New Tech From Microsoft New computer technology.

[cemeteryrecords 0]

Not a big fan of Microsoft, but, I saw this online. Its a computer thats like a coffee table. The moniter is huge and its touch screen and its the surface of the table! whichi cant see being comfortable looking down at it, but whatever. Now the cool part. You can set your digital camera on the "screen" (tabletop) and you photos on the camera just show up scattered over the screen and you use the touch screen to move them, zoom, and other things. same with phones, jump drive, etc. so thats pretty cool. seems like it would take a lot of getting used to though. as far as i know, you CAN buy one know, even though they're not really on the market yet. going for about $10,000 (go microsoft )

[Forte 0]

I saw that a long while back and thought it was pretty nifty. I guess that would be the coffee table of the future... if people weren't prone to spilling things. While It's a cool idea and really takes advantage of Touch Screen technology mixed with a fully compatible touch screen GUI, it also seems to scream "break me!" since being a table, people are going to want to set things on it, and most likely will. That'll probably lead to the screen breaking or it losing calibration constantly, making people dislike it. But who's to say how well it will turn out when the technology gets cheap enough to release it at a cost the normal consumer can afford?

[xenador 0]

huh...wonder how they make the photos from the camera show up...Im guessing its only special phones and cameras? my best bet would be some use of the bluetooth tech that phones have now...but I have never heard of a bluetooth camera.

[contactskn 2]

Dear friend do you have some picture to be shown out here for the same. If so please do by the way it might be a cool concept but the cost factor is really tough. Is'nt it. But obviously it might be having expensive techniques used in it.?

[Forte 0]

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Found that image on google from this site. It looks really nice, but all of the downfalls that I listed earlier are still there... and really, why are they marketing it as just a great way to view photos? Does it have no other use?

[networker 0]

I don't think I'd be interested in that whatsoever.I mean,when I use a coffee tablefor coffee or beer I really don't want to know about a computer at all. It sounds to me like a real geek thing.Incredibly expensive too.

Edited December 20, 2008 by networker (see edit history)

[Tramposch 1]

You can check out the website at http://www.microsoft.com/surface/de-de

It is a great idea, I think. I really want one too. It is also spill resistant and you can use it like a normal table, no worries there. If it was like $2,000 I would buy it, but $10,00 is a bit much. I was doing some research on it and the apps are limited too. They need to be specially designed because of the touch screen and a whole different operating system platform. I am sure you could install Vista or, more likely, Windows 7 on it but you would need to configure the screen somehow. The idea of putting anything on it and it can sync with it is awesome too. I hate cables so that would really make my day. I really want to see this thing go mainstream because I have seen it in a lot of movies and it makes me want one even more. But I suppose a 30" touch screen, spill resistant, AIO computer/monitor is going to be somewhat expensive. Just a normal 30" monitor doesn't go for under $900.

When I first heard of the surface I kind of laughed at it, but it seems Microsoft is holding on and it is impressive. If only there were more apps...

[rpgsearcherz 5]

I've seen things like that on a lot of movies, but never knew that the concept was real. The show Numb3rs has it on there a lot as well, using a large computer screen to zip people's backgrounds around so that they can organize their suspects.Wonder how long it will be until we see the Best Buy ads selling them for $400,lol.

[Tramposch 1]

Hmm... Best Buy for $400.... I am guessing 4-5 years haha. Seeing as it isn't available for individual sale, we still got a while. I truly love the concept though.

[etycto 0]

I don't think I'd be interested in that whatsoever.I mean,when I use a coffee tablefor coffee or beer I really don't want to know about a computer at all.
It sounds to me like a real geek thing.Incredibly expensive too.

you know it's not attended for one hundred percent use as a furniture when i first read about this they said i could be a quick way of ordering in restaurants, and i remember seeing on the news that an at&t store was using it as like a way to browse different products. so it's for more than drinking coffee or beer. i think it's a great idea and can be very helpful to businesses not really everyday people.

[y4nzi 0]

That's pretty nifty looking. Good innovation from microsoft! But 10000 is rather expensive, i mean it is essentially just a coffee table in the end. Maybe when the price drops a bit I'll consider buying it, just for the hell of it. I'm not sure whether it'll actually be useful, the 'freshness' will probably last a few days and then I might get bored of it. Even so, just for a bit of fun if its less than $500 I'd buy it, I mean some coffee tables (without the screen) are that price anyway~

[DeM0nFiRe 0]

Guys, this is a computer with a (estimated) 2 ft by 6ft screen, a touch screen at that. The computer is specifically designed for this computer, meaning it must have it's own Operating System or at least some sort of modifications to an existing operating system. The demand for this is going to be very low, and it is pre-market technology. HOw could you expect less than $10,000 for it

[y4nzi 0]

Well when you put it that way... sounds alot more high tech and posh haha But in practical terms, it seems more like something out of a movie or TV show than something thats going to be sitting in my living room...

[rpgsearcherz 5]

I agree that this is something that is real high-tech, as y4nzi said, but I do find it as being a practical application in the future. Just think of the uses for it:You're at a family gathering and want to show others your pictures. This could be like Christmas, a marriage, or something else. So while you are there you are showing various ones of you at different ages. Rather than having them all on paper, you have them there electronically. Now you can zoom in, make them smaller, etc. Also, you can allow different people to see different ones, or even the same ones, at the same time.You're eating and wish to play solitaire. Rather than be forced to pull out cards or play at your computer, you can zip your finger across the screen to play. To clean off the table from your spilled food, you just wipe it clean!Probably one of the most practical situations I can see it being used in is with children. No more worrying about them breaking things with slobber or food. Obviously, they can break it using another item(cracking the screen) but the system will stay clean even when they are finished playing.Being that the screen is so large, you can use it for typing. I'm going to assume that once this is out for public domain, we will be using more voice-recognition software, so we will have all this room to "type," but will be speaking instead. Imagine the amount of space you would have that you can work in. Now you can play games while you do your homework!(But the "homework" is just an excuse, right?)You can use it as like a tablet laptop. You can draw on it, color things, etc. Make your own pictures. Make your own animations. Edit existing pictures. The possibilities on that one are limitless. This would be especially useful to those of us here in Xisto's community, as most(if not all) of us have websites. Think about being able to draw your *own* stuff, rather than borrow from other websites!(I do know that some of you make your own graphics, but the majority of us are horrible at it).Now, looking at these as to how they relate to us right now, especially with the hefty price tag, would show that there is no real need to have the system. But in the future, when they cost as much as a PC and/or monitor today, it will be well worth the purchase price. Honestly, $10k for something like that is pretty low. Good gaming PC's can run you $2k+ and that's just for a normal PC, .