DISQUS

Scobleizer: Any questions for Surface Computing team?

  • Toph · 2 years ago
    What other form factors do you see this expanding into?

    What's your favorite application of the tech so far?

    Have you apologized to the Silverlight team? :)
  • Jay · 2 years ago
    Well, more of a question for the Brand Manager that helped them launch their product. Why did they miss so many domain names?

    http://blog.domaintools.com/2007/05/microsoft-s...
  • Osman · 2 years ago
    "Are you absolutely sure that this has not been done before?" (you can refer to 3d desktop in Vista that they claimed it is the first 3d desktop ever).
  • Robert Markoski · 2 years ago
    It obviously will be compatible to Microsoft Partners, but what sort of 3rd party support will they have? Will they be releasing a sort of API allowing anyone to develop applications?
  • Stoneford · 2 years ago
    What kind of (new) OS is in it
    When can we expect a first price drop
    What kind of hardware is used
    Are there some known problems, or things that can't be done with the surface computer?
    How is it related to Jeff Han's device?
  • Samir Shah · 2 years ago
    3D?
  • Toph · 2 years ago
    Jaap--I think I read somewhere that it uses a modified version of Vista. But I really don't know. I'll post the link if I find it again...
  • Daniel Nicolas · 2 years ago
    1. Why did they choose the market they did? While the ultra rich can afford anything, this seems like a classic 'sony' style marketing blunder.

    If Apple indeed does announce a similar 'touch' product that costs less but is more accessible, programmable, and like-able, will this be the PS3 to the seemingly unstoppable Wii?

    [I know it's alot of "if" style probability, but what the hay, it's late and i just kicked out a post about a BLT. If I can write about a delicious BLT with avocado at night, anything is possible =) ]
  • Peluka · 2 years ago
    I have one... Considering this is a serious mix of hardware, software, new GUI and apps, where's going to be the focus in the short term?
    I mean, trying to get this to be use in your kitchen's fridge? Making the GUI better and better? Inviting developers and manufacturers to add their "widgets" to the platform?

    Sorry for my English, I'm sure you'll find a better way of asking what I mean.
  • theodp · 2 years ago
    Ask them if they're familiar with the PLATO project, which your old boss Ray Ozzie cut his teeth on at the University of Illiois:

    "By the early 1970's the PLATO IV terminal would incorporate touch sensitive screens that would allow you to interact with the onscreen data in a manner similar to a mouse - literally allowing you to drag and move objects on [a plasma] screen."

    http://www.classicgaming.com/features/articles/...
  • Tomi Itkonen · 2 years ago
    In one of the Surface site's clips, the guy puts two mobile phones on the Surface, and the specs for the phones are displayed.

    "Now the phones practically introduce themselves"

    So the questions are:

    - how does the Surface identify which phone is placed on it?
    - by which means the Surface connects to other devices (bluetooth/infrared/wireless/visual scanning/...)?
  • Brett Nordquist · 2 years ago
    What's the estimated price?
  • Peluka · 2 years ago
    Tomi, I heard it was bluetooth, but now that you mention this, it would be great to also know how is the interaction with the credit cards, as seen on the shot where they distribute the bill.
  • Samiq · 2 years ago
    [... Scoble will be talking to the guys from the Surface team in the morning so head here with questions on what'd like to know... ]

    Ping back from Samiq Bits
  • Long Zheng · 2 years ago
    How did they keep it secret for so long?
  • Wayne · 2 years ago
    How will this be any different than the Segway? (grandiose expectations, still relatively nothing several years after release)
  • Jairson Vitorino · 2 years ago
    Do they plan to version the device, say to turn the table on a TV (for IPTV for example) or playing games? I am imagining something that I could spin, then I could either have a table, a displaying for photos or a game console (for I suppose it will be browser compatible and X-Box compatible).
  • jonathan bradford · 2 years ago
    when can we expect to see some of 'spin off' technology onto small devices such as 'tablet pc', umpc and windows mobile?

    jon
  • Ugo Di Profio · 2 years ago
    Hi

    In the demo video you can see waiter putting a glass on the 'table'. In the real (i.e. not demo) world that can be quite an impact. Also, condensation of air cooled down by the cold glass will cause water to materialize on the (I guess somewhat warm) surface.

    So the question is, how tough is the surface for robust operation in real enviroments.

    Thanks.
  • Hecgo · 2 years ago
    Is it true that it works with flash player? What about Silverligth?
  • Tyler Martin · 2 years ago
    In what ways do they see touch computing enhancing PC tasks? In what ways is a traditional interface superior (if at all)?
  • Phill · 2 years ago
    Will they be integrating a version of Windows Live Search with tiled screenshots of websites?
  • Phill · 2 years ago
    the estimated price i've read is $5000 to $10000 for those asking, they're looking at a price drop to consumer level within 3-5 years.
  • Tomi Itkonen · 2 years ago
    Aha, there's an answer to my question in Robert's previous post:

    "Easy, each chip has an invisible bar code in infrared-reflecting ink."

    Yep, stick that bar code to the back of the mobile phone...
  • Konstantin · 2 years ago
    When do we get the SDK? :-)
  • nigeljames · 2 years ago
    Will it be open or will it only work with MS (Zune and MS smartphones) products?
  • lewis · 2 years ago
    Q: Why only 1Ghz machine running it, and not a Core2 etc?
    Q: Because of the projector/cameras, is there any way of making it shallower? (and quieter!)
    Q: Any patent issues with perceptive pixel? (jef Hann)
    Q: Programming: how does it deal with concurrency? multithreaded? using the .NET CCR for multicore?
    Q: Outside of America this year?
  • Diego · 2 years ago
    Why didn't they use Silverlight for their site? It's Flash. Quite funny really.
  • Darcy · 2 years ago
    "Why didn’t they use Silverlight for their site? It’s Flash. Quite funny really."

    Maybe because they wanted people to talk about the technology and not just moan about having to install the silverlight plug-in.
  • paul · 2 years ago
    Fascinating development, how long before this technology trickles down to portable and mobile devices?

    I'd love to just wave at a Tablet PC to bring up a browser or check email and tap to delete spam.
  • Phill · 2 years ago
    "Yep, stick that bar code to the back of the mobile phone…"

    Think you'll find it's bluetooth... you're forgetting the data transfer, if not then WiFi
  • Will · 2 years ago
    Will they be releasing non-table screens, perhaps just the screen itself that we can plug into our own computers?
  • PaulWill · 2 years ago
    When will this cross the pond to the UK?

    Will this new technology be available to schools & education?

    We are, after all teaching the next gen of Computer users, we should be teaching them with new technology Surely?
  • Phill · 2 years ago
    Doesn't look like it Will(at least not initially), they have spent a lot of time in development of what the actual system will look like. it's also rear projection hence the size of the system and features multiple cameras to track the multitouch input.
  • Chris · 2 years ago
    OK, here goes. I can see touch computing being useful in a car GPS or on the go. BUT, how do they justify somebody eating a bucket of fried chicken then using a touch screen on a PC?
    Or even a touch pad.
    When I am using my laptop, I can't stand the pad and always have to plug a mouse in. How can they get around that annoyance?
    I also don't like tablets.
  • ezekiel · 2 years ago
    In the clips we can see using this table-device at home, so my questions are:

    - did they consider raising of backache ratio? there will be pain-killing pills in the retail box?

    - which protections against the typical cleaning-guy triggering disaster? (and dust&dirt problem of course)

    - what if my kid would fingering with marmalade (or throwing up on) while I'm doing an online transaction.

    joking (not-so-much-indeed) about relevance of ergonomics deals in a multi-touch screen table :)

    what do they think about?
  • Jairson Vitorino · 2 years ago
    Is this really such a bad question or was erased by mistake? --> "Do they plan to version the device, say to turn the table on a TV (for IPTV for example) or playing games? I am imagining something that I could spin, then I could either have a table, a displaying for photos or a game console (for I suppose it will be browser compatible and X-Box compatible)."
  • Wolke Schnee · 2 years ago
    What's the resolution of the display? (I read 1000 x 800)
    When will HD or higher resolutions
    be available? (HD DLPs exist)

    What about technical computing scenarios?
  • gwhiz · 2 years ago
    Three questions I'd like asked. Probably only one good one. Here goes:

    1) Intellectual property... touch interfaces are the technology for June 2007. Apple's already said they will defend the IP in the iPhone vigorously. Any concerns over IP overlaps here? If so... who should be concerned?

    2) GREAT freakin logo! Something's changed at MS. Product names are getting a little better. But logos (SeaDragon, Photosynth, Deepfish) are getting way better. What's the deal?

    3) The intro isn't built in Silverlight. What decision process went into the choice you made. (That's borderline impolite. I'm sorry. But, it's a glaring deal. To me anyway.)
  • Joe · 2 years ago
    People, people! Tabletop computing is not a new idea. This kind of research has been going on for years! Credit to the MS team for doing an ace job but bear in mind that they are standing on the shoulders of giants...
  • Matt Mendolera · 2 years ago
    Ask them why it took so long...

    ...and how I can get my hands on one without spending a small fortune. :-)
  • kiddie · 2 years ago
    Bring it home and I'll care!

    meantime...

    z z z z z z z z z
  • Andrew Denny · 2 years ago
    Is this a proof of concept, or ready to roll?
  • Chris · 2 years ago
    When can we expect to see consumer oriented devices using this technology? ie. when will we see surface tech desks, coffee tables that cost under 5k?
  • Jeffrey Sax · 2 years ago
    How does this compare to Philips' "Entertaible"? It was announced over a year ago. See http://blogs.extremeoptimization.com/jeffrey/ar...
  • Scott · 2 years ago
    What kind of developer support is there? Does this run WPF apps? .NET?
  • Edward Cotton · 2 years ago
    Is it possible to "network" the surfaces and buy advertising on the network? For example, in Starwood Hotels or at T-Mobile stores.
  • Justin Thorp · 2 years ago
    There is an open source community forming around multi-touch surfaces. Will Microsoft be working with the community?
  • Wolke Schnee · 2 years ago
    Multi-touch with WPF: in .NET 3.5?
  • Candace · 2 years ago
    "Why?"
  • Larry · 2 years ago
    * Why is this Surface product indicated to be a stand alone product and not just a cool feature that licensee's can incoprporate into their own hardware?

    * It seems MicroSoft is moving to the model of self produced, integrated Software and Hardware. (XBox, Zune). What are the benefits of this shift in business model and what does it portend for the Windows liscencee's.
  • Andrew · 2 years ago
    Why isn't this really cool thing splashed all over the Microsoft Website? Instead the MSoft website looks like a really poorly designed insurance salesman website.
  • colin · 2 years ago
    All the prestine demos show are by people who have had lots of time to play with them so it looks very cool and natural. However, how does MS expect Joe-Hotel/Casino/Restaurant-Dweller to know the drag semantics? WPF opened up the opportunity to break all the UI standardisation Microsoft has created. Surface adds a whole new level of possible confusion.
  • Marc · 2 years ago
    Re. Detection of physical items on Surface.

    Does it work with (human-eye) invisible barcodes only ?

    What about RFID or visible 2D/color barcodes ?

    MS recently introduced their own barcode standard so I was wondering...

    http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2007/a...
  • andy graham · 2 years ago
    1. can it replace original PC? such as using for media, internet and documents?

    2. use a web to access my content from newer in the world?

    3. if and how will it interact with gaming such as with the 360?

    4. use it to connect with a TV?
  • george · 2 years ago
    wen will this be released to the wider public? can i use it instead of buying a new PC?
  • Adam Duggan · 2 years ago
    How can they differentiate between two smartphones placed on the Surface? I get that they can communicate to each device with Bluetooth/etc., but how do they physically know which phone is which when the Surface user interface is interacting with the phone?
  • Andrew · 2 years ago
    What differentiates the Surface product from a 32" touchscreen available on the market for $800?

    Also, why aren't they using Silverlight for their web site in addition to flash?

    Where do I find the technical specs & developer toolkit?

    How do you keep it clean?
  • John · 2 years ago
    I would be interested to know what other applications are envisioned for surface.

    Also, is there a marketing/partnering strategy for avoiding this being a "bigger origami". Origami looked like the coolest thing out there, and, in practice, it ended up being a UMPC running Vista, with no real apps to accompany the form factor. I guess the question is, how is Microsoft going to transition surface from an amazing demo to a consumer device, if that is even the intent.
  • Jim McQuaid · 2 years ago
    Despite whatever history of dev might be involved, it looks like a dream about what the iPhone will do in a shipping product (on a small scale).
  • Scott Klein · 2 years ago
    Asking how it is related to Jeff Han’s device is good. Also, what's the likelihood that this tech will spread out of E&D into other Microsoft platforms? I don't think it's a stretch to call multitouch (er, Surface) a disruptive technology, and exposing it to every Windows developer can only make great things happen. Finally, I can't tell if this was announced at WinHEC, and if it wasn't, why not?
  • Sam · 2 years ago
  • something2chewon · 2 years ago
    I want to watch someone clean it with windex....
  • zb42 · 2 years ago
    While the whole "Touch Surface" UI has a great WOW factor, it would be impractical, indeed a pain, for the user to move his/her hands all over the surface to get any "real" work done.

    The most common input devices localize input to keyboard/mouse. Does Microsoft Surface have a "touch" keyboard/mouse or something similar for those of us don't want to have to wave our arms around and reaching all over the area of the UI to get work done?
  • NNC · 2 years ago
    It's a freaking glass table! Looks like this thing can break pretty easily. Drop something on it and poof, it's shattered. This has Segway written all over it!!!
  • LayZ · 2 years ago
    Is it okay to pet on a first date?

    (Extra points for the movie reference that line comes from)
  • vinea · 2 years ago
    To echo #4 above:

    When can we get the SDK?

    and

    When can I buy one for development/research purposes?
  • Jim · 2 years ago
    Jeff Han's multi touch experiment focused on this along time ago (see youtube for example).

    I also don't really like the demo at the MS site given they are doing things in this which don't seem achievable. E.g placing a random phone on the screen and obtaining data. *Even* if bluetooth or wireless were active it takes time to connect and transfer and this isnt shown. Dont even get me started on the credit card stuff.
  • Bill · 2 years ago
    $10,000 for a 21st Century Etch-a-Sketch? Or is Microsoft actually building a working model of the Enterprise on the back lot?
  • anon · 2 years ago
    How was Jeff Han involved? Is he working at Microsoft? Has Microsoft paid royalties on the IP to his company?

    On another note, how does Microsoft garner the press for a product that was ripped off from someone else?
  • Robert Scoble · 2 years ago
    Jeff Han isn't involved. This has been under development for five years. Jeff isn't the only one working on this kind of stuff.
  • Jim · 2 years ago
    I don't know how Jeff Han is directly involved but his demos of multitouch experiments are strikingly similar to MS's Surface, specifically the photo demos of movement and resizing.

    See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysEVYwa-vHM
  • Andrew · 2 years ago
    Knowing how many people xerox their buttocks, is there any fear people will start to sit on this thing?
  • vinea · 2 years ago
    Jeff Han...*sigh*

    Here's Buxton's excellent history on multitouch:

    http://www.billbuxton.com/multitouchOverview.html

    and a discussion on the iPhone by Tog (who I'm sure will weigh in on Surface soon enough)

    http://www.asktog.com/columns/070iPhoneFirstLoo...
  • Phill · 2 years ago
    Microsoft and Apple AND a myriad of other companies have patents in this area, this is just the first major product to be going to market... unless you count the iPhone ... but I believe this will be out first?
  • Geoff · 2 years ago
    What kind of tweaks / versions of WPF does this use?
  • Josh · 2 years ago
    When will they move beyond "projection" to lcd/ digatizers.

    When will this be available for anyone to use/develop with?
  • Robert Scoble · 2 years ago
    Josh: they can't use LCD because of the way the cameras work. They need to have access to the surface to sense what's being put on the surface.

    It'll be installed in first commercial accounts later this year.
  • juan alexander · 2 years ago
    what do yo use Sistem operation in this surface ?
  • Sergio · 2 years ago
    In a future, you can play all kind of VideoGames? (FPS, MMORPG, RPG...)

    Thanks.
  • NCK · 2 years ago
    Good sirs, how come there's so much Surface Computing, and so little dnb in your organization?
  • Miguel · 2 years ago
    What time needs to release to the source code of Microsoft Surface Proyect? thank´s
  • Javier Carrillo · 2 years ago
    Hello,

    is the UI going to be programmed with....maybe WPF? Are there out any document talking about its architecture? Thank you :)

    Javier
  • Javier Carrillo · 2 years ago
    Hello again,

    I'm a Microsoft Evangelist too, I would like to know how Visual Studio is thought to be part of this new technology. Thank you,

    Javier
  • mustufa · 2 years ago
    can any one help to know me abt the technical aspects of surface computing my id is mustufa_vin@yahoo.com
  • Nikhil · 1 year ago
    how can we specify our email address while sending pictures/images using surface computing