Travelling around the various tech shows across the planet, I’ve often stopped by the Microsoft stand to see their touch technologies on display. The best by far has been ‘surface’, the interactive table top that means you navigate the internet and other digital worlds from your seat. A finger, two fingers, a glass or a business card, can all interact with the surface table top.
Microsoft is finally launching the technology in Australia. If you have used iPhone, then you can use Surface. It’s natural, it’s interesting and it works. It’s been a feature on my Today Show segments for some time and finally it’s here.
Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment and Devices Division for Microsoft, is here in Australia to launch the product and he says he first saw surface seven years ago. This gives some indication of how long it can take to develop this technology. It’s not just the technology, it’s the organisation of the community to take advantage of the technology and make it work for more people.
For you, it means a table – you sit down at your interactive seat, and the world of exploration begins. Microsoft has decided that sharing a table is just fine, because it is possible to have more than one person at the table at once.
The first app on show at the launch was a wine app, which would be of interest to wine bar owners. If you are at such a bar, the surface will give you information about the wine to help you with your order. What foods go with the wine? What wine will you like? The surface will interactively work with you to make your choice.
Surface, above everything else is addictive. Sit people in front of it and watch them touch, play and explore. I think that once the technology becomes more wide spread, and cheaper you will see Aussies everywhere enjoying the experience. You’d hope so with Surface – at $21,000 a pop…