Savant marries a touchscreen with iTunes; calls it "Apple Surface"

Look, we're all about innovation, and you know deep down we really want our computers to be big-ass tables, but Savant's press release touting "the first Apple-based coffee table surface product" just made us cringe. Savant's Rosie touchscreen home-automation products are already well-respected, so there's no need to try and grab any tailfeathers here -- in fact, we think the specs sort of sell themselves: you're looking at a 40-inch touchscreen that sports iTunes integration, access to photos and movies, home-automation through the Rosie system, and, yes, runs on an internally-mounted Mac of some sort. More important than that, however, is the one spec that Microsoft's Surface can't currently match: Savant is getting ready to sell these to consumers, and soon. See? No need to to get crazy with the hype, now was there? Now just set a price and tell us when these'll ship, and we'll be all set.

[Via ShinyShiny]

[Cup o' Tea @ Sep 7th 2007 12:08AM]

It's not a pc. It's a big ass table.

[Clinton @ Sep 7th 2007 12:21AM]

Looks like a good idea, but I honestly couldn't see Apple's reasoning behind releasing a product like this in the near future, especially to the everyday consumer. How would they market/fit this into their current strategy? I just don't think it fits well with the business plan they have right now; especially with the thinner is better, innovative feel going on. I think Apple will hold-off on this one. Once Microsoft has released their version and been somewhat successful / they find a way to puzzle-piece this in to the overall picture of their product base / technology develops in a way for them to make this concept truly innovative (ex: mass production of OLED screens). Apple's been really concentrating on ways to maximize user experience through the way we interface with devices; I just think that this is just another amazing concept/example of this.

[jbulava @ Sep 7th 2007 2:25AM]

They're not. Savant would be buying Apple products, removing their Appleness, and reselling in this form.

[kakapo @ Sep 7th 2007 12:21AM]

Hmmmmm
Scarrey
I'd buy this... just for the novelty!
Maybe they can emulate Ms. PacMan... how many hours did I spend (waiting for dates) laying one of the "coffee-table Ms. PacMan games?
Ohhhhh - touch screen emulation... i'd never get caught!!!
Now this could be seriously addictive!

[roach @ Sep 7th 2007 12:24AM]

It's like grandma's version of Surface. Sad lookin. Maybe it's made for Steve's Grandma?

[Mr. Picklesworth @ Sep 7th 2007 12:25AM]

There are only two ways this can go, and both ways are stupid.

I will shoot them down now, before this gets out of hand:

-Microsoft did not invent multitouch technology

-Surface is not a unique perspective on multitouch technology. The most obvious layout for an optical multitouch display is the table layout.

-Multitouch tables are quite well implemented in many places. Nobody was "first". Nobody is "last". They all defeat the keyboard / mouse (or at least the mouse) you are using now.

[Alber1690 @ Sep 7th 2007 12:29AM]

Whoa...this is a good joke.

[trainwrecka @ Sep 7th 2007 12:34AM]

this would so rock!

[ander.esp @ Sep 7th 2007 12:36AM]

this doesnt even match Apple's Rules of 'Simplicity and Style'.

two thumbs down.

[Trikayz @ Sep 7th 2007 12:39AM]

pretty nice !! i want the table! does it come in white

[Ransom @ Sep 7th 2007 12:40AM]

but can it play doom?

[ArtyG @ Sep 7th 2007 2:10AM]

Doom? No, that's not Apple's definition of 'fun', you are only allowed to have iMovie.

[Calviin @ Sep 7th 2007 10:09AM]

iMovie could play the Doom movie, in which case it could play Doom.

[Dave @ Sep 7th 2007 12:43AM]

Doesn't the Microsoft version have embedded cameras that function as scanners to identify items you put on the surface? Does this thing have that feature? If not, it's really just a gimmick. I like the wooden frame, though.

[dv8reality @ Sep 7th 2007 12:58AM]

Yes, you are exactly right, there is no innovation here.

[Gnaget @ Sep 7th 2007 12:45AM]

Why buy one when you can build one yourself?

http://www.instructables.com/id/EJIXKOEF3ER7VN5/

[Tony @ Sep 7th 2007 12:51AM]

Cant wait to spill my OJ on that thing.

[Kerry Saylor @ Sep 7th 2007 8:08AM]

Or - have my kids run their matchbox cars all over it!

[Ian @ Sep 7th 2007 1:16AM]

wait i dont think it said anything about apple putting this together. it was the Savant Rosie that stuffed one into a table and made it a touch screen. i think its bad ass and if i could have one cheap as hell id get it. but yea i dont think apple created this

[Dumbo @ Sep 7th 2007 2:15AM]

I already have a ton of gadgets with a screen on them. Do I really need a table too? Can't I just wait until they integrate a motion sensor into my remote and do this on my TV?

[Jason @ Sep 7th 2007 2:33AM]

this is probably the only time we'll see apple copying microsoft.

[josh @ Sep 7th 2007 2:58AM]

ugh.

Where did it say that apple was coping microsoft.
Where did it say that apple made this table.

Apple isnt making this, Savant is. The just got a mac stuffed in there and whacked in a touch screen.

But then, taking that this is a touch screen, and mac, i spose you could somehow install windows on there via boot camp and use the touch screen through windows...

[LikesGadgetsWillTravel @ Sep 7th 2007 6:54PM]

You mean in the way Apple was copying DR and Xerox?

[Megan @ Sep 7th 2007 3:04AM]

Wouldn't this be kind of pointless? I could see a nightclub using one, but not an average person. Who wants to look down at something to use it for very long?

[800hightech @ Sep 7th 2007 3:41AM]

Definately a novelty item, a bit worried about coffee cups and spills controlling my viewing pleasure.

[me3rkrat @ Sep 7th 2007 3:44AM]

.

[tdroza @ Sep 7th 2007 6:48AM]

Ooh, a black ash effect table. Can't see that in my house somehow, unless it comes with a time machine to take us all back to 1987.

[keffkelly @ Sep 7th 2007 8:25AM]

hmm... where have I seen this before.... LoL

[Chird @ Sep 7th 2007 8:28AM]

If it's been decided that the future of computing is a bigass table, why is it only acceptable that that table run OSX?

If I'm not mistaken the same people praising this one were on here a couple weeks ago bashing MS's big box of doom. Yeah, it's got pretty wood, but this one is basically just a media center...and I don't think they mentioned anything about multitouch either.

And yes, I'm aware that it's not being manufactured by Apple, but you get my drift.

[crsh @ Sep 7th 2007 9:46AM]

The desktop analogy is over 25 years old, you'd think they could manage to put together enough brain cells to come up with something just a little more creative and original.

Very lame.

[allaina @ Sep 7th 2007 10:25AM]

is there a joystick port, or do i have to play doom on a touch screen?

[Nick @ Sep 7th 2007 10:41AM]

that stole its UI elements from Call Of Duty 2

[Typhoid Mary @ Sep 7th 2007 1:34PM]

This looks just like those old table style arcade games you would see at bars. After a long time bending your neck down to see the screen you'll start experiencing neck, shoulder, and back pain.

What an innovation!

[CHAM13 @ Sep 7th 2007 7:54PM]

I just have to say, this is a killer idea.

[Aidan @ Sep 7th 2007 9:53PM]

I'm surprised nobody called it a giant iphone ripoff. That probably wont last long.

[BoyBawang @ Sep 10th 2007 1:36PM]

wow! nice to play STARCRAFT II with this one! GoodBye strolling screen! Touch screen means I can select by drawing any form of shapes around a group of units without being limited to a Rectangular box form like with mouse!

I can play chess with my friend too without dropping pieces on the floor during time scramble :)