Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 30th May 2007 09:54 UTC, submitted by Laurence
Microsoft "Microsoft has unveiled a new touch-sensitive coffee table-shaped computer called 'Surface'. Designed to do away with the need for a traditional mouse and keyboard, users can instead use their fingers to operate the computer. Also designed to interact with mobile phones placed on the surface, Microsoft says it will initially sell the unit to corporate customers. These will include hotels, casinos, phone stores and restaurants." Instant update: More details and a video.
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RE
by Kroc on Wed 30th May 2007 10:06 UTC
Kroc
Member since:
2005-11-10

Can't wait for the first Flickr photo of a coffee table BSOD ;)

I kid, I like that this technology is now moving forward and is clearly the future as I speculated in the Augmented Reality article.

RE
by Liquidator on Wed 30th May 2007 10:19 in reply to "RE"
Liquidator Member since:
2007-03-04

Wake up, there hasn't been a blue screen of death for ages now. I think this new technology is great, and more and more people will have access to it, and it's going to be everywhere. But I'm not sure I'll want to leave my current computer to use a table, eh eh...I don't know what version of Windows it's gonna run either (Vista or an embedded version).

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RE
by Laurence on Wed 30th May 2007 10:32 in reply to "RE"
Laurence Member since:
2007-03-26

I'd be interested to see a dedicated multi-touch OS rather than just an adapted version of Vista (et al). I know this is a long way yet, but I'd be very interested to see how such a system would be built. Maybe Gene Roddenberry got it right and we'd all be using LCARS like OSs ;-)

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RE
by Kroc on Wed 30th May 2007 10:54 in reply to "RE"
Kroc Member since:
2005-11-10

It was a joke =P Maybe I should have used sarcasm marks. A decent XP system never BSODs, not unless your hardware go awry. However Windows has built up many myths over the years that are no longer true, yet people still repeat them - reminds me of the one button myths about Macs. Always eat your own dogfood.

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RE
by archiesteel on Wed 30th May 2007 13:40 in reply to "RE"
archiesteel Member since:
2005-07-02

You're right, from XP on it's been red instead of blue, if I recall correctly. The reason you don't see them is that there is a key in the registry that reboots the system instead...

That said, I have to admit that this technology is rather cool. All I hope is that it won't be a proprietary, locked-down machine like the Xbox360, and that you'll be able to experiment with these and install other OSes. After all, they don't have the argument of locking out game cheaters here!

I'm not sure it'll catch on, either. I mean, I thought tablets would be all the rage, and they didn't really catch on. Customer inertia has served MS well in the past, but it's also an obstacle they need to overcome when they try to introduce new technologies such as these.

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RE
by robnix on Wed 30th May 2007 20:05 in reply to "RE"
robnix Member since:
2005-08-10

Vista blue screens for me just about every time Windows Movie maker finishes 'publishing' a movie. The event list in the event viewer is no help either.

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RE
by viton on Wed 30th May 2007 14:04 in reply to "RE"
viton Member since:
2005-08-09

coffee table BSOD
Heh.
Just download an update for your coffee table =)

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RE
by Mellin on Wed 30th May 2007 20:36 in reply to "RE"
Mellin Member since:
2005-07-06

more like RSOD ;)

Edited 2007-05-30 20:36

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