Microsoft seemingly ready to demonstrate Spherical Surface

Who knew closely investigating expo floor layouts could be so fun and rewarding? Sure enough, the 2008 DemoFest Booth Map hosted up for Microsoft's upcoming (July 27th - 29th) Research Faculty Summit shows allotted space for one "Multi-Touch Spherical Display." Of course, Redmond-based exhibitors may end up dedicating slot 110 to carbonated beverages and unhealthy snacks, but whether those sly cats are ready to admit it or not, we know this thing is real.

[Via ZDNet]

[avester @ Jul 25th 2008 5:34AM]

And the gimmick award of 2008 goes to...

[Dr Zoidberg @ Jul 25th 2008 10:20AM]

*opens envelope* CONGRATULATIONS STEVE JOBS, IT'S THE MACBOOK AIR!

[Ethan @ Jul 25th 2008 5:51AM]

Microsoft seems to get these ideas, before hiring HTC or somebody to make them. I think it's the wrong way around to do it. Why not let Toshiba or some consortium come to Microsoft with an idea which they want to bring wide software support to? Then things like PDA's might have worked.

[KilgoreTrout @ Jul 25th 2008 6:25AM]

I kinda understand MS. They must be thinkin' " Hey, if they can do it in Cupertino why can't we do it in Redmond (WA) too?"

[Argot @ Jul 25th 2008 6:48AM]

More like: Hey, if the people in Cupertino can steal this idea from someone, then why can't we?

[Intrepid @ Jul 25th 2008 9:18AM]

I don't even understand what either of you are talking about. Who is stealing what...?

[KilgoreTrout @ Jul 25th 2008 6:26AM]

I kinda understand MS. They must be thinkin' " Hey, if they can do it in Cupertino why can't we do it in Redmond (WA) too?"

[deyanimay @ Jul 25th 2008 8:32AM]

The author?

[adam @ Jul 25th 2008 6:39AM]

in my crystal ball i foretell that this is a load of hype and won't actually happen!

[Wolfticket @ Jul 25th 2008 7:42AM]

Maybe there will be an exhibit that shows how a company that makes most of its money in a one-time-software purchase market that wont exist in ten years time will continue to make loads of money (zing).

[John @ Jul 25th 2008 7:42AM]

You know, I wouldn't mind Microsoft stealing other companies' ideas if they had any ability to improve on the technology in any way. I know you guys mention that Apple is always "stealing" ideas, but mainly Apple simply acquires companies/workers that have been working on the technology that they desire. Two examples of this would be Multi-Touch and Cover Flow.

Microsoft, on the other hand, is a group of number crunchers and nerds with absolutely no sense to think for themselves in terms of aesthetics. Steve Jobs mentioned this in an interview, but I think it really goes unnoticed because the explanation he uses isn't widely understood. He mentions that Apple tried to really bring "culture" into their OS, and by that he didn't really mean pop culture, but instead, more like human history. Microsoft had/has no idea what typography is, and why it even likes dynamically-spaced fonts. If Bill Gates hadn't taken Apple's ideas, Microsoft would still be using mono-spaced fonts (could you imagine courier and fixedsys as your only font options?). Microsoft is great at seeing something they like and then churning out a mass-market product, but where they take ideas, they never build, and worse yet, they never understand WHY the developers/artists before them made those decisions in the first place.

There's a really fine line between being functional and being gimmicky, and it's nice to see that Microsoft is finally starting to fumble with their half-assed ideas.

[Tyler Gibson @ Jul 25th 2008 11:43AM]

It's a Microsoft Research project you retard. You do understand the difference between R&D and productions products, right?

There are probably hundreds of Research projects at MS at any given time that will never be commercially viable, or have any big market, but that doesn't make it a waste of time.

[Forrest @ Jul 25th 2008 12:03PM]

Yes...there is not a single person employed by Microsoft that could be considered 'creative' or 'original'. Do you actually read what you type?

Here's a thought...who says everyone WANTS Apple's flavor of culture? Last I checked, culture was a local thing.

And Bill Gates stole the idea of aesthetically pleasing fonts from Apple?

I'd like you to do a couple things for me please:

1. Give me some of the fabulous drugs you're taking. They must be FANTASTIC.

2. Pull your bottom lip over your head and swallow. We could use one less asstard in the world.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 25th 2008 7:49AM]

Stick a GPS unit in it and you'll be able to get ball bearings.

It'll take a lot of balls to get a department up and running using this device.

[Encarna @ Jul 25th 2008 11:59AM]

Ball bearings... now THAT's funny!

[Kizorblade @ Jul 25th 2008 8:10AM]

I really can't see this as useful... Say you're on the other side of the sphere and want to show someone else on the other side something.
Would you have to drag it across to the other person or does that person have to walk all the way to you?

[SKI @ Jul 25th 2008 2:48PM]

You flick it across.

[Nick @ Jul 25th 2008 8:18AM]

What are they waiting for to use io2technology's Heliodisplay, it beat the hell out of a "spherical touch screen. -> http://www.io2technology.com/

[Wormbolt @ Jul 25th 2008 8:41AM]

Now for the race to see who can create the thinnest sphere!

[Intrepid @ Jul 25th 2008 9:19AM]

Ball bearings... great stuff! Hahahaha.

[Dobber @ Jul 25th 2008 10:39AM]

OK Engadget. Think this through. I'll be the actual display is spherical shaped; not any new orbital multi-touch thingy.

[Eric @ Jul 25th 2008 12:34PM]

So is this going to be like a Palantir?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palantir