First Look: Microsoft Surface Computer!

Posted By: Larry Larsen | May 30th, 2007 @ 12:00 AM

About a year ago I gave a presentation to a group of journalists about gadgets of the future and showed a video about a theoretical multi-touch computing system. When asked when we would see something like that in the wild, I optimistically ballparked 5-7 years. You can imagine my surprise when I walked into a room at Microsoft and found a fully functioning Microsoft Surface Computer (more than one, actually.)

I played with it long after the shoot was over. It's incredible. And I know many of you have the same question I did; when am I going to have one of these in my house? Surface computers will start with Microsoft partners getting first shot at various public applications, you'll most likely see them in action in Las Vegas first. Eventually prices will come down and production will go up and I expect we'll all be waving through our playlists on our coffee table before we know it. You'll also see in this video that wifi on the Zune can be used for more than just bursting a song or picture to a stranger.

Tags: First Look, Surface Computer, Zune

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Comments (38)

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kadosho

This type of device is a really neat concept. Kinda brings alot of ideas to the "table", and for one could lead to promising things later on.
Btw anyone rememeber Macross Plus, and the holo-imaging? This seems to reflect a bit more towards that spectrum. Maybe its not far off anymore.
**Back to the Future = in now

msabadish

This should prove to be as successful as the tabletop version of Burgertime as displayed by the visionaries in Top Dog circa 1987!

msabadish

This will be even bigger than the tabletop version of Burgertime circa 1987!

JASElabs

In reply to kadosho

#May 30th, 2007 @ 12:27 AM

Can't wait until we can get our hands on this baby!
JASElabs

Googleman81

Awesome! Except the T-Mobile stuff (because I dont like T-Mobile) and that it seems to be heavily depending on the use of a credit card or royalty card (because I dont have any of those). But I do have a Zune... I think this will possibly be have to limited or customized for its supposed field of use though as I imagine if I would get access to one of those with all its functionality and someone would supply me with food and water I would probably not go away from the device for at least 24 hours or so, meaning that someone supposed to be using the thing in a restaurant to place orders might end up video puzzling and adding songs to his Zune for a while and then sort out vacation photos and before he thinks of it the waitress has to tell him that the restaurant closes... You know what I mean. I want one of those!

TeddyB

It's like Minority Report without the freaky psychic chick in the swimming pool Smiley

sbrownla

We can't just enjoy one another's company any more... Don't get me wrong it looks like a ton of fun... but it looks mighty distracting as well.

I'd much rather see it on a tablet PC... Here's hoping we can expect that to come pretty soon.

Great job!

Of course, now we wait for all of the messages about how the other company was ripped off and their phone used it first yadda yadda.

linkyshinks

Wow, that is pretty cool. It was always going to head in this direction soon enough. LS

sbrownla

In reply to sbrownla

#May 30th, 2007 @ 2:50 AM

Oh, and that's a t-Mobile Dash, not an MDA. Not terribly important, but a noticeable mistake nonetheless. The new MDA/Wing is on Microsoft's Surface site, which is interesting and pretty.