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Microsoft Surface

JAVO

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I had the opportunity to play with a Microsoft Surface table at work today. It's a touch interface similar to the hand motion interface seen in Minority Report. It uses five cameras rather than touch-sensitive technology used in touch screens.

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwVBzx0LMNQ"]Minority Report[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxk_WywMTzc&NR=1e"]Microsoft Surface[/YOUTUBE]
 

ThinkingAboutIt

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I had the opportunity to play with a Microsoft Surface table at work today. It's a touch interface similar to the hand motion interface seen in Minority Report. It uses five cameras rather than touch-sensitive technology used in touch screens.

Introverts dream! If I get one of those, I will never have to go out shopping :cheese: I leased a car recently and the dealership had a computer as the top of the desk...you could sign documents, flip the screen back and forth depending on which side of the desk you were on, etc., but it wasn't dimensional like this.

One thing I would not like is the constant neck craning to look down...
 

rhinosaur

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I had the opportunity to play with a Microsoft Surface table at work today. It's a touch interface similar to the hand motion interface seen in Minority Report. It uses five cameras rather than touch-sensitive technology used in touch screens.

So, what did you think about it?

From an interface design standpoint, I think touchscreen technology is the next biggest step forward.
 

ajblaise

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For most activities, I think using a mouse is faster and more efficient. Interesting technology though, I'd like to be proved wrong.
 

rhinosaur

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For most activities, I think using a mouse is faster and more efficient.

Based on my experiences with tablet PCs, I disagree. You can track stuff with your finger a lot faster than with a mouse. Hmmm, that makes me wonder how a touchscreen would fare in a FPS game like CounterStrike.

However, I do think that a full size keyboard is superior to a touchscreen keyboard, and I don't like the Windows Mobile approach to making phone calls.

After touchscreens take over, we'll need to find a way to direct-uplink to the brain.
 

ajblaise

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Based on my experiences with tablet PCs, I disagree. You can track stuff with your finger a lot faster than with a mouse. Hmmm, that makes me wonder how a touchscreen would fare in a FPS game like CounterStrike.

However, I do think that a full size keyboard is superior to a touchscreen keyboard, and I don't like the Windows Mobile approach to making phone calls.

After touchscreens take over, we'll need to find a way to direct-uplink to the brain.

How about ease of use? Like having to always remain close enough to the screen to touch it and the greater range of motion compared to mouse movements.
 

JAVO

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Introverts dream!
Indeed!

One thing I would not like is the constant neck craning to look down...
I didn't find it uncomfortable. It was like reading a book on a table.

So, what did you think about it?

From an interface design standpoint, I think touchscreen technology is the next biggest step forward.
I agree. Surface is one step beyond touchscreen in that it uses five cameras rather than a touch-sensitive layer.

I think Surface-like products will supplement existing computers, and even create a demand on their own in places where there wasn't a computer before. I'm thinking of places like restaurant tables, airport sitting areas, and physician waiting rooms.

For most activities, I think using a mouse is faster and more efficient. Interesting technology though, I'd like to be proved wrong.

But with a mouse you can't literally flick icons across the screen! :D Surface detects several natural hand movements which seems much more kinetically intuitive--like holding an object versus just touching it, and expanding the fingers to enlarge an image. The on-screen keyboard was full size, and worked as well and as easily as a real keyboard while touch typing. I thought that alone was impressive.

I can't wait until I get to play some air hockey on this thing! :D
 

pippi

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That sounds awesome, you had me at "flick icons across the screen". *swoon*

I would totally kick your ass at air hockey.
 

Skyward

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Mmmm... I wouldn't mind having this just for the artistic experimentation I could do with it.
 

JAVO

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Go for it. Microsoft would be happy to sell you one for around $13K. :ohmy:

I think my workplace is going to buy one! :happy2:
 

FC3S

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I'm actually unimpressed by this device - ever since seeing it on Reddit about a year ago. Outside of the novelty it really doesn't have a use that current touch screens, mice, and the one thing people haven't mentioned, a stylus, can perform better - and cheaper.

Touchscreen also lacks something keyboards have - force response.
 
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