Coffee Tables - not Just for Coffee Anymore?

Microsoft has an interesting new toy out on the market that seems to be flying a bit below the radar – perhaps because the thing costs more than a small car.

Microsoft has developed “Surface” a 30-inch tabletop interactive display computer system (for lack of a better description) that has some interesting, yet somewhat far-fetched, possibilities.

The coffee table style computer will run you a painful 5000-10000 dollars, but man – it sure looks like playing with personal photos is a blast in Microsoft’s ready made videos featuring actors who look like they know about as much about computers as my dog.

The screen does feature one thing that gives it great promise as far as a video gamer is concerned. Multi location input – meaning the screen can draw from any number of inputs (fingers) at the same time. Think of the real time strategy game potential when four hardcore gamers can sit around a table and all control units with their fingers in an epic high-speed multiplayer environment.

My overall take on this attempt by Microsoft is that it came too early. The technology is too expensive for any kind of mass marketing at this time, meaning there are very few developers who are going to produce practical software for this machine and others like it. Surface is not a practical purchase – it provides novelty item type entertainment at best. Any task the Surface can perform can be done more efficiently with any number of cheaper computers. Microsoft’s vision for a Surface style table around every corner is a long ways off. Prices must fall, software must be developed, and Microsoft must prove the machine can do certain tasks better than a conventional computer (Starcraft 4 shipping for the surface??? – never hurts to dream…).

Perhaps it would be impossible for me to completely describe exactly how the unit functions – thankfully Microsoft has provided some ready made promo videos that I recommend anyone interested in this fascinating piece of machinery check out.

~Skyler Dowling