we go again. How many times has Microsoft 'promised' and not delivered? Read Bill Gates' The Road Ahead. Written in 1994 he has still not delivered promised 'revolutionary' technologies. Leave it to Apple to deliver a touch interface on technologies – oh, they already do!
Its a nifty Idea. I woud like to see that in the occasional bar so I can play pack man or something while im etting hammered, and not have to get up to order a drink in case the waitress forgets Im there. Its a neat idea with a lot of great ideas, but has limited practicality
So far MS presentations are not impressive. USB / Bluetooth / Wireless are quite adequate for transferring pictures and music to/from/between portable devices. Why do we need to put them on this surface? Where are the passwords? I am not putting my credit card on a surface "enabled" to automatically pick up viruses from every device touching it 
The ability to simulate "touchscreen" using a few cameras is nice. So why not make an array of cameras, mountable of every screen corners, turning it into "virtual touchscreen"? The hardest part, as usual, will be to write good software and develop really intuitive interface.
So what is it in that "surface" that a tablet cann't do better?
I'd love one of these for home. I'd prefer a drafting table sized and oriented type though… one where I could sit at and play games.
I love RTS games, and this would be an amazing interface for them. I can see how the Military would be interested in this (and Jeff Han's multitouch display that's much more like the system in "Minority Report"… Han's system is limited by touch though.)
Sorting pictures would be handy as well. You could certainly use it for making artwork as well… a much better formfactor. Very much like a Cintiq from Wacom ( http://www.wacom.com/cintiq/index.cfm ).
Very very cool.
To all those he can see the enormous potential, you just have to forgive someone with a mind so dull that they would by one of those Apple toys.
Another "duhnovative" appliance that sucks in energy just so we can order items from a waitress? Hello…it's called your hand gesturing in the air. "Waitress!" Wow..and it didn't cost the restaurant one extra dollar.
How about "booking those day trips around the city"? We walk by those travel brochure racks right now. Is this going to make us want to take a look? Seriously, are you going to wait in line to use this thing?
How about rearranging those photos and sending them off to mom? I own a laptop computer, it works just fine.
Oh and just wait until your foot hits the thing, the kids dirty fingerprints show up all over it, the screen gets scratched, etc. What is that spot? Oh it's just a crusty bit of food.
What a stupid idea.
All this is is a logical next step to touch screen displays.
Having the hardware built into the "surface" is really just dumb though… A touchscreen with wireless gigabit or even wired would be much more flexible re: placement. Set it up as a "network appliance" and done.
welcome to the "dumb-terminal" of the future… sans the clunkiness of the keyboard and mouse.
The first consumer versions of the MS Surface Computer has been fast tracked to be released in 2011.
The developement guys kept telling me, "It canna' be dun' Missah Ballma! It jus cunt!" But they changed their minds after I threatened to fire every last freak'n one of them, ruin their credit and deport the ones with "questionable residency".
NO, I'm not being mean, that's just the way you have to talk to these people! Especially the Iraqi bunch at the core of the program, they came to us just before Bush invaded Iraq. They are undoubtedly the best employees we have, they even live down on level -32. I went down there once, but couldn't take the smell! Sometimes they even slip and call me Sadam, I just laugh.
Back on topic:
Yes, you and your family will be able to draw smiley faces with all ten fingers right on your computer coffeeteble in only three more years!
Crap, I want to play Age of Empires or Starcraft 2 on it. This table thing would be perfect for real time strategy games.
Have any of you guys even seen the presentation video???
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html
The potential is, simply, brilliant. Revolutionary. I want one.
Uhm…a coffee table sized PC? WTF?
Seriously, who really expects that either:
There is serious demand for this
or the MS can amke it work relaibly
I mean, I cant evet get my Vista laptop to print with a brand new HP laser printer that my XP box and my wife's Mac can print to. Again, WTF!
The technology is interesting to say the least…but the money going into this thing for 2000 inquires from 50….
There better be alot more inquiries than this. Microsoft has lost the confidence of many, I'll believe their schedule when I see one sold
Notice that the two pro-Surface comments are from an anonymous poster and from someone who chose the name "macdisser" and who can't bring himself to call Apple's products by their actual names (i.e. iPod Touch)…
Enjoy your Surface, anon and macdisser. I'm sure you'll be getting your hands on it really soon, and when you do it will be really great.
Dig says: "truly amazing … microsoft never fails to astound me with how completely out of touch they are with what people actually want. let’s hope they have something besides this coming out of r&d."
From the article…
"Microsoft has gotten 2,000 inquiries from 50 governments or corporations, stretching across 25 industries"
and…
"We’ve had more pushback to get a consumer version of the Surface in-market than you can shake a stick at"
Yes, clearly Microsoft is out of touch with what people want.
Dig, before shooting off your uninformed, anti-Microsoft rhetoric please at least try to read the article first.
those who make fun of this technology have not seen it action.This is a better interface than even the itouch. Surface computing should be the next big thing.
"MS ability to execute is becoming really questionable."
BECOMING!!!?
How many times and for how long do they have to mess up before you just get really fed up and realize it's a lost cause?
2011? In Vista schedule speak that might mean 2014 or 2015. MS ability to execute is becoming really questionable.
truly amazing … microsoft never fails to astound me with how completely out of touch they are with what people actually want. let's hope they have something besides this coming out of r&d.
I don't get it…. why would I want a computer coffee table when I have a huge HD TV and a laptop? This is a joke right?
These table have cameras in them. Is this what everybody wants – tables collecting biometric data such as fingerprints, facial photos, personal effects photos (eg, serial numbers from the undersides of devices one lays on the table such as laptops and cellphones, etc.)?