Microsoft Surface

By Shamus Posted Wednesday Jun 27, 2007

Filed under: Movies 30 comments

Via email from a friend:

Apparently this is a real ad, or a concept ad of some sort, to which some smart alec has added his own voiceover.

 


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30 thoughts on “Microsoft Surface

  1. mneme says:

    So how do those people get their “first post” posts so early?

    Not that it isn’t an annoying and surillous behavior, beacuse it is.

  2. Myxx says:

    That’s funny.

    I suggest creating a script that has the numbering begin at 2, so nobody can ever have post #1 glory. Or post envy.

  3. The Pancakes says:

    Nifty display device. Looks like MS Research is really starting to do some interesting stuff.

    Now, when can I expect my VR Goggles?

  4. Jeremiah says:

    Yeah, that’s a real commercial for Microsoft’s “Table PC”, and someone added an alternate voiceover. Yeah, it’s going for $10,000 right now, but they’re not really marketing for consumers yet, and it looks like it does some really neat things.

  5. Miral says:

    I saw that one a few days ago. It’s still funny. (And still more potentially practical than the vertical displays I’ve seen from other people.)

  6. AR says:

    There will always be a first post. Even if post #1 is, in fact, automatically made or does not exist, the next post then becomes the “first post”. This problem cannot be avoided without preventing comments from starting at all.

  7. Sauron says:

    Obviously, we need Shamus to have an automated first post on every page. Problem solved ;)

  8. Zaghadka says:

    Hilarious. That one’s going into the archives.

    (Eventually, I’m going to have to get a .flv conversion utility, I imagine.)

  9. Denzine says:

    Fark combats the “First Post” problem by using a script that changes the timestamp on any “First Post” post, so that they are no longer the first post.

    Might be a little elaborate, but it’s quite effective.

  10. Dave says:

    I think this was about a computer ad video on youtube.. not about the first post.. ignore it already.. If there is no trophy (ie: attention) there is no race.. someone will always be first.. who cares.

  11. Mrs T says:

    I don’t want an iphone. I want a big ass table!

  12. Basilios says:

    The interesting thing is that, as sarcastic as those guys are, they actually have a good point. Technology is going towards smaller and more compact devices, how is a big ass table going to fit in this trend?

    I also noticed how it is a woman doing the creative photo manipulation and keeping in touch with Mommy, while it is a men doing serious things, like looking for road directions, buying stuff and so on.

  13. Mordaedil says:

    “Remember, it’s not an iPhone, it’s big-ass table.”

  14. Insanodag says:

    Pancakes, you could have gotten your VR goggles 10 years ago, the only problem was that all the systems incorporating VR goggles for home use, were (a) overpriced, (b) had scarce and buggy software and (c) caused head-aches and nausea. Strangely enough, these factors led to low sales. Low sales usually lead corporations to discontinue product lines.

    However if you want your VR goggles, you can get Nintendo Virtual Boys on ebay, see the link below:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-Virtual-Boy-system-good-condition-NR_W0QQitemZ290132809948QQihZ019QQcategoryZ62054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    Examples of these attempts include the Nintendo Vir

  15. droid says:

    The user interface looks similar to a tech demo of a multi-touch screen I saw a few months ago. Is Microsoft is using the same group? I think not, the other stuff looked cooler (though I understand its only purpose was to look cool).

    most current video:
    http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid713271701/bclid713073346/bctid709364416

    older youtube clip:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89sz8ExZndc

  16. phlux says:

    Droid,

    I don’t think that’s the same technology, exactly. Similar stuff, though. Supposedly it’s internally developed, but the multitouch display has been in various prototype stages for years and years.

    As some have said there are some doubts as to its practicality, but Microsoft is pretty focused on a narrow market with this thing, making it good for hospitality industries first. Those applications will be easier, and it gives them a chance to refine the technology and develop the internal skills to make it really good for home users.

    The idea is that it creates a social computing environment that is physical rather than virtual (i.e. not MySpace). There is something to be said for having actual gatherings of real people in a physical space.

  17. Charlie says:

    12 Basilios Says: I also noticed how it is a woman doing the creative photo manipulation and keeping in touch with Mommy, while it is a men doing serious things, like looking for road directions, buying stuff and so on.

    So? Is it sexist to play on the fact that women like to look at photos more than men and that men prefer shiny toys more than women? Or were you just noticing?

  18. rb says:

    Yeah, there’s a pretty big debate within-house as to just how big of a seller this will be for the consumer market. Some say it’ll be the “Next Big Thing”. Others are quite a bit more skeptical (I’d be in that group.)

    Do millions of people really want to replace their coffee table with this? I guess we’ll see in a few years.

  19. Nilus says:

    Honestly I am more excited about seeing a Surface then an iPhone. I have a cell phone, I have an iPod and I have palm pilot. Sure the iPhone might do all three, but I am skeptical about how good it really is.

    I don’t have the ultimate nerd coffee table. Plus, as a gamer, I can see tons of cool uses for the surface. Virtual Character sheets that a GM can look at quickly without alerting the players(for all those times you secretly want to roll there spot checks). You can have your character sketch and name float in front of you so the other players can easily remember it. Vitual maps and minatures(if you like that sorta thing).

    Sure its not worth it for 10 grand, but if these drop into the high priced PC prices(3 to 4 grand) It might be a viable consumer product

  20. Basilios says:

    17 Charlie says: So? Is it sexist to play on the fact that women like to look at photos more than men and that men prefer shiny toys more than women?

    No, but it’s superficial. *I* like looking at my pics and keeping in touch with my family. There is just no need of a stereotype like that to convince me of the virtues of the Big Ass Table, no need to go “You can use it for your mapping needs while, look at that! Your little lady can use it to mess with her pics! Awww!”

  21. Shamus says:

    “No, but it's superficial.”

    I cannot imagine how it could be otherwise. This is marketing, after all. This is the reason I hate television the way I’d hate aluminum foil chewing gum. I am endlessly irritated by ads that imply twenty year old bikini models will throw themselves at me because I buy some stupid knicknack. These messages always have a strong “we think you’re stupid and gullible” subtext to them.

    It’s pretty mild in this film – it didn’t pretend the guy would get chicks or make money, and it didn’t pretend the woman would lose weight or appear more savy than her peers.

  22. Stark says:

    I’ve done most of my work for the last 2 years on a tablet PC (made by Motion Computing). I still have a desktop PC but rarely use it. For the first 2-3 months I used my tablet at my desk with a docking station making it basically behave like a regular PC (monitor, keyboard and mouse on desk). Then it occured to me just how natural it had become using the tablet at meetings… where it rested on the table like a notepad.

    Now I use my tablet in the docking setup less than 20 percent of the time. It’s usual home is flat on my desk in front of me – like paper. Since making this change I have noticed a marked decrease in neck, shoulder and eye fatigue at the end of the day. I have been wishing for over a year now for one change to make this even better to use… a screen the size of a desk calendar. Looks like I may get that wish someday now. I think, if MS can get the price point low enough and the exposure high enough that this would really take off. I know I’d buy one.

  23. Refugee says:

    Frankly, I love this. Something you can hold in your hand is not an adequate work surface.

    What I want as my desk would be a 4′ x 5′ active display tilted like a drafting table. This is a good first step.

  24. phulkrum says:

    Why get an iPhone when a Treo does the samething if not more at a cheaper price? I don’t see the iPhone as the end all be all.

  25. The Pancakes says:

    Insanodog! Great handle.

    The Newton was buggy and crappy but look at all the hand-held computing devices now! And hey — iPhone! Likely the greatest hand-held computing device yet: computer, phone, and camera.

    I sense a market-niche wide open for alternative display technologies.

  26. Zaghadka says:

    Wow, Nilus, I hadn’t thought about the gaming implications of this thing.

    Imagine what fun you could have with a bunch of RFID embedded minifigs? It’s the ultimate combat surface!

    The price is going to have to come down though…

  27. Thad says:

    All I can say is: children, candy, sticky fingers…

    How often would you have to clean that puppy? (Children or no.)

  28. Thad says:

    Another thought: if you are doing work on it, or trying to watch a lot video, or whatever, it looks very uncomfortable, and I’m sure not ergonomically sound.

  29. Nilus says:

    Thad, thats the problem with a touch screen. They get dirty quick. I here that the Surface is water proof and spill resistant though, Since one of the areas they want to market it to is restaurants. So it should at least be easy to clean.

  30. Rolld20 says:

    Given the main ways I use my coffee table are as a footrest, cat grooming area, and hot-glue workstation, I’d have to do some major behavioral retraining before getting something like this. :)
    Actually, my cat would *love* the ‘chase the waterdrops’ game. Maybe I’ll get one just for him…

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