That'll be fixed as soon as the hackers over at the osx86project hack that sucker to run OS X.!
D
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Microsoft Launches Multitouch Surface Computing
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That'll be fixed as soon as the hackers over at the osx86project hack that sucker to run OS X.!
D
I watched all the videos and read some of the reactions here.
I remebr seeing Bill Gates himself demonstrating that thing about a year ago in his keynote (yea, I watched it. Boring as hell tho...). NOthing new has been shown here.
Microsoft is targeting the commercial market (casinos, restaurants, malls, etc) and probably also the military with this. I personally liked the restaurant checkout, where you just put your card on the table and you get pictures of all the items you ordered. If you wanna split costs, you just drag the items you had to your side, use the slider-tip-calculator and that's it.
What (I think) Apple is doing is bringing that technology to the people. They've done so in the past. I for one am still waiting for the ultimate ergonomic computer that interfaces nicely with me. Just put a damn chip in my head and give me direct access and feedback...
On a side note: yay iPhone! I want one!
I remebr seeing Bill Gates himself demonstrating that thing about a year ago in his keynote (yea, I watched it. Boring as hell tho...). NOthing new has been shown here.
Microsoft is targeting the commercial market (casinos, restaurants, malls, etc) and probably also the military with this. I personally liked the restaurant checkout, where you just put your card on the table and you get pictures of all the items you ordered. If you wanna split costs, you just drag the items you had to your side, use the slider-tip-calculator and that's it.
What (I think) Apple is doing is bringing that technology to the people. They've done so in the past. I for one am still waiting for the ultimate ergonomic computer that interfaces nicely with me. Just put a damn chip in my head and give me direct access and feedback...
On a side note: yay iPhone! I want one!
Rubbish, thats like saying the "home computer is going to fail" 20 years ago. Interactive screens are the future, they bring the interface far closer to the end user than a mouse keyboard and monitor ever can, not to mention saving space and time.
Apple have seen the light, and are starting with the iphone. Your right, the touchscreen itself is nothing new, but the ability for it to see and understand things placed on its surface (via a series of cameras and wireless technology) makes for a very innovative solution.
Its been stated before but if apple released this at the wwdc it would be praised with happiness left right and centre. I guess with this being a Mac Rumours website its going to attrack a lot of Mac "fanboys" (and "fangirls") and therefore a lot of MS bashing to go with.
I also haven't been a fan for what microsoft has been doing for a while now (with the likes of zune,vista,etc) but I must say that this is a very nice step in the right direction. kudos bill!
Do you think they really haven't thought of that?
I know it is MS and all, but geez, give them an ounce of credit... they'd never be able to sell it to a restaurant if it had the slightest chance of leaking into the device.
Wow, it kills me to say it, but I'm impressed. I have to say I'm surprised that Microsoft beat Apple to the punch on something like this, it seems more like something they would put together.
Not totally original though. Did anyone instantly think "iPhone" when they were taking out virtual CDs, touching a corner to flip them over, revealing a track list?
Not totally original though. Did anyone instantly think "iPhone" when they were taking out virtual CDs, touching a corner to flip them over, revealing a track list?
One difference/advantage that the SoftSurface has is that its sensors can recognize things other than fingers-- for example: the brush shown in one demo.
This can be a very desirable feature for some apps:
1) use pressure to govern the width, shape and paint thickness of brush strokes.
2) use special-tipped styluses for calligraphy
3) use a pencil-point stylus for handwriting or detail editing/touch-up of images, etc.
While the finger/hand may be the "universal tool" there are other, specialized tools that excel for certain apps.
I really like the features of the iPhone, but am disappointed that it will only recognize the touch of flesh.
That's probably one of the reasons why the sucker is 5k to 10k. Ruggedizing is very possible but far from cheap. If they can build a housing for cameras that can withstand the pressures of deep sea salt water diving then they can certainly build a housing to protect this table from the average 3 year old and her PB&J encrusted hands and/or the buisness mans 4ish 5 o'clock martinis.
Remember too that $10k is NOT very expensive... When Apple 1st introed the laser printer to the world it too cost $10k (as did the Lisa IIRC) and that was when $10k was worth a lot more than it is today.
Fast forward 15 or so years and you can buy a (more featured) laser printer for $199 (or less if you know where to look).
Dave
ok, neither Apple or Microsoft invent this new way of computing experience. But again, Apple was the first to introduce this with the iPhone. I remember not so long ago when I saw a video here about a similar technology and then that technology was implemented into the iPhone design. Now the same technology is an important part of this MS proyect. I think MS is copying again. Apple is stealing again, the history is repeating again, this time is not GUI wars, this time is multitouch but the difference is that in this time the technologies are the same, the machines are the same, this time the best company will win. I hope that one is Apple.
Just looks like a touch kiosk with a pretty UI.
I think this could have some good corporate uses... but for home use? I don't see myself taking 30 minutes to write an e-mail with my finger when I could just type it in a minute.
At work looking down for 8 hours would be unnatural and strenuous.
Perhaps as a coffee table to share photos, but for 5,000-10,000 I would need it to do a whole lot more than just sit on the floor and wait for my friends to come over so we can look at some pictures... you couldn't even watch TV on it...
Probably would be cool in a restaurant as a table, but I just don't see a lot of places spending 500,000 dollars on tables alone.
I think this is a classic case of making something that looks cool, but just does not function in the real world... I'm not going to buy this and a computer... and a TV... I want less stuff not more
I think this could have some good corporate uses... but for home use? I don't see myself taking 30 minutes to write an e-mail with my finger when I could just type it in a minute.
At work looking down for 8 hours would be unnatural and strenuous.
Perhaps as a coffee table to share photos, but for 5,000-10,000 I would need it to do a whole lot more than just sit on the floor and wait for my friends to come over so we can look at some pictures... you couldn't even watch TV on it...
Probably would be cool in a restaurant as a table, but I just don't see a lot of places spending 500,000 dollars on tables alone.
I think this is a classic case of making something that looks cool, but just does not function in the real world... I'm not going to buy this and a computer... and a TV... I want less stuff not more
Am I the only one who noticed the touch and object identity were done with cameras placed in the room? so you have $$ for the item, then installation services.. not very portable either... Seems to take the 'magic' out of it.
Whereas a multi-touch surface done on something small and portable like the iPhone seems rather elegant...
Whereas a multi-touch surface done on something small and portable like the iPhone seems rather elegant...
Huh, so what? It's got a glorified Sideways interface, with a dash of a version of multitouch based on cameras. Microsoft has been working on that for 6 years and it seems poorly thought out.
To me it seems a probable repeat of the Origami debacle. Jeff Han's solution, demonstrated earlier this year - TED 2007 - already looks more polished, faster and more useful for large scale, expensive applications than painting faces or transferring photos via bluetooth or wifi. You can find it here.
I don't know...
I'd rather have a $600 portable iPhone than $10,000 dollar coffee table.
I think Apple is aware of their market.
As much as I would love to say, "Wow, new Microsoft tech out of the blue, congrats", it's pretty obvious that this is another pie-in-the-sky vision from Microsoft that's not ready for market, with the announcement timed near the iphone release just to let the Microsoft execs say "Nyah Nyah, we have multi-touch too! So there! Pbllltttt!" Lame.
This can all be summed up very simply:
Jeff Han: Look at this technology. This is what we could be using in the future.
Microsoft: Yeah, this technology is great. And we'll be the first to get computers using it. Check out this concept.
Apple: You want to actually use this technology? We were there first with iPhone. We're actually taking these concepts and putting them into forms that people can really use.
Kudos to M$ for announcing this as their direction, but i'll bet my house Apple are the first to actually implement this properly into an OS/computer package that is efficient enough to replace the keyboard and mouse set-up.
MA.
Jeff Han: Look at this technology. This is what we could be using in the future.
Microsoft: Yeah, this technology is great. And we'll be the first to get computers using it. Check out this concept.
Apple: You want to actually use this technology? We were there first with iPhone. We're actually taking these concepts and putting them into forms that people can really use.
Kudos to M$ for announcing this as their direction, but i'll bet my house Apple are the first to actually implement this properly into an OS/computer package that is efficient enough to replace the keyboard and mouse set-up.
MA.
Had Apple demonstrated this, the thread would be 38 pages long with drooling fans talking about how this will change the world.
OK, back to your Microsoft bashing.
Indeed. I think it's rather pathetic with some of these Apple fanboys. Makes me cringe... I have used PC's for many years, now I replaced my "main machine" with a Mac Pro. I like the Mac, I like the PC's. Neither are problem free. The Mac definitely has a better GUI in the OS and some other nifty things, but on the other hand, if my Mac Pro breaks down due to hardware problems, I am screwed. With a PC I could simply replace the PSU, the motherboard or whatever and I would be back running within 1-2 days tops. Oh well, but that's a completely different topic
I've got to agree with you on some points...
1 - Yea this is MS showing IT TOO can do MT (but BIGGER - lol)
2 - Yea not nearly ready for prime time (as it was demo'd).
Most important, not a single device, flash-card or credit-card can interface with it the way it was shown - nor can 99% of the cameras or mp3 players.
Cool concept but that's about it...
Dave
To be factual, Apple was not the one who "made" the GUI or mouse-- they just popularized them and made them available to the general public.
If you google "doug englebart video" you will find links to a video created in 1968 showing a rudimentary GUI, mouse and much more...
Most of these capabilities were incorporated into an experimental system, the Alto, developed at Xerox PARC.
Steve & several others toured PARC and then included some of the ideas into the original 1984 Mac.
I have to say it's seriously cool technology. Kudos to Microsoft. They just won a little of that precious 'multi-touch' mindshare back from Apple...
Seems like Microsoft are getting serious about making integrated H/W and S/W solutions that really have some wow factors...Apple better watch out - the Microsoft juggernaught just got 'sexy'...
I mean just when you think Apple had the lead to themselves Microsoft go and pull a rabbit from the hat.
Outstanding. Let's hope Steve get's 'pissed' enough about this to release a sub $2000 multi-touch iMac....
I'm betting 2010 and the mouse will be GONE!!!!...a 'blip' in the history of computing...
Seems like Microsoft are getting serious about making integrated H/W and S/W solutions that really have some wow factors...Apple better watch out - the Microsoft juggernaught just got 'sexy'...
I mean just when you think Apple had the lead to themselves Microsoft go and pull a rabbit from the hat.
Outstanding. Let's hope Steve get's 'pissed' enough about this to release a sub $2000 multi-touch iMac....
I'm betting 2010 and the mouse will be GONE!!!!...a 'blip' in the history of computing...
just FYI - the cameras are UNDER the surface - below the screen.
no, it isn't portable - it seems to be a very large table with a vista based computer inderneath.
Interestingly, in this video,
http://on10.net/Blogs/larry/first-look-microsoft-surfacing-computing/ the microsoft guy says the project started 4 years ago - before Jeff Han's demo.
There is one big difference here - Jeff's (and the iPhone) technology are using the touch to the surface of the 'screen' whereas the Microsoft solution is to place cameras under the screen to record the surface 'touch'... very different solutions!
The popular mechanics site review details the technology behind Surface. It is not touch sensitive but rather light sensitive - from below. The top of the display is just a glass screen that you could clean easily with Windex. As it is currently targeted for commercial applications such as a point of sales device in T-Mobile stores I would imagine that it should be pretty tough.
As for cats of other objects setting it off I would think that they have programmed a lock out device on it.
I will give kudos to Microsoft. I do not like the company but this is way cool and I can see it revolutionizing a lot of out commercial life. As popular mechanics asked, "When did you last use a human teller?" This could be the future of P.O.S. especially for technology products.
The great thing is, MS is putting this in $5k-$10k commercial machines. Apple already has it in a phone, and I bet we'll see it on macs in the near future.