Announced on May 29,2007 at D5 conference, Microsoft is planning to make it available in the global market scenario by the spring,2008.
When i first heard and read about this technology, i was so tempted to use it and i still have that wish to see this technology in use, someday..umm..
Microsoft Surface - How It Works
Surface is essentially a Windows Vista PC tucked inside a black table base, topped with a 30-inch touchscreen in a clear acrylic frame. Five cameras that can sense nearby objects are mounted beneath the screen. Users can interact with the machine by touching or dragging their fingertips and objects such as paintbrushes across the screen, or by setting real-world items tagged with special barcode labels on top of it.
Microsoft Surface (Codename: Milan), is a forthcoming Multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of natural motions, hand gestures, or physical objects. Initial customers will be in the hospitality businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, retail, and public entertainment venues.
Surface has been optimized to respond to 52 touches at a time. During a demonstration with a reporter, Mark Bolger, the Surface Computing group's marketing director, "dipped" his finger in an on-screen paint palette, then dragged it across the screen to draw a smiley face. Then he used all 10 fingers at once to give the face a full head of hair.
In addition to recognizing finger movements, Microsoft Surface can also identify physical objects. Microsoft says that when a diner sets down a wine glass, for example, the table can automatically offer additional wine choices tailored to the dinner being eaten.
Prices will reportedly be $5,000 to $10,000 per unit. However Microsoft said it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in 3 to 5 years.
To know more about Microsoft surface:
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
src: some infos shared from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Surface
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आकार, dhanyabaad bro, yeso aaudai garnu na.. :)