Microsoft looking to bring Surface home sooner

Even though the first commercial deployments of Microsoft's Surface have been delayed until spring, it seems that enthusiasm for the tech is still strong in Redmond -- enough so that Steve Ballmer told reporters today that work on a consumer version has been sped up. The initial plan called for consumer-grade Surface products to, uh, surface in five years, but the demand for the tech is so high Ballmer said Microsoft is going to "follow our nose" and get it out ASAP. When that actually might be, we still don't know, but hey -- it's not like we're getting tired of that Big-Ass Table video anytime soon.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 5th 2008 2:43AM]

And the compelling need for this at home is what exactly?

[Gremlin @ Feb 5th 2008 2:48AM]

Higher margins, profits?

[Sean Clarke @ Feb 5th 2008 3:34AM]

Why wouldn't you want one ? Its seriously cool. What it also needs is the ability to scan in documents and let you scatter/sort them/edit them on the 'surface', plus the same for emails.

I would gladly pay for one of these in my home.

[Tim Brown @ Feb 5th 2008 6:30AM]

Can you imagine playing a RTS on one of these. Man that would totally change the way those types of games were played.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 5th 2008 7:15AM]

I'd rather have mine in a flat screen LCD mounted horizontally than this crap with under-mounted cameras and a huge base.

[caixapostal @ Feb 5th 2008 7:35AM]

Yeah, I see your point. I mean, this is a great concept for an interface. But still this whole "the-table-is-my-computer" would have to serve us with everything else we're doing already today.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 5th 2008 12:27PM]

"Why wouldn't you want one ? Its seriously cool. What it also needs is the ability to scan in documents and let you scatter/sort them/edit them on the 'surface', plus the same for emails.

I would gladly pay for one of these in my home."

So you'd pay thousands of dollars so that you could be hunched over a table all day scanning and sorting your document on a horizontal table. I'd love to be your chiropractor. C'mon people! Yeah it's interesting technology, but this is soooo typically Microsoft. Invent something first and then try to force-fit it into an application.

[GeneMack @ Feb 5th 2008 5:38PM]

Timmahh:

Actually, Microsoft's biggest problem is not their development, it's their marketing. While everyone applauds Apple for their development, it is actually their marketing where they excel. Their marketing drives their development. They find out what people want, then make a great device that hsa some innovation and deliver.

Microsoft develops innovative products, but seems very bad at finding the market for their products. Tablet PCs are a perfect example of that. Everyone I know (including myself) who uses a tablet would never go without one again. But Microsoft just hasn't found a way to market Tablets for mass appeal.

The surface computer is another perfect example. Commercial uses aside, this device has huge potential to revolutionize the way you interact with your home network. But Microsoft is failing to market it properly. To be truthful, I'm not even sure what approach they could take. It has a wide range of uses, but all of them are completely different than people traditional view using a computer. Most "killer apps" take something that everyone is already doing and making it much easier (see all Apple products). But we aren't talking about that with the surface computer.

Now you are trying to sell the mass market on doing things they never thought of doing in the first place! Not an easy sell.

The best part is that despite Microsoft's marketing problems, third party application writers will come in and solve te problem. They will fill the nitches and exploit the surface computer for all its power.

Microsoft's philosophy can be summed up in a great quote from a great movie:

Scientist 1: "Yea, but what is it used for?"
Scientist 2: "I don't care. That's for the engineers to figure out."

[Eron @ Feb 6th 2008 11:20AM]

That's like saying "Who would want an iPhone?" since the principle is similar. I like this concept and I personally would love a computer with a 17-inch LCD that I could manipulate with my hands. The potential for graphic design and games is wide open here.

Reminds me of the computer in Minority Report.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 6th 2008 11:25AM]

No I don't think so. There was already a well-established smartphone market. iPhone did a better job of integration of some features and presented a new novel way to access existing demanded functionality. Currently there is no such demand for a "smart table" outside of military and certain business applications.

[Eron @ Feb 6th 2008 12:53PM]

^ Yeah, according to you. Whose to say if Apple said, "We're going to make a touch phone screen" 3 years ago that people wouldn't have said "But we already have those, Big F'n Deal."? Just cuz you don't see a use for it doesn't mean it won't be appealing to OTHERS.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 6th 2008 1:25PM]

You're missing the point. Apple created the iPhone in response to an observed existing demand and a market need. Microsoft is trying to push Surface into the home where there's no clear demand or need for it in the home (or if there is, it's a very niche market like home automation control.) They tried to do the same thing with Origami and it didn't really take off. Why? Because most people buy things to do something for them that otherwise would not have been easily doable by other means. Most people don't buy things for the sake of coolness. This concept seems to be lost on Microsoft as they keep making the same mistakes.

[jamma @ Feb 5th 2008 2:54AM]

"work on a consumer version has been sped up."

Speeding up= broken OS and/or stupid price


Microsoft, why don't you learn from vista?!

[greg @ Feb 5th 2008 2:58AM]

I'd love to have one of these, but it seems more like a luxury flashy item. Still this tech would be interesting in different forms. Maybe an inclined work desk.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Feb 5th 2008 3:01AM]

Vista was released too quickly? you don't say... :p

[stephenbratz2 @ Feb 5th 2008 3:31AM]

See: http://www.apple.com/macbookair/

[Chris @ Feb 6th 2008 4:12PM]

Vista is fine. Ground breaking? No, but it's for the most part works well with the majority of computers.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 24th 2008 2:59AM]

We've seen the future of computing, and it's a big ass table...
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1764368

(Illustrates very well how really silly this is for the home IMHO...)

[Len @ Feb 5th 2008 2:57AM]

Why are engadget talking with pessimism about this thing. It's great! ... I mean how many movies have we seen with cool futuristic gadgets with tables like computers when they're looking up slides and graphics and what not ... this is the start of it .. it's big right now, but it's a table!!! and a table IS big!
cheers

[bob @ Feb 5th 2008 3:16AM]

Agreed! This thing is very cool. There's a trend right now where everything has to fit in your pocket. But in truth, people spend a lot of time in their homes, and I for one would LOVE to have this in my home.

[Pc_Madness @ Feb 5th 2008 3:48AM]

I'd love one as well. :) I'm not sure what I'd do with it though... from what I've seen it can communicate with phones and for sorting photos? I'm not much of a photo person.. but hopefully they think up some other cool apps. :)

[ard @ Feb 5th 2008 4:51AM]

Me too, I always wanted to have a blue table :-)

[fons @ Feb 5th 2008 5:33AM]

I like it too, but the problem to integrate it in my home would be the power cord. It would be visible as I don't have a power outlet in the floor...

[R1cebrner @ Feb 5th 2008 9:11AM]

has anyone watched csi newyork. they have something like it. (better than).

just for a specific show ref.

[GMack @ Feb 5th 2008 9:14AM]

Putting an outlet in the floor is actually really easy. And if you want it on the first floor and you have a basement (even finished), it is really easy.

[w00t @ Feb 5th 2008 3:26AM]

I just don't get it... sure it's flashy and has multi touch, but what use does it have?

You couldn't do any real computing on it, media is better suited for the TV and being hunched over this thing for more than a minute or two is bound to be quite uncomfortable... so what does this leave?

[w00t @ Feb 5th 2008 3:44AM]

You missed :)

[Tim Brown @ Feb 5th 2008 6:34AM]

If your working off that logic, why the iPhone or the iPod Touch?

[Kyanges @ Oct 10th 2008 5:47PM]

"""See: http://www.apple.com/macbookair/"""



WTF does that have to do with anything?

[Kyanges @ Feb 5th 2008 3:44AM]

Nice, more replies that go to the completely wrong post.

[crescentdavid @ Feb 5th 2008 3:42AM]

As someone commented on the "other" site, go visit TED and check out Han's work. It's absolutely amazing and has inspired everything from the iPhone to the Surface. You could read why MS is doing this, but then you'd have to read. That would be a downer.

@Len: good question. I believe it's due to a combination of apple fanboys and rabid anti-anything MS'ers overcoming an appreciation for new forms of digital content manipulation and delivery. After all the hyperbole surrounding multi-touch devices ... if it's not Apple- for some people it just can't (do you hear me?), it just can't be good.

[Kyanges @ Oct 10th 2008 8:40AM]

T_T . Endgadget hates me.

[kakapo @ Feb 5th 2008 3:59AM]

@ cresentdavid - good thoughts

My first interest was Minority Report and the research that went into the development of that movie - as you know from TED - it was a movie of what it WILL be like in 50 years into the future if we continue technological development at the rate we are going. It was not the regular sci-fi flick about impossible dreams - it was based upon actual RD&D going on all over the world - public and private.

I am an admitted AAPL fan boy and I see that the potential is way beyond any one companies scope of vision. I do feel, however, that Ballmer's epiphany is based upon the market numbers for the iPhone and the iPod touch AND THEN all of the knock offs that are taking place. Inspiration by perspiration can still bring about real innovation - if (BIG if) the powers on the top floor let the folks in the lab have enough rope to ALMOST sink the ship. That is the W.L. Gore philosophy - knida.

Thanks for clear and cogent remarks.
Cheers!

[Soren Christensen @ Feb 5th 2008 4:01AM]

This device is utterly useless. As useless as the main argument for buying a mac for 2000$, "But it's great with music, pictures and movies n' stuff", give me a break. You want to buy a freakin' computer table, that allows you to resize your pictures with your fingers? You want to buy a computer table that lets your organize your home media? This device is pointless.

[webon @ Feb 5th 2008 4:18AM]

dude was that sarcasm?

[skv @ Feb 5th 2008 5:21AM]

This is exactly why I (and a few other) admire Apple and dislike companies like MS. All of them just talk, show us cool demos and stuff but Apple DELIVERS. MS is already bragging bout the "Surface". Get it out first. Then brag. I`ll be interested once they come out with the actual stuff. Not just demos, and prototypes. Until then please shut up, stop wasting time and try and fix vista if you have nothing else to do.

[Shmapple @ Feb 5th 2008 6:51AM]

Maybe Apple should deliver a 3G iPhone?

[paulomatsui @ Feb 5th 2008 7:30AM]

Agree. Most giant electronic gizmos companies still don't get that "it's the interface, stupid" concept. Look what LG, Motorola or even Sony design on their products: complicated and dfficult to understand UI. Though we have to give MS credit for this concept ***IF*** they deliver what they're promising.

[Air4ce @ Feb 5th 2008 5:36AM]

STARCRAFT II and all RTS are perfect for this surface!!

[w00t @ Feb 5th 2008 6:04AM]

Now that might sound like a good idea, but think about it carefully.

I don't know about you but I find use of keyboard shortcuts for building/controlling units in RTS games almost essential when up against a worthy opponent.

And imagine how bad your back is going to feel after being hunched over it for hours staring at the floor instead of a monitor at eye level.

[Air4ce @ Feb 5th 2008 8:01AM]

to w00t

advantage of using Surface in RTS games like STARCRAFT.

1. No more scrolling. The surface is big enough to cover the whole map!

2. Use both hands in commanding different groups of units simultaneously. (multi touch)
Or one hand selects the unit and the other hand points the destination in no time.

3. Select all desired units by drawing a border around them IN ANY SHAPE! whereas Using a mouse limits the selection only to units that fall inside a rectangular shape.

4. Can apply emmergency commands like retreat or transfer to another location by palm dragging the troops towards the destination.
Or any iPhone-like touch-strokes are possible.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 5th 2008 8:15AM]

So... you have scout planes out and about running patrols. You can currently select one and usually hit a key combo to select all like units on the map or the screen. You'd do this if you needed to recall all your fighters, or issue orders to only your artillery. Now you also have a factory pumping out all different kinds of units. They all rally in one spot. Are you seriously telling me that it would be quicker to select each individual engineer out of the blob of units by drawing a selection circle around only those specific units than say, pressing CTRL + Period to select all engineers on screen? Need to build something in a specific spot? not sure which of your idle engineers are closest? ALT + period. How about selecting all air units for a coordinated attack or to recall them for repair? In Supreme Commander it's as simple as CTRL + A without the need to separate them all out and set grouping numbers beforehand.

Or are you proposing we just clutter the screen with a bunch of buttons to do the same task?

[XGM @ Feb 5th 2008 8:21AM]

OMG its a giant iPhone (someone had to say it)

[Eron @ Feb 6th 2008 11:21AM]

"Over the next year, Microsoft built more than 85 early prototypes for Surface. The final hardware design was completed in 2005."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Surface

...Just stop it.

[unkiebeats @ Feb 5th 2008 8:26AM]

good god these people need some design aesthetic advice, because there is a reason this look failed in the early 90s. GREAT YOU GOT THE TECHNOLOGY DOWN! NICE JOB, now find a designer and make that thing look good

[chenry @ Feb 5th 2008 8:32AM]

Ok... Ok... Look. It's a giant computer, inside a table. How is this cool? I thought we all wanted small and sleek, but instead we get a behemoth.

[GMack @ Feb 5th 2008 8:45AM]

Ahh, more lack of vision from Engadget readers; no surprise.

Commercial uses are almost unlimited and I personally know those developing these for commercial purposes.

But for home use, there is more to do on a computer than games and photos. This is perfect for home automation and security setups! If the price comes in at $5,000 for the home unit (like their target), it will actually become one of the cheapest main controllers on the high-end automation market. And the flexibility is endless. Flick through your cameras, or set macros that turned down your lights and turn on your media system when you set popcorn on the table.

I can bet that anyone into home automation and security has this on their wish list. I certainly do!

[Steve A. @ Feb 5th 2008 10:05AM]

How about this one: making it the size of a drafting table, and make a compatible version of CAD. It'd revolutionize architecture.

[GMack @ Feb 5th 2008 10:57AM]

Great point! Actually, I believe all current versions of CAD would work right now. I run AutoCAD on my tablet and I love it more than using a mouse. But I honestly only do light work (electrial drawings.) An actual designer would have a hard time with only a 14" screen. But a 70" screen? Too bad most of the designers that worked on the board are almost gone, they could go back to almost working they way they used to!

They could even use their templetes like they did in the old days. You're right, it will be a complete revolution for designers.

[anonymous @ Feb 5th 2008 10:40AM]

This would be the first thing I would ever consider buying as soon as it is possible to buy. The WOW factor alone makes it something to have yesterday.