Microsoft Demonstrates the 'Surface'

With various public demonstrations, Microsoft publicly unveils today what it has secretly been working on for years. The new interface is more 'Minority Report' than Microsoft Mouse/Keyboward. A seemingly ordinary coffee table until activated, the device contains small cameras that detect motion from all angles and a projector that displays the action.

“With Surface, we are creating more intuitive ways for people to interact with technology,” Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said. “We see this as a multibillion dollar category, and we envision a time when surface computing technologies will be pervasive, from tabletops and counters to the hallway mirror. Surface is the first step in realizing that vision.”

Imagine throwing a virtual stack of images onto the screen only to shuffle them around like a shoebox full of old photographs. Pretty cool stuff! Here's a demo video (YouTube):



See more at the following links:

• NBC's Today Show: Microsoft unveils revolutionary device
  
• Seattle Times: Microsoft Surface brings computing to the table
  
• Microsoft.com: Microsoft Surface (official site)

Microsoft's Surface will be on display in New York City next weekend -- as it happens, I'll be in The City -- I'll try to take a peek and let you know how it works!