I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for pointing it out.

The demo movies make it look quite cool. I wonder how well it works in the real world.

The touch technology has been around for some time. It's the power of the PC and the software that makes the applications a possibility. I'd hate to think how powerful that tabletop computer will have to be to perform so well.

Have a look at Jeff Han's demos [cs.nyu.edu...] from last year which i'm sure you'll find mind blowing.

The surface uses infra red cameras, see link for how it works:

[popularmechanics.com...]

Very cool stuff! I wonder about the benefits though, any ideas? Sure you can touch icons and so on but how can it improve daily work?

It's not a consumer product, at least not yet. Right now it seems to be focusing on the high-end display market for retail and gaming outlets. I don't think we'll see home applications for a while.

I can see ad agencies and high end design studios using it to impress clients. It's a stunning interface. Apple's undoubtedly going in that direction too (note the iPhone interface).

Have a look at Jeff Han's demos [cs.nyu.edu...] from last year which i'm sure you'll find mind blowing.

Not to be missed. Amazing stuff.

PS: Did you note, btw, that the extremely slick Microsoft Surface site used a lot of ... Flash?

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 7:04 am (utc) on June 7, 2007]

I recall a discussion on WebmasterWorld a bit back that showed alternative desktops and one source where somebody had developed software very very similar to what I am seeing on the MS Surface demo. It showed desktop shuffling and sorting much like what I see in the MS demo. It wasn't MS though. Anybody recall that site/technology?

Could it have been one of those tablet PC interfaces? The entire Surface technology seems to be dependent on the touch screen and cameras.

No, it wasn't the hardware, bill. It was software. The thread may have actually surface in the Foo forum as a "hey, this is neat, look at this" discussion around the watercooler one morning.

I'm wishing I would have bookmarked the site now.

I found it. Google "bumptop" and that is what I was reminded of ...

I see what you're talking about now. That desktop does remind me a lot of the Surface demo video. They don't seem to be quite as tied to the hardware as Microsoft is. Thanks for digging that up.

Another article on Surface worth a look...

Microsoft Debuts 'Minority Report'-Like Surface Computer
[pcworld.com...]

Mark Bolger, director of marketing for Microsoft's consumer productivity experiences group, adds, "This is a NUI--a natural user interface. It's a natural way for people to interact with digital content using their hands. Users can control information with the flick of a hand."

"bumptop"

BumpTop 3D Desktop Prototype
[video.google.com...]

Made me think of Surface too... though the BumpTop interface appears to be more elaborate and less natural. The names of gestures like the "The Pigtail Gesture" or the "Drag'n'Cross" move make me think of kung-fu movies. Maybe future computing (or certainly gaming) interfaces will require a lot of mind-hand and/or hand-eye coordination.

heh heh ... Can't wait to get my black belt in computing hand gestures. ;) Thanks to Opera I'm already pretty good with the mouse.

I'd really like to try that bumptop! Thanks for that.

BTW - did you see the bumptop parody? LOL

Microsoft Surface Parody
[youtube.com...]

:)